Despite protesters picketing the theatres, hecklers causing scenes inside and drum-tight security, the mood at Bill Cosby’s Canadian comedy tour was triumphant and celebratory, with ticket holders braving hostilities to give Cosby three standing ovations during his sets in the southwestern Ontario towns of Kitchener, London and Hamilton. Nearly thirty women have come forward to accuse the comedian of rape and sexual assault, but as the shows in Ontario prove, he clearly still has fervent supporters.

Those supporters were asked how they could legitimately stand by a man accused of such serious crimes – and some were quick to invoke the consideration of “innocent until proven guilty.”

“If they could prove anything he’d be in jail. He would have been charged, they wouldn’t have let him come into Canada,” said Mike Lethbridge, who attended Cosby’s last show. “I think he’s innocent.”

Others were more circumspect.

“We like his comedy, we don’t know anything more than that. So we’re here for that and that’s it,” said another audience member, Joseph DeBenedictis. “I support his comedy but not at all what he’s done if it has happened. It’s kind of hard to be here and say that.”

Cosby himself seems to be taking the accusations in stride, even going so far as to make a joke about them onstage – as a woman left her seat in one of the front rows and passed the stage, Cosby asked her where she was going. The woman informed him that she was going to the lobby for a drink, and Cosby’s response garnered gasps, applause and a number of groans.

“You have to be careful about drinking around me,” said the comic.