Despite allegations from several women that comedian Bill Cosby drugged and raped them, and despite planned protests, a Tennessee Christian college has confirmed that it plans to have the comedian as a guest speaker at its annual fundraising dinner.
Freed-Hardeman University, a school founded by the Church of Christ,
posted on its Facebook page that Cosby's appearance on Dec. 5, booked before the allegations against the comedian occurred, is still on.
"We committed to a contract with Bill Cosby many months ago after soliciting input from alumni and friends. While recent developments have drawn attention to our event because of the speaker, we hope that people will remember: 1.) this dinner is about helping students, and 2.) while we are reading stories in the media, they represent real people whose lives will be affected long after FHU’s dinner has passed. Please join us in praying for healing and peace for those involved."
However, David Brown, head of the Memphis Chapter of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, has promised a protest if Cosby shows up for the dinner.
"I know this is about raising money, but you can raise money more admirably than this," Brown told
the Christian Post he wrote to the school. "If you keep him as your keynote speaker, your fine university will hurt so many, and you will never know the harm that you have done."
Five women, including model Janice Dickinson, have claimed that Cosby, 77, drugged and raped them over the years, although no legal cases have been filed, and Cosby so far has refused to comment,
Business Insider reports.
The allegations already have cost Cosby dearly, as Netflix stopped release of a planned stand-up special, NBC halted production of his new sitcom and TV Land will drop reruns of "The Cosby Show."
Tickets to the Dec. 5 dinner go for $150 apiece, or $600 for a sponsorship, according to
the Jackson Sun, which quotes university spokeswoman Dawn Bramblett as saying that the dinner has raised more than $1 million.
Penny Nance, president of Concerned Women for Safety, told the Christian Post, "Rape is a very serious allegation and it breaks my heart because I grew up watching the 'Cosbys' like many, many Americans and I have this idyllic view of Bill Cosby. I hope that it's wrong, but it has to be fully and vigorously investigated.
"The thing that bothers me is that this isn't just one woman. There has been smoke and innuendo to this effect for a couple of decades
"If he is a rapist, he needs to suffer the consequences. These women deserve justice," she said.