When visiting the Late Show last night, Jerry Seinfeld came down firmly on the yes side of things when asked by Stephen Colbert if he can still enjoy material by his comedy idol Bill Cosby, knowing as we do now that the Cosby Show star has been accused of allegedly drugging and raping dozens of women. “Oh yeah,†Seinfeld responded, eventually concluding, “We need the comedy.†But then, in a truly Seinfeld move, the comedian reconsidered his opinion during the commercial break and got right back to mulling it over. “Now that you said it, and I thought about it,†Seinfeld admitted, “I realize it would bother me and I don’t think I could.†The pair continued to debate Cosby as Seinfeld talked through his change of heart. “Should we separate it, or shouldn’t we separate the art or the work from the man?†he mused. “Should the comedic work stand on its own separate from the criminality?†The pair eventually concluded that, at least when it comes to a comic who built his career playing a lovable dad character, the answer is probably no. Jokes Colbert, “Please don’t reveal anything about you. Tell me you’re clean, Jerry.â€
