You might think that right now, Bill Cosby would be an ideal interview subject. With a renewed interest in rape and harassment allegations, thanks in no small part to Hannibal Buress, on top of the fact that the 77-year-old is a complete and utter spectacle, he would be an ideal get for any interviewer worth her salt. To have him already booked on your show in light of these recent developments? Why that would be a dream come true!

Queen Latifah does not want to interview Bill Cosby. (Sony Pictures Television denies this claim—see update below.)

She has, in fact, canceled his appearance on her daytime talk show because of the renewed chatter about his alleged rapes, reports TMZ. Says the site:

Bill Cosby won't be promoting his new comedy tour on Queen Latifah's talk show...because the Queen and her crew got cold feet after rape allegations resurfaced... Production sources tell us Latifah honchos didn't want the association so the 86'd Cosby. They're particularly sensitive because a video from Latifah's show just went viral, showing a 13-year-old gay kid going crazy on the show after winning VIP RuPaul tickets.

The woman whose biggest solo rap hit, " U.N.I.T.Y." furiously addressed the topic of sexual harassment and catcalling, is afraid to talk to an accused rapist? She's become so softball that it's now her ethos, and not to be disturbed? She's happy to have a seven-minute conversation with Diva Kid, a teen with a lot of pride and absolutely nothing to say, as part of her legacy, and not a career-redefining, discourse-enriching frank talk with Cosby? That's shameful.

It's shameful even in the situation where she's given the benefit of the doubt—that it's the producers and not her calling the shots, that she wouldn't be able to extract anything from Cosby so why even try? Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. Don't let those producers define the show that has your name on it. Always fucking try, even if you have to lie to that asshole to get him in the chair. Do it and then film him walking out on the interview. Viral gold.

This timid, vapid Queen Latifah is not the woman that I grew up idolizing. I think that the person who wrote and performed All Hail the Queen as a teenager would have no time for The Queen Latifah Show. People evolve, sure, and Ice Cube plays with Elmo, so that's a legacy-shattering mindfuck, but goddamn it, it is depressing just how much Latifah thinks she must diminish herself to be fit for mass acceptance. (See also: her whole gay thing.) You're a Queen; act like it.

Update: According to an email from Sony Pictures Television, which produces The Queen Latifah Show, Bill Cosby's appearance on the show was postponed at his request:

Mr. Cosby's scheduled appearance on The Queen Latifah Show was postponed at his request and was in no way related to any of our recent or upcoming scheduled guests.

We've reached out to Cosby's people to confirm. We'll update when they do.

[ Image via Getty]