NEW YORK - No revisions or future editions are planned for a disparaged Bill Cosby biography, the publisher told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Simon & Schuster vice president and executive director of publicity Cary Goldstein told the AP that no paperback has been scheduled for Mark Whitaker’s “Cosby” and that no changes will be made in the e-book or hardcover, which came out last September to positive reviews but was soon heavily criticised for overlooking the many allegations against Cosby, 78, of sexual assault.
Goldstein said there are no plans to pull the book entirely, although that decision seems unlikely to be needed. “Cosby” has sold poorly in recent months and the hardcover ranked number 350 880 on Amazon.com’s best-seller list as of late Wednesday afternoon. The only hardcovers available on Amazon were from third-party sellers, while the e-book ranked number 301 470 on Amazon’s list for Kindle purchases.
Earlier Wednesday, Simon & Schuster told the AP that because of “recent events” it had pulled blurbs from Billy Crystal, Mary Tyler Moore and other celebrities from dedicated web pages on Amazon, Barnes & Noble.com and other retailers. Moore’s quote had read: “If I was America’s ‘sweetheart’ — turning the world on with a smile — then Bill Cosby was and still is our ‘best man.'“ Crystal had called the book “A revealing, honest look at my favourite comedian.”
Others praising “Cosby” included Jerry Seinfeld, David Letterman and Wynton Marsalis. Goldstein said that representatives from some of the celebrities had contacted Simon & Schuster about removing their blurbs, but declined to cite specific names.
On Tuesday, filmmakers confirmed that Cosby had been cut from a documentary about black stuntmen.
More than two dozen women have come forward in recent months to accuse Cosby of molesting them. His agents have disputed many of their accounts, and he has not been charged with a crime. In court documents obtained by The Associated Press, Cosby admitted to using Quaaludes to drug women before sex.
AP