Bill Cosby's Walk of Fame Star Is Here to Stay

Once a star, always a star—at least when it comes to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Under pressure to remove Bill Cosby’s star in the face of rape allegations and his recently revealed testimony about giving women Quaaludes, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce confirms that the 38-year-old plaque is not going anywhere. "The answer is no," president and CEO Leron Gubler declares, according to NBC News. "Once a star has been added to the Walk, it is considered a part of the historic fabric of the Hollywood Walk of Fame." Indeed, the iconic sidewalk would feature a few holes if stars were removed after a celebrity’s fall from grace. Musician, actor, and convicted murderer Spade Cooley has a star on Hollywood Boulevard, for instance.

Another organization that will not cut ties with Cosby is the Smithsonian Institution. Its National Museum of African Art has been showcasing the Cosbys' considerable collection since November and a museum official tells the AP the exhibition will not be pulled. "First and fundamentally, this is an art exhibit," says Richard Kurin, the Smithsonian's art, history, and culture undersecretary. "So it's not about the life and career of Bill Cosby. It's about the artists." The AP notes that Camille Cosby sits on the museum's advisory board and facilitated the loan of the art pieces, and that the Cosbys donated $716,000 toward the exhibition—essentially funding the project. Kurin, who has worked for the Smithsonian for decades, says the Smithsonian has never taken down a full exhibit. (Cosby's "pound cake" speech came back to bite him.)