Dave Wrighteous wrote to say…
Big fan of the site and have been catching up on posts when I saw one regarding the recent arrest of Bill Cosby, in which you said this: "You'll probably see posts here about Cosby because I write about most of what's on my mind and I won't be able to completely turn away from the trainwreck that was once one of the world's great comedians."
"…once one of the world's great comedians"?
At what point does someone's work become invalid, due to their actions/behaviour? Unpalatable? Perhaps. But should said work be thrown out and unenjoyable?
Don't get me wrong, I think his actions are truly despicable and the work of a horrible human being, but Wonderfulness is still a hilarious LP.
Maybe I'm just good at separation, I don't know. Bill is/was(?) my all time favorite stand-up and I don't know what to think now. It's like being told the parents that raised, fed, clothed, and loved you were secretly slave traders.
Anyway, just wondering your thoughts on the matter.
What I meant was that he was once one of the world's greatest working comedians…and this mess has kind of killed the "working" part…and not everyone is all that good at what you call "separation." I also suspect there are routines and lines that take on a very different meaning now. Obviously, it's up to everyone to decide how much they can put aside…
Oh, wait. I was going to try to not write so much about Cosby. I'll just stop here. Good point though, Dave.