Skip to main content

Following new evidence, Bounce and BET cancel all reruns of Cosby’s shows

As if it were even possible, Bill Cosby’s legacy has become even more sullied. Following the reported release of a deposition from 2005 that suggests the actor and comedian admitted to acquiring Quaaludes in the ‘70s with the intention of using them on women to have sex, Deadline reports Bounce TV has cancelled all reruns of the comedian’s show Cosby, effectively immediately. And in more breaking news, Variety reports BET has reportedly pulled the plug on all reruns of The Cosby Show as well.

This comes months after NBC also cancelled a proposed project with Cosby once the sexual assault claims came flying. A comedy special that was scheduled for Netflix was also pulled, along with several other appearances and projects that were lined up, following the initial hoopla surrounding the allegations. The announcement follows previous cancellations of Cosby’s syndicated programs from other networks, including TV Land.

Recommended Videos

Related: Trump’s run for president is the best prop for late night comedy since Sarah Palin

Bounce and BET are competitors, both predominantly targeting the African-American demographic. Bounce, founded by Martin Luther King III and Georgia politician Andrew Young, is a multicast network, supported by advertising, that is carried by a number of channels throughout the U.S. The former was running old episodes of Cosby, a follow-up to the massively popular sitcom The Cosby Show, that ran from 1996 through to 2000. The Cosby Show aired from 1984 through to 1992. Centric, which owns BET, said it would pull the show from the lineup starting Wednesday, July 8 “indefinitely.”

The cancellation announcements come after the release of previously sealed documents, which allegedly indicate Cosby’s admission about procuring drugs, reportedly Methaqualone (aka Quaaludes), for the nefarious purpose of taking advantage of women.

Former model Janice Dickenson’s lawyer, Lisa Bloom, called the admission about the drugs a “game changer” – Dickenson is proceeding with a defamation and emotional distress lawsuit against Cosby after he called her claims that he drugged and raped her back in the ‘70s a lie.

In total, more than 40 women have come forward since the allegations first came to light late last year. Cosby has yet to publicly comment on the matter. But the release of the aforementioned documents from 2005 may get the ball rolling, and not in favor of the accused. Legal proceedings aside, the announcement has helped to all but erase the actor’s face from the small screen.

Christine Persaud
Christine has decades of experience in trade and consumer journalism. While she started her career writing exclusively about…
This new movie will smash the weekend box office — watch the trailer
A photo of someone watching a movie in a theater.

Superman is all set to smash the weekend box office, with forecasts suggesting that the second reboot of the movie series will take between $115 million and $135 million in North America, Boxoffice Pro reports.

Opening globally on Friday (check out the trailer above), the movie, directed and co-written by James Gunn and starring David Corenswet as Superman, had a reported budget of $225 million, while marketing could reportedly add another $200 million or so to those costs.

Read more
3 underrated Netflix movies you should watch this weekend (July 11-13)
The Irishman Netflix Robert De Niro

Finding movies to watch on Netflix isn't supposed to eat up your whole night. Netflix might have plenty of options, but the challenge comes from actually picking which one makes the most sense.

If you've spent hours scrolling through the streaming service looking for the perfect movie, then we've got you covered. We've pulled together three underrated movies that are all worth checking out, each of which will hopefully save you from hours of unnecessary scrolling.

Read more
3 great free movies to stream this weekend (July 11-13)
Arnold Schwarzenegger looks on with a scowl.

This weekend, it's time to look up because Superman soars into theaters. A lot is riding on Superman. It's the first film from James Gunn and Peter Safran in the new DC Universe. Their dreams of a shared universe that rivals the MCU hinge on Superman's critical and financial success.

After watching a movie like Superman in your local theater, wind down on the couch with a free movie from a FAST service. Signing up is free and takes less than five minutes. The movie selection on FAST services rivals that of a paid streaming service. Check out these three great movies to stream.

Read more