Phylicia Rashad, who played Bill Cosby's onscreen wife for 12 years, opened up for the first time about the scandal that has engulfed the comedian.

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While speaking with Roger Friedman of ShowBiz411, the 66-year-old said she supports Cosby despite the allegations from women who say he drugged and sexually harassed them.

"Forget these women," she said. "What you're seeing is the destruction of a legacy. And I think it's orchestrated. I don't know why or who's doing it, but it's the legacy. And it's a legacy that is so important to the culture."

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Models Janice Dickinson, Beverly Johnson along with several other not famous women have accused the comedian, who played the loving and respectable Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show. Their claims have prompted the cancellation of Cosby's television projects and several comedy performances while also destroying his once positive image.

"Someone is determined to keep Bill Cosby off TV," Rashad continued. "And it's worked. All his contracts have been cancelled."

Rashad also defended Cosby's silence on the issue saying, "If he spoke now, what do you think the media would do with it?"

When speaking about The Cosby show, Rashad emphasized its importance and expressed anger over what the allegations have done to its legacy.

"This show represented America to the outside world. This was the American family. And now you're seeing it being destroyed. Why?" she said.

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