Keshia Knight Pulliam Fired From 'Celebrity Apprentice' 2015 Premiere For Refusing To Call Bill Cosby; Donald Trump Defends Move

Keshia Knight Pulliam has been booted off Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice reportedly for refusing to call on her former on-screen father Bill Cosby and lean on him for money for her charity as he battles sexual assault allegations. Knight Pulliam — who played Rudy Huxtable on The Cosby Show — was unceremoniously kicked off the show as her team failed to raise more money than their competitors on the 2015 premiere of the reality show, which also featured judges Ivanka Trump and Piers Morgan.

In the challenge, Knight Pulliam and her female-heavy team including Real Housewives stars Brandi Glanville and Kenya Moore as well as Jon & Kate Plus 8's Kate Gosselin, took on their male counterparts including Fox News's Geraldo Rivera and popstar Nick Jonas in raising money for charity.

As People Magazine report: "In the boardroom, Trump, 68, took her to task for not calling Cosby, to which Pulliam copped, in tears: 'I have not talked to Bill Cosby on the phone in I don't know how long. So, for me to pick up the phone, having not talked to you for five years, except for when we run into each other for a Cosby event - I feel that's not my place to do.'"

Trump, in his usual tactful way, the proceeded to fire her from the show, saying: "I really believe, if you'd called that gentleman, he would've helped you, even if you hadn't spoken to him in years, because you were an amazing team with one of the most successful shows ever."

"So, I think it would've been a very good call to make for charity. But you have to take responsibility. I think you agree with that."

After the firing, as E! Online report Knight Pulliam this morning told ABC's The Today Show what she thinks about the Cosby allegations, saying "Ultimately, they're just that, allegations. You know, it's very much been played out in the court of public opinion. But we're still in America, where ultimately you're innocent until proven guilty. I wasn't there. That's just not the man I know. So I can't speak to it."

As Vulture point out, however, "The season premiere was filmed about a year ago, months before mounting rape allegations irrevocably ruined Cosby's reputation."

And Trump explained during his live tweeting of the show that "This show was taped just before the terrible Bill Cosby revelations came to light.She still should have asked him for money-goes to charity."

This show was taped just before the terrible Bill Cosby revelations came to light.She still should have asked him for money-goes to charity.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2015