Ever since sexual abuse allegations against Bill Cosby resurfaced last year, many have questioned whether The Cosby Show’s legacy is now tarnished. But Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who previously said he felt the impact of The Cosby Show had been tarnished, said in a recent interview that it’s possible to divorce the allegations from the sitcom.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner on Cosby Allegations: ‘It’s Painful to Watch’
“Based on the social media comments that I get and I see, a lot of the audience has been able to do that and are doing that,” Warner, who played Cosby’s onscreen son, said on HuffPost Live. “I would [also] love to think so because when we talk about Woody Allen, we don’t talk about his controversy. When we talk about Roman Polanski now, it’s like that’s no longer part of the conversation. So if that’s how it goes, then I hope the same can come of The Cosby Show.”
Warner’s referring to Dylan Farrow’s allegations that Allen, her adopted father, abused her as a child, and Polanski’s 1977 arrest for sexually assaulting a teenage girl. Both directors have gone on to make multiple movies – and win Academy Awards – in the wake of the claims.
This article originally appeared on EW.com. To read the full story, visit their website.