Bill Cosby's TV Wife Phylicia Rashad Backtracks On Defending Freed Comedian After Getting Slammed By Fans
June 30 2021, Published 6:55 p.m. ET
Phylicia Rashad is changing her tune after collecting major backlash for celebrating Bill Cosby's sexual assault conviction being overturned.
The comedian's TV wife took to Twitter and backtracked on calling Cosby's prison sentence a "miscarriage of justice" following his release.
As RadarOnline.com reported, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decided to overturn the 83-year-old star's sexual assault conviction, making him a free man who walked out of prison on Wednesday.
Rashad immediately took to social media to show her excitement over Cosby going from prisoner to civilian.
"FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted- a miscarriage of justice is corrected!" the 73-year-old actress tweeted, along with posting a photo of Cosby.
Twitter users were quick to tear into her comment, making it clear that they did not stand with her or Cosby.
"So the DOZENS of women who came forward ALL lied. Horrible enabler's take from @PhyliciaRashad," one person wrote.
"Phylicia’s response here is not surprising but it is disappointing, given her role as an academic dean charged with the welfare of her students, some of whom will be survivors," another user added.
FYI -- Rashad is the Dean of Arts at Howard University.
"That Tweet from @PhyliciaRashad is toxic rape enabling at an institutional level. I shudder for the safety of all of the women (and all students, frankly) at @HowardU if this is the public position being taken by an HU dean regarding a man with 50-plus KNOWN victims. Disgraceful," shared a third angry follower.
Cosby and Rashad were at one time the most recognizable pair on television when they played Cliff and Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show.
Following the backlash, Rashad turned off the comment option on her post.
She also clarified her original statement.
"I fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward," Rashad wrote. "My post was in no way intended to be insensitive to their truth. Personally, I know from friends and family that such abuse has lifelong residual effects. My heartfelt wish is for healing."
Rashad jumping to Cosby's defense shouldn't be a surprise because she's done it in the past.
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During a 2015 interview with ABC News, the actress called the allegations brought on Cosby by 60 women an “obliteration of legacy.”
In 2018, the comedian was convicted on three counts of aggravated indecent assault for an incident involving Temple University employee Andrea Constand.
He was sentenced to 3 to 10-years in prison for the incident that happened in 2004.
Cosby was serving his second year of that sentence when the court made its decision to release him.
