Keshia Knight Pulliam was the first contestant on The Celebrity Apprentice to receive the infamous “You’re fired” from Donald Trump, but the former Cosby Show kid is now speaking out in support of her TV father.
During Pulliam’s board meeting with Trump, the hotel tycoon’s main complaint was that she didn’t ask Bill Cosby for help with her fundraiser. Each team was supposed to enlist a big name to bolster its charity’s fundraising efforts. But Pulliam didn’t feel that it would be proper to call on Cosby for help because they hadn’t spoken in years.
In an interview Monday morning with the Today show, Pulliam gave more insight into why she didn’t use her connections. “I know The Cosby Show is in reruns, and everyone thinks that we’re this family that has dinner every Friday night,” Pulliam said. “But the reality was, I hadn’t spoken to Mr. Cosby. I felt that it would be tactless, very rude, to call someone and be like, ‘Hey, so, let me have some money right now.’”
Honestly, she clearly has a good point. But unfortunately, Trump and her teammates didn’t see it that way, and she was ultimately fired.
In addition to speaking about her experience on the show, Pulliam also showed support for Cosby. Pulliam recalled the millions of dollars that Cosby has donated over the years to many colleges, including her own alma mater, Spelman. She also referenced the fact that, yes, The Cosby Show was innovative.
“The fact that he’s been such an example, you can’t take away from the great that he has done,” Pulliam explained. “You know, the amount … the millions and millions of dollars that he has given back to colleges and education, and just what he did with The Cosby Show and how groundbreaking that was.”
Pulliam stated that no one knows what went on between Cosby and his accusers besides the two people who were in the room when it happened. And at this point, even though more than 20 women have come forward, nothing has been proved.
“Ultimately, they’re just that, allegations,” she said. “You know, it’s very much been played out in the court of public opinion. But we’re still in America, where ultimately you’re innocent until proven guilty. I wasn’t there. That’s just not the man I know. So I can’t speak to it.”
Pulliam now joins the ranks of Cosby supporters who include not only his family (of course) but also Jill Scott and Whoopi Goldberg.
Also on The Root: “Keshia Knight Pulliam Fired From Celebrity Apprentice Because She Didn’t Ask for Bill Cosby’s Help”