"Dear fans: I hope you enjoy my wonderful video message that's filled with laughter. Hey, hey, hey — I'm far from finished."
That's what Bill Cosby told his fans in a statement that accompanies a bizarre video released today. In the short clip, obtained by ABC News, he makes no mention of the mounting sexual assault allegations against him, many of which came to light in recent months. Instead, he promotes an upcoming comedy show in West Virginia, saying, "You know I'll be hilarious. Can't wait!" to an unidentified listener on the other end of his rotary phone.
The 77-year-old comedian and his attorneys have denied the claims of the more than two dozen women who say Cosby drugged and/or sexually assaulted them over a period of five decades. Cosby's decision not to comment on the allegations, given the pending defamation suit against him by three of his accusers, makes sense. His choice to wear silk pajamas in the video is a little harder to understand.
Further Reading:
Bill Cosby's most recent comedy show was a disaster
Rape accusations and rape rants: Cosby's biggest problem is that he loves power
Several passages from Bill Cosby's 1980s books sound especially bad in retrospect
Why don't we believe rape victims? Because of people like Phylicia Rashad.