By Lynn Elber, Television Writer
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) --The door is firmly shut to Bill Cosby's return to NBC, the network's top entertainment executive said Friday.
"That's safe to say," NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt said Friday when asked if the network would ever again do a project with Cosby, who 30 years ago was the sitcom king with the network's "The Cosby Show."
NBC's decision to sever ties with the 77-year-old comedian comes in the wake of multiple allegations of sexual assault against him, two lawsuits and a complaint to Los Angeles police earlier this week from a woman who says the comedian sexually abused her in 2008.
The network said late last year it was dropping plans to develop a "classic" family sitcom with him.
The series was announced in mid-2014, before a rising tide of accusations against Cosby by women who say he drugged and assaulted them.
During a question and answer session with the Television Critics Association, Greenblatt was asked to explain what tipped the network against working with Cosby, who was publicly fending off allegations from two women a decade ago.
Cosby has not been charged in any of the alleged assaults and has denied them. In 2005, he settled a civil suit filed by one woman that included claims of battery and assault.
"Fifteen women came out and accused him of what they accused him of," Greenblatt said. Although Cosby hasn't been proven guilty of anything, "when that many people come out and have such similar complaints, it became a tainted situation" and the network didn't want to proceed with the sitcom.
He's glad NBC "is out from under that," Greenblatt said.
Pressed to say precisely what number of accusers is seen as critical mass, Greenblatt replied: "Fifteen, yes, two no."
Cosby has faced more career fallout, including Netflix's decision to indefinitely postpone a comedy special and the cancellation of concerts in his ongoing tour.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump said Friday that no consideration was given to editing the opening episode of the current season of "Celebrity Apprentice" in light of the Cosby controversy.
In that episode, filmed before the recent spate of allegations against Cosby became public, his former TV "daughter" Keshia Knight Pulliam was eliminated from the competition by Trump because she refused to call Cosby for help with her charity. The timing of the episode, which aired in January, became awkward.
"We didn't want to make any changes," said Trump, the show's star. "We're very happy with it. It became a very, very big topic of conversation."
___
AP Television Writer David Bauder contributed to this report.
SMPTE elects board officers, regional governors
SMPTEยฎ,the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has revealed the board officers and regional governors who will serve terms beginning in January 2025.
Three new officers--Richard Welsh as SMPTE president, Eric Gsell as SMPTE executive VP, and Polly Hickling as SMPTE Education VP--have been elected for a two-year term from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2026. One SMPTE officer, Lisa Hobbs, will be continuing her service as SMPTE secretary and treasurer for another two-year term. Additionally, Raymond Yeung will be stepping into the role of standards VP on Jan. 1, 2025.
โSMPTEโs membership has spoken,โ said SMPTE interim executive director Sally-Ann DโAmato. โThese officers have been tasked with an important responsibility, one each of them is prepared to tackle head-on. These next two years are looking bright for SMPTE!โ
In addition to the officers, 10 regional governors were elected by the Society to serve two-year 2025-2026 terms.
These include the following regional governors, re-elected to continue their service:
Asia-Pacific Region Governor
Tony Ngai, Society of Motion Imaging Ltd.
EMEA - Central & South America Region Governor
Fernando Bittencourt, FB Consultant
United Kingdom Region Governor
Chris Johns, Sky UK.
USA - Central Region Governor
William T. Hayes, Consultant
USA - Eastern Region Governor
Dover Jeanne Mundt, Riedel Communications
USA - Western Region Governor
Jeffrey F. Way, Open Drives
Also elected were four newcomers to the SMPTE Board:
Canada Region Governor
Jonathan Jobin, Grass Valley
USA - Hollywood Region Governor
Allan Schollnick, Voxx... Read More