She’s standing by her man. Bill Cosby‘s wife Camille Cosby released a statement to CBS News on Monday, Dec. 15, defending her husband as he’s currently embroiled in sexual assault allegations involving more than 20 women.
“I met my husband, Bill Cosby, in 1963, and we were married in 1964,” the statement from Camille O. Cosby reads. “The man I met, and fell in love with, and whom I continue to love, is the man you all knew through his work. He is a kind man, a generous man, a funny man, and a wonderful husband, father and friend. He is the man you thought you knew.”
She added of The Cosby Show star: “A different man has been portrayed in the media over the last two months. It is the portrait of a man I do not know. It is also a portrait painted by individuals and organizations whom many in the media have given a pass. There appears to be no vetting of my husband’s accusers before stories are published or aired. An accusation is published, and immediately goes viral.”
(Her words come after several women, including ’80s supermodels Janice Dickinson and Beverly Johnson, have come forward to publicly accuse the comedian of drugging them. Johnson most recently penned an essay claiming that Cosby drugged her cappuccino while the two were reading scripts for a possible role on his popular family sitcom. Dickinson previously claimed that the comic lured her with promises of a stint on The Cosby Show, and drugged her during one trip in Lake Tahoe.)
In her statement, Camille also likened coverage surrounding her husband to Rolling Stone‘s controversial story about an alleged rape involving a University of Virginia student. The magazine had to later release an apology letter for not properly vetting the woman under the pseudonym of “Jackie.”
“We all followed the story of the article in the ‘Rolling Stone’ concerning allegations of rape at the University of Virginia,” Camille continued in her statement Monday. “The story was heart-breaking, but ultimately appears to be proved to be untrue. Many in the media were quick to link that story to stories about my husband — until that story unwound.”
The comedian’s wife of over 50 years concluded her statement by questioning the validity of her husband’s accusers. “None of us will ever want to be in the position of attacking a victim,” Camille wrote. “But the question should be asked — who is the victim?”
The beleaguered comedian, meanwhile, spoke with gratitude about his wife while responding to questions from the New York Post this past weekend. When Bill was asked how his spouse has been coping since the allegations resurfaced this past fall, his response was: “Love and the strength of womanhood.” He added to the paper: “Let me say it again, love and the strength of womanhood. And, you could reverse it, the strength of womanhood and love.”
