Bill Cosby’s idea to use Twitter to promote his website backfired spectacularly on Monday.
Cosby recently unveiled something called the Bill Cosby meme generator, because everyone has been clamoring for such a thing, I guess. To promote something that’s so exclusive and exciting it pretty much does exactly what tons of other photo meme sites do, Cosby tweeted an invitation to fans.
OK, so what could possibly go wrong? People will make a few Cosby Show jokes and call it a night, yes? Wrong. This is Twitter where people don’t have to dodge the real issues like squirrely entertainment news reporters living in fear of a publicist’s ire. On Twitter and in other forums where people don’t have memories that are five seconds long, people had no problem reminding Cosby that there is nothing funny or “memeable” about someone who has been accused of rape by multiple women. Even other comedians like Hannibal Buress don’t find it funny that Cosby is trying to make the world forget about the allegations, and using ridiculous PR stunts on social media to bolster his public image isn’t doing him any favors.