While allegations of sexual assault had chased Cosby throughout his career, his public persona remained that of "America's Dad" — he starred as lovable doctor and family man Cliff Huxtable for eight years on the popular sitcom The Cosby Show. In 2014, comedian Hannibal Burress called out the disconnect between Cosby's image and the many allegations of sexual abuse that had been levelled against him saying, "People think I’m making it up. …That shit is upsetting. If you didn’t know about it, trust me. You leave here and Google ‘Bill Cosby rape.’ It’s not funny." Burress' remarks went viral, and were one of the many factors that galvanised other women to share their accusations against Cosby.