Phylicia Rashad defends Bill Cosby: It's the 'destruction of a legacy'

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (Christian Examiner) -- Phylicia Rashad, well known as Mrs. Huxtable on the iconic "The Cosby Show," defended her former co-star Bill Cosby, saying that the rape and molestation accusations against him are intentionally designed to ruin his lasting impact in the industry and society.

"Forget these women," Rashad told Showbiz411. "What you're seeing is the destruction of a legacy, and I think it's orchestrated. I don't know why or who's doing it, but it's the legacy, and it's a legacy that is so important to the culture."

"Someone is determined to keep Bill Cosby off TV and it's worked," she added, referring to the 77-year-old's Netflix comedy special and NBC sitcom that were in development last year. Both were canceled in the wake of the scandals.

Rashad co-starred on "The Cosby Show" for 12 years.

The sitcom was culturally significant for its portrayal of African-Americans in media, with Cosby as Cliff Huxtable the physician and Rashad as his wife and a prominent attorney. Cosby used his success as a platform to push the importance of education and for restoring the traditional family as an institution within the black community.

Also, Cosby has been very open about his faith in God and Christian upbringing, making the charges of immoral behavior even more shocking. He has been alleged of wrong doing by more than two dozen women so far, including supermodels Beverly Johnson and Janice Dickinson.

"This show represented America to the outside world. This was the American family. And now you're seeing it being destroyed. Why?" Rashad said.

Critics have tried to make something of Cosby's almost non-existent defense of himself against multiple accusers. His lawyers, Martin Singer and John B. Schmitt, have categorically denied all claims, but the comedian himself has rarely spoken out—a move that Rashad said makes sense.

"If he spoke now, what do you think the media would do with it?" the actress said.

The Tony-winning actress said she did not speak up about the controversy before now because she wanted to avoid being dragged into the controversy.