Malcolm-Jamal Warner on ‘The Cosby Show’ Airs: Woody Allen, Roman Polanski and Stephen Collins Still ‘Celebrated’
Cosby Show
star Malcolm-Jamal Warner was careful not to defend or deny TV dad Bill Cosby when more than 50 women accused him of sexual assault.
But People v. O.J. Simpson: The American Crime Story actor is concerned about the legacy of the groundbreaking sitcom for the black community – and says Hollywood’s response to the Cosby scandal is hypocritical.
Taking a quick look at his Monday appearance on The Real, Warner discussed the networks pulling The Cosby Show from their programming.
“I feel in a lot of different ways,” Warner, 45, said. One, since the show was taken off the air, it really took money out of my pocket. So I have my own feelings about that, because it affects me personally. But even outside of that, you know, you just look at how the media has covered this whole thing. And I can’t help but think of Woody Allen, Roman Polanski, Stephen Collins.”
Famed director Polanski, now 82, fled the United States for France in 1977 after pleading guilty to having unlawful sex with 13-year-old model Samantha Geimer. Allen, 80, made headlines when he married ex-girlfriend Mia Farrow’s adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn, 45, and his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow allegedly sexually abused her as a child. He has vehemently denied her claim and continues to direct star-studded films, recently casting Miley Cyrus for his upcoming Amazon series.
As for Collins? The 7th Heaven Patriarch admitted to indecent acts with three minors in 2014, then sexually revealed an older woman who had “repeatedly exposed herself” to him as a teenager.
“The crimes they committed were very clear, but you know, no one was asked to take Woody’s movies off the air,” Warner said. “Roman Polanski is still honored. Stephen Collins’ show continues. So it’s interesting that it’s very unbalanced. They are trying to get Mr. Cosby’s star off the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And I’m in no position to defend him, because I can’t, but I’m also not going to throw him under the bus.”
