Who is Hannibal Buress? Comedian who called Bill Cosby a rapist and told audiences to ‘google Bill Cosby rape’
Hannibal Buress hit headlines after claiming Bill Cosby was a rapist during a stand-up routine and told audiences to “Google Bill Cosby rape”.
Here is all you need to know about this comedian whose routine lifted the lid on allegations levelled against an American TV icon.
Who is Hannibal Buress?
Hannibal Buress is a 35-year-old comedian from Chicago.
He shot to worldwide fame in 2014 after his stand-up routine about Bill Cosby sparked media coverage of sexual assault allegations made against dozens of women.
In his act he said of Cosby: “He gets on TV, ‘Pull your pants up black people, I was on TV in the 80s! I can talk down to you because I had a successful sitcom!’
“Yeah, but you rape women, , so turn the crazy down a couple notches.”
Buress then recommended that the audience "Google Bill Cosby rape”.
Video footage of Buress' Cosby joke then went viral which in turn put the comic legend under the media spotlight.
Cosby was later sentenced to up to ten years in jail for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand.
Who is Bill Cosby?
The American entertainer was born William Henry Cosby Junior in Philadelphia in 1937.
Cosby, now aged 81, became a national treasure during his career, which saw him produce and star in the TV sitcom The Cosby Show airing from 1984 to 1992.
Cosby made a fortune at the height of his fame - estimated to be in the region of £314million.
He earned fees from his shows, particularly The Cosby Show, and endorsing major brands such as Coke, Kodak and Ford.
As well as his long career as an entertainer he also made money by producing and directing films and shows.
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The 81-year-old has now been found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand, a Temple University women’s basketball team manager, in his home in 2004.
He was jailed for up to ten years.
Cosby could get up to 10 years in prison on each of the counts.
Around 60 women over five decades have publicly accused the Emmy award-winning actor of being a sexual predator.
But statute of limitation laws means that only one charge was ever brought to trial.
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