Bill Cosby casino appearances cancelled as rape allegations grow; Friday night’s show is on

By Frazier Moore

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK _ Bill Cosby’s shows at casinos in Las Vegas and Arizona have been cancelled as more women come forward alleging he sexually assaulted them many years ago.

Officials at the Treasure Island hotel-casino on the Las Vegas strip said they’ve mutually agreed with the comedian to cancel his Nov. 28 performance.

No reason was given by the Diamond Desert casino in Tucson, Arizona, for cancelling his Feb. 15 show.

Cosby, 77, still apparently planned to bring his comedy routine to a sold-out theatre in Melbourne, Florida, Friday night, and at least 34 other shows remain on his schedule through May 2015.

Some of Cosby’s shows are promoted by Carlos M. Larraz, who heads the National Artists Corporation. Larraz did not immediately return calls and emails Friday.

The allegations from a growing number of women have prompted the cancellation of interviews and much-anticipated projects on NBC and Netflix, and reruns of “The Cosby Show” have been pulled off the air.

Cosby’s representative issued a statement Sunday dismissing the decades-old accusations, and his attorney specifically denied allegations raised by four of the women.

Cosby made no mention of the controversy Thursday night at a benefit show for a women’s service organization in the Bahamas.

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Mark Kennedy contributed to this story.