"A Different World" writer and producer Thad Mumford lit into Lisa Bonet and Debbie Allen in a recent interview with the Archive of American Television. I'm guessing he didn't have a good experience.
-He starts out saying Lisa Bonet was just no good and only got the show because Bill Cosby kicked her off his show.
-Says she smoked marijuana liked it was going out of style and reeked of patchouli. Knew she was coming because of you could smell her when she was coming.
-Phylicia Rashad was guest starring on the show. During a morning script reading, Lisa "at least was there," was laying her head on the table nodding off to sleep. Phylicia called Bill Cosby and said, "This child is crazy, this child is losing her mind."
-Mentions Lisa getting pregnant and joked maybe Bill did it, "Anything to get her off the show."
-Says Debbie Allen wasn't a good director.
-He and Debbie Allen were always at war for control of the show.
-Debbie Allen has the kids on the show "not speaking English," close to ebonics.
-Bill Cosby complained to him about how the kids were looking on the show, and he told her to talk to Debbie (Including the comment "The darkies look gay.") Bill went to talk to Debbie and nothing was changed. Mumford thinks Bill didn't really care because the show was Camille was the champion of a show about a black college.
-They had some good episodes, but those were the ones Debbie didn't direct. "The shows Debbie didn't do were the best ones."
-Criticized Jasmine Guy's portrayal of Whitley Gilbert saying it was like something from a sketch comedy show.
Mumford was a producer and writer of ADW from 1987-1990. He wrote 11 episodes including 6 in the horrible first season with Lisa Bonet.
Debbie Allen directed 83 of the 122 episodes produced in seasons 2-6.
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