ArcaMax

In Washington, a city with many memorials, the locals argue heatedly these days over whether one should be painted over.

That's because it is a mural on the side of a popular local landmark called Ben's Chili Bowl that includes the 10-foot high face of Bill Cosby.

The mural, which was painted by a local artist in 2010, includes such other famous past customers of Ben's as President Barack Obama. But the neighborhood's dispute over Cosby's face illustrates how far the star of one of the world's most popular comedians has fallen -- from superstar to criminal suspect.

Cosby's fortunes abruptly turned in October 2014 when a YouTube video clip of rising comedian Hannibal Buress put a new national spotlight on old accusations of sexual assault that include at least one out-of-court settlement.

Soon dozens of women began to come forth to make very similar charges. Now that settlement, made with Andrea Constand, who worked with the basketball team at Cosby's alma mater, Temple University, became the focus two days before the new year of a criminal case against Cosby in Philadelphia.

Kevin Steele, the Montgomery County first assistant district attorney and district attorney-elect, announced a felony charge of indecent assault in what he described as a "relationship" between Cosby and Constand, resulting from her work at Temple.

Steele described Cosby as a "mentor" and "friend" to Constand, who went to Cosby's suburban Philadelphia home in early 2004. There, according to the charges, Cosby urged her to take pills and drink wine until she was unable to move, then he allegedly assaulted her.

Widely revered until now as a father figure, popular moralist and "clean" (meaning raunchiness-free) comedian, Cosby has seen one after another of his many honors withdrawn by institutions as varied as universities and Disney World. Possible TV projects and an interrupted comedy tour have reportedly been shelved or abandoned.

Now even some neighbors of his beloved chili restaurant have called for Cosby's countenance to be removed. Cosby has special meaning to Ben's Chili Bowl and vice versa. He and his wife Camille used to go to the restaurant when they were dating, years before Cosby's national fame blossomed in the 1960s.

When he hits town and can't appear in person, he has been known to request deliveries of Ben's chili dogs -- or to be surprised with a delivery, as he once was by the late host Tim Russert on the set of NBC's "Meet the Press."

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