Bill Cosby's star will not be removed from the Hollywood Walk of Fame because it is 'part of its historic fabric'

  • Campaigners have failed to persuade Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to remove comedian Bill Cosby's star from the Walk of Fame 
  • Comes after his admission to drugging women before sex with Quaaludes
  • Chamber said star would remain as it is 'part of the walk's historic fabric' 
  • Cosby has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 45 women 

Activists have failed to persuade the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to remove comedian Bill Cosby's star from the Walk of Fame in the wake of his admission to drugging women before sex.

Documents unveiled this week revealed Cosby testified in 2005 to obtaining Quaaludes with the intention of giving them to women he wanted to sleep with.

Cosby, 77, has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 45 women dating back to the 1960s. He denies the accusations and has never been criminally charged.

Now campaigners have called for the star he received in 1977 to be removed.

Bill Cosby admitted in a 2005 deposition he obtained Quaaludes with the intent of giving them to young women he wanted to have sex with - campaigners have now called for his Hollywood Walk of Fame star to be removed

Bill Cosby admitted in a 2005 deposition he obtained Quaaludes with the intent of giving them to young women he wanted to have sex with - campaigners have now called for his Hollywood Walk of Fame star to be removed

Bill Cosby's star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame will remain despite a campaign to remove it. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce said it is 'part of the walk's historic fabric'

Bill Cosby's star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame will remain despite a campaign to remove it. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce said it is 'part of the walk's historic fabric'

Cosby, pictured next to his wife Camille, has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 45 women dating back to the late 1960s

Cosby, pictured next to his wife Camille, has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 45 women dating back to the late 1960s

WHAT ARE QUAALUDES?

Quaaludes (methaqualone) were first synthesized by scientists in the 1950s, and released in the 1960s in America as a more effective substitute for barbiturates, which were then a popular sleeping pill. 

They cause relaxation, sleepiness and occasionally a feeling of euphoria. 

The prescription pills are highly addictive and are not supposed to be taken in large quantities or while drinking alcohol. 

They take just 30 minutes to kick in and last for up to eight hours. 

At high doses it can cause severe confusion and an almost complete loss of muscle control.

The drug featured heavily in the 2013 movie the Wolf of Wall Street, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. 

In a letter addressed to the Chamber of Commerce, Earl Ofari Hutchinson of the Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable and Najee Ali of Project Islamic Hope asked for the removal of his star 'in light of the now public admission'.

They wrote: 'Drugging and rape are serious crimes and having a star on the walk honoring Cosby after his admissions of these acts is a gross slap at the industry and the public.' 

This week a 2005 lawsuit involving allegations of abuse against Andrea Constand, a basketball coach at Temple University in Philadelphia, was made public. 

That case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum, and the documents, which include testimony under oath from Cosby were kept secret for a decade.

In one of the documents, Cosby replied to whether he gave sedatives to one woman before having sex with her saying: 'Yes.' He also admitted giving quaaludes to others.

Despite that admission, the Chamber of Commerce said his star would remain.

Leron Gubler, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce president and chief executive, told NBC Los Angeles: 'Once a star has been added to the walk, it is considered a part of the historic fabric of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Because of this, we have never removed a star from the walk'. 

In the above testimony, Cosby admitted to buying Quaaludes to possible give to young women he wanted to sleep with

In the above testimony, Cosby admitted to buying Quaaludes to possible give to young women he wanted to sleep with

Cosby was given the star in November 1977, according to the Walk of Fame's website. It is positioned near the busy intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and North Highland Avenue

In December last year, the star was defaced with the word 'rapist' scrawled on it three times.

At the time, the Chamber said: 'When people are unhappy with one of our honorees, we would hope that they would project their anger in more positive ways than to vandalise a California state landmark.'

Tourists stroll among the stars at the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Cosby was given the star in November 1977, which is positioned near the busy intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and North Highland Avenue

Tourists stroll among the stars at the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Cosby was given the star in November 1977, which is positioned near the busy intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and North Highland Avenue

A worker cleans graffiti off Cosby's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in December 2014 after the word 'rapist' was etched on it 

A worker cleans graffiti off Cosby's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in December 2014 after the word 'rapist' was etched on it 

The Los Angeles police department today revealed it has opened an investigation into the allegations of sexual abuse by Cosby, including those for which the statute of limitations has expired.

Victims of sexual assault in the US have a limited time to file criminal charges. This varies state-to-state from between three and 30 years.   

None of the crimes that Cosby has so far been accused of fall within those time-frames.

However, ABC News reported today the Los Angeles police department was investigating Cosby on a criminal basis. 

Former supermodel Janice Dickinson has sued Bill Cosby for defamation on claims her reputation was tarnished when the comedian called her claims he drugged and raped her in 1982 'fabricated lies'.

'I was drugged and raped by Bill Cosby,' Dickinson told ET. 'And the fact that he and his spokespeople have called me a liar - referring to remarks that I've made - it's just not correct.'

Dickinson also has dated-looking photographs of a robe-wearing Cosby she said she took in the hotel room where he allegedly assaulted her in Lake Tahoe.

The bust of Cosby on display at Hollywood Studios theme park in Orlando was removed on Tuesday after it was revealed he had admitted to drugging women before sex

The bust of Cosby on display at Hollywood Studios theme park in Orlando was removed on Tuesday after it was revealed he had admitted to drugging women before sex

Elsewhere today, campaign group Promoting Awareness Victim Empowerment petitioned President Obama to revoke Cosby's Presidential Medal of Freedom. 

The group says it is working with women who have accused Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulting them and has collected around 2,000 signatures in less than a day. 

President George Bush presented the nation's highest civilian honor to Cosby in 2002, citing his revolutionary portrayal of blacks on television and his interest and dedication to education.

The group's executive director said: 'Bill Cosby's name does not belong among this distinguished list.' 

In another revelation today, the historically black college, Central State University in Wilberforce, in southwest Ohio said it is considering changing the title of a building named for Cosby.

This is despite him donating more than $2million to the university.  

A statue of the comedian has also been removed from Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park in Florida.   

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