In light of the recent guilty verdict handed to Bill Cosby yesterday, Bounce TV has decided to pull The Cosby Show reruns from its programming.
"Effective immediately, Bounce is removing The Cosby Show from our schedule," the network told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement.
Bounce TV was one of the few remaining networks to continue airing the series, picking it up in November of 2016 after Hulu decided not to renew their contract with the show's production company, Carsey Werner. At that time, the heat had already been on Cosby for some time after comedian Hannibal Buress brought the allegations back into light during an October 2014 stand-up routine.
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This created a domino effect of change, both IRL with women coming forward, as well as on TV. TV Land was one of the first networks to pull the reruns in November 2014, with Aspire following suit the next month. By July 2015 Bounce TV had dropped the CBS show Cosby, and BET’s Centric network dropped The Cosby Show.
Bounce's 2016 decision to bring back the reruns was an unpopular one.
You asked, and we heard you loud and clear, Bouncers. We’re bringing #TheCosbyShow back by popular demand! Tune in December 19th. #TVOurWay pic.twitter.com/p4C5RfYFN2
— Bounce (@bouncetv) November 11, 2016
"You asked, and we heard you loud and clear, Bouncers," they tweeted that November. "We’re bringing #TheCosbyShow back by popular demand! Tune in December 19th."
"good to know where your corporation stands on rapists I guess," one viewer replied.
"You ARE kidding, right?" another asked. "If not, then this is someone who will NOT be bouncing over to your station."
Cosby's initial trial took place in June 2017 but was declared a mistrial. Accuser Andrea Constand was finally victorious this Thursday, prompting Bounce to reverse its 2016 decision.
Bounce TV did not immediately return Refinery29's request for comment.
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