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Malcolm-Jamal Warner Calls Bill Cosby Scandal 'Painful to Watch'

Former co-star breaks his silence on rape accusations.

Add Malcolm-Jamal Warner to the list of people who still support Bill Cosby. Like his TV mom Phylicia Rashad, Warner — who played Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show — has spoken out about the allegations of rape against the sitcom icon by reflecting on the Cosby he knew growing up.
"He's one of my mentors, and he's been very influential and played a big role in my life as a friend and mentor," Warner tells Billboard. "Just as it's painful to hear any woman talk about sexual assault, whether true or not, it's just as painful to watch my friend and mentor go through this."
Warner continues, "I can't really speak on any of the allegations because obviously, I was not there. The Bill Cosby I know has been great to me and great for a lot of people. What he's done for comedy and television has been legendary and history-making. What he's done for the Black community and education has been invaluable. That's the Bill Cosby I know. I can't speak on the other stuff."

Over the past few months, more than two dozen women have come forth — some not for the first time — to accuse Cosby of drugging and raping or attempting to rape them. Most of the allegations are of events that took place in the 1970s and 1980s, at the peak of Cosby's career. Among the high-profile women to accuse Cosby are former supermodels Janice Dickinson and Beverly Johnson.

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(Photos from left: Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images, Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)

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