Plans for a paperback edition of a
Bill Cosby biography have been pulled, following the recent claims
against the comedian of sexual assault.
Cosby: His Life and Times
by Mark Whitaker was described as "the first major biography of an
American icon", when it was released in September.
It garnered positive reviews, but was later criticised for failing to address the accusations against the star.
Several celebrity endorsements for the biography have since been rescinded.
The
publication of first edition saw the likes of Billy Crystal, Mary Tyler
Moore, Jerry Seinfeld and David Letterman sing the book's praises.
These have now been removed from pages promoting the book online.
Seinfeld
is quoted on the back cover of the book, saying: "I know certain
religions forbid idol worship. If anyone ever told me I had to stop
idolizing Bill Cosby, I would say, 'Sorry, but I'm out of this
religion.'
"So if you want to join the Religion of Cosby, as I did back in 1966, Mark Whitaker's wonderful new book would be our Bible."
Simon and Schuster vice president Cary Goldstein told the Associated Press that representatives from some of the celebrities had contacted the publisher about removing their quotes.
Tom Keaney, who represents Seinfeld and Letterman, told The Hollywood Reporter: "We were unaware that those quotes were still in circulation, and are asking the publisher to refrain from their future use."
'No updates'
Whitaker's 544-page biography paints a sympathetic portrait of Cosby, and praises his contributions to race relations in the US.
The
book was "based on extensive research and in-depth interviews with
Cosby and more than sixty of his closest friends and associates".
But it never mentions the rumours that the star had drugged and assaulted women during the 1970s and 1980s.
The book's publication was, in part, responsible for prompting several women to come forward with their stories.
Now 78, the comedian has never been charged with a crime and publicly denies the claims.
In
November Whittaker, a former editor of Newsweek, tweeted that he was
"wrong to not deal with the sexual assault charges against Cosby and
pursue them more aggressively".
Simon and Schuster have now
confirmed the book will not be updated to include the allegations and it
will not get a paperback publication.
The
first allegations against Mr Cosby came to light in 2005, when two
women publicly accused the comedian of drugging and sexually assaulting
them while they were unconscious.
One of the women, Andrea Constand, filed a civil lawsuit against Mr Cosby, which they settled out of court in November 2006.
Over the years more women have come forward but the allegations did not gain mainstream attention until last October when footage of a live set of comedian Hannibal Buress was posted online in which he called Cosby a rapist.
On
Thursday, Cosby failed to block a civil case accusing him of sexually
assaulting a 15-year-old girl at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles in
1974.
The California Supreme Court rejected his petition to review
the case brought by Judy Huth - meaning her lawyers can now question Mr
Cosby under oath.
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