Trailer for Bill Cosby Docuseries Explores Comedian’s Rise and Fall: ‘A Lot of People Knew’

Bill Cosby Docuseries We Need to Talk About Cosby (Credit: Showtime)

The newly released trailer for W. Kamau Bell’s documentary series on Bill Cosby looks at the complex layers of the infamous comedian — from Black icon to disgraced public figure. 

Released Wednesday by Showtime, the trailer for We Need to Talk About Cosby starts with an intense statement. 

“Do not edit this,” a woman says in the first few seconds of the video. “A lot of people knew. Because you can’t do what he did unless you have other people supporting what you’re doing.”

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The four-part docuseries explores Cosby’s rise and fall —  from an iconic stand-up and TV star known as “America’s Dad,” to a pariah accused by more than 60 women of rape, drug-facilitated sexual assault, sexual battery and other misconduct over the course of decades. 

“You can’t speak about Black America in the 20th century and not talk about Bill Cosby,” journalist Roland Martin says in the trailer. 

Emmy-winning director Bell talks about his own mixed feelings toward the Cosby Show star. 

After idolizing the comedian as a kid growing up in the 1970s, Bell says in a voiceover “even though it scares me, I have to have this discussion.”

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The docuseries combines archival footage with interviews with comedians, cultural commentators, journalists and women who share their most personal, harrowing encounters with Cosby.

The series will first screen at the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 22 before its premiere on Showtime on Sunday, Jan. 30 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. All episodes will be available across all Showtime streaming and VOD platforms on Jan. 30. 

We Need To Talk About Cosby is a Boardwalk Pictures Production in association with WKB Industries for Showtime. The series is executive produced by Bell, Andrew Fried, Katie A. King, Dane Lillegard, Jordan Wynn and Sarina Roma. King also serves as showrunner and Geraldine Porras serves as a co-executive producer.

Watch the trailer for the docuseries below:


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About Jacquelinne Mejia

Jacquelinne Mejia is a writer and social media producer in Los Angeles. She can be reached on Twitter @JackieMejia.