The “A Different World” reboot has brought renewed attention to the beloved sitcom. Old and new cast members are revisiting old stories and memorable encounters from their time on the show.
Actress Charnele Brown is among those looking back. She recounted an exchange with Bill Cosby in which she used some colorful choice words.
Cosby created the HBCU-themed show as a spin-off of “The Cosby Show,” following his fictional daughter Denise Huxtable, played by Lisa Bonet, as she begins her college career at her father, Dr. Heathcliff “Cliff” Huxtable’s alma mater.
“A Different World” premiered in 1987 on NBC, starring Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Dawnn Lewis, Darryl M. Bell, and more.
Each role shaped six seasons of young adults navigating real-life social issues like race, colorism, sexual health, and more
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Brown joined the hit sitcom in its second season as Kimberly Reese, an overachieving pre-med student and best friend of Whitley Gilbert, played by Guy.
On the Oct. 27 episode of the “Live From the Black House” podcast, Brown revisited her upbringing. She recalled how her parents raised her to see herself as a “queen” and taught her that her richly melanated skin was beautiful.
A week before her audition, theater managers told her, “My skin color wasn’t in that season.”
The entertainment industry, however, has long reckoned with representing Black people, and “A Different World” was no exception.
“At the time, there was a People article that they wrote, and it was about being the dark-skinned sister,” she said.
Cosby popped up on set soon after the story was published. But Brown has never forgotten what the actor said to her.
“Bill Cosby rarely visits the set, and he was like, ‘There’s our designated darkie.’ And, excuse me, I was like, ‘F—k you mothef—ker!” she said.
The live podcast audience broke into laughter. Brown noted Cosby’s wisecrack triggered an unfiltered reaction. “That’s Charlie. It just came out.”
The actress recalled people on set gasping at the outburst, but she and the comedian were unfazed.
“I’m laughing, he’s laughing. And so five minutes later, because he was doing ‘Ghost Dad’ at the time, they were like, ‘He summons you to the set.’ I’m like, ‘I’m done.’ As I’m walking, they were like, ‘See you, Charlie,” and waved farewell.
But Cosby wasn’t giving her the axe.
“I got to the set, and he was like, ‘How is [showrunner Debbie Allen] also treating you?’ I said, ‘She’s great.’ I said, ‘We’re good.’ He said, ‘How’s the set?’ I’m like, ‘I’m grateful. I’m really grateful,’” said Brown.
According to Brown, Cosby remembered her stint as an extra on “The Cosby Show” and offered her words of wisdom: “‘Nobody is going to give you anything. You gonna have to fight for what is owed to you.’”
She then returned to set. But not everyone online knew the details of what she experienced.
A podcast viewer’s reaction read, “He was making fun of the press around her skin tone, not her. It’s cool he came directly to her to investigate if any of it was true and if she felt she wasn’t being treated well on set.”
Someone else suggested it “sounds like he was trying to prepare her because he saw potential in her.”
Two more people commented, “He was still out of pocket for that. Great response” and “she stood up to him and he appreciated that.”
Fans who loved the original series are revisiting Hillman College alongside familiar faces in Netflix’s reimagining of “A Different World.”
The 10-episode season premiered in September and was renewed for a second season in October.
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