My apologies. I hastily hit the "Submit Reply" button. I went back to amend my post with the following, but had been timed out...
...
Here's a question.
Why is Mr Cosby not suing these women into bankruptcy for liable/slander?
These accusations have cost him a lot of lost earnings (probably more than all of their net worth put together) as well as massive punitive damages for lost reputation. The man is worth almost half a billion so suing 10,20 or 30 women into oblivion wont matter much to his bank balance. Surely it's the easiest way to stop more women coming out of the woodwork and to go some way to clearing his name.
The cost would be pretty much nothing for him and the benefits are huge as it will prove to vindicate himself in the eyes of the press and to rectify his legacy for his future generations.
In fact there is probably no reason for him not to do it .........unless......
There most certainly is a reason. You're not thinking it through clearly.
When a magazine implies that you, an A-list actor, abandoned your 6-year-old daughter (e.g. Tom Cruise), you file suit for libel. When a gay porn actor claims you and he shared a relationship that ended your marriage (e.g. Tom Cruise), you sue for slander.
Lawsuits alleging libel and slander are typically filed by A-listers when there is a single party making false claims. A $50 million judgment dissuades other parties from joining in. When unsubstantiated claims are made by multiple parties, filing such lawsuits is no longer a viable option. It can be done, but at considerable expense. Plus, the main reason to do it - dissuading others from joining in - has vanished.
If Cosby were going to take that route, he should have filed suit against Buress (the comedian) the day after Buress made his comment about Cosby's alleged past. But I'd be surprised if Cosby even considered doing so. After all, comedians say unreliable things all the time. No one takes them seriously. Filing suit against Buress would give the appearance of guilt (e.g. "The lady doth protest too much, methinks"). That's bad if you're trying to ink a deal with Treasure Island in Las Vegas and simultaneously ink a deal for a new NBC sitcom.*
Cosby probably dismissed Buress's comment as lacking sufficient juice to cause major damage. At the very least, he may have figured people would forget and move on. The ensuing wave of rape allegations - and its momentum - probably surprised him. (Ironically, the meme created by his intern only served to fan the flames in the social media channel.)
At this point, he'd be insane to sue for libel or slander. That ship has sailed. His legacy is permanently tainted.
By the way, lest I be seen as a Cosby apologist, let me be clear. If he drugged and raped women, he should be held accountable. But I cringe at the ease with which people are demonizing him without demanding evidence.
* Both deals have since been cancelled.
...
