Bill Cosby

NEW YORK: Comedian Bill Cosby who has stayed mum on allegations of having drugged and sexually assaulted numerous women, in cryptic comments urged US media to remain “neutral” in its reporting on the scandal, news reports said Sunday.

His comments were directed in particular at America’s black media, with which he has had a hot-and-cold relationship over the years.

“Let me say this. I only expect the black media to uphold the standards of excellence in journalism and when you do that you have to go in with a neutral mind,” Cosby reportedly told the New York Post newspaper when reached by telephone Friday at his Massachusetts home.

The Post wrote that Cosby, 77, also said his wife was sticking by his side, despite the growing number of women claiming that “The Cosby Show” star had drugged and raped them.

The veteran actor, described by the Post as sounding “upbeat,” said he had been advised by his lawyers against talking with reporters about the allegations.

Cosby is a beloved icon and long was seen as a role model for millions of Americans.

But his relations at times have been strained among US blacks, because of remarks a decade ago — deemed by some in the community as unduly harsh — in which he criticized the values of African American youth.

In his comments to the Post, the actor praised his wife of half a century, Camille, for her support amid the current controversy.

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