Why now? What makes a cold case like the rape allegations against Bill Cosby emerge from media shadows to dominate chatter around water coolers everywhere? Issues have to reach what one sociologist calls “collective and focused attention.” In the NYT, Brendan Nyhan provides a sociological (and pretty depressing) explanation for Cosby’s sudden fall: “Allegations by numerous young women that he drugged and raped them were largely ignored until a routine performed last month by the comedian Hannibal Buress drew newfound attention to the claims.”

+ Maybe this sociological viewpoint helps explain why R. Kelly still has a career.