@Soozcat There may be a racial aspect we haven’t touched on. Rowling is a white woman from an English speaking country. Cosby is a black man from an English speaking country. In the United States, the importance of many people who identify as Black/African American (especially with athletes) is their talent. If you are considered to be proficient in some manner in your career field, you gain more acceptance among your non-Black/African American peers. I think Cosby’s career suffered so massively only because of his racial identity. Had he been White, that sentiment to punish him could have been very different.

Rowling may be keeping their fanbase that survives partly due to this. I can’t prove it but it may inherently at a subconscious level be that for many people. Racism might be the factor that differentiates these two celebrities.