Malcolm-Jamal Warner dead at 54

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I think part of why some of us feel the loss of MJW so strongly is that he was simply an excellent actor and we really connected to his character.

I would have a similar sense of loss if we were to lose Tempestt Bledsoe (God forbid).

Vanessa and Theo were the actors and characters closest to my age and also very well written and extremely well acted.

It was all of it: the meaning of the show at that moment in time, the excellent writing and directing, the acting, the meaning of television at that time and how it brought families together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So sad, he was on vacation with his daughter!

Similar thing happened to my high school classmate. He drowned on vacation with his family in OBX when a riptide/strong current pulled him out.

The currents around Hatteras Island are treacherous. Who remembers this horrible story? Young pregnant mom drowns while swimming with her husband.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/roanoke/name/jill-chenet-obituary?id=25297240

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am surprised by how many see him as an icon and have such strong attachment to him. I do remember him from the Cosby show but haven’t heard or seen of him since. We had a few shows we watched regularly as kids but I haven’t heard anything about most of those actors / actresses in decades and they definitely weren’t central to my life or childhood memories.

I also think part of it is people don't understand what the Cosby Show meant to black people. For a lot of Black families, The Cosby Show wasn’t just a popular sitcom; it was one of the first times they saw a successful, loving Black family portrayed on TV in a positive and aspirational way. That representation had a big emotional and cultural impact, especially in the '80s and '90s when that kind of visibility was rare.

Agree, but this was also true for a lot of white families. It seemed like everyone's familiy was watching the Cosby Show for several years then, and yes it had a huge impact.

This.

Go back and search racial demographics in the USA when the show aired.

Hint: the black population was very small.

The reason the show was so successful was because everyone watched it—including most white families. The show was well written and well acted.

The show was important in many ways, particularly since it introduced many people who otherwise weren’t interacting closely with black people to a highly functional black family who was endearing and impressive.

The Cosby show was transformative in terms of the impact it made on Americans. Seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sadly due to lack of resources in the country, I read that there was no lifeguard on duty when Malcom drowned.

I also read that there were signs warning ⚠️ of drowning which I have never seen on a beach.

I’m saddened at this loss - Malcom was a great 80’s actor as Theo Huxtable.
He was funny, charming + oh so adorable.
He will be missed.

Sadly his death is being overshadowed by Ozzy’s death.

You have never seen red flag warnings? I’m confused by that statement. Every beach I’ve ever been to use as a flag system, including beaches in the Carolinas, where there are no lifeguards.

From NYT “ Andrea Sánchez Campos, the owner of Faith Glamping Dome, a boutique hotel in the area, said that the beach was dotted with red flags and that the Costa Rican Tourism Board had also posted a number of warning signs.”

Costa Rica isn’t known for calm water or swimming beaches. It’s actually a draw for surfers.

I’ve never understood why so many families take their kids there. As a beach lover, I found CR beaches to be dangerous and far less attractive than virtually every other beach I’ve visited in the Caribbean.

Because of the culture and language? Have you only been to the beaches on the Caribbean side?

Culture and language have zero to do with the beaches and water.

I’ve educated tons of clueless people on what CR beaches are actually like. Some people erroneously assume all beaches are the same…they are not.

Moreover, CR is a surfer destination. That should tell you something about the water.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am surprised by how many see him as an icon and have such strong attachment to him. I do remember him from the Cosby show but haven’t heard or seen of him since. We had a few shows we watched regularly as kids but I haven’t heard anything about most of those actors / actresses in decades and they definitely weren’t central to my life or childhood memories.

I also think part of it is people don't understand what the Cosby Show meant to black people. For a lot of Black families, The Cosby Show wasn’t just a popular sitcom; it was one of the first times they saw a successful, loving Black family portrayed on TV in a positive and aspirational way. That representation had a big emotional and cultural impact, especially in the '80s and '90s when that kind of visibility was rare.

Agree, but this was also true for a lot of white families. It seemed like everyone's familiy was watching the Cosby Show for several years then, and yes it had a huge impact.

This.

Go back and search racial demographics in the USA when the show aired.

Hint: the black population was very small.

The reason the show was so successful was because everyone watched it—including most white families. The show was well written and well acted.

The show was important in many ways, particularly since it introduced many people who otherwise weren’t interacting closely with black people to a highly functional black family who was endearing and impressive.

The Cosby show was transformative in terms of the impact it made on Americans. Seriously.

+1 million. It also taught me what a loving family looks like and how to be the kind of parent I want to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sadly due to lack of resources in the country, I read that there was no lifeguard on duty when Malcom drowned.

I also read that there were signs warning ⚠️ of drowning which I have never seen on a beach.

I’m saddened at this loss - Malcom was a great 80’s actor as Theo Huxtable.
He was funny, charming + oh so adorable.
He will be missed.

Sadly his death is being overshadowed by Ozzy’s death.

I think in my entire life I have only been to one beach with a lifeguard presence, either here or overseas.

Beach lifeguards are just not that common

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sadly due to lack of resources in the country, I read that there was no lifeguard on duty when Malcom drowned.

I also read that there were signs warning ⚠️ of drowning which I have never seen on a beach.

I’m saddened at this loss - Malcom was a great 80’s actor as Theo Huxtable.
He was funny, charming + oh so adorable.
He will be missed.

Sadly his death is being overshadowed by Ozzy’s death.

I don't think so, people just don't know Malcolm, he hasn't been incredibly famous for decades. I haven't heard his name or seen his face in years.

White people?

I am not being difficult, but I think this is cultural thing. He was not as popular as he was in the 80s, but he was still very known and loved. He was involved in many projects over the years, and he’s had several very public relationships.

[NP]

What a silly comment.

Theo Huxtable was loved by a generation of kids, of all colors and backgrounds.

He is not as well known now because of the me too movement cancelling the Cosby Show, even in syndication, punishing the ensemble cast, not just Bill Cosby.

[Anonymous]

Reports are saying his daughter was with him but was rescued. This story just keeps getting more heartbreaking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am surprised by how many see him as an icon and have such strong attachment to him. I do remember him from the Cosby show but haven’t heard or seen of him since. We had a few shows we watched regularly as kids but I haven’t heard anything about most of those actors / actresses in decades and they definitely weren’t central to my life or childhood memories.

I also think part of it is people don't understand what the Cosby Show meant to black people. For a lot of Black families, The Cosby Show wasn’t just a popular sitcom; it was one of the first times they saw a successful, loving Black family portrayed on TV in a positive and aspirational way. That representation had a big emotional and cultural impact, especially in the '80s and '90s when that kind of visibility was rare.

Agree, but this was also true for a lot of white families. It seemed like everyone's familiy was watching the Cosby Show for several years then, and yes it had a huge impact.

This.

Go back and search racial demographics in the USA when the show aired.

Hint: the black population was very small.

The reason the show was so successful was because everyone watched it—including most white families. The show was well written and well acted.

The show was important in many ways, particularly since it introduced many people who otherwise weren’t interacting closely with black people to a highly functional black family who was endearing and impressive.

The Cosby show was transformative in terms of the impact it made on Americans. Seriously.

+1 million. It also taught me what a loving family looks like and how to be the kind of parent I want to be.

+2 million. White woman, deeply sad about this. I keep thinking that I’m sure they had dinner plans. Ozzy - meh - old man on borrowed time for a long time. MJW had a young child. My heart breaks for her. This is the before and after moment in her life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just recently a tv journalist put himself in a rip tide to show. He also had an expert with him. This expert explained why parallel isn’t always correct/-or if it is, you have to choose the right direction.

I’ve also read that sometimes it’s best to not swim at all. Just let the rip current carry you out and eventually bring you back to shore (because apparently rip currents curve back to the shore).

Right just float and save energy.

As a scout I did a mile swim in open water and you often take breaks with a deadman’s float then catch your breath and swim some more.

Maybe it’s time to normalize life jackets when swimming in the ocean?

Or simply don't swim on a beach with no lifeguards and posted red flags. And with a child, such a poor decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sadly due to lack of resources in the country, I read that there was no lifeguard on duty when Malcom drowned.

I also read that there were signs warning ⚠️ of drowning which I have never seen on a beach.

I’m saddened at this loss - Malcom was a great 80’s actor as Theo Huxtable.
He was funny, charming + oh so adorable.
He will be missed.

Sadly his death is being overshadowed by Ozzy’s death.

I don't think so, people just don't know Malcolm, he hasn't been incredibly famous for decades. I haven't heard his name or seen his face in years.

White people?

I am not being difficult, but I think this is cultural thing. He was not as popular as he was in the 80s, but he was still very known and loved. He was involved in many projects over the years, and he’s had several very public relationships.

[NP]

This is not a race thing. Ozzy was far more famous, for far longer.

Perhaps it's an age thing? I'm 50 and white and I adored and idolized Malcolm Jamal Warner. Ozzy Osborne I remember as a doddering dad on "The Osbornes" TV show. Perhaps because heavy metal is not, generally speaking, my thing? I remember Sharon and Kelly better than Ozzy.

Exactly this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So sad, he was on vacation with his daughter!

Similar thing happened to my high school classmate. He drowned on vacation with his family in OBX when a riptide/strong current pulled him out.

Was there a lifeguard there? And how does someone stay safe with these strong currents?

I was caught in a riptide in the Outer Banks. You swim parallel to land until you can get out of it.

It was only later that the terror hit me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sadly due to lack of resources in the country, I read that there was no lifeguard on duty when Malcom drowned.

I also read that there were signs warning ⚠️ of drowning which I have never seen on a beach.

I’m saddened at this loss - Malcom was a great 80’s actor as Theo Huxtable.
He was funny, charming + oh so adorable.
He will be missed.

Sadly his death is being overshadowed by Ozzy’s death.

I don't think so, people just don't know Malcolm, he hasn't been incredibly famous for decades. I haven't heard his name or seen his face in years.

White people?

I am not being difficult, but I think this is cultural thing. He was not as popular as he was in the 80s, but he was still very known and loved. He was involved in many projects over the years, and he’s had several very public relationships.

[NP]

What a silly comment.

Theo Huxtable was loved by a generation of kids, of all colors and backgrounds.

He is not as well known now because of the me too movement cancelling the Cosby Show, even in syndication, punishing the ensemble cast, not just Bill Cosby.

This.

Fwiw the Cosby show holds up well. It’s still funny and endearing. If you haven’t heard Claire Huxtable lecture her kids, you are missing out. I’ve literally sent my kids links to clips from the show as funny teachable moments…and when I don’t have the words to convey what Claire so aptly expressed.

Everyone should watch/rewatch that show…and perhaps remember or learn what Gen X understands: the fact that a sitcom about a black family was the most popular show on tv for many years demonstrates that American society was actually not as racist or divided as some choose to believe these days. Everyone watched that show and everyone loved those characters. MJW was a teen heart-throb and so was Lisa Bonet. Claire Huxtable prompted tons of girls to go to law school—including this white girl. Americans of all races and ethnicity aspired to have a life (and home and family) like the Huxtables.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sadly due to lack of resources in the country, I read that there was no lifeguard on duty when Malcom drowned.

I also read that there were signs warning ⚠️ of drowning which I have never seen on a beach.

I’m saddened at this loss - Malcom was a great 80’s actor as Theo Huxtable.
He was funny, charming + oh so adorable.
He will be missed.

Sadly his death is being overshadowed by Ozzy’s death.

I think in my entire life I have only been to one beach with a lifeguard presence, either here or overseas.

Beach lifeguards are just not that common

Really? I've only mostly been on beaches with lifeguards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am surprised by how many see him as an icon and have such strong attachment to him. I do remember him from the Cosby show but haven’t heard or seen of him since. We had a few shows we watched regularly as kids but I haven’t heard anything about most of those actors / actresses in decades and they definitely weren’t central to my life or childhood memories.

I also think part of it is people don't understand what the Cosby Show meant to black people. For a lot of Black families, The Cosby Show wasn’t just a popular sitcom; it was one of the first times they saw a successful, loving Black family portrayed on TV in a positive and aspirational way. That representation had a big emotional and cultural impact, especially in the '80s and '90s when that kind of visibility was rare.

Agree, but this was also true for a lot of white families. It seemed like everyone's familiy was watching the Cosby Show for several years then, and yes it had a huge impact.

This.

Go back and search racial demographics in the USA when the show aired.

Hint: the black population was very small.

The reason the show was so successful was because everyone watched it—including most white families. The show was well written and well acted.

The show was important in many ways, particularly since it introduced many people who otherwise weren’t interacting closely with black people to a highly functional black family who was endearing and impressive.

The Cosby show was transformative in terms of the impact it made on Americans. Seriously.

I'm not really sure what this has to do with the discussion, but the black population has not changed much since the 80s. The U.S. was significantly more White, but the black population has remained pretty consistent as a share of the total.