Comedian Bill Cosby, engulfed by a wave of rape and sex abuse allegations, has broken his silence to criticise media coverage and praise his wife for her support.
The 77-year-old star made his comments in a rare telephone interview with the New York Post, although he declined to address the accusations directly.
More than a dozen women have come forward to accuse him of having drugged and sexually assaulted them.
The alleged incidents stretch back as far as the 1960s.
Cosby has not been charged with a crime, and his lawyers have denied the allegations, calling them discredited and defamatory.
Cosby said: 'Let me say this. I only expect the black media to uphold the standards of excellence in journalism and when you do that you have to go in with a neutral mind.'
When asked how his wife of more than 50 years was coping, he said: 'Love and the strength of womanhood.
'Let me say it again, love and the strength of womanhood.
'And, you could reverse it, the strength of womanhood and love.'
He then cut short the interview, saying: 'They don't want me talking to the media.'
In the latest claim, the black supermodel Beverly Johnson said Cosby drugged her decades ago.
But unlike other women who have come forward, the model does not make explicit sexual assault accusations against Cosby.
Most allegations against Cosby fall outside the statute of limitations for criminal charges.
Gallery: A Profile Of Bill Cosby
But one woman, Judy Huth, has filed a sexual assault lawsuit against Cosby claiming he molested her when she was 15-years-old in 1974.
His lawyers have dismissed the claim as 'absolutely false', and accused her of 'engaging in a shakedown'.
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