NEW YORK – The publisher of a disparaged Bill Cosby biography has pulled blurbs from Billy Crystal, Mary Tyler Moore and other celebrities from dedicated web pages on Amazon.com and other retailers.
Simon & Schuster vice-president and executive director of publicity Cary Goldstein told The Associated Press on Wednesday that because of “recent events” it was removing the endorsements for Mark Whitaker’s Cosby, which came out last September to positive reviews but was soon heavily criticized for overlooking the many allegations against Cosby, 78, of sexual assault.
Moore’s quote had read:
“If I was America’s ‘sweetheart’ — turning the world on with a smile — then Bill Cosby was and still is our ‘best man.'”
Crystal had called the book “A revealing, honest look at my favourite comedian.”
Others praising Cosby included Jerry Seinfeld, David Letterman and Wynton Marsalis. Goldstein said that representatives from some of the celebrities had contacted Simon & Schuster about removing their blurbs, but declined to cite specific names. He also did not have an immediate comment on any changes to the actual book or whether future editions are planned.
Paperbacks are usually issued within a year after the hardcover, but no paperback is currently listed on Amazon for Cosby. Whitaker’s biography, written with Cosby’s endorsement, was No. 361,786 on Amazon as of midday Wednesday.
Earlier Wednesday, a spokesman for Seinfeld and Letterman confirmed a Hollywood Reporter story that the two comedians wanted their endorsements withdrawn.
On Tuesday, filmmakers confirmed that Cosby had been cut from a documentary about black stuntmen.
More than two dozen women have come forward in recent months to accuse Cosby of molesting them. His agents have disputed many of their accounts, and he has not been charged with a crime. In court documents obtained by The Associated Press, Cosby admitted to using Quaaludes to drug women before sex.
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