Throwback Thursday Remembers Malcolm-Jamal Warner and his HIV Doc

July 24, 2025
HANK ORSO

The sudden death of '80s child star Malcolm-Jamal Warner has been a bit of a shock for many of a certain age. We watched this talented young man as an Emmy-nominated TV star in his breakout role as Theo Huxtable, the only son in the Huxtable family on the ground-breaking The Cosby Show. He was also a Grammy-winning artist, and he moved into a settled career of solid TV and movie work. Warner died this past Monday in a drowning accident while vacationing with family in Costa Rica. He was 54.

You may remember Warner's Theo character bringing the issue of dyslexia to the forefront, as his character was challenged with this reading comprehension diagnosis. While Warner himself was not dyslexic, the show's star, Bill Cosby's son, was. It was a way to normalize and discuss a condition that affects up to 15% of the population. But this wouldn't be the first time that Warner would face head-on a physical condition out in the open.

In 1992, at the age of only 22, Warner directed a made-for-TV documentary about HIV and AIDS that was geared specifically for younger viewers. Time Out: The Truth About HIV. As reported in The Advocate, the show was "released during a time when AIDS was still misunderstood, stigmatized, and largely ignored in media that was targeted to youth." It was a risky move, but one Warner rightfully felt was a necessary risk to take.

The short film was hosted by Magic Johnson and Arsenio Hall, and featured a slew of TV and movie names: Paula Abdul, Tom Cruise, Neil Patrick Harris (remember, this was pre-out, Doogie Howser days!), Sinbad, Paul Rodriguez, Mayim Bialik, and many more from the Cosby Show/Different World franchises and beyond were there to dispense age-appropriate facts about HIV and AIDS, the difference between the two, transmission and prevention, and the illness itself. Many of those involved were still teens and even pre-teens themselves. This would have been aired after Johnson had announced his own HIV diagnosis.

It was a courageous act. At a time when talking about AIDS, especially to young people, was seen as risky, Warner chose action over silence. The film aired on network TV, circulated in schools, and became a rare tool for education in a fearful and misinformed America.
For many young people, especially closeted LGBTQ+ youth, the film provided more than facts. It offered reassurance, empathy, and visibility. It acknowledged their fears in a world that largely ignored or condemned them. (John Casey owriting in The Advocate)

What's great about the film is how fact-forward and frank the discussions get in its attempt to dispel myths and rumors. While the LGBTQ+ community is represented, Warner and his producers make a point of framing the discussions within a straight community framework, that this is something happening to people exactly like the intended audience: young and heterosexual. From facts about transmission and populations, demonstrations about how to properly put on a condom, and even humorous role-playing to show that condom usage is an act of love and respect, the film was unflinching in its reach to educate and communicate.

The full film is available for free on YouTube, and we've linked it below.