By: Ellen Cans
On Sunday, the owner of the Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village said he would not let Bill Cosby perform on his stage, following his prison release. As reported by the NY Post, the beloved brick-lined Big Apple Comedy Club, which has hosted stars including Jerry Seinfeld, Robin Williams and Chris Rock, was adamant about not letting the disgraced comic book an appearance, saying audiences wouldn’t support it.
Cosby, 83, was freed from jail last month after spending about two and a half years behind bars, as his sexual assault conviction was overturned in a striking court ruling. The Cosby show actor, which had a budding active career for over six decades, reportedly plans to do a stand-up tour.
Noam Dworman, the cellar club owner, said he would not welcome Cosby, even though it was pointed out that he had allowed Aziz Ansari and Louis C.K. to perform at his venue in 2018, after their respective sexual-misconduct scandals. Dworman explained that Cosby’s offenses were far worse and that the other two had not been charged with a crime. “Comparing Bill Cosby to these other guys is absurd,” Dworman said. He added that he had even received death threats after allowing Louis C.K. to perform. “I didn’t want to talk about this to begin with,” Dworman said. “I just think these comparisons are ridiculous.”
In response to the club owner’s bashing, a representative for Cosby, Andrew Wyatt, told TMZ that his client is unfazed by the insult. “That’s one club owner, and in the words of the King of R&B Bobby Brown, ‘It’s his prerogative to do what he wants to do,’ ” Wyatt said.
On June, Cosby’s three- to 10-year sentence was tossed in Pennsylvania State Supreme court, as the judge ruled that a secret verbal immunity deal struck long ago with then-Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor Jr., prevented the comic from ever being charged for allegedly drugging and molesting Andrea Constand in 2004.
Upon leaving jail and returning to his home, a weakened Cosby raised his arm to give the peace sign. “This is justice — and justice for black America,” Cosby’s rep, Andrew Wyatt, had said in a statement. “This is the justice Mr. Cosby has been fighting for.” “I want to thank the attorneys who successfully argued his appeal and especially Mrs. Cosby who stood strong and was here for Mr. Cosby every step of the way and supported every idea and strategy from the attorneys and the team and she always knew that Mr. Cosby was innocent,” Wyatt had said.
