It can be said a million times over that rape shouldn’t be appropriated, but that didn’t stop David Gentry and John Geiger from naming one of their restaurant cocktails the “Pill Cosby.”
The Washingtonian reports Gentry and Geiger opened the restaurant/pop-up shop Monday (May 22) with cocktails to commemorate black DC natives and staples like Dave Chappelle, Taraji P. Henson and Bill Cosby. The “Pill Cosby,” topped with empty pill capsules, was teased on Geiger’s Twitter page before it was quickly deleted. “It lets people be a little more aware,” Gentry told the outlet.
After realizing that the idea was pretty much the worst thing ever, the men announced the drink would be be pulled from the menu. “The drink has since been removed from the menu and we apologize to anyone who felt offended by this,” a statement from the restaurant’s Twitter page reads. “This drink was not made with any intent to offend anyone, especially not victims of rape. We take full responsibility.”
This didn’t stop users from slamming the founders on Twitter, with some coming to their defense.
"We removed the drink from our menu. We didn't think that mocking rape would be offensive." pic.twitter.com/sWqUBMeVBp
— Uncle Jun (@caldwellsaysido) May 22, 2017
Log on an see Pill Cosby trending pic.twitter.com/oGMBi4Ekzh
— DKT (@darleneturner53) May 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/Logan_Appel/status/866741196605071362
Seriously.. Someone thought this was a great idea.. A drink called Pill Cosby.. With pills floating in it pic.twitter.com/S2beA8xdCk
— Fwenk Lucas ?? (@Coach_JoX) May 22, 2017
Sucks. As a victim of drugged rape, I was not offended. I thought it was funny and brought awareness. Don't feel too badly they got no humor
— The Spliff Potcast (@spliffpotcast) May 22, 2017
Speak to a woman who has survived sexual assault, especially at a bar, and she would probably share my view. The drink was in poor taste.
— Maggie Aupperlee (@magsg) May 22, 2017
Oddly enough, jury selection began in the aggravated indecent assault case against the disgraced comedian Monday morning. Dating back to the 70’s, over 60 women have come forward with claims against Cosby which included rape and harassment. Cosby himself has even admitted to slipping the prescription drug Quaaludes in drinks to sleep with women.