They say the pen is mightier than the sword and in this day and age-that old adage is even more true, real, (and surreal) for many.
Take model Beverly Johnson for instance, who had a story to tell that pretty much fell in line with countless other women recently (and as far back as early 2000s) coming out the woodworks with stories and accounts of being drugged and/or raped by non-other than the revered, respected, and beloved television father that Americans (black and white) had grown to love—like a father, a confidant, a teach, a preacher, a scholar—all things held in high regard and esteem.
You see back then (thirty years ago–like the Barbara Bowman’s/ “Why Did It Take 30 Years for Anyone To Believe Me”), trying to sword-fight a man like Bill Cosby would have cut no one off at the head but themselves.
Thirty years ago, whether these women would have put it in writing, had it been on paper, or especially: had they gone to the rodeo with a man like Cosby—they would have indeed lost that fight, that war and the careers many of them were in such of securing, maintaining or taking to the next level-for sure.
Now let me not belabor the obvious-that 64,000 question that so many people have in their heads: “Why now? Why come out the woodworks now to speak out about it?”
Aside from what I mentioned previously (about Cosby being revered, respected and loved), the fact of the matter is: all these women would certainly have had to explain why is it they wound up in close, personal quarters with [even the likes of] Bill Cosby—under the guise of: reading for parts, talking business [and any other reason each women gave as to how they wound up alone with Cosby].
The fact of the matter is: No matter what reason each of these women could have given then (or even now), considering there was no social media outlet (then), and in conjunction with “who he was,” (then and now), each and every woman would have a terrible time trying to convince a jury, a judge, a precinct, or even someone else who knew them personally, that discussing “business,” or “auditioning for a role” alone, in the private quarters with [even Bill Cosby] should have been a red flag for them all.
Considering the fact that all these women were aspiring [to be] models, or actresses, or singers, etc. let’s admit it: It just wasn’t a good look (for them-for their defense…+ all things considered: The “Bill Cosby”).
Regardless, that doesn’t remove, give an excuse for, and totally surprises me-one fact that I still have yet to see anyone consider-two probable things (beyond a reasonable doubt):
- It’s painfully obvious (according to almost 2 women’s claims) that Bill Cosby took advantage of a circumstance, and situation: his power, status, and ability to feed dreams (and make them happen for all these women).
- It’s also painfully obvious that each of these women were aspiring to be where he knew they saw him as the vehicle to get them there, so he took advantage of that-and knew (like them-who should have seen a red flag when being invited for “business” in close personal quarters)…he as well, knew that without someone there in between he and these women-he had no legitimate “business” to talk about either.
I mean, this man acted in movies with the likes Sidney Poitier for goodness sakes!
Bill Cosby was too “big” too popular, too well-respected, too “legit” for anything less than professional meetings to take place (had his true intentions been as equal to the bait that led these women to be in close personal spaces with him).
The irony of it all is that they all (each and every one of them) claimed to have been drugged. If that be the case, it’s painfully obvious that Bill Cosby had some kind of fetish for having his way with unresponsive women who as well, couldn’t remember what, if anything, had “happened” to them—obviously because of his image and the fact that he was a married man.
Whether he had some deep-seated sort of necrophilia-type fetish for having his way with an unresponsive body-we don’t know.
But these acts obviously did something for him-fed some deviate sexual desire. Because although it probably would have taken longer-a little more time, with a little more courting coercing; he obviously had gotten away (one time too many) with what he was doing. Eventually he found a way to fulfill his deviant desires by taking the path of least resistance-literally.
He could have very well slept with these very same women (who most probably would have allowed him) just like any other creep that has his way with gullible, (sometimes desperate), “aspiring” women trying to make it big.
It’s fortunate that at a time like now in this now old man’s life (who now walks around with oxygen in his nose, chronic glaucoma problems, haggard and graying) is now being look at as a creep at a time when he should be celebrated for what he truly has earned and what joys and memories he has brought to the lives of many, many-a-Thursday nights…
That “creep” happens to be that same man that we learned from, as kids grew up on, and respected, and trusted…like these women did, including Beverly Johnson.
Star Caps’ Nicki Haskell’s chum and business partner: Beverly Johnson is one that we cannot belabor the obvious [about]: She’s a very beautiful woman with enviable cheek bones who took the modeling world by storm-whose legend is that she was the first black model to grace to pages of Vogue magazine, followed by being the first black model to grace the cover of Elle then Cosmopolitan magazines.
Now, her legend is attached to a television legend that we all would love to believe is merely an urban legend, and that perhaps tomorrow morning, we’ll all wake up and discovering we’ve “been drugged” and this was all but a dream.
Straight from pixels of Vanity Fair magazine’s blog, here goes her open letter to
Spitfire .
Media Maestro .
Writing Rhinoceros .
