Bill Cosby Gets Stripped Of His Kennedy Center Honors And Mark Twain Award
Bill Cosby continues to lose his awards and recognition in the wake of the conviction stemming from decades-old sexual assault allegations.
It was the first time for Kennedy Center to do such drastic move, but the board of trustees decided to revoke the awards it had given the comedian, along with it is the Mark Twain Prize. The organization explained that the conviction had largely shadowed his outstanding career achievements that was painstakingly built for many years.
"As a result of Mr. Cosby's recent criminal conviction, the Board concluded that his actions have overshadowed the very career accomplishments these distinctions from the Kennedy Center intend to recognize," the organization said in a statement released on Monday.
Cosby, dubbed as America's Dad, was awarded the Kennedy Center Honor for lifetime achievement in the performing arts in 1998. He became the 12th person to receive the Mark Twain Prize in 2009.
Other Organizations
The news came on the heels of other organizations stripping him of awards and distinctions. Hours after he was convicted, institutions started rescinding recognitions for the disgraced actor, who could face a maximum of 30 years behind bars. Judging by his age, the 80-year-old could practically spend his life in prison. Sentencing is expected at a later date.
Just days before the Kennedy Center made the announcement, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, in charge of the Academy Awards, booted Cosby and director Roman Polanski out of the group. The acclaimed director is living in France in exile after pleading guilty to having an intercourse with a 13-year-old in the '70s. Yale University and Temple University have also rescinded the comedian's honorary degrees.
Trial
On April 26, Cosby faced the music for the sexual assault allegations thrown at him by Andrea Constand, a staff from Temple University in 2004. The woman claimed that the actor drugged her and took advantage of her in his mansion many years ago, but the accused argued that what happened was consensual.
Constand wasn't the only one who have come out slamming Cosby hard. There were many women, which has now ballooned to more than 60, who aired their stories with the same plot, being drugged by the actor before losing consciousness. However, it was the lone case that was filed against him.
Sexual assault allegations against Cosby started appearing on the horizon since 2014. Since then, these cast a shadow and tainted the actor's high-flying career and image, with a lot of people looking up to him before as a father figure because of his role as Cliff Huxtable in NBC's now-defunct The Cosby Show.
