Cosby Biographer: “I Was Wrong”
The renewed and gathering allegations against Bill Cosby came to light right after the release of a new biography, Cosby: His Life and Times, which gives a long view of the comedian’s career but never delves into the already-known accusations of sex assault against him. The author, Mark Whitaker, has come under increasing criticism in recent weeks for that omission, culminating in a Monday’s New York Times column by David Carr.
Whitaker has replied to Carr … with an acknowledgement he should’ve investigated the allegations against Cosby.
@carr2n David you are right. I was wrong to not deal with the sexual assault charges against Cosby and pursue them more aggressively.
— Mark Whitaker (@Marktwhitaker) November 24, 2014
@carr2n I am following new developments and will address them at the appropriate time. If true the stories are shocking and horrible.
— Mark Whitaker (@Marktwhitaker) November 24, 2014
Of Whitaker, Carr wrote:
We all have our excuses, but in ignoring these claims, we let down the women who were brave enough to speak out publicly against a powerful entertainer.
Mr. Whitaker has said he didn’t want to put anything in the book, which he wrote with Mr. Cosby’s cooperation, that wasn’t confirmed — which of course raises the question of why he wouldn’t have done the work to knock down the accusations or make them stand up.
And given that the accusations had already been carefully and thoroughly reported in Philadelphia magazine and elsewhere, any book of the size and scope of Mr. Whitaker’s should have gone there.
