Actor and comedian Jerry Seinfeld is separating the art from the personal sins of comedy genius and alleged serial molester Bill Cosby, telling comedian Norm Macdonald that Cosby is sill “the biggest comedian of all time.”
Seinfeld appeared on Macdonald’s Norm Macdonald Live, earlier this week, to talk all-things comedy when he made the remark.
“I think Bill Cosby is the biggest comedian of all time,” he said. “I don’t think anyone will ever match his production and quality of material.”
“I love Bill Cosby,” replied Macdonald. “I had maybe the greatest Bill Cosby story ever, and now it’s not top 10,000 because I’ll tell people the story, and then I’ll constantly be interrupted by, ‘Did he rape you?’ He didn’t ever rape me. It had nothing to do with the story.”
Beginning in 2015, Cosby, who has one of the most impressive comedic resumes in Hollywood, was accused by woman after woman of drugging and sexually assaulting them; to date, there have been at least 13 women who’ve levied such claims. Cosby will face a retrial in November, as his sexual assault case was declared a mistrial back in June.
The two comedians vaguely rehashed the accusations and Cosby’s art.
“How much are you bothered by the fact that this comedian who you really thought was great turns out to be this person doing horrible things?” Do you separate his work from the person? Does it taint it at all?” Seinfeld asked Macdonald.
“Not at all,” replied the host.
MacDonald explained that he has no problem separating the art from the artist and his sins.
“[If] you hear Beethoven raped his own daughter … would you give a good god damn?” he asked Seinfeld, illustrating his point.
“Yeah, I would. That’s pretty bad. Pick a different crime,” Seinfeld joked back.
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