Bill Cosby Planning Return to Comedy Amid His Release From Prison

Bill Cosby is planning a return to the entertainment business now that he has been released from prison and his sexual assault conviction overturned. The 83-year-old is reportedly working on a new docuseries about himself as well as planning a comedy tour. TMZ reports that Cosby’s representative, Andrew Wyatt, said Cosby’s team had contacted several promoters and clubs who say they are open to the idea.

The outlet also reports that Cosby is working on a five-part docuseries covering his life, legacy, trial, and prison experience, for which he will be interviewed soon. Producers have reportedly already shot interviews with Cosby’s family, friends, and other celebrities.

In addition to the potential comedy tour, TMZ also reports that Cosby is interested in touring the country, making appearances in prisons, schools, and neighborhoods, talking to people about being better citizens and curbing violence. Wyatt said Cosby would draw on his own experiences behind bars, where he heard stories from other inmates.

As previously reported, Cosby was released from prison last week after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his sexual assault conviction on what some legal experts are calling a technicality. The court determined that Cosby had an agreement with a previous prosecutor connected with the case that would have prevented him from being charged. They also took issue with some of the testimony given during the trial, particularly six of Cosby’s other accusers who testified about alleged assaults that allegedly took place outside of the statute of limitations. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court expressed that the testimony could have “tainted” the trial.

Cosby was originally convicted in 2015 of drugging and molesting an employee from Temple University, his alma mater, at his estate in Pennsylvania. However, with the new information that the Supreme Court shared, they decided to overturn that conviction. As a result, Cosby was released from prison on Wednesday, June 30. He has since traveled back to his home in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania.

On Twitter, Cosby wrote alongside a photo of himself with a fist raised in the air that he has “never changed” his “stance” and has “always maintained [his] innocence.” The Cosby Show star ended his message by praising his “fans, supporters and friends” and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for “upholding the law.”

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.