Comedian/producer W. Kamau Bell examines the career and descent of comedian Bill Cosby in a new Showtime documentary series, We Need to Talk About Cosby, debuting January 30.

The four-part documentary series sheds new light on Cosby‘s cultural contributions as he gained infamy as a criminal defendant in a sexual assault prosecution, according to the premium service. The documentary features interviews with comedians, cultural commentators and journalists, as well as women who share their personal experiences with Cosby.

Bell recently spoke to Multichannel News to discuss what he hopes to accomplish with the documentary and what viewers should expect to see. An edited version of the interview appears below.

The full W. Kamau Bell interview can be heard via the Content Spotlight podcast.

MCN: What do you mean when you say, we need to talk about Bill Cosby?

W. Kamau Bell: Many of us have had little conversations about Cosby, or have had [private] conversations with trusted people. This to me is about inviting people to a conversation about all of Cosby in a way that we generally haven't had. It would be one thing to make a documentary that just focuses on the positives, and it'd be another thing to make a documentary that talks about the sexual assaults and the rapes that I believe he committed. I was trying to have the whole conversation, which is a challenge, because he had such a long career.

MCN: In your documentary, you ask everyone, ‘Who is Bill Cosby now?’ So I‘m asking you the same question: who is Bill Cosby now? 

WKB: For me, the film is my answer. He is a man who is celebrated for what he did to uplift black people. He was a man who was celebrated for his transformational performances and for his incredible performances. He was a man who was celebrated for his philanthropy. For a time, he was labeled America's dad at a time when other black people on TV were being discarded and literally being chased on the news. At the same token, he's a man who I have learned and believe was, behind the scenes, sexually assaulting, grooming, and raping women – at least more than 60 that we know about. 

He is a man who was sent to prison and is now out of prison, and we have to figure out what we can learn from this whole thing. That's the important part for me is what can we learn from this so that we can create a society that is safer and more supportive of women overall, but also for survivors of sexual assault and rape overall. And even below that, a part of this is about the way in which America has a toxic relationship with just sex and sexual and intimate relationships period, that goes all the way down to sex education that kids get in school.

MCN: What do you hope that people get out of this documentary?

WKB: America often says it‘s time to have a conversation about something big, and when the conversation happens, we feel like we‘ve accomplished something. Conversations don't mean anything, obviously, without going, ‘What have we learned, and how can we apply this knowledge in the real world?‘ So for me, hopefully, there is some level of conversation that comes out of this film that is about specifically holding my industry more accountable for creating a safe and productive environment, and creating ways in which people who have been sexually assaulted or raped have real recourse. But then you‘ve got to talk about the criminal justice system. We don‘t even really have rehab or recompense that‘s true justice for survivors of sexual assault, or is there a way to rehab this individual other than just putting them in prison? I think these are conversations that are way bigger than Bill Cosby, which is why the film is about conversations about what happened and not a conversation with Bill Cosby. It‘s like, how can we learn from this as a way to create a safer, healthier America, and not just to learn about whether it’s okay to watch Bill Cosby content? ■ 

Content Spotlight is a new podcast from Multichannel News and Broadcasting & Cable that looks at new and returning television series through the eyes of the show’s stars and creators. 

Multichannel News senior content producer, programming R. Thomas Umstead talks to comedian/producer W. Kamau Bell about his new Showtime documentary series We Need to Talk About Cosby. The four-part series, debuting January 30, explores the complex story of Bill Cosby’s life and work, weighing his indisputable global influence against charges of being a sexual predator. Bell, who also produces the CNN series United Shades of America, talks about the We Need to Talk About Cosby documentary and the complexities of discussing Cosby’s legacy.

Showtime in January will air a new documentary series about comedian Bill Cosby directed by comedian W. Kamau Bell.

The docuseries, We Need to Talk About Cosby, debuts Jan. 30 on Showtime, a week after it premieres at the Sundance Festival. The four-part series takes an in-depth look at the revolutionary career and personal descent of one of America’s most famous comedians. 

Bell (CNN’s United Shades of America) explores the complex story of Cosby’s life and work, weighing his infamy as a criminal defendant in a sexual-assault prosecution against his indisputable global influence through interviews with comedians, cultural commentators, journalists and women who share their most personal, harrowing encounters with Cosby, according to the network.

“Kamau has bravely ventured into a very complicated and nuanced area of the Bill Cosby story, which has yet to be explored in this depth,” said Showtime executive VP of nonfiction programming Vinnie Malhotra. “It’s an important and under-reported perspective on the legacy of one of history’s most iconic African American entertainers.”

Added Bell: “As a child of Bill Cosby, I was a huge fan of all his shows and wanted to be a comedian because of him. I never thought I’d ever wrestle with who we all thought Cosby was and who we now understand him to be. I’m not sure he would want me to do this work, but Cliff Huxtable definitely would.”

We Need to Talk About Cosby is executive produced by Bell, Andrew Fried, Katie A. King, Dane Lillegard, Jordan Wynn and Sarina Roma. ■

Actor Bill Cosby is set to be released from prison after Pennsylvania's highest court overturned his 2018 sexual assault conviction on Wednesday.

Cosby, 83, served nearly three years of the 10-year sentence rendered after the iconic comedian and actor was convicted on three counts of aggravated indecent assault for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004. Overall, more than 50 women have come forward with sexual assault claims against Cosby, although the statute of limitations had run out on most of those claims.

According to the New York Times, the Pennsylvania appeals court said that a “non-prosecution agreement” struck with a previous prosecutor in 2005 meant that Cosby should not have been charged in the case. The court also barred a retrial in the case, according to the Times.

Also Read: Bill Cosby Found Guilty in Sexual Assault Trial

After Cosby's 2018 conviction, several networks dropped reruns of the actor's successful 1980s comedy series The Cosby Show.

The Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, district attorney Kevin Steele issued a statement about Cosby's release: "He was found guilty by a jury and now goes free on a procedural issue that is irrelevant to the facts of the crime. I want to commend Cosby's victim Andrea Constand for her bravery in coming forward and remaining steadfast throughout this long ordeal, as well as all of the other women who have shared similar experiences."

"My hope is that this decision will not dampen the reporting of sexual assaults by victims. Prosecutors in my office will continue to follow the evidence wherever and to whomever it leads. We still believe that no one is above the law-including those who are rich, famous and powerful," Steele said, as reported by WPVI in Philadelphia among other outlets. 

The Television Critics Association moved Tuesday to rescind its Career Achievement Award given to comedian Bill Cosby  as the entertainer is sentenced to three to 10 years on a sexual assault conviction.

The TCA said the organization voted “overwhelmingly” to repeal the award given to Cosby in 2002 for his achievements in television. The move comes as a judge on Tuesday sentenced The Cosby Show star to three to 10 years in state prison for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand.

RELATED: Bill Cosby Found Guilty in Sexual Assault Trial

The move marks the first time the TCA has ever rescinded an award. "Since the inaugural TCA Award for Lifetime Achievement was presented to Grant Tinker in 1985, this is the first time there has been a groundswell to vacate an honor,” said TCA President and The Hollywood Reporter Television Critic Daniel Fienberg in a statement. “It was essential that the entire membership have the opportunity to vote and the results were decisive."

RELATED: Bounce Pulls 'The Cosby Show' In Light Of Bill Cosby Verdict

In light of a guilty verdict Thursday in Bill Cosby’s sexual assault trial, digital broadcast network Bounce has pulled reruns of The Cosby Show, but cable network TV One continues to air the series.

Bounce in a statement Thursday said it is “removing” The Cosby Show from its schedule. The decision comes hours after the show’s star, Bill Cosby, was found guilty on three counts of aggravated indecent assault for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004.

RELATED: Bill Cosby Found Guilty In Sexual Assault Trial 

African-American targeted TV One was airing The Cosby Show at press time as part of its daily 5 pm to 8 pm programming block the network has scheduled for the series. The network could not be reached for comment as to whether it plans to eventually pull the series. 

The Cosby Show ran on NBC from 1984-1992. 

On the eve of Bill Cosby’s sexual assault trial, Investigation Discovery on Monday (June 5) will air a special that looks at the legendary comedian’s career and personal life, along with the circumstances that led to the forthcoming trial, in which Cosby is accused of assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004.  

I recently spoke to Pamela Deutsch, senior executive producer of Bill Cosby: An American Scandal, about the special and the light it seeks to shine on the tragic fall from grace for one of Hollywood’s most revered performers.

Here’s what Deutsch and Investigation Discovery wants you to know about Bill Cosby: An American Scandal.

The special looks bring viewers up to date on the case against Cosby: We have certainly covered this story on ID, but we thought that on the eve of this pretty historic trial, we would offer up a good, in-depth look of the story to our viewers. We have this incredible access to AMI’s (American Media Inc.’s) original reporting and files, and they’ve covered basically every angle of this story for the Inquirer and Radar Online. This is a very comprehensive look at how we got here and a look at Cosby’s rise to fame and some of the pretty shocking family drama that we think some people really haven’t heard about, and what may have propelled his fall from grace.

The special will present new revelations about Cosby’s personal life: There will be new information as we hope to explore how this person who was just universally revered could have been leading this double life. At this point people have heard the stories about all of the various women that have come forward, so we wanted to put it in context. Sometimes when this stuff plays out everyday in the news we often lose site of the bigger picture, so we’re giving our viewers who are following the story a capsulized form of the situation. We’ll look at the things that he has endured behind the scenes – the rape allegations surrounding his daughter; the death of his son; his [alleged] illegitimate daughter, Autumn [Jackson] and his relationship with her mother. We’re really hoping to look at some of the people in his inner circle to kind of figure out how and why we’re arrived at this point.

The special will not look to presume Cosby’s guilt or innocence: Most of us at this point have heard the testimonies of these women in other media and certainly on our network. What we are seeking to do is to answer some of the whys and how this could have happened. I don’t think anyone knows how this is going to go, but the reality is he could face up to 30 years in prison. It’s one of those stories where no one wins – it’s tragic all the way around. America has lost one of its heroes – no one wanted to believe that this guy who is the lovable, Jello pudding spokesman and the ultimate day from the Cosby Show was capable of this. I do believe Andrea Constand deserves her day in court, and there are upwards of 50 women who can’t really speak at this trial that are really looking toward Andrea Constand to be the voice for all of them.

Comedian and iconic TV star Bill Cosby is being charged with aggravated sexual assault, according to Kevin Steele, assistant district attorney for Montgomery County, Pa. That is a second degree felony. (The DA's office initially announced it as a first degree felony, but later corrected that.)

Steele held a press conference Wednesday morning (Dec. 30) to announce the charge.

He said there was new evidence that was strong and sufficient to proceed at this point in the case involving an alleged 2004 assault on a member of the athletic department at Temple University.

That new evidence stemmed from a Cosby deposition in a civil suit unsealed by a district court judge July 6 after the Associated Press petitioned it to do so.

Cosby has been under intense scrutiny following numerous accusations of sexual assault. He is expected to arraigned later Wednesday.

While the allegations did not initially lead to a prosecution in the case, according to the Montgomery County DA's office, new evidence that came to light in July of this year and, given that the statute of limitations for the alleged crime is 12 years, the case was reopened.

Steele said the assault took place in Cosby's home and that Cosby's attorneys have been notified of the charges.

Cosby's lawyers had not responded to a request for comment at press time, but CNN said they had sent it the following statement after Cosby's arraignment.

"The charge by the Montgomery County District Attorney's office came as no surprise, filed 12 years after the alleged incident and coming on the heels of a hotly contested election for this county's DA during which this case was made the focal point. Make no mistake, we intend to mount a vigorous defense against this unjustified charge and we expect that Mr. Cosby will be exonerated by a court of law."

 CentricTuesday became the latest network to drop a series starring beleaguered actor Bill Cosby from its programming lineup.

A spokesperson for the African-American targeted network confirmed Tuesday that the popular 1980s sitcom The Cosby Show will no longer appear on the network. Centric was running the series four hours daily on weekdays and ran monthly marathons of the series on weekends.

The network will air reruns of Family Matters in its place, according to Centric officials. 

Earlier today Bounce TV said it has pulled another Cosby sitcom,Cosby, from its lineup effective immediately.

The decisions follow revelations that Bill Cosby had admitted in 2005 court papers to obtaining drugs to give to women with whom he wanted to have sex.

While three programmers have already retreated, several cable networks are mulling over whether or not to pull programming featuring beleaguered comedian Bill Cosby after a rash of alleged assault charges by numerous women have threatened to derail the popular comic’s career and legacy.

Cosby during the past week or so has faced a barrage of renewed and new allegations from multiple women accusing him of sexually assaulting them over the years. Cosby has denied the allegations through a statement from his lawyer, but refused to answer direct questions about them during an interview that aired Nov. 15 on NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday.

In light of the accusations, upstart African-American targeted network Aspire said it is “closely monitoring the situation” before determining whether or not to pull the 1970’s sitcom The Bill Cosby Show and/or the 1960’s drama series I Spy starring Cosby from its lineup.

Centric, which airs the 1980’s sitcom The Cosby Show, said it is not removing the show from its schedule as of right now. TV One also isn’t dropping A Different World, a The Cosby Show spinoff series created by Cosby.

Several networks have dropped their support of upcoming projects featuring Cosby or have removed shows starring Cosby from their lineupsdue to the controversy. A TV Land spokesperson confirmed it has pulled the popular The Cosby Show from the network’s lineup but would not comment further.

TV Land will pull episodes of The Cosby Show from its upcoming Thanksgiving holiday marathon of comedy sitcoms which also includes Everybody Loves Raymond and I Love Lucy.

NBC said earlier this week it will not move forward with plans to develop a family comedy series around Cosby, which followed Netflix’s decision to indefinitely delay the release of the comedian’s stand-up special Cosby 77.