Joan Tarshis, the actress who awkwardly interviewed Don Lemon about Bill Cosby years ago, has filed a lawsuit alleging that the TV personality was assaulted.
Tarshis accused Cosby of rape outright, claiming that in the early 1970s, he had drugged her twice. In documents that TMZ was able to get, she stated that she was invited to the studio where the ‘Cosby Show’ was recorded for a one-on-one writing session when she first met Cosby at the age of 19.
She says she was given a drink by Cosby when they were alone in his private bungalow on the lot. She accepted and drank it, but soon after, she began to feel lightheaded. Tarshis claimed she fell asleep fast and woke up to see Cosby taking off her clothes.
Tarshis claims that when she attempted to throw Cosby off, she was confused and that he overpowered her, forcing his penis into her mouth without her will.
Tarshis claims that approximately a year later, Cosby contacted her once more when she was in New York City, proposing to accompany her to a music fair where he was performing. She says she grudgingly accepted his offer.
She alleged she was given another drink while traveling with Cosby to the venue and she says she again started to feel weak and eventually lost consciousness. Tarshis claims she woke up naked in bed next to Cosby and that she felt she’d been penetrated vaginally and anally.
Tarshis is alleging assault, battery, infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment, and seeking major damages. Cosby’s rep had no comment.
Cosby has been sued numerous times by countless women and even went to trial in Pennsylvania a few years ago where he was found guilty of assaulting Andrea Costand, only to have his conviction later reversed.