no one was willing to listen.Last night’s documentary, which aired on A&E, takes the viewer through that same narrative, with the litany of milestones in chronological order. But it punctuates each of Cosby’s achievements—each grainy photo and vintage video clip—with a woman relating her account of being sexually assaulted. They hold up a glossy photo of what they looked like at the age they met and were allegedly violated by Cosby, and the documentary stitches together their visual narrative along with the one we know already. In the midst of the documentary carefully framing every woman’s story as an “allegation” and every assault as a “claim”— to escape Cosby’s well-paid legal counsel, presumably—the alternate history it constructs makes for a damning, subtle critique.
The documentary about Bill Cosby’s accusers is a damning critique of rape culture and power
">“Cosby: The Women Speak” destroys damaging myths about women who dare to speak out
Last night's A&E documentary about Bill Cosby's accusers is a damning critique of rape culture and power
The best thing about “Cosby: The Women Speak” is the way it is structured. The public career of comedian and entertainer Bill Cosby unfolded in front of the American audience in a high-profile and visible narrative—“I Spy,” stand-up, Jell-O commercials, “The Cosby Show.” A black comedian becoming a symbol of a multiracial, forward-thinking, freer America, largely while wearing a dad sweater and goofing around. When the rape allegations against him started, the women accusing him could not find an audience because no one was willing to listen.
Last night’s documentary, which aired on A&E, takes the viewer through that same narrative, with the litany of milestones in chronological order. But it punctuates each of Cosby’s achievements—each grainy photo and vintage video clip—with a woman relating her account of being sexually assaulted. They hold up a glossy photo of what they looked like at the age they met and were allegedly violated by Cosby, and the documentary stitches together their visual narrative along with the one we know already. In the midst of the documentary carefully framing every woman’s story as an “allegation” and every assault as a “claim”— to escape Cosby’s well-paid legal counsel, presumably—the alternate history it constructs makes for a damning, subtle critique.