This one hurts brehs. Despite that dark cloud surrounding the show, The Cosby Show really represented what Black adolescence could look like for young boys. Every reward, every mistake and every lesson we learned through watching Theo. An all time TV teen character (we could argue about on a later date). It was only right that the final episode of the original run was Theo graduating and it showcased despite suffering from dyslexia, he still became a teacher and went on to teach youth himself.
MJW always came off as just a genuine dude. Would show up on a show you watch or end up on a show that last a few years or got cancelled early. But Malcolm kept himself busy. Poetry, jazz or acting, he just kept working. Just a truly tragic thing that happened to Malcolm. Prayers to him and his loved ones.