Who is going to Bill Cosby’s show in Kitchener-Waterloo tonight?

Bill Cosby is set to perform tonight at Centre in the Square, Kitchener-Waterloo, tomorrow at Budweiser Gardens, London, and Hamilton Place, Hamilton on Friday. Lots of talk around these shows, of course, as there are now more than 20 women who allege various sexual assaults by Cosby over a period of decades.

Although there are many ticketholders who are attempting to sell their tickets to these shows there are still more that, apparently, are intending to attend and enjoy a night of comedy. Cosby, for his part, is promising “the show of a lifetime.” In reality it will be the same show he always does. It will end with the dentist bit: “Smope. Do you not see the smope? There is a fiber in my mouf!” 

It will be funny. That is, if you can get past the sexual assault allegations and the giant elephant standing in the middle of the auditorium.

I have a confession. I love Bill Cosby. I saw him in Regina, SK c. 1973. As a child I repeatedly listened to the LP, “Bill Cosby is a very funny fellow.” I saw him live in Saskatoon, SK at least twice. On one of those occasions my mother was laughing so hard that I was worried we might be asked to leave. I have never watched much TV but I always loved The Cosby Show, not to mention Fat Albert and Friends on Saturday mornings. In my restaurant, The Flying Banzini, we assign real and fictional celebrity names to our tables (instead of giving you a number). Bill Cosby is one of the table names.

When the Jian Gomeshi sexual assault scandal broke I was deeply offended. But, I never liked Jian. I respected his skill as a broadcaster but never liked him personally so it was easy for me to quickly and unequivocally condemn him.

But, I love Bill Cosby. This is clouding my thinking. Instead of internally confronting the allegations against Cosby, I am trying to ignore them. It’s like one of my best friends doing things that I deeply disapprove of. What to do? Try to ignore it. Embrace the parts of your friend that you love and ignore the rest. Or at least try to. I think this is what a lot of people are doing with the Cosby scandal. We loved him and held him in high regard for so long that we are struggling to find the will to angrily condemn him.

It’s people who are able to compartmentalize their feelings for Cosby that are attending these shows. People who can ignore the giant elephant in the room. They are able to ignore Cosby’s dark side and simply listen to him and laugh at his comedy.

There is a second group attending. People who are making a point of attending because they hold that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. They are attending to prove that they are open minded and willing to give Cosby every chance to show that he is innocent. Rather, he doesn't have to show anything because his innocence is assumed. This group confuses criminal trial procedure with more humane feelings of right and wrong. Did you withhold ethical condemnation of Luka Magnotta’s killing of Lin Jun until he was convicted? No. Of course not. At the risk of ending all discussion I mention Hitler. You know that he was never convicted of a criminal act. Are you withholding your moral condemnation of Hitler?

Individual moral condemnation does not depend upon proof of guilt in a criminal court.

And, of course, Cosby is attending. I find this somewhat amazing too. In part this may be public relations strategy. More likely, though, it is insight into the ego that is required and results from fifty years of stardom. The same ego that allowed him to drug and assault young starlets. Cosby is able to compartmentalize his life and ignore the giant elephant too.

I believe the women accusing Cosby of these assaults. There are too many allegations of too similar a nature to be dismissed – young, vulnerable, hopeful women entering show business preyed upon by a mentor male. On a balance of probability I believe that Cosby has done some awful things. I recognize that I am not as indignant as I ought to be because of my long time, warm feelings for Cosby but I believe that allegations against him and I would not attend the shows.

I have removed his name card from rotation from my restaurant.

And I promise not to mention Hitler again. It's a cheap shot, I know.