Bill Cosby returned to the standup stage this week in Ontario, Canada. Thursday, Cosby reportedly made a rape joke to one specific woman in the audience. The audience then paused, and roared with laughter. This according to National Post reporter Richard Warnica, who livetweeted the performance.
“You have to be careful about drinking around me,” Cosby just said to a woman in the crowd. Loud gasps from the audience.
— Richard Warnica (@richardwarnica) January 9, 2015
The gasps then changed to cheers and applause.
— Richard Warnica (@richardwarnica) January 9, 2015
A woman in the front row got up to go get a drink. Cosby asked her where she was going. She asked him if he wanted a drink.
— Richard Warnica (@richardwarnica) January 9, 2015
He said no, he already had one (a bottle of water). Then he continued “You have to be careful about drinking around me.”
— Richard Warnica (@richardwarnica) January 9, 2015
The performance was later interrupted by a male in the audience.
Security just pulled a man out of the crowd in London. “You are a rapist!” he yelled at Cosby on the way out.
— Richard Warnica (@richardwarnica) January 9, 2015
Six police officers surround the man pulled from the crowd. pic.twitter.com/CyVrgJL5pY
— Richard Warnica (@richardwarnica) January 9, 2015
Police arrested one man for failing to identify himself. They held him in cuffs in the foyer for a few minutes then let him go.
— Richard Warnica (@richardwarnica) January 9, 2015
But overall, Warnica reports that the crowd was overwhelmingly pro-Cosby. Outside, it was a different story as protesters showed up in full force.
80 minutes before the show and the protest crowd in London is already growing. pic.twitter.com/qQooP6vshT
— Richard Warnica (@richardwarnica) January 8, 2015
It’s a much wilder scene here at Cosby’s second Canadian show. Fans are getting yelled at as they walk in. pic.twitter.com/fsVIqj2hlz
— Richard Warnica (@richardwarnica) January 8, 2015
Protestors are handing out these slips. Each one has a different Cosby accuser’s name on it. pic.twitter.com/88dX09z4AY
— Richard Warnica (@richardwarnica) January 8, 2015
Handed out to ticket holders at tonight’s Cosby show. pic.twitter.com/yACtgjpuhj
— Richard Warnica (@richardwarnica) January 9, 2015
Late Thursday, Cosby’s publicist issued a statement deriding the incident as “one outburst.” Cosby’s statement ends with defiance: “I’m Far From Finished.”
Update 12:25am CT, Jan. 9: Here is footage from the performance as the man is being ejected.
Photo via Kenya Allmond/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
