Bill Cosby continues to suffer professionally after 19 women, including a Canadian, have come forward alleging the once-beloved comedian drugged and raped them in the 60s and onward – Canadian women’s groups have asked venues to cancel Cosby’s scheduled tour appearances, and many have listened.
Venues in Washington and North Carolina cancelled Cosby’s shows late last month, and now, according to CBC News, the Hamilton’s Woman Abuse Working Group is demanding that the comedian’s show on January 9th at Hamilton Place be cancelled as well. He also has two other upcoming Ontario shows: one in Kitchener on January 7th and one in London on January 8th. Back in November, officials for the Hamilton show said it would go on as scheduled. “Yes, it is [going ahead],” said a woman who answered the phone at Innovation Arts & Entertainment, based in Chicago (CBC News). “Other than that, we don’t have anything else to say.” Scott Warren, the general manager of FirstOntario Centre, Hamilton Place and the Molson Canadian Studio, echoed that statement. “The promoter of this show has indicated this show will go on,” Warren said in an email. “Beyond that, we have no comment on this show.”
Meanwhile, one of the more than a dozen women who have filed charges against Bill Cosby is a Canadian former aspiring actress and model Lisa Jones, who told ET Canada that she was promised an audition on his popular sitcom “The Cosby Show” and instead was mistreated and sexually harassed by the actor.
Although Cosby still plans to go ahead with his scheduled shows here, according to CTV News, the groups are promising action as well as protests. “The city has no involvement and nothing to do with that contract, nor can we interfere with that contract,” Deputy Mayor Paul Hubert said Tuesday to the news outlet. “[Londoners] lave the right not to go to that show and to protest it outside of Budweiser Gardens if that’s their desire.”
Photo: HRC/WENN.com
