I remember the last time Bill Cosby was the target of rape accusations but I don't remember who made the accusations ~ maybe it was Barbara Bowman ~ I'm not sure that his apparent refusal to answer questions relating to this latest round of accusations is helping his credibility ~ but I agree with Whoopi that a settlement is not necessarily covering up guilt ~ and like Whoopi says below: "We'll know when we know." ~ Sooz

Whoopi Goldberg Skeptical of Bill Cosby Accuser: ‘Don't You Do a Kit’ After Getting Raped?
TheWrap | Travis Reilly | 21 hrs ago

ABC's "The View" spent a significant portion of Monday's episode discussing the resurfacing of rape allegations against comedian Bill Cosby, but Whoopi Goldberg refused to pass early judgment.

Instead, the host expressed doubts over actress Barbara Bowman's accusations and suggested she might come onto the program to answer a few questions directly.

"Quiet honestly, look, I'm sorry, having been on both sides of this where people allege that you do something -- it doesn't matter now. The cat is out of the bag, people have it in their head," Goldberg said. "I have a lot of questions for the lady, maybe she'll come on."

Goldberg's co-hosts quickly pointed out that she had answered questions with other outlets. In addition to describing the sexual assault in a recent Washington Post op-ed, Bowman explained her case Monday morning on the ABC's "Good Morning America."

"I had one glass of wine and the next thing I knew, I was coming to slumped over the toilet," Bowman explained on "GMA," in a clip played on "The View." "Who's going to believe that? Bill Cosby? Doctor Huxtable?"

"Perhaps the police might have believed it," Goldberg responded. "Or the hospital. Don't you do a kit when you say someone has raped you?"

"But there was a settlement," co-host Rosie O'Donnell explained. "So that's the thing that's curious."

Goldberg pointed out a settlement is no indication of guilt. "I can speak to settlements. Settlements don't necessarily mean you're guilty," she explained.

"You generally settle because you don't want to put your family through it again, you don't want to keep going through it again and again and again," Goldberg continued. "I hope there is justice for this lady, I hope somebody gets to the bottom of this, but I'm going to reserve my judgments because I have a lot of questions."

"It's very awkward," O'Donnell said. "Isn't it awkward?"

"It's more than awkward, it's a tragedy," co-host Nicolle Wallace responded. "Either 13 women were raped by someone too powerful to face the criminal justice system or an innocent man is being falsely accused. This is either a tragedy or a tragedy."

As TheWrap previously reported, Cosby had a "Late Night" appearance scheduled for Wednesday, but it was canceled amid resurfaced allegations. The actor has denied Bowman's story, as well as similar accusations leveled by other women.

"You have to really take a minute and follow the evidence -- follow what happened," Goldberg said. "We'll know when we know. That's what I know."

http://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/whoopi-goldberg-skeptical-of-bill-cosby-accuser-%e2%80%98dont-you-do-a-kit%e2%80%99-after-getting-raped/ar-BBejeDi

I would like to think Bill Cosby is NOT guilty of rape.

Now, I know and knew that he wasn't wholesome family man Cliff Huxtable from the Cosby show. While the show was running, my Vegas cousin sold him their house to be used by his Las Vegas dancer girlfriend. This in no way proves these allegations are true. Truthfully, I'd think he could find girls anywhere and would not have to stoop to rape, but like Whoopi said, "We have to follow the evidence."

And the "evidence" is?

Heavens I don't know. I am not involved in the criminal process.

Then it's pretty much a non-story that should be confined to the back pages of tabloids.

You are not obliged to read it. There are quite a few women accusing Bill Cosby of rape. He was the prototype for the black professional family man for many years.

Victoria told me that they aired The Cosby Show in Ghana, and it was must see TV. Everyone came home to see Bill Cosby.

He is internationally admired.

oskar, "[w]e'll know when we know." ~ and maybe we'll never know ~ but I don't think what the public knows or doesn't know is the cause of this ~ the only reason I can think of that this is even arising again is that someone feels there was no "justice served" the last time ~ and the fact that, very similar to the Canadian radio guy, so many more women are coming out of the shadows to join the clamor with very similar stories ~

We have this idealized picture of Dr Huxtable, that I'm guessing VERY FEW live up to ~ but we really don't know very much about Cosby's private life ~ I am not saying we should know about his private live ~ but I'm sure he wouldn't be the first nor will he be the last celebrity to fail at spurning temptation ~

Sooz

From what I've seen so far is that once someone makes an allegation there's then a "piling-on" effect and it's nearly alway against those with lotsa money..

Agreed, oskar ~ but allegations aren't proof ~ and settlements don't necessarily guarantee some were victims of sexual assault ~ and that's why these episodes are sooooo ugly ~

Sooz

Exactly what I was trying to say. If the media weren't so desperate to create news it would likely happen a lot less.

Good point ~ in my own mind, sexual assault is sexual assault ~ the crime is the same, and it doesn't matter if the assault is by a celebrity or a teenager or joe q public ~ having said that, I think Kathy hits on one of the reasons this Cosby mess is news: millions of people world-wide have this idealized picture of Cosby as Huxtable ~ and as I said in an earlier post, I'm not sure Cosby's refusal to confront this new [or renewed] problem is helping his credibility ~

Sooz

There's almost never any piling-on when it's john q public.

Cosby lost his NBC series development deal. I think Netflix was going to do a retrospective profile and that's been dropped, too.

I included Cosby in my latest test to be administered on Monday. Fallen prototypes.

Ah! But has he fallen or was he pushed.
That is the question.

IMO, the question are: What did Cosby allegedly do? and when did he do it?