NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
There are certain characters throughout history who graced the TV or movie screen that touched millions. Theo Huxtable, played by the late Malcolm Jamal-Warner, was one of them. Not considered in the same class as maybe a Will Smith or Martin Lawrence as far as comedy, but what Jamal-Warner brought to the TV was just as important, if not more.
The Cosby Show in itself was groundbreaking. Let’s take Bill Cosby out of the equation here and touch on what Theo meant to young black men across the globe. He was the kid we either wanted to be or the friend we wish we had.
The Cosby’s had money, but Theo never gave off that impression. You can watch a show and tell a kid was privileged. Theo never gave off that impression. He was the kid who still got in trouble. He was the kid who made terrible decisions, and he was the kid who stood by his friends no matter what. But then, he was the kid living in a house with 3 sisters (we never saw Sandra living with them growing up). For those boys who grew up in a big family, we felt Theo’s pain and frustration.
But Theo was still like us in a way. Theo took heat from school and his parents regarding his grades then, we would learn later on that he had a learning disability. The Cosby Show was one of the first shows to bring light to Dyslexia and it was done with a young black kid. We understood Theo Huxtable.
As a young black male with a father in the house, it was about making him proud. Theo tried at times, and at others, he was out for himself. Who could ever forget the classic episode with the ear piercing? Or, the infamous Justine episode? The weed in the textbook. The dance-off with Cockroach that almost ruined their friendship.
But Theo, no matter what he did, will always be remembered for trusting his sister to make the infamous Gordon Gartrell shirt that set the world on fire with laughter. “It’s tucked into my socks.”
Theo is a character, but it was Malcolm Jamal-Warner who brought him to life. Could any young black male actor have played Theo Huxtable any better? Maybe, but could any of them have done it like Malcolm Jamal-Warner?
His loss is not just his family’s loss. His loss has and will touch millions. We grew up watching Malcolm Jamal-Warner. He became our brother and our friend. Hell, he and Cliff made us look at Monopoly money differently. That was my first real lesson on money management.
With death, we can mourn, and we can also celebrate life. Malcolm Jamal-Warner is worth mourning and celebrating at the same time. He gave young black males a character that to this day will never be duplicated.
