Malcolm-Jamal Warner, actor on the hit sitcom "The Cosby Show," said recently that the show's legacy has been "tarnished" because of the sexual assault accusations made against Bill Cosby.

Warner spoke to The Associated Press about the negative impact Cosby's controversy has had on the sitcom's history.

"My biggest concern is when it comes to images of people of color on television and film, no matter what ... negative stereotypes of people of color, we've always had 'The Cosby Show' to hold up against that," Warner said.

"And the fact that we no longer have that, that's the thing that saddens me the most because in a few generations the Huxtables will have been just a fairy tale."  

Warner is well known for playing Cosby's son, Theo Huxtable, in the acclaimed NBC program. "The Cosby Show" dominated television in the 1980s, helping revitalize the sitcom genre and paving the way for countless other shows featuring predominantly black casts. However, Warner believes it will be difficult for people to remember the show with the same fondness as before.

"The legacy can't help but be tarnished. ...'The Cosby Show' was part of the fiber of American culture so to see that, to see that the show doesn't necessarily have the same sheen that it once did, is definitely a downer," Warner said.

Warner has remained in contact with Cosby, although he did not go into detail on the nature of their discussions.

"I think the things that we discussed really have to stay private between us," he said. "But it's just a bad situation all around -- for him, for his family, the women, their families, the legacy of the show."

Since last year, over 40 women have come forward accusing comedian Bill Cosby of sexual assault and misconduct. Many of the alleged victims will speak on their experience during an interview on NBC's Dateline this Friday, Oct. 9.