Bill Cosby's Long And Controversial History in Rhode Island

Newport Jazz July, 1970

Bill Cosby and his band played Newport Jazz, July 14, 1970 at Festival Field.

George Wein writes in his book “Myself Among Others: A Life in Music.”

"On a Sunday afternoon show, we presented Badfoot Brown and the Bunions Bradford Funeral Marching Band — a twelve-piece band and organized, and conducted by stand-up comedian and I Spy television-show celebrity Bill Cosby."

“…Their appearance gave me an opportunity to become friends with Cosby; our relationship would grow and deepen over the years.”

Newport Jazz August, 2001

In 2001, Bill Cosby returned to Newport Jazz Festival and performed with a new band.

I Love You Camille Recorded Live: 8/11/2001 - Newport Jazz Festival - Newport, RI

Grad Speaker at RI Prison

In 2008, Bill Cosby was the guest speaker at the RI Department of Corrections graduation. The agency announced:

During these spring graduation ceremonies, the Education Unit will present over 650 inmates in six facilities with certificates in either GED, ABE, ESL, arts programs, or vocational training. 

Bill Cosby is well known to the world as Cliff Huxtable of The Cosby Show...Over the last few years, Bill has traveled the country to spread the word about the violence and lack of education faced by minority youth in the United States. He has been on a mission to help people think about raising children with more integrity and has traveled from city to city, lecturing about education, parenting and responsibility. In October 2007, he released a book, Come On People: On the Path from Victims to Victors, which explains the causes of the problem and gives advice on how to address it.

Newport Fundraiser

In 2011, GoLocal wrote:

Hey, hey, hey! Bill Cosby was at Newport’s historic Rosecliff Mansion last Thursday night for the Newport Festivals Foundation, Inc. Gala to celebrate the new non-profit organization and raise money for the Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals. Cosby hosted the event, while such icons as Ramblin’ Jack Elliot and Pete Seeger performed.

Cosby plays the drums himself and is a devoted jazz fan, so it was appropriate that the gala occurred on the same weekend as the jazz festival.

The festival started off at the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Friday, then moved to Fort Adams State Park for Saturday and Sunday, with such special guests as Grammy-award winner Esperanza Spalding, Wynton Marsalis, Steve Coleman, and the Mingus Big Band. Hopefully, Cosby’s participation in the event helped raise funds to ensure that both festivals would continue to bring great music to Rhode Island for a long, long time… 

Bryant University

“We have nothing to say at this time.” — Statement from October 2015 by Bryant University.

Later Bryant University rescinded Cosby’s honorary degree on November 12, 2015. “We feel strongly that this is a timely and appropriate action,” the university said in a statement. “In revoking Mr. Cosby’s honorary degree we uphold the values, character, and mission of Bryant University.”

Brown University

Dear Members of the Brown Community,

At Commencement in May 1985, Brown University conferred upon Bill Cosby an honorary doctorate of humane letters. Dating back to the first Commencement in 1769, the Board of Fellows of the Brown Corporation has bestowed honorary degrees upon individuals of distinction and accomplishment, recognizing their leadership and contribution to society in a myriad of fields and disciplines. Honorary degree candidates are selected for both their renown and the reflection in their life and in their work of the values and mission of Brown as an academic community.

In receiving that degree, Mr. Cosby was specifically honored in the citation for his “ability to integrate [his] personal character into fictional personae that simulate real life while embracing such cherished American values as honesty, fair play, love of family, and respect for humanity.” These are values that the Brown community holds dear and to which we consistently aspire to attain and exceed in our individual and collective lives.

It has become clear, by his own admission in legal depositions that became public this summer, that Mr. Cosby has engaged in conduct with women that is contrary to the values of Brown and the qualities for which he was honored by the University in 1985. On Friday, September 25th, the University’s Board of Fellows held its first regularly scheduled meeting since that information became available. The Fellows deliberated and determined to revoke and rescind the honorary doctorate conferred upon Bill Cosby by Brown University.

Revoking any degree from this university, honorary or earned, is a serious matter, and the Fellows did not take such action lightly. The principles upon which such a determination is made for an honorary degree include an assessment of the facts and circumstances of the individual situation, and a judgment regarding (1) whether or not the conduct of the honorary degree recipient is grossly inconsistent with the values of Brown and (2) does the conduct run counter to or undermine the accomplishments that were cited as the basis for awarding the honorary degree. Although a consideration of these two questions will inform the Fellows’ decision-making, a decision to revoke a degree does not require that both questions are answered in the affirmative.

In this case these criteria have clearly been met. The conduct that Mr. Cosby has acknowledged is wholly inconsistent with the behavior we expect of any individual associated with Brown. It is particularly troubling as our university community continues to confront the very real challenges of sexual violence on our campus and in society at large, and had it been known to the Fellows in 1985, an honorary degree lauding the qualities quoted above would not have been conferred.

I expect and understand that not all members of the Brown community will agree with this decision. The Board of Fellows, of which I am a member, felt strongly that this was an appropriate action to take in these specific circumstances, and that doing so was in the best interest of the University, its values and mission.

Sincerely,

Christina Paxson

PPAC

In 2014, GoLocal reported on a performance scheduled at Providence Performing Arts Center.

GoLocal reported:

Comedian Bill Cosby, who has been subject to an increasing number of sexual assault allegations, is scheduled to perform in Providence at the Providence Performing Arts Center on June 26 -- and PPAC has refused to comment on the matter.  

On Friday, PPAC referred all comments to Cosby's promoter Ed Atamian, who provided the statement put forth by Cosby's lawyer John Schmitt on November 15.  

"Over the last several weeks, decade-old, discredited allegations against Mr. Cosby have resurfaced. The fact they are being repeated does not make them true. Mr. Cosby does not intend to dignify these allegations with any comment. He would like to thank all his fans for the outpouring of support and assure them that, at age 77, he is doing his best work. There will be no further statement from Mr. Cosby or any of his representatives," said Schmitt.    

"We have no further comment at this time," said PPAC's Caitlyn DiPompo.  

In contrast, neighboring Hanover Theatre in Worcester, MA -- where Cosby is scheduled to play in February -- thought it was "very likely" the performance will be canceled. 

"As the performance venue, our contract is with the promoter, who rents the building and contracts with Bill Cosby to perform," said Lisa Condit with Hanover.  "We think it’s very likely that the promoter (or Cosby himself) will cancel this performance, which would be far preferable to us as it would not open us up to legal action."

Condit continued, "Our audience and our image in the community are of the utmost importance to us, and we ask your patience to bear with us as the situation plays out."

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