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In the history of television only two shows were number one in the Nielsen ratings for five consecutive years. One was “All in the Family”, the groundbreaking sitcom that dealt with controversy touching all walks of life. The second was the Cosby Show, a look at an upper middle class African American family going through the growing pains of raising a family. What made this show different was it was not only seen by African Americans – millions of viewers from all ethnic spectrums tuned in weekly for eight years to see what the Huxtables were up to. The show became the number one in American for several seasons, and the public embraced the stars identifying with them and their antics from week to week. One of its stars became the best-known teen-ager in the world. Theo Huxtable, played by Malcom Jamal Warner, managed to get into all the predicaments typical of teens and with the wise guidance of Bill Cosby as the father who knew best, the situation was resolved and Theo lived to get in trouble yet another week. Malcom Jamal Warner is no longer a teen-ager getting in trouble, but he’s still stirring things up artistically, and has a new play that will run starting June 2, 2007. We were fortunate that he had a little time to share with us and we asked about the upcoming presentation. RP - I understand you’re getting ready for a new show that’s coming up pretty soon. MJW – Yes – it’s called “Love and Other Social Issues” RP – So tell me – besides love, what other social issues do you discuss? MJW - Ah – well there are a lot things. The show covers a lot – let’s say, “human issues”. I talk about images in the media – especially how they think as African Americans – the way we are seen by the rest of the world, the way we see ourselves. Then there’s a lot about relationships too. I don’t really delve into politics however. It’s more about social progress – not like social evolution but more like society dysfunctions.
MJW – That’s funny! Hmm. I don’t know, really. I would probably say he had more influence on me. RP - Really? MJW - Yeah – because he was always around - he had five kids of his own, so I don’t know if I did anything to affect his point of view or thinking. He always dealt with young people – he always had such a wide range that if anything he was always like a role model much more than any influence I had on him. RP - You still keep in touch with him? MJW – Oh Yeah! Definitely. He was always very encouraging and supportive in all of my efforts. When I wanted to direct he was especially supportive in that. When I was directing Cosby he was always in my corner. RP - That’s really great. Let’s move to another subject. I know that you are a musician. MJW - Yes. RP – You play bass – MJW – Right RP – And you sometimes play and open for other musicians. You have a band, right? MJW – Yes – it’s called Miles Long. RP – Anything to do with the late Miles Davis? MJW – No. Actually not! There’s a lot of people who sometimes make that connection but it really has to do with my musical journey. I feel I’ve come a long way and I have a long way to go yet. RP – You say you have a long ways to go yet. You’re a director, you’re a musician you’re an award winning actor, you’re a writer – what else do you need to cover? It seems that you’ve covered all the bases exceptionally well up to now. MJW – Yes – but you know, I don’t think I’ve reached the point where I want to be in any of my crafts yet. I think that’s one of the reasons I keep reaching out. As an artist you’re always setting goals – you’re always looking at the bigger picture – always looking down the road. I guess you always have a place to look toward. I think that’s one of the things that’s kept me going. During the Cosby years my focus was always on life after Cosby. I was always thinking about that. When you’re hot, that’s when you really have to bust your tail so that when, let’s say, you’re not so hot you’ll still be working – still acting. You still want to follow your acting, your passion and maintain a goal that you still work towards achieving. RP – Do you see yourself doing anymore writing for plays or for movies in the future? MJW - I think so. Yeah! One thing about writing is that it’s a very lonely process. RP – I’ll say! MJW – As a creative person there’s so many things that come out of me or were just dying to come out of me and because I’m a writer I’m almost certain that I’ll have a few more things. Not just poetry or song writing, but also some stories. RP – I understand that you have a pretty rough producer for this upcoming play. Someone who is going to give you a hard time? MJW – Oh yeah! (laughing) She’s good at giving me a hard time! RP - Have you worked with your mother in this capacity before? Her producing you? MJW – Oh yes! We did this show two years at the National Black Theatre Festival. She produced the show those two years and we’ve also worked together on other things. She’s my producer on a couple of projects that I’m directing. Some film work and other things. We work together often. RP – How does that feel – having your Mom work with you as a producer – is she still telling you what to do sometimes? MJW – Well, she’s also my manager, so we’re used to having her wear different hats at time. Since I was fifteen we’ve had a business relationship, so it’s not so much mother and son but often manager and client, or producer - director, sometimes producer – actor. RP – That sounds like a great working arrangement. Now, tell me, you’ll be opening this show at the Assistance League Theatre, near Western Avenue. Can we talk a little about how it’s set up? It’s a one-man show, right? MJW – It’s a one man show, right. RP – And you have a band in the background – your band? MJW – Yes, because some of the pieces have musical accompaniment. I have a drummer, a keyboard player, a sax player. RP – That sounds like a group that’s going to make a lot of music. MJW – Yeah – well, my band is about seven pieces, but I pared it down some for this. RP – Did you write any of the music for this show? MJW – Yeah. A lot of the music I do with the band are original compositions and there’s a couple of pieces in the show that I do with my band. RP – Sounds like it will be a great show. Now, can I take you back a few years before the Cosby show? Did you always want to be an actor when you were a kid? MJW – Yes. I started theatre when I was nine. I was doing some community theatre, and I guess I got bitten pretty hard by the acting bug. RP – You did! MJW – Yeah – I was very fortunate. I knew early one that I wanted to be an actor, RP – So you took acting lessons I imagine? MJW – Oh yes! I was doing a children’s workshop. That’s actually how I got started. RP – That was back in New Jersey? MJW – No – that was actually here, in Inglewood. The Inglewood Playhouse, right in the middle of Centinella Park.
RP – Didn’t quite work out that way, did it? MJW – Go figure! RP – Well, it’s called Life, I think. How did you happen so pick the bass as your instrument? MJW – I’ve always been attracted to the sound of the bass. The first record I ever stole from my mother’s collection when I was seven years old was Graham’s Central Station. Larry Graham is working now as a bass player, but I’ve always been attracted to the instrument. RP – You play upright also? MJW – I play upright – actually upright plays me! (laughing) RP – Let’s talk more about the upcoming show. You wrote it, you mounted it, your band is in it – what would you like to have people who see it take with them after the show is over? MJW – I would like people to walk away from the show not just being entertained, but being inspired. I think this show can be very inspirational. Because I wrote the show myself, there are elements that I had initially written just for myself in terms of my own relation – my own inspiration. But I think no matter where you are life has some great things and some not so great things. Sometimes you need some inspiration to carry you over the times that do not go so great. RP – Your director is Denise Dowse. What was the process by which you made the selection? MJW – We mutually agreed on Denise. She had directed another play that Pamela did, almost ten years ago and I’ve used Denise a lot as an acting coach. And because she is a really good director, we both agreed that she would be the one to work on this project. She has a great vision for the show, because she is a media director, and I really trust her ability to work with actors. RP – Do you have any situations where you have written something one way and the director sees it a different way? MJW – Oh yes. We’ve had several situations like that. It’s much easier when you have a one-person show because you only have one actor to deal with and you can talk about different ways to do it. RP – Has the show changed from the time you first did it in 2003 to what you’ll be doing on June 2? MJW – Yes it has. I’ve had some pieces taken out – I’ve added some new pieces. I am a very different person than I was four years ago – I’m a more mature person in 2007 than I was in 2003 and some of my perspectives have changed – some of my relationships have changed as well. RP – So are we going to learn some deep dark secrets about Malcolm Jamal Warner in this show? MJW – (laughing) I don’t know if there’ll be any deep dark secrets in this show. Unlike other acting I’ve done before – with my public personae I think this is the first time that I allow myself to be as open – as vulnerable and as honest as I’ve ever been. RP - Do you think this comes about because you’re growing older? MJW – Yeah! Yes I think because I’m getting older and with that comes being more comfortable with who I am and where I am in life, not feeling guilty, not being apologetic for where I am and I guess just really owning who I am. RP – It comes easier then? MJW – I think that no matter where you are in life, no matter who you are or your status you always wonder about “am I doing the right thing? am I on the right path?” Sometimes you have to stop and say to yourself- “Wait a minute I’m OK. – I’m doing OK!” RP – Let me take you forward to a hypothetical place. Cosby has received all kinds of awards – lifetime achievement awards and such. If in the future we are in a huge auditorium filled with your peers and you receive a Lifetime Achievement Award, it would be for ______ Can you fill in the blank? MJW – (long pause) I’d say ultimately for remaining a good decent person in the face of all the politics and envies and hypocrisies. RP – Wow! Do you feel there’s a lot of hypocrisy in the business? MJW – Oh yeah, you know – that’s what show business is about. Part of what we do, in the public eye, is to make it look effortless. RP – That’s true. MJW – Which I think is the reason why everybody wants to do it! But it’s much less of the glitz and glamour than people see. RP – It’s hard work. MJW – Yeah! Yeah, not only that, it’s politics – it’s cut throat – it’s not a nice business. RP – I’m not surprised at your answer about ultimately wanting to be a better person – as opposed to being a better actor or a more successful director – MJW – Well, let me tell you, at the end of the day what I realized is that the talent part is only part of it, man. I always tell people that 90 percent of the time when you book a job it has little to do with talent – you know? RP – Yes – sometimes that’s painfully obvious. MJW – On the other side of the coin, this business is also 90 percent rejection. So you have to find a way to wrap your head around it without letting it crush your self-esteem and steal your soul. That in itself is a full time job! RP – Well, I looked at your resume and it looks pretty full. It seems to me you may not be too familiar with the word rejection. MJW – Oh yes! That resume is in the face of the 90 percent rejection. RP – Well it’s a very impressive list of achievements you have and I’m sure there’ll be many many more. MJW – Well, thanks. We all hope so! RP – I don’t want to let you go without giving you the opportunity to give me a closing line. Let’s close with saying that Malcolm Jamal Warner is at this point . . . . MJW – (long pause) . . . finally comfortable in his skin. RP – Terrific - thank you so much and I’ll see you at the show. MJW – Thank you. Malcolm Jamal Warner’s show opened on June 2, 2007 at the Assistance League in Hollywood. Photos: Ed Krieger PRODUCTION: “LOVE
& OTHER SOCIAL ISSUES”
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