National Enquirer suppressed interview with Cosby victim for interview with Cosby
A new report reveals a disturbing level of media complicity in downplaying serious allegations of serial rape against comedian and actor Bill Cosby.
The New York Times reports that the tabloid The National Enquirer suppressed a story about rape allegations against Cosby in exchange for an exclusive interview with Cosby in 2005. More than 13 women have accused Cosby of drugging and raping them over a period of time that reaches back at least until the 1970s.
As a result of these accusations, Cosby has had a number of comedy shows around the country. Projects he was working on for Netflix and NBC have also been axed because of the enormous controversy surrounding Cosby. Some organizations have even returned money that Cosby has raised for them. For example, the mayor of Jacksonville, Florida returned money that Cosby had raised for his campaign at a fundraiser. This specific incident involved allegations made by a woman named Andrea Constand, who worked for the basketball team at Temple University, according to the Times. The Times says that Cosby gave the interview to the Enquirer over fears that a story they were going to publish would strengthen claims made by Constand that Cosby had raped her. The Enquirer story revolved around Beth Ferrier, a model who said that Cosby drugged and raped her in the mid-1980s, according to the Times. The revelations of Cosby's interactions with The Enquirer came to light after court documents filed in Philadelphia were unsealed because of media requests.
After the Enquirer published the Cosby interview, Constand sued the Enquirer for defamation. The lawsuits against Cosby and the Enquirer were then combined. They were settled some time in 2006 for an undisclosed amount.
