Malcolm-Jamal Warner: Sex scandal has tarnished the legacy of 'The Cosby Show'

Malcolm-Jamal Warner thinks that The Cosby Show's legacy of being a counterbalance to negative stereotypes about black people on TV - has now been destroyed by his former employer's rape scandal and he's not pleased about it.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner thinks that The Cosby Show’s legacy of being a counterbalance to negative stereotypes about black people on TV has now been destroyed by his former employer’s rape scandal, and he’s not pleased about it.

Warner, who played Theo Huxtable, told The Daily Mail,My biggest concern is when it comes to images of people of color on television and film, no matter what … negative stereotypes of people of color, we’ve always had ‘The Cosby Show’ to hold up against that. 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.”

The 45-year-old actor admits he has been in touch with Cosby, 78, but would not share what they spoke about.

“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.”

“I grew up with a maniacal obsession with not wanting to be one of those ‘Where Are They Now Kids,” concedes Warner, who is currently filming the upcoming OJ Simpson biopic.

“I feel very blessed to be able to have all of these avenues of expression … to be where I am now and finally at a place where I can let go of that worry about having a life after Cosby.”

Actress Keisha Knight Pulliam disagrees with Warner and believes the show’s legacy still resonates. You can check out her exclusive interview with The Grio here.

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