Comedian/actor Bill Cosby performs at the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino on September 26, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Bill Cosby (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Following reports that Bill Cosby admitted to drugging several women with the intent to have sex with them, his favorability has plummeted among Americans. According to a new Rasmussen Reports survey, just 21 percent of American adults now have a favorable view of Bill Cosby.
In 2005, Cosby admitted to obtaining quaaludes — which are no longer distributed — with the intent of giving them to women he wanted to have sex with. He further admitted to giving the drug to several women in testimony for a sexual-abuse case filed by former Temple University employee Andrea Constand. In documents obtained by The Associated Press, who sought the contents of the deposition in court, Cosby said he obtained seven quaalude prescriptions in the 1970s during questioning by Constand’s lawyer, who also asked if he had kept the powerful sedatives through the 1990s, after they were banned.
A poll conducted in November found nearly half of Americans thought it was likely the rape allegations against the comedian were true, but also that networks shouldn’t have cancelled his shows. Americans apparently still held an innocent until proven guilty mindset, at least in this case, because they say the television networks were wrong to cancel Cosby’s shows until he was officially charged with a crime. On November 19, NBC became the second outlet to cancel projects with Bill Cosby, which came only one day after famous model and well-known TV host Janice Dickinson told “Entertainment Tonight” that she was sexually assaulted by the comic in 1982.
However, since the latest poll, Cosby’s favorability ratings have seen a 21-point drop. Sixty-six percent (66 percent) now view Cosby unfavorably, up 30 points from the 36 percent in the November survey, including 7 percent with a “very favorable” opinion and 36 percent with a “very unfavorable” opinion. Meanwhile, 13 percent are still undecided.
Cosby, 77, has been accused by more than two dozen women of sexual misconduct in episodes dating back more than four decades. Cosby has never been charged with a crime, and the statute of limitations on most of the accusations has expired. Cosby resigned in December from the board of trustees at Temple University, where he was the popular face of the Philadelphia school in advertisements, fundraising campaigns and commencement speeches.
