Malcolm-Jamal Warner honoured in emotional live podcast tribute

The entertainment industry came together to pay tribute to the late Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for his iconic role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, during a live podcast episode of Not All Hood on July 25. 

The episode, titled Malcolm Left the Mic On, featured heartfelt messages from friends, colleagues, and fans, celebrating Warner's life, legacy, and impact on the industry.

Jessica Miesel, who co-starred with Warner on The Resident, remembered him fondly, saying, "I was so struck by his endless curiosity and his warmth and his elegance, but mainly his ability to make me and others feel like an equal. I never felt like he was looking down at anybody else." 

Miesel also praised Warner's ability to bring laughter to the set, saying, "His laugh was just one of my favorite sounds in the whole world, and he was the king of adding a button to the end of a scene."

Candace Kelley, co-host of Not All Hood, spoke about Warner's mission to challenge stereotypes and promote positive representations of Black people in the media. "He really was on a mission to make sure that the tropes about the Black community are not continued," Kelley said. 

"We'd have these conversations because all the dramas on TV are about gangs and the street and drugs and kingpins." Kelley hopes to continue the podcast and Warner's legacy, saying, "He really, really cared about carrying the torch that he had from The Cosby Show, and that torch was, 'Remember how they see us and do not co-sign.'"

Kelley also spoke about Warner's kindness and generosity, saying, "He wanted to be remembered like that; he has said that, he just wants to be remembered as a good person, and by all accounts, he's got that down." 

Author and activist Kimberly Latrice Jones shared a personal story about Warner's kindness, saying, "Making a connection with me was not fleeting for him." Jones detailed Warner's words of support during her struggles with epilepsy.

The live podcast tribute episode was attended by several of Warner's friends and colleagues. 

Warner's death was ruled as accidental drowning by the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) in Costa Rica, where he was on vacation with his family.