To her, eviction is no laughing matter

Philadelphia Daily News ^ | 7/1/02 | Gar Joseph

[frmrda]

To her, eviction is no laughing matter Comedian's friend blames Cosbys' 'lama'

By GAR JOSEPH clout@phillynews.com

AMID ALLEGATIONS of witchcraft, Hollywood superstar Bill Cosby has evicted a longtime friend, the ex-wife of basketball legend Guy Rodgers, from Cosby's Elkins Park estate, which she had overseen for 19 years.

Gladys Rodgers said Cosby and his spiritual adviser accused her of using blood, sparkles and other items in bizarre witch rituals to gain control over the Philly-bred comedian. Rodgers says she is a Methodist.

After a three-day standoff, Gladys Rodgers left the perfectly groomed, wooded 5-acre estate Saturday afternoon under the watchful eye of private security men.

An attempt to evict Rodgers on Thursday failed when Cheltenham Township police intervened and found "the paperwork was not legally binding," according to police.

Rodgers, 62, whose late ex-husband was two years ahead of Cosby at Temple University and is in the Big 5 Hall of Fame, oversaw the estate, its maintenance and its staff. She'd lived there since the Cosbys purchased it in 1983 from Eugene F. "Fitz" Dixon, then-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers.

She said that she never received a salary but that Cosby promised she could always live there.

Rodgers remained close to Cosby and his wife, Camille, even after her divorce from Cosby's friend in the mid-1960s. Guy Rodgers, who was also a four-time NBA all-star, died in February of last year.

Rodgers said they included her on their vacations and paid for both her and her children's education.

The Cosbys were frequent house guests in Gladys Rodgers' West Mount Airy home.

"We'd be piled up on top of one another and I'd sleep on the couch," Rodgers said. "My home was too small, so Bill said, 'Let's find a house where we can all stay comfortably.' "

She said she picked out the Elkins Park mansion for the Cosbys at Bill's request. For years he described it as "The Rodgers House," she said.

"I was trusted with [Cosby's] babies and his money and millions of dollars in artwork for 19 years and now I have security men following me from room to room and going through my bags," Rodgers said before she left the estate.

Cosby's spokesman, David Brokaw, said there would be no comment about the eviction.

Cosby and his wife secured an order in Montgomery County court Friday afternoon to evict Rodgers, alleging that she had violated terms of an agreement by allowing her son, Tony, to live on the property.

Tony Rodgers, 41, of Mount Airy, said he stayed with his mother for a couple of weeks last fall after breaking up with his wife.

But both Rodgerses blame the breakup of a 40-year friendship on the intervention of an Englishman named David Kirby. They said the Cosbys call him their "lama."

A lama is a Buddhist monk. But Gladys Rodgers said Kirby used fire, dice, seeds and beads to do "readings" while wearing a "gorgeous purple-and-white striped [robe] with an amulet around his neck."

This does not appear to comport with traditional Buddhism.

Brokaw, the Cosby spokesman, said there would be no comment about Kirby or his relationship to the Cosbys. Kirby could not be reached.

Rodgers said Kirby became part of the Cosbys' inner circle after the murder of their only son, Ennis, in 1997.

"I first met him when he came to the house a few years ago to do a spiritual cleansing before [Cosby daughter] Erin's wedding," Rodgers said. "He said he once was a monk and lived in a cave for nine years. He'd attained a spiritual enlightenment that allowed him to see things other people didn't."

Rodgers said she watched him do a "fire reading."

"He starts a fire and throws some kind of seeds into it and works these beads and rolls dice," she said.

Rodgers said she'd seen him a few times over the years, but trouble began earlier last month.

"I saw him in New York at Erin's wedding on June 2. He told me he'd be coming down to check the house."

Kirby and Cosby arrived on June 5. Rodgers said she was asked to leave the house while Kirby did an investigation.

That night, she said, Kirby accused her "of bringing someone into the house to help me, but said that this person was actually going to hurt me."

The next morning Kirby did "a ritual of fire" in the living room while Rodgers, Cosby and Cosby's cook sat in the kitchen.

When the ritual was complete, Kirby joined them at the kitchen table and began talking. As he did, he rolled dice, Rodgers said. She said Kirby accused her of bringing a person into the house "on every full moon."

Kirby said the witchcraft was designed to help Rodgers gain control over the house and over Cosby.

Later, Cosby and Kirby recounted the charges against Rodgers in front of her staff, Rodgers said. Cosby also accused her of talking about him behind his back. Kirby then described how the housekeeper, Louise Mullen, had provided him with floor sweepings that he analyzed.

"He said he'd found short pieces of hair, feathers, sparkles and traces of blood," Rodgers said. The "sparkles" are bits of mica, a shiny mineral common to the soil in the area.

"He said they had been used in some kind of ceremony. He was talking to me very stern, wearing his garb, this shroudlike thing, and rolling the dice as we spoke," Rodgers said.

"It was very humiliating."

According to Rodgers, Mullen, the housekeeper, said she'd seen Rodgers burn candles in the bathroom of her studio, which was above the Cosbys' garage. Rodgers used the studio for graphic arts and to make gaily painted birdhouses that dotted the property.

"David asked her, 'Were there three candles together?' She said yes. Everyone went silent. It was as if they'd found the proof they needed," Rodgers said. "I sat there, literally frozen, looking at Bill the whole time. I couldn't believe what was happening. I thought I was going crazy."

Rodgers said she burned candles in her bathroom because she'd seen it on "The Christopher Lowell Show," an interior design program on the Discovery Channel.

Rodgers is a graphic artist with a master's degree from the University of the Arts.

She is now staying with friends while she prepares to move in with her son in West Mount Airy.

"I'm 62 years old, I have no retirement, I have no health insurance and I have no money," Rodgers said. "Looking back, I made a poor judgment, but when you're in a friendship, you don't think about those things. It hurts."

The security men who sought to evict her on Thursday were from Gavin DeBecker & Associates of Studio City, Calif. When they arrived they presented her with a lawyer's letter saying she must leave.

They asked her to turn over a pistol she kept for protection. They also offered her a check for $10,000, which she refused.

"I was stunned," Rodgers said. "After all these years, for it to happen like this."

After Kirby had accused her of witchcraft, Rodgers said she told Cosby, "Bill, I don't believe this, but if you believe this, then I'm lost."

Cosby did not answer.

[frmrda]

This looks like it could be something from "The Onion" but its on the front page of the Philly Daily News.

[WyldKard]

A lama is a Buddhist monk. But Gladys Rodgers said Kirby used fire, dice, seeds and beads to do "readings" while wearing a "gorgeous purple-and-white striped [robe] with an amulet around his neck."

This does not appear to comport with traditional Buddhism.

If this guy is a Buddhist monk, then I'm the Pope! If I were to take a wild stab in the dark at this, I might think it sounds a lot more like some sort of animistic thing, like Shinto or Bon (but maybe in some really corrupted form..)

Sounds more like a cultist figure who's managed to get an undue amount of influence on the poor Coz.

[GraniteStateConservative]

So he's a loony. He lost a son and that's what that does to some people.

Still the Cosby show (the first few seasons) were some of the funniest episodes of sitcom TV ever.

[neutrino]

So Bill Cosby is involved with black magic?

[Dales]

If this guy is a Buddhist monk

There is only one way to be sure. Quick, ask him if he ever donated to Clinton/Gore!

[Born to Conserve]

FYI:
I live a couple miles north, and mica is indeed common. All the houses in that area are all built from mica shist, locally known as Wyncote stone, a sparkly dark grey stone quarried from a railroad cut between Jenkintown and Wyncote.

It seems Cosby has lost his mind.

[martin_fierro]

According to Rodgers, Mullen, the housekeeper, said she'd seen Rodgers burn candles in the bathroom of her studio, which was above the Cosbys' garage. Rodgers used the studio for graphic arts and to make gaily painted birdhouses that dotted the property.
"David asked her, 'Were there three candles together?' She said yes. Everyone went silent. It was as if they'd found the proof they needed," Rodgers said. "I sat there, literally frozen, looking at Bill the whole time. I couldn't believe what was happening. I thought I was going crazy."
Rodgers said she burned candles in her bathroom because she'd seen it on "The Christopher Lowell Show," an interior design program on the Discovery Channel.

I knew it. Christopher Lowell is the Prince of Darkness.

[AppyPappy]

Is he the pretend gay guy?

[irish guard]

I don't believe there is anything "pretend" about Lowell!

[irish guard]

And besides, if you were straight, why on earth would you ever pretend to be gay?

[AppyPappy]

Dunno. A gay friend said he was "too gay". He thought it was a gimmick.

[irish guard]

I will stand by my second post....I am a flaming heterosexual and there is no way I wold do a gay schtick for tv!