Bill Cosby's lawyer: It's time for 'media vilification' to stop

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - Bill Cosby's high-profile lawyer released another statement late Friday refuting the numerous claims of sexual assault facing the comedian, calling the reports "increasingly ridiculous" and blaming the media for its "breakneck rush to run stories without any corroboration."

"Over and over again, we have refuted these new unsubstantiated stories with documentary evidence, only to have a new uncorroborated story crop up out of the woodwork," attorney Martin Singer said. "When will it end? It is long past time for this media vilification of Mr. Cosby to stop."

On Friday, a woman told Philadelphia Magazine that while working as a secretary for former Hollywood talent agency Artists Agency Corp. in 1965, Cosby drugged and attempted to sexually assault her at a party.

She's the eighth woman to make such a claim this week.

Cosby's attorney called it "illogical" for people to come forward 30, 40 and 50 years after an alleged incident having "said nothing, done nothing, and made no reports" to law enforcement officials.

"It makes no sense that not one of these new women who just came forward for the first time now ever asserted a legal claim back at the time," Singer said in response.

Cosby received a standing ovation on Friday night a sold-out comedy show in Melbourne, Florida. Earlier in the day, two casinos in Las Vegas and Arizona canceled his stand-up performances amid the swirling allegations.

"I know people are tired of me not saying anything, but a guy doesn't have to answer to innuendos," Cosby told Florida TODAY before the Melbourne show. "People should fact check. People shouldn't have to go through that and shouldn't answer to innuendos."

Netflix, NBC and TV Land recently pulled upcoming Cosby projects.

The 77 year-old humorist is still scheduled to perform a pair of shows on Dec. 6 in Tarrytown, New York.

Read the statement below in full:

"The new, never-before-heard claims from women who have come forward in the past two weeks with unsubstantiated, fantastical stories about things they say occurred 30, 40, or even 50 years ago have escalated far past the point of absurdity. 

These brand new claims about alleged decades-old events are becoming increasingly ridiculous, and it is completely illogical that so many people would have said nothing, done nothing, and made no reports to law enforcement or asserted civil claims if they thought they had been assaulted over a span of so many years. 

Lawsuits are filed against people in the public eye every day. There has never been a shortage of lawyers willing to represent people with claims against rich, powerful men, so it makes no sense that not one of these new women who just came forward for the first time now ever asserted a legal claim back at the time they allege they had been sexually assaulted.

This situation is an unprecedented example of the media's breakneck rush to run stories without any corroboration or adherence to traditional journalistic standards. Over and over again, we have refuted these new unsubstantiated stories with documentary evidence, only to have a new uncorroborated story crop up out of the woodwork. When will it end? It is long past time for this media vilification of Mr. Cosby to stop."