On the eve of his appearance Friday at Baltimore's Lyric Opera House, beleaguered comedian Bill Cosby has released a video message to Baltimore fans.
"Bill Cosby here. Lyric Opera House. March 27. Baltimore, Maryland. I will be there to talk to you, make you laugh, make you smile, and hopefully you talk about it on the way home. 8 p.m. sharp," he says in the clip, released Monday.
More than a dozen women have accused the 77-year-old comedian of inappropriate sexual behaviors, including assault. Over the fall and winter, public scrutiny turned to the allegations as accusers came forward. Netflix canceled a Cosby stand-up special, and NBC killed a sitcom it expected to develop with him. Some appearances on his stand-up comedy tour have been canceled.
Cosby has denied the allegations and has not been criminally charged.
His appearance Friday at the Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric Opera House is still scheduled. Tickets remained available as of Monday afternoon.
He released a similar video to advance an appearance in Charleston, W.Va.
"Charleston, West Virginia. Charleston Civic Center. March 28. Spring. Time to thaw out, with laughter. I can make that happen. 8 p.m. show." The video cuts to black, then he returns. "I forgot to tell you. You have to buy the tickets."
In each video, he is seated, wearing a button-down shirt and a blazer, and looks off-camera.
Also Monday, three women sought to keep a defamation suit against Cosby from being dismissed, according to the Associated Press. The women had sued him in federal court in Massachusetts.