In the future, what will echo most when we hear Bill Cosby’s name?

Will he forever be known as that beloved figure who starred in a groundbreaking family sitcom, was a voice of moral authority on black culture and education and made audiences laugh for decades with his stand-up comedy?

Or is Cosby risking a serious tarnishing of that image right now as allegations of rape continue to swirl around him?

On Sunday, the second woman in a 10-day span, publicist Joan Tarshis, came forward to tell a story of being sexually assaulted by Cosby. She posted a detailed account on Hollywood Elsewhere of being drugged and abused by Cosby, 77, who has been married to wife Camille since 1964.

It’s a scenario that has now been told by more than a dozen women, all recounting incidents that happened years ago. On Tuesday, Vice dug up a passage in model Janice Dickinson’s 2002 memoir in which she recounted predatory dates with the comedian while in her twenties. On the Howard Stern show in 2006 she called Cosby “a bad guy who preys on vulnerable women.”

On Saturday, Cosby refused to answer NPR reporter Scott Simon when asked regarding “serious allegations raised.”

On Sunday, Cosby’s lawyer, John P. Schmitt, issued a statement saying the comedy legend would not “dignify” the “decade-old” claims. “He would like to thank all his fans for the outpouring of support and assure them that, at age 77, he is doing his best work.”

Cosby canceled his upcoming Wednesday appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman. But he will be performing before a nearly sold-out show on Friday at the King Center for the Performing Arts in Melbourne, Fl. And he has dates in Las Vegas on Nov. 28, Yakima, Wa., on Nov. 29 and Dec. 6 in Tarrytown, N.Y.

Cosby seems determined to ignore the noise and continue working.

But is that the best approach?

“When you don’t speak out, when there are so many women speaking up, the allegations gain strength or they’re perceived as having more strength,” says Bonnie Fuller, editor-in-chief of HollywoodLife.com. “It’s going to hurt his reputation unless he can speak out for himself and categorically dismiss the allegations, provide some kind of statement or proof. I think that even if nothing goes further, no lawsuits, no criminal charges, it still clouds his reputation.”

But Howard Bragman, vice-chair of Reputation.com, was surprised Cosby agreed to the NPR interview. “It’s like, why would you do an interview in the midst of this? Youknow they’re going to ask you,” he says. His advice to Cosby: “When you’re under siege, you gotta lay low.You go back in the foxhole.”

Whoopi Goldberg is skeptical of the accusations. She and the hosts of The View kicked around the topic this week. “I’m sorry, having been on both sides of this where people allege that you do something, it doesn’t matter now. The cat’s out of the bag. People have it in their heads,” said Goldberg, adding, “Settlements don’t necessarily mean you’re guilty. … I’m going to reserve my judgment. I have a lot of questions.”

Added Rosie Perez, “Whether the allegations are true or not, it’s the venom people have on social media. If it is true, I hope these women have their day in court and he gets the punishment necessary, but if it’s not true, a lot of people are rushing to judgment. I think we should allow the process of the law.”

On Twitter last week, Cosby innocently asked his followers to “Go ahead! Meme me.” It backfired, with memes featuring mentions of rape. And this week, the Village Voice unearthed an old Cosby 1969 comedy bit in which he joked about drugging women with Spanish Fly, thought to be an aphrodisiac at the time.

“Most people don’t want to hear about all of this,” says David Johnson, CEO of Strategic Vision, an Atlanta-based branding agency. “They don’t want to think about rape and Bill Cosby in the same sentence.” And while he notes that the holiday season is approaching, which may provide a distraction and take some of the heat off, he says, “This one doesn’t seem to be going away.”

Experts say this chapter will permanently cloud Cosby’s legacy. “The silence is so loud,” says Dave Kerpen, CEO of social media firm Likeable Local. The only solid option left? “If he wants to beat this, what he needs to do as quickly as possible is to get out in front of it and say that he is a troubled man and that he’s made lots of mistakes. And show the human side of him. And then he’s got a chance, in my opinion. People are willing to forgive when people are vulnerable.”

This week, fans have continued to grapple with the beloved star’s status. Many fired questions at NPR’s Simon for daring to ask the star about the alleged rape charges. On the show, Cosby only offered a silent shake of the head, twice.

Meanwhile, Cosby’s legal team is standing firm. Cosby himself hasn’t spoken. Netflix still plans to air a special, Bill Cosby 77, on Nov. 28. And NBC has not commented with any status change regarding a development deal it signed with Cosby for a possible sitcom for next season.

SOURCE: USA Today – Andrea Mandell and Ann Oldenburg