A painting of Wizards players John Wall and Bradley Beal now adorns a wall on the side of Ben’s Chili Bowl’s flagship diner that previously and prominently featured Bill Cosby.

Robert Generette III, a local artist who’s known for drawing sports figures on his iPad, designed the temporary artwork that’s now gracing the eatery.

As old and dozens of new sexual assault allegations came to light in recent years, the Ali family, which owns Ben’s Chili Bowl, has quietly stood by Cosby. They had declined to replace the mural and publicly refused to rescind their offer of free food for the comedian, a longtime friend of the restaurant.

While Washingtonians urged the family to replace the mural, one artist took matters into his own hands and replaced Cosby’s mug with the face of Kim Jong-un in 2015 (another artist promptly ripped it off).

Three months ago, Ben’s finally announced that the wall needed a clean slate “after 5 years of braving the elements.” A message on the website solicited public’s input for what public figures should replace the mural that included Cosby, along with President Barack Obama, Go-Go Godfather Chuck Brown, and radio’s Donnie Simpson. An online quiz had 59 suggestions, that ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to some questionable options (Cosby included).

Wall was among other celebrities suggested for a new design. The Wizards’ last game of the regular season is Wednesday and the NBA Playoffs begin on Saturday. It’s unclear how long the Wizards mural will stay up.

Filed Under: ben's chili bown, Bill Cosby, bradley beal, john wall, mural, Robert Generette III, wizards,