(CNN) — One day after joining more than a score of other women accusing Bill Cosby, famed model Beverly Johnson told CNN that the legendary comedian’s reputation for such acts was a secret in Hollywood — one she only wished she knew about 30 years ago.
Johnson detailed her own story about Cosby in Vanity Fair on Friday, claiming he drugged her during a meeting at his Manhattan residence in the 1980s. She said in that article — and again Friday on CNN’s “New Day” — that she doesn’t believe he sexually assaulted her then, but she yelled obscenities at him before he dragged her outside and put her into a taxi.
As more women have come out against Cosby in recent weeks, many of whom say the comedian did rape them, Johnson said she began talking to people in the entertainment business about her own story.
“The response was, ‘Oh yeah, we know he has been doing that for quite a while.’ It was like, everyone knew,” Johnson said. “But people like myself, I most certainly wouldn’t have gone to Bill Cosby’s brownstone if I knew the reputation he had with assaulting women.”
Including Johnson, at least 23 women have spoken out to various media outlets with accusations against Cosby. This number includes 20 who have spoken with CNN, spoken on camera about their allegations or been the subject of responses from Cosby’s attorneys.
CNN has reached out to Cosby’s attorney Martin Singer about Johnson’s allegation, but has not heard back yet. But overall, the comedian’s camp has strongly and persistently denied these allegations.
In her live interview with CNN, Johnson said she didn’t “want to see anything happen to Bill Cosby” by sharing her story. What she does want — besides showing solidarity with other Cosby accusers, like her longtime friend Janice Dickinson — is for her speaking out to encourage others who have been the victims of sexual assault by any perpetrator to speak up.
“This, to me, is not about Bill Cosby. This, to me, is about violence against women,” Johnson said. “… What I want to see happen is that women come out and speak their truth.”
The-CNN-Wire
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