Back in 2017, singer R. Kelly cast doubt on the dozens of rape allegations against comedian Bill Cosby, saying in an interview, “When you wait 70 years, 50 years, 40 years, to say something that simple, it’s strange,” adding, “You know why I say that is because it happened to me, and it wasn’t true.”
Now that Cosby has been released from prison after his conviction was overturned on a technicality, he has returned the favor, defending Kelly, who was finally convicted for sex crimes this week.
When Jimmy Kimmel told his late-night audience about Cosby’s comments on Wednesday night, he was met with a smattering of laughter. “Oh, it’s not a joke,” he added. As the host explained, Cosby’s spokesperson said that the comedian believes Kelly was “screwed” and “railroaded” by the justice system and that his “constitutional rights were grossly abused.”
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“And if anyone knows about ‘grossly abusing,’ it is Bill Cosby,” Kimmel joked to groans. “It’s a shame he canceled his comedy tour because he clearly has still got it.”
Kimmel similarly mocked Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) for going all-in on the #FreeBritney movement instead of tackling more substantive issues in Congress.
“Since when is Ted Cruz in favor of women making their own decisions?” he asked. “That’s a new one. He is so desperate to get one celebrity to like him. I mean, forget it, Ted, even Kirstie Alley thinks you’re a dick.”
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