Walt Disney World removes Bill Cosby bust from Hollywood Studios
Walt Disney World has reportedly removed a statue depicting Bill Cosby from its Hollywood Studios theme park in Orlando, Fla. following closing time on Tuesday.
Walt Disney World has reportedly removed a statue depicting Bill Cosby from its Hollywood Studios theme park in Orlando, Fla. after closing time on Tuesday.
The bronze bust's removal comes just one day after the unsealing of court documents from a 2005 deposition wherein the embattled Cosby admitted to obtaining Quaaludes to give to a woman "he wanted to have sex with."
Recently, a Change.org petition demanding the statue be removed made its way around the Internet, calling its presence in a Disney park "inappropriate."
"The Disney name is synonymous with family-friendly entertainment and with Mr. Cosby in the media daily facing accusation of sexual assault with the number of victims ever-climbing, it is inappropriate for Disney Parks to have a replica of Mr. Cosby's likeness on display," the petition read.
According to TheWrap, however, an "individual with knowledge of the removal" indicates the decision to remove the bust was internally motivated. And, what's more, that particular petition only has 225 signatures out of a 500-signature goal.
Cosby's bust formerly stood in Hollywood Studios' Hall of Fame Plaza, right alongside fellow Television Academy Hall of Fame inductees like Walt Disney and Lucille Ball.
Cosby has never faced criminal charges in connection to the sexual assault allegations against him. His attorney, Martin Singer, has repeatedly denied accusations made against Cosby.