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Bill Cosby's accusers speak on A&E

Also in Tattle: Partying with Sony Classics, Craig Ferguson debates history and more

WATCHING "Cosby: The Women Speak" on A&E last night, it was painfully obvious that either a dozen women of different ages and different cities who didn't know one another and have nothing to gain by coming forward have conspired in one of the greatest cases of wrongful accusation in entertainment history, or Bill Cosby is a sociopath.

The second option seems the obvious choice.

Hiding behind a comedic career frequently centered around interracial harmony and wholesome family entertainment (Cosby even pitched for such All-American brands as Jell-O, Ford and Coca-Cola), Cosby lured a revolving door of young, beautiful unsuspecting women to his apartment, hotel room, home, office, etc., and took advantage of his power and their innocence to become a serial rapist.

In sordid detail, Cosby's victims spoke out last night, telling similar stories about how Cosby wanted to mentor them, manage them or cast them and instead drugged them, used them and discarded them. They were black and white, actresses, models, a flight attendant, a comedy writer, an athletic administrator. It didn't matter to Cosby. With his pharmacy full of pills and cabinet full of liquor every woman was fair game.

Luisa Moritz said she was attacked in her "Tonight Show" dressing room before taking the stage. Sarita Butterfield claimed Cosby attacked her in the guest house of his family home in Massachusetts on Christmas Eve, shortly after she enjoyed dinner with his family. Famed model Beverly Johnson was invited to Cosby's brownstone and said when she realized that Dr. Huxtable was really Mr. Hyde she told him, "You're a motherf-----, aren't you?" Barbara Bowman fought off Cosby in a hotel in Atlantic City and said he told her, "I better never, ever hear your name or see your face again."

And so this most Philadelphia of icons is left toppled after nearly a half-century of deviant behavior, thanks to Philadelphia. It was Andrea Constand of Cosby's beloved Temple athletics who brought charges against him a decade ago, giving first voice to many of the women seen in "The Women Speak." It was Hannibal Buress doing stand-up at the Trocadero on Arch Street who raised the rape specter again in a video that went viral. And it was Philadelphia native Gloria Allred, whose legal clout made it possible to assemble so many accusers.

At one point in the show, there's a clip of Cosby lecturing the black community about teen pregnancy and he yells out, "Those girls have no business having sex!"

Neither did you, Bill Cosby. Neither did you.

Sony Classics in Toronto

One of the highlights each year of our trip north to the Toronto International Film Festival is the annual Sony Classics dinner, featuring fine food and the talent behind some of the boutique studio's upcoming releases.

Unlike the regimented interview sessions organized for the press, this is a relatively social affair, with actors, directors and producers mingling with journalists as if both groups were actual people.

Spotted this year were Topher Grace and Elisabeth Moss, of "Truth," and the film's subject, Dan Rather.

We chatted with Lorene Scafaria and Joy Gorman, the charming director and producer of "The Meddler," and saw two of the film's stars, Susan Sarandon (resplendent in white, and also in Toronto for "About Ray") and Jason Ritter, who arrived with girlfriend, Melanie Lynskey ("Togetherness"), who was in Scafaria's previous film, "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World."

Also there was Louise Osmond, director of the documentary "Dark Horse," an amazing story of Welsh miners who try to breed a steeplechase champion.

And while we caught only a glimpse of Elizabeth Olsen, of "I Saw the Light," we spent a few moments with Tom Hiddleston, who stars in the Hank Williams Jr. biopic.

Asked what it was like to go from Loki to the country music legend, Hiddleston remarked, "They each have their very own devoted fan bases."

TATTBITS

* Scotsman

Craig Ferguson

is ready to debate American history on cable's History channel, the network announced yesterday.

The former host of "The Late Late Show," will star in "Join or Die," a half-hour series where he debates historical topics with guests, including celebrities and history experts, as well as viewers through social media.

The phrase "Join or Die" is Benjamin Franklin's rallying cry to the divided colonists. And it was tattooed on Ferguson's forearm when he became an American citizen, in 2008.

* Buffalo Wild Wings is pulling the TV commercial featuring comedian Steve Rannazzisi, who recently admitted that he lied about escaping from one of the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11.

Drake, the Strokes, alt-J, Ben Howard and dozens of other artists will perform at the inaugural Landmark Music Festival on the Mall in Washington, D.C.

Unintended counter-programming to the Pope's visit here, the festival, scheduled Sept. 26 and 27, at West Potomac Park, will raise funds and awareness toward the restoration of the National Mall.

OMG! There's a national mall, said the teenage girls clamoring to attend.

- Daily News wire services

contributed to this report.