Malcolm-Jamal Warner told the Associated Press that it pains him to watch The Cosby Show's legacy take a hit as a result of the sexual assault allegations surrounding its main star, Bill Cosby.
Especially since the show played a pivotal role in improving the image of African Americans around the world.
"My biggest concern is when it comes to images of people of color on television and film […] negative stereotypes of people of color, we've always had The Cosby Show to hold up against that," Warner, who played Cosby's son, Theo, in the series, explained.
"And the fact that we no longer have that, that's the thing that saddens me the most because in a few generations, the Huxtables will have been just a fairy tale," Warner said.
Warner said that he has spoken to Cosby since several of the allegations broke in full force, but he wouldn't reveal what they discussed.
"I think the things that we discussed really have to stay private between us. But it's just a bad situation all around—for him, for his family, the women, their families, the legacy of the show," Warner said.
He's right. I think it's safe to say that no one will watch the show again, or share news of the show with their children or loved ones, without sliding in a remark about how far Cosby has fallen from grace.
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Diana Ozemebhoya Eromosele is a staff writer at The Root and the founder and executive producer of Lectures to Beats, a Web series that features video interviews with scarily insightful people. Follow Lectures to Beats on Facebook and Twitter.
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