BILL Cosby says he had a "wonderful time" and received a standing ovation from Canadian fans at his first show following a string of cancellations after sexual assault allegations from more than 15 women.BUT outside protesters braved below-freezing weather to shame the ticket-holders and are likely to do so again at the second of three performances in Ontario on Thursday.
Cosby's show in Kitchener was his first show since November when the entertainer saw at least 10 performances get cancelled on his North American tour.
Like his last show in Melbourne, Florida on November 21 there were no disruptions during the performance and the crowd laughed throughout.
Wearing a sweater saying "hello friend", Cosby climbed the stage decorated with two giant posters of him with Nelson Mandela.
"First of all, thank you," Cosby said to the audience before starting his routine with some cold weather jokes.
He left to a standing ovation that was somewhat slow to start.
Some ticket-holders had said they would boycott the performance, and the 2000-seat venue was about two-thirds full.
Several police officers and private security guards were posted throughout.
Outside the Centre in the Square, more than a dozen protesters carried signs saying "Rape is no joke". Some shouted "You support rape" and "Shame on you" at fans.
A few protesters blocked the doors of the venue until being asked to leave by security.
Cosby, 77, is also scheduled to appear at the Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario, on Thursday and at the Hamilton Place Theatre in Hamilton on Friday.
The comedian, who starred as Dr Cliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show from 1984 to 1992, earning a reputation as "America's dad", has never been charged in connection with any of the sexual assault allegations.
A 2005 lawsuit by a Pennsylvania woman was settled before it went to trial, and he is being sued by a woman who claims he molested her in 1974 and by three other women who allege they were defamed by the comedian when his representatives denied some of the allegations.
Most of the women say he drugged them before he assaulted them.
Hours before Cosby took the stage, lawyer Gloria Allred said three more women accused the comedian of drugging and sexually assaulting them in Las Vegas or Los Angeles between 1981 and 1996.
Allred said at a news conference in Los Angeles the accusations were too old for criminal charges or lawsuits.