Clair Huxtable

Clair Olivia Hanks Huxtable[2][3][4][5] is a fictional character who appears on the American sitcom The Cosby Show (1984–1992). Portrayed by actress Phylicia Rashad, Clair, the wife of Cliff Huxtable and mother of their five children, is the matriarch of the show's central Huxtable family. Working as a lawyer, Clair values the importance of maintaining a successful career and strong household simultaneously. The character debuted alongside most of her family in the pilot episode, "Theo's Economic Lesson", which premiered on September 20, 1984.

Clair Huxtable
The Cosby Show character
Clair Huxtable, portrayed by Phylicia Rashad, as she appears in an episode of The Cosby Show.
First appearancePilot (September 20, 1984)
Last appearanceAnd So We Commence (April 30, 1992)
Created byBill Cosby
Portrayed byPhylicia Rashad[1]
In-universe information
Full nameClair Huxtable
GenderFemale
OccupationLawyer
SpouseCliff Huxtable
ChildrenSondra Huxtable
Denise Huxtable
Theodore Huxtable
Vanessa Huxtable
Rudy Huxtable
RelativesAl Hanks (father)
Carrie Hanks (mother)
Sarah Hanks (sister)
Pamela Tucker (cousin)
Ellis Wilson (great-uncle)
NationalityAmerican

Created by comedian Bill Cosby, Clair is based on Cosby's own wife, Camille. Cosby originally intended for the character to be a plumber, but the producers and Camille ultimately convinced him to rewrite her into a lawyer to reflect a family that closer resembled their own. At one point, Clair had also been envisioned as a Dominican housewife who speaks Spanish when frustrated, inspired by Ricky Ricardo from the sitcom I Love Lucy, but this idea was also abandoned. Rashad, originally credited as Phylicia Ayers-Allen, won the role by exhibiting a subtlety in her audition that other candidates lacked. After marrying husband Ahmad Rashad and adopting his surname, Rashad became pregnant with their child during the show's third season, thus requiring her to conceal her pregnancy during episode tapings.

Typically playing straight woman to Cosby's humorous Cliff, Rashad's character began to adopt more comedic material during the show's second season, although she maintains her disciplinarian status within her own household. Since The Cosby Show's inception, Cosby had always intended for Clair to reflect the ways in which women's roles have evolved in both the home and workplace. Clair is depicted as a hardworking career woman with strong feminist principles, most evident in the character's early confrontations with chauvinistic son-in-law Elvin. One particularly memorable interaction, dubbed Clair's "feminist rant" by the media, has become so popular that the scene continues to be heavily circulated on the Internet and social media, 30 years after its initial appearance.

Both Clair's role and Rashad's performance have garnered significant acclaim; Clair was the series' only main character who avoided criticisms that regularly plagued other aspects of The Cosby Show. Rashad was nominated for two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Despite the actress' continued success, Clair remains the role for which Rashad is best known, credited with establishing her as a television icon. A feminist icon, Clair is revered as one of television's most beloved mothers; as one of television's first working mothers, the character's profound influence on African-American women and female lawyers in television has been dubbed the "Clair Huxtable effect". However, in light of several recent sexual assault allegations made against Cosby, some critics have begun to question the comedian's intentions behind creating Clair.

Role and family

Born Clair Olivia Hanks,[2] Clair is a graduate of the fictional Hillman College located in Virginia, the school at which she first met and fell in love with Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable.[6] Clair is the matriarch of the upper middle class Huxtable family.[7] A lawyer, Clair is the mother of five children, Sondra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa and Rudy, whom she raises alongside husband Cliff, an obstetrician,[8] in a brownstone in Brooklyn, New York.[9] Clair's home address is 10 Stigwood Avenue, Brooklyn Heights, New York.[10] Episodes typically revolve around Clair and Cliff dealing with everyday situations and problems as they pertain to a standard household during the 1980s.[11] Although both Clair and Cliff counsel, admonish and oftentimes outwit their children together,[12] dividing their parental responsibilities equally,[13] Clair tends to serve as primary disciplinarian[14] to her children – and occasionally to Cliff as well.[12][15] Of the couple, Clair is typically the parent who offers advice and guidance to her children, in addition to administering suitable punishments for misbehavior.[16][17]

Clair's family eventually expands to include Sondra and Denise's love interests, husbands Elvin Tibideaux and Martin Kendall, respectively. Sondra and Elvin eventually have children of their own, twins Winnie and Nelson,[18] named after South African activists Winnie and Nelson Mandela, making Clair a grandmother for the first time.[11] Meanwhile, Martin brings with him Olivia, a young daughter from his previous marriage. Denise's stepdaughter, Olivia ultimately becomes Clair's step-granddaughter.[19] Clair's teenage cousin Pam eventually moves in with her family in the show's seventh season.[20] Also, Clair's in-laws, Russel and Anna Huxtable, make regular appearances throughout the series,[18] as do her own parents Al and Carrie Hanks, albeit to a lesser extent.[21]

Professionally, Clair works as a partner at the Bradly, Greentree & Dexter law firm in New York City,[22] specifically as a Legal Aid attorney.[23] She occasionally represents her own children in legal disputes, for example helping Theo successfully obtain a refund for several unwearable T-shirts purchased from an untrustworthy salesman.[22] Similarly, Clair defends Sondra when a dishonest mechanic attempts to scam her.[22]

Development

Creation and writing
Clair is based on Camille Cosby, Cosby's real-life wife, who convinced Cosby to change Clair's profession from a plumber to a lawyer.

Clair was created for The Cosby Show by series creator, comedian Bill Cosby.[24] Cosby originally pitched a series about a detective who solves crime using wit and humor; Clair's earliest incarnation resembled his character's girlfriend, who is depicted as "a strong woman with her own career."[25][26] Networks were not interested in developing the program,[25] prompting Cosby to opt for a more autobiographical approach.[26] Cosby eventually based The Cosby Show on his stand-up comedy film Bill Cosby: Himself (1983), which heavily features jokes about his wife and their relationship with their children.[27] Clair is based on Cosby's real-life wife Camille.[27][28] Although the role of the show's parents evolved dramatically from The Cosby Show's inception to production,[27] the concept of a strong career woman was one of the few ideas retained from Cosby's detective series.[26]

When Cosby originally pitched The Cosby Show to NBC, it revolved around a blue-collar couple; Clair was envisioned as a plumber while the character's husband Cliff, portrayed by Cosby himself, was a limousine driver.[29] Eventually, the idea of Clair working as a plumber was discarded and the character was briefly re-written into a Dominican housewife.[27] Inspired by Ricky Ricardo from the sitcom I Love Lucy, of whom Cosby was a fan,[30] much of the show's humor would have been directly derived from Clair's tendency to revert to her native language Spanish when upset or agitated.[27] Describing the concept as "the reverse of [I Love] Lucy," Cosby explained that instead the husband "would be the person that didn’t understand when she spoke Spanish" as opposed to the wife.[31]

Camille and executive producers Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner eventually convinced Cosby that the series should feature a family that resembled their own more closely, specifically headed by a pair of successful parents with white-collar professions.[29][27] Thus, Cosby relented and re-wrote Clair and Cliff into a lawyer and doctor, respectively.[29] Clair's Dominican heritage was abandoned before the pilot was filmed.[32] However, the character still speaks some Spanish in the first episode and continues to speak the language periodically throughout the series, albeit not as frequently as Cosby had originally envisioned.[31] Cosby borrowed several names from his real-life family for his fictional one; Clair's maiden name is Hanks,[29] which she shares with Camille.[33] The second season explores each character gaining more responsibility, none more-so than Clair, who is deliberately provided with more storylines and emotions to experience in terms of her relationship with her husband and children.[24]

Casting and portrayal

Clair is portrayed by American actress Phylicia Rashad.[34] In addition to appearances on both television and Broadway, Rashad had a recurring role as Courtney Wright on the soap opera One Life to Live before Cosby personally selected her to play his character's wife.[35] Several actresses auditioned for the role, the majority of whom tended to resort to angrily yelling and gesturing when scolding the child actors auditioning to play the character's children.[31] However, Rashad's subtle interpretation differed from her competition;[29] when the actress screen tested opposite actor Malcolm Jamal-Warner, who would ultimately portray son Theo,[29] Rashad simply paused, stared silently and offered him "a look" instead of immediately scolding the character that, according to Cosby, meant "four or five things ... and none of them were good."[31] At the end of Rashad's audition, Cosby announced to Carseu "[Rashad is] Clair".[31] Additionally, because Clair was still intended to be of Dominican heritage at the time, Rashad's own bilingualism and fluency in Spanish benefited her successful casting.[27] Cosby told Rashad she won the role because she acted "with a knowing look in [her] eye."[36]

Observing similarities between the character and herself, Rashad described Clair as "a warm, loving mother";[24] the actress is also similar in appearance and personality to Camille.[36] Rashad's acting had always been more straight-faced to counter Cosby's humor,[37] typically playing straight woman to Cosby's antics.[38] In preparation for the second season, Cosby decided to offer Rashad more comedic material upon learning the actress is "capable of handling comedy on her own–without Cliff."[24] Jet's Robert E. Johnson observed that Rashad portrays her character using "soft, sophisticated humor".[18] The sixth season episode "Off to See the Wretched", in which Clair scolds Vanessa for traveling to Baltimore to see a rock concert against her parents' orders, features Rashad's most "uncontrolled" performance as the character.[39] Speaking fondly of his co-star, Cosby said "There's nobody whom I can be more thankful about than Phylicia."[24] In the aftermath of a highly publicized article originally published in TV Guide before the series premiered that labeled Cosby "one of the most arrogant celebrities",[40] Rashad took over the majority of the show's promotional appearances herself.[41] Rashad also defended Cosby against the accusations, calling him "one of the most intelligent people I have ever known."[41] In addition to being a few years younger than Clair was originally intended to be,[42] Rashad is only 10 years older than actress Sabrina LeBeauf, who portrays eldest child Sondra.[29] Meanwhile, actress Ethel Ayler, who portrays Clair's mother Carrie, is only 14 years her senior.[43] Originally, actress Clarice Taylor auditioned for the role of Carrie,[44] deliberately making herself over in attempt to look young enough to play Rashad's mother before Cosby ultimately cast her as his own character's.[45]

Originally credited as Phylicia Ayers-Allen,[42] Rashad eventually adopted the surname of her third husband, sportscaster Ahmad Rashad, whom she married during the show's third season.[27] During the wedding ceremony, Rashad was "given away" to Ahmad by television husband Cosby,[37] by whom the couple had first been introduced.[36] Cosby assured Rashad that she would be allowed to remain on the show should she and Ahmad decide to have a baby, joking, "We'll just add another Huxtable".[24] Rashad became pregnant with their child during season three. To avoid having to add an infant to the main cast, extreme tactics were used to conceal the actress' pregnancy onscreen, such as confining Clair to bed or having her be out of town for several episodes at a time.[29] Scooped out,[46] the bed's mattress was specially constructed to prevent Rashad's growing stomach from being visible underneath the covers but ultimately resulted in the actress suffering a pinched nerve in her back.[29] Rashad would also hide behind props such as kitchen tables, counters and jackets.[47] In the episode "Vanessa's Rich", Rashad uses a large teddy bear to hide her pregnancy while seated on the living room sofa, but the toy's origin and purpose within the episode remains unexplained.[29] After giving birth to daughter Condola Rashad in 1986, Rashad managed to lose the weight she had gained while pregnant by the time season four premiered.[47] Rashad's sister, actress Debbie Allen, appeared in an episode of The Cosby Show as Clair's personal trainer.[48] Additionally, Cosby enlisted Rashad to choreograph the Huxtables' performance of Ray Charles' "Night Time Is the Right Time".[49]

Rashad enjoyed working with both Cosby and the young cast, claiming that the actors very much became like a real family as early as the first episode,[24] although her real-life relationship with the child actors more-so resembled that of friends as opposed to mother.[36] Clair believes that playing a serious mother on television has helped her have more fun in real life, explaining that she realized the bedroom of her own son, Billy, was merely "typical" in comparison to that of Theo's.[50] Rashad said, "I think Bill and I are great role models as far as our TV professions are concerned. Kids learn by example, and I think we're very good ones."[40] Second to Cosby himself, Rashad is the series' most regular cast member, appearing in a total of 212 episodes.[51] In response to television personality Oprah Winfrey quoting a common critique of the series – "How is it realistic to have a doctor and a lawyer in the same house?" – Rashad defended, "I grew up in Houston, Texas, in Third Ward, and it was very realistic. … I guess it just depends on who you know and what you know."[52][53]

Characterization and themes

Personality and parenting style

Representing "the exemplary good wife and mother", Clair is depicted as both composed and maternal.[54] Described as "graceful but assertive, dignified but devoted" by Encyclopædia Britannica,[35] Clair is an eloquent, elegant and intelligent character,[12][55] and appears to be as street as she is book smart.[56] US Weekly said that the character possesses a "sly" sense of humor.[57] A proficient debater who always speaks her mind,[58][59] she rarely loses arguments.[12] Writing for For Harriet, Tracey Michae'l described the character as "elegantly tough, eloquent, and engaging".[58] Usually depicted as the smartest character in any given room,[60] Clair often uses her skills attained as a lawyer to uncover the truth when other characters, particularly her children, are lying,[61] on one occasion getting Theo to admit (through a family "trial") that he had made cracks about an overweight fast food restaurant employee, which she overheard, resulting in his expulsion from track by the irate coach.[48] Robert E. Johnson of Ebony observed that Clair's legal background "equipped her with rapid, razor-sharp retorts to counter" Cliff's humor.[24] Clair is also shown to be a talented singer – she performs a duet with musician Stevie Wonder in the episode "A Touch of Wonder" –[48] dancer and multilinguist, capable of speaking Spanish and Portuguese in addition to English.[61] Passionate about her African American heritage and culture, Clair wins painter Ellis Wilson's – her "great uncle" in the series – original painting Funeral Procession at an auction, which she purchases for $11,000 and proudly hangs in her living room for the remainder of the series.[11][48]

Comedian and creator Bill Cosby plays Dr. Cliff Huxtable, Clair's husband who is marginally less stern than she is as a parent.

New Jersey 101.5 believes "Strong, loving and warm" to be "three of the best ways to describe Clair".[62] MeTV described Clair's parenting style as "firm, yet loving."[63] Writing for NPR, Eric Deggans observed that Clair uses a "loving-yet-sardonic" approach to parenting, demonstrated by her line "I was a beautiful woman once, before the children came".[64] Considered to be the stricter of the two parents,[17] Clair is humorous and sarcastic about the frustrations and challenges of parenting, often joking about killing or abandoning her children but at the same time making sure they do not take her exaggerated threats too seriously by demonstrating "obvious loving indulgences".[17] She prefers to use "a no-nonsense ... approach to maintaining" her family, except for rare situations in which nonsense is required.[65] In the pilot, Clair responds to Theo's last minute breakfast request for scrambled eggs after she had already prepared sunny side up eggs for him by using her spatula to "scramble" them.[17] According to The Mommy Myth: The Idealization of Motherhood and How It Has Undermined All Women author Susan Douglas, Clair sometimes makes the mistake of alternating between stern and overindulgent too abruptly.[17] Equally successful in their respective professions,[9] Clair's relationship with Cliff deliberately mirrors the real-life relationship of Cosby and his wife Camille.[40] Clair occasionally raises her voice but seldom yells or loses her temper, demonstrating calmness and a sense of humor as a "remedy for the trials and tribulations of motherhood."[17]

In comparison to Cliff, Clair is usually the tougher and more sensible parent, offering her children legitimate advice that they can actually apply to their everyday lives;[17] it remains clear to audiences that Clair runs the household.[63] AskMen's Geoffrey Lansdell agreed that the character "rel[ies] on a sly maternal quality that fed off of Bill Cosby’s silly paternal playfulness".[66] However, there are occasionally times when Clair resorts to the "wait till your father gets home" method of disciplining her children.[67] Clair generally accepts her children's decisions and ever-changing ambitions, specifically in regards to schooling, marriage and careers.[68] Both Clair and Cliff value the importance of proper education in their children's lives, appearing proudest when they do well in school, but delivering the most serious punishments when they underperform academically.[16] On one occasion, Theo rebels against his parents' high expectations of him, arguing, "Because of what you two have achieved, the whole world expects a lot more from us than other kids. Let’s face it, there’s nowhere else left for us to go but down," a statement Clair immediately reprimands him for making.[20] When it comes to parenting, Clair usually maintains "an allure of cool, calm confidence ... exhibit[ing] a strong but gentle parenting stance, one that wasn’t seen on television by a woman of color" at the time, according to Global Grind's Desire Thompson.[69] Clair practices disciplining her children without ever punishing them physically,[61] often delivering punishments "with a calm charm",[70] and raises her four daughters to love and respect themselves.[68] However, she is also known for ranting at her children when she loses her temper, one of her most recognizable of which is the one she gives Vanessa when she attends a concert in Baltimore against her parents' wishes.[71] In the Season 3 episode "The Shower", Denise hosts a wedding shower for a close friend who gets pregnant on purpose to blackmail her parents into letting her marry her fiancé as soon as possible.[20] When Denise broaches the subject of how she would handle a similar situation, Clair sternly – but rather comically – insists that she will never find herself in a similar situation.[20] Despite her seriousness and disciplinarian status, Clair seldom shies away from laughing and participating in fun activities alongside her family as opposed to simply observing them from the sidelines.[54][56] The character is also fond of relaxing and taking time to herself away from her children whenever necessary.[59]

Beliefs, feminism and career

The Cosby Show is famous for rarely discussing political or controversial topics;[13][72] it spends significantly more time openly addressing Clair's role as "a woman who 'has it all'", maintaining a successful career while raising a family,[73] than it does the race of its characters.[26] The series seldom shies away from discussing gender equality.[73] Despite never referring to herself as feminist within the show,[13] Clair proudly embodies several feminist themes and beliefs,[60][74][68] remaining, according to The Daily Dot's Nico Lang, "an outspoken advocate for equality in her household, fighting sexism while setting an example for her daughters."[75] From the sitcom's earliest stages, Cosby had always intended for Clair to reflect the ever-changing work and family dynamic,[76] explaining, "If this was 1964 ... my wife could do the cooking and I could be the guy on the sofa who just says, ‘Let your mother handle this.’ But today a lot of things have changed and I want the show to reflect those changes."[26] According to Rotten Tomatoes' Alex Vo, Clair represents "the rapidly changing gender and household roles from the 1980s and onward."[14] MeTV agreed that Clair is "the '80s response to the '50s housewife."[63] Although feminism was hardly a new concept to sitcoms by the time The Cosby Show premiered, feminist television characters remained scarce during the early 1980s.[26] The Huffington Post's Dr. Mlsee Harris observed that, during this time, "The stereotypical role of the black woman on television ... had been that of a financially struggling, single woman with dysfunctional relationships, trying to get her life together with no distinct direction",[77] stereotypes Clair worked to defy.[74] Sarah Galo of Mic observed that Clair demonstrates that motherhood and having a career are not "separate entities".[68]

The New York Daily News' Rachel Desantis believes that the character's "'woman who has it all' mentality towards motherhood and her career as an attorney represented the shifting idea of what it meant to be not just an American mother in the 1980s, but a black American mother."[65] According to Vox writer Lauren Williams, the character reinforces "that pursuing such a demanding career and having a family were not mutually exclusive",[60] seldom hesitating to challenge anyone who doubts her ability to maintain both.[26] For example, in the season one episode "How Ugly Is He?", Clair responds to a sexist statement made by Denise's then-boyfriend David about Clair's decision to work as opposed to remaining home to raise the children with "Why don’t you ask Dr. Huxtable that question?"[26] This exchange would serve as a preface to future, more prominent confrontations Clair would have with Sondra's chauvinistic boyfriend Elvin, who is introduced in the following season in the episode "Cliff in Love", during which Elvin wrongly perceives Clair offering him and Cliff a cup of coffee as an act of servitude.[26] Clair promptly corrects Elvin in the form of a rant that explains the equal roles of a married husband and wife; Jason Bailey of Slate compared Clair's speech to Gloria Stivic arguing about feminist politics with her father Archie Bunker in the sitcom All in the Family.[26] However, when Cliff voices his preference for Daryl, a young man competing for Sondra's affection, over Elvin due to the former's more progressive opinions about women, Clair defends Elvin, reminding Cliff that he once shared Elvin's views and ideas before Clair ultimately changed him for the better.[26] Despite their differences, Clair is willing to accept Elvin with confidence that his primitive opinions about women will eventually change,[26] and is never shown to be mistreating him.[16] Bailey concluded, "If The Cosby Show’s racial politics were merely implied, its gender politics were clear, pointed, and decidedly progressive."[26]

Clair's beliefs and endeavors as a working wife and mother are wholeheartedly supported by her family.[26] Additionally, when Clair is at work, Cliff willingly assumes traditionally female household responsibilities such as cooking and cleaning.[26][72] Both Clair's professional and personal lives operate alongside each other rather smoothly with little conflict.[78] However, despite being a full-time lawyer, she is seldom shown at work in the courtroom;[17] audiences see the character at home more often than anywhere else.[54] According to Women Watching Television: Gender, Class, and Generation in the American Television Experience author Andrea L. Press, Clair's role demonstrates "the hegemonic view that families need not change to accommodate working wives and mothers",[78] believing that the show mostly depicts Clair at home to avoid exploring the everyday conflicts working women endure in their daily lives.[78] One of the series' more political moments, Clair refuses to be exploited as "the token black woman" on a morning talk show discussing the Great Depression during the episode "Mrs. Huxtable Goes to Kindergarten", a position she originally accepts under the impression that she would be appreciated for her experience as a lawyer.[13] When Clair learns that her all-white male co-panelists only want to hear opinions from the perspective of a black woman, Clair delivers a speech that reads, "I am also a human being, who is an attorney, a mother of five, and somewhat knowledgeable about history ... But when you look at me, this is all you see in me, a black woman?"[13]

Critical reception

The show's only main character to have been spared harsh criticism,[74] Clair has garnered very positive reviews from critics, by whom she continues to be venerated frequently.[79] Critics and journalists often celebrate the character's "outspoken, womanist views".[80] Blake Green of The Baltimore Sun described the character as "the perfect wife and mother of five who also practiced law and dressed to the nines."[42] Jezebel's Hillary Crosley Coker hailed Clair as a "career-driven matriarch that kicked ass at home and at work."[81] Writing for Complex, Nikeita Hoyte described Clair as "A hard-ass mom who radiates the beauty of a goddess",[43] while the Chicago Tribune wrote that "Clair was one big beacon of gorgeous in the Huxtable household."[2] AfterEllen.com's Jill Guccini called Clair "divine". Including her on her list of "Diverse TV Ladies That Can Help Young Girls Learn How to Kick Ass", she hailed her relationship with Cliff as "something that young girls—gay or straight—really need to see", while praising her occasional use of Spanish.[82] In a retrospective review of The Cosby Show in 2014, Daily Life writer Ruby Hamad highlighted Clair as the "one thing about the show that is as good now as it was then".[13] In terms of the character's best episodes, Joe Reid of The Atlantic cited Clair's unimpressed reaction to her husband allegedly confusing a cherished memory of her with that of an old love interest in the sixth season episode "Isn't It Romantic?" as a personal favorite, specifically lauding Rashad's pronunciation of "tacky barrette" and "her hairpin turn when Cliff's real gift is revealed that shows that next dimension that always pushed Clair to the top of the heap."[39] Meanwhile, Kevin O'Keefe, writing for the same publication, selected Clair's enraged monologue to Vanessa in season six's "Off to See the Wretched", followed by the character's dismay upon learning that Sondra has decided not to return to law school, as his favorites, enjoying the way in which Clair adopts an "attack mode" in both circumstances.[39] Reviewing the character's conversation about pregnancy and marriage with Denise in season three's "The Shower", Slate's Aisha Harris wrote "written realistically and delivered beautifully by Rashad, the moment attains a level of artistry that spot-on TV lessons rarely reach."[20] When the show aired, both middle and upper-class working women responded well to Clair.[78] However, some few reviewers have occasionally accused the character of being too perfect and one-dimensional,[42] while others found her to be too aggressive, outspoken, lacking in maternity and overly controlling towards both her children and husband.[74] Additionally, some feminist critics did not appreciate the fact that Clair rarely struggles with everyday situations that working mothers typically encounter in real life.[17]

Rashad has also garnered critical acclaim for her performance. Writing for AARP, Allan Fallow wrote that Rashad charmed audiences "with her wholesome brand of comedy."[83] Robert Weintraub of The New York Times hailed Rashad as "America’s mom, dispensing tough love with a straight face opposite Cosby’s comic mugging".[37] Jason Bailey of Slate wrote that Rashad portrayed her character "majestically",[26] while The Huffington Post's Mlsee Harris praised the actress for playing Clair "with class and poise from 1984 through 1992."[77] Writing for the same publication, Jennifer Armstrong dubbed Rashad "a great ranter".[72] Nick Hartel of DVD Talk reviewed that she "perfectly ... captures some of his best caricatures of [Cosby's] own wife, Camille."[84] However, Time television critic Richard Zoglin criticized the actress for being "too young by a decade".[85] Rashad has won numerous awards and accolades for her performance over the course of two decades,[86] including two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.[35] Although she never won, Randee Dawn of Today felt that Rashad's performances during the show's first and last seasons were most deserving.[38] Dawn elaborated, "While it seems hard to imagine today, in 1984, finding a tough-minded, super smart, middle-class black woman on TV was all but unheard of, much less finding one who could contend with and occasionally upstage a legendary comedian."[38] Following her 1986 nomination, Rashad would remain the last African American actress to be nominated for an Emmy Award in that particular category for 30 years, until 2016.[87][88] At the 15th People's Choice Awards in 1989, Rashad won in the category of Favorite Female TV Performer.[89][90] Rashad also won two NAACP Image Awards.[91] Former South African President Nelson Mandela once personally thanked Rashad for her contributions to The Cosby Show, which he claimed to have watched while imprisoned on Robben Island.[92]

Impact and legacy

Clair is widely regarded as one of the greatest mothers in television history by several media publications.[61][93][94][95] Time dubbed Clair "America's favorite TV mom".[47] People's Jane Hall hailed the character as America's "No. 1 wife and mom" while crowning Rashad "TV's Reigning Mom" in 1987.[36] Hayley Krischer of Salon agreed that Clair is "everyone’s favorite" and "undoubtedly the best TV mom", despite being "too calm, too gorgeous, too successful" to be realistic.[96] The Daily Beast wrote, "Clair Huxtable was not only the perfect mom, but also a great role model as someone who never sacrificed either her career as a high-power lawyer or her family life."[97] Praising the character for transcending both racial and generational barriers, Patrice Evans of Jezebel described Clair as "the perfect professional mom".[98] The author went on to claim that while other famous television mothers such as June Cleaver, Carol Brady and Edith Bunker have gradually suffered a loss in "potency" over time, Clair instead remains a relevant maternal figure every television mother created since can only aspire to be like.[98] Laura Miller of JetMag.com agreed that Clair has always been "the mother to aspire to. She was Black, she was a professional, had a working husband, and a boat load of children. She had it all", but also acknowledged that her portrayal "isn’t a complete reality either".[99] As a "family-balancing professional African American woman", Clair has had a profound influence on The Cosby Show's viewers.[100] According to Susan Douglas, author of The Mommy Myth: The Idealization of Motherhood and How It Has Undermined All Women, Clair was "the first African American mother on television ... with whom white women identified and wanted to emulate."[17] US Weekly recognized Clair as "one of TV's first working mothers",[57] while NewNowNext's Brian Juergens credits the character with making the 1980s a "boom time for great sitcom moms" by "breaking the mold in an essential way".[101] SheKnows contributor Cynthia Boris recognized Clair as a mother television audiences had "never seen before -- a beautiful, successful, working mom who was an African American" and "a positive role model ... every young woman could aspire to."[102] Sharifa Daniels of Vibe concluded "No other TV mom has left such of an effect on viewers as Clair Huxtable ... an exemplary example of a wife, mother, and friend" in an article recognizing "10 Life Lessons Clair Huxtable Taught You".[103] According to Cetusnews, Clair and Rashad's performance are responsible for "chang[ing] the perception of working mothers" as one of the first working mothers on television.[104]

Clair was voted "best TV Mom" in a 2004 poll conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation.[105][106] Access Hollywood selected Clair as the second greatest television mother "Of All Time", praising her pioneering role as a "family-balancing professional".[107] Parents ranked the character third out of their "15 Best TV Moms".[56] Describing her as "the chic '80s mom who taught us we can have it all", Entertainment Weekly included Clair at number four on their "20 TV Moms We Love" ranking;[70] MeTV also ranked the character fourth.[63] According to SheKnows in 2008, Clair is the sixth best television mother of the past 60 years,[102] while The Odyssey Online ranked her seventh.[108] In 2009, she was included in the Top 5 Classic TV Moms by Film.com.[109] In May 2012, Clair was one of the 12 moms chosen by users of iVillage on their list of "Mommy Dearest: The TV Moms You Love".[110] Unranked, the New York Daily News included Clair among the publication's 10 "coolest small-screen moms".[111] Similarly, New Jersey 101.5 ranked Clair the second "coolest" television mother, identifying "her role as a pioneering, family-balancing professional" as "a positive one in a sea of dysfunctional TV families."[62] Similarly, Paste recognized Clair as one of "The Best TV Moms of the Last 20 Years" in 2009.[15] According to Paste, Clair is the second "Funniest TV Mom"; recognizing her "flawless" insults, author Anita George described her famous rants as "the stuff of comedy legend", explaining, "it’s not just because the words themselves are elegant and witty. No, Phylicia Rashad had this lyrical, rapid-fire delivery, that made anything that came out of Clair’s mouth sound like a particularly saucy Aaron Sorkin-monologue."[71] Hearitfirst.com ranked the character the ninth "Most Respected" television mother of all time.[112] AskMen included Clair among the website's "Top 10: Hot Sitcom Moms", ranking her fourth.[66] The A. V. Club recognized Clair among the greatest fictional mothers of all-time.[113] Ranking the character their favorite fictional mother, The Grio determined that the character "will always be remembered as the working mother that was strong, opinionated, unapologetic and compassionate."[114] The New York Daily News ranked her the eight best working mother on television.[65] Despite her adoration as a mother, Lynn Neary of NPR observed that women dislike the character "because I think I could never be that patient, that fabulous, you know, five kids, holding it down like that."[115]

As in serve your man? Let me tell you something, Elvin, you see, I am not serving Dr. Huxtable, okay? That's the kind of thing that goes on in a restaurant. Now I'm going to bring him a cup of coffee, just like he did this morning, and that, young man, is what marriage is made of: give and take, fifty-fifty. And if you don't get it together, and drop these macho attitudes, you are never going to have anyone bring you anything, anywhere, anytime, anyplace ever.

— Clair's famous "feminist rant" to Sondra's boyfriend Elvin about gender roles in marriage as it appears in "Cliff in Love", Season 2, Episode 4.

Clair has since been established as a feminist icon,[54][81] often hailed by critics "as one of the biggest feminist icons in TV history" who "helped redefine the representation of working women in the media."[116] Vox's Lauren Williams credits the character with teaching "me about feminism before I knew what it was".[60] Writing for Jezebel, Hilary Crosley Coker crowned Clair "a Trojan Horse for" both feminism and black feminism.[81] Dubbing the character "a bonafide feminist warrior", Daily Life Ruby Hamad praised Clair for teaching her "that a woman is no less of a woman, a mother and a wife for working."[13] Slate critic Jason Bailey observed that, during The Cosby Show's initial run, critics and audiences were too busy commenting on the race of the sitcom's main characters to notice that Cosby had imbued his series with "proud and vocal feminism" in the form of Clair.[26] According to Bailey, The Cosby Show was not only successful because Clair "was a strong, liberated woman with a career"; she also "had a husband and family who supported and valued her endeavors."[26] Dubbing Clair's influence on pop culture as "one of TV’s great feminists" the "Other Huxtable Effect", Bailey concluded that the character's impact remains indisputable despite Cosby's recent sexual assault allegations,[26] and thus maintains that The Cosby Show's legacy as a feminist series should not be discredited.[75]

Conversely, in recent times Cosby's controversial history with women has caused some contemporary critics to question his intentions behind creating a character like Clair in the wake of a series of sexual assault allegations made against the comedian.[75] In 2014, The Crunk Feminist Collective famously published an article entitled "Clair Huxtable is Dead: On Slaying the Cosbys" in which the author dismissed the character's progressive gender politics as "a sham", arguing that Clair must be forgotten to allow for a new generation of television heroines.[117] Nico Lang of The Daily Dot defended the character against such critics, writing that the show's legacy remains significant "to the Clair Huxtables of the world, both the real women she inspired and a generation of characters who owe a debt to her."[75] Writing for Paste, in 2014 Shannon M. Houston maintains that Clair remains beloved as a "feminist hero" by the same people who now try to disassociate themselves from both Cosby and The Cosby Show.[54] Kirthana Ramisetti of the New York Daily News agreed that Cosby "can’t detract from Clair’s enduring legacy."[111] John Teti, contributing to The A. V. Club, agreed that "Clair Huxtable’s legacy remains intact" despite "the snowballing disgrace of its star has made The Cosby Show less of a wholesome memory than it once was".[113] Rachel Desantis of the New York Daily News concluded, "No matter the off-screen drama surrounding her on-screen husband, Clair remains a vital slice of pop culture history".[65] However, when Rashad defended Cosby and the show's legacy against the allegations made against him by encouraging critics to "forget these women", Thought Catalog's Cassandra Guerrier wrote that the actress' comments reminded fans that "Rashad is NOT her character."[116]

Mic organized a list of "5 Reasons Claire Huxatable (sic) is the Ultimate Feminist Mom",[68] and The Huffington Post crowned The Cosby Show "One of the Most Feminist Shows of All Time" due to individual contributions from both Clair and Cliff.[72] Dubbed the "feminist rant" by media publications,[54] Clair's speech to future son-in-law Elvin about gender roles and equality in marriage in the episode "Cliff in Love" is often lauded as one of the character's greatest moments,[60][118] to which the studio audience responded with enthusiastic applause.[39] CNN ranked the rant their seventh favorite The Cosby Show moment.[119] Slate's Jason Bailey hailed the scene as "Rashad’s finest moment on the show."[26] The rant has proven so popular that it continues to be frequently quoted and referenced on the Internet and social media.[26] Paste's Shannon M. Houston believes that "If you’re a woman, and you work, and you identify as a feminist, there’s a 90 percent chance you or someone you know has posted that clip".[54] Additionally, Houston believes that the scene remains so popular because the discussion about women in the workplace has hardly changed since the episode first aired 30 years ago.[54] According to Nico Lang of The Daily Dot, Clair taught an entire generation "what a strong, successful woman looked like".[75] Former United States First Lady Michelle Obama has constantly been compared to Clair, by which Obama admitted she is flattered because she considers the character to be an "American icon".[120] Patrice Evans of Jezebel wrote that although "Michelle Obama might be taking the baton as the quintessential symbol of the professional black woman/doting mother ... she'll still need Barack to win a second term before she can approach the status of Clair Huxtable."[98] However, Rashad herself has discredited the Clair-Obama comparisons.[121] LGBT rights activist Janet Mock cites Clair as one of her biggest influences: "I wanted to be her; I wanted to be beautiful, be successful, and maybe have a great family and a brownstone in Brooklyn."[122]

Several critics have acknowledged Clair's influence on female African American lawyers Olivia Pope and Annalise Keating from the television dramas Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder, respectively.[54] Clair's influence on fictional female lawyers in television, particularly Alicia Florrick's dual role as mother and lawyer in the legal drama The Good Wife, has been dubbed "the Clair Huxtable effect" by the media.[54][65] Much like Clair, Alicia is often forced to defend her decision to work while raising her family.[54] Paste's Shannon M. Houston concluded, "because someone like Clair Huxtable shared her feminism in the home, someone like Alicia Florrick can now share it in the courtrooms".[54] Crediting Clair with pioneering "the feminist, TV lawyer", the character's impact extends to include Diane Lockhart from The Good Wife and Abby Whelan from Scandal.[54] Rainbow Johnson from the sitcom Black-ish is often compared to Clair.[123] In 2015, Elle dubbed Rainbow "the next Clair Huxtable";[124] the character often asks herself "What would Clair Huxtable do?" when struggling to parent her own children.[125] Conversely, in 2014 Dr. Mlsee Harris of The Huffington Post published an article asking "Where Is This Generation’s Clair Huxtable?", believing that characters like Clair continue to be scarce in modern-day television despite the character's success and popularity;[77] The Daily Dot's Nico Lang agreed that it is television's responsibility to "create 100 more women like [Clair], ones that won’t have to answer for their creator's sins."[75]

Rotten Tomatoes placed Clair at number 15 on the website's ranking of their "25 Favorite TV Lawyers".[14] TCNJ Journal ranked Clair first on its list of "5 Feminist TV Characters — Old and New — You Should Be Watching".[73] For Harriet touted Clair "undoubtedly one of the most influential Black women characters in television history";[126] the same website placed the character at number five on its ranking of "The 18 Best Black Female TV Characters of All Time".[58] Similarly, Global Grind ranked Clair first on their collection of "The Top 20 Most Influential African-American Women Television Has Ever Seen" for contributing to the overall success of The Cosby Show.[69] AOL named Clair the ninth "Most Memorable Female TV Character".[127] TVLine ranked Clair among "20 Trailblazing Female TV Characters".[128] In 2019, Rotten Tomatoes recognized Clair among television's 50 most fearless female characters, praising her for "represent[ing] a black middle-class too often overlooked in early television, entering the living rooms of people of every race as a model of both motherhood and career woman."[129] Additionally, Clair is regarded as a fashion icon.[130]>

Having portrayed the character for eight years, Rashad remains best known for her role as Clair;[131][132][114] the actress established herself as a both household name and television icon during the 1980s for portraying "the working mom who had it all".[86][121] In 1993, Blake Green of The Baltimore Sun wrote that Rashad and her character "appear to be inextricably entwined: Just as no one remembers Clair, the super-woman of The Cosby Show without thinking of the actress who played her, few think of Ms. Rashad without flashing on Clair".[42] At the 42nd NAACP Image Awards in 2010, the organization dubbed Rashad "mother" of the African-American community.[133] Rashad and Cosby's professional relationship continued beyond The Cosby Show. After The Cosby Show's conclusion, Rashad would similarly portray Cosby's wife, Ruth Lucas, on his sitcom Cosby for four years.[35] Cosby would again recruit Rashad to voice Little Bill Glover's mother, Brenda Glover, in Cosby's animated series Little Bill.[8][134] In 2016, Esquire included Rashad on their list of "75 Greatest Women of All Time" for portraying "the perfect mother".[135]

References
  1. Brooks, Marla (2005-03-30). The American Family on Television: A Chronology of 121 Shows, 1948-2004 - Marla Brooks. ISBN 9780786420742. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
  2. "Clair Olivia Hanks Huxtable -- The Cosby Show". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  3. Haggins, Bambi (2007). Laughing Mad: The Black Comic Persona in Post-soul America. United States: Rutgers University Press. p. 32. ISBN 9780813539850 – via Google Books.
  4. ""Bill Cosby Show" – What became of the stars?". Bunte (in German). July 12, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  5. "The Cosby Show". NBCNews.com. November 16, 2009. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  6. Terrance, Vincent (2008). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010, 2d ed. United States: McFarland. p. 211. ISBN 978-0786486410 – via Google Books.
  7. Hunt, Darnell M. "THE COSBY SHOW – U.S. Situation Comedy". Museum of Broadcast Communications. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  8. "Issue 4: Reaching Back To Move Forward – Phylicia Rashad". Clutch. Sutton New Media LLC. Archived from the original on January 18, 2017. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  9. "The Cosby Show". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. December 28, 2016. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  10. Schwarzbaum, Lisa (May 1, 1992). "The Cosby Show comes to an end". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
  11. Tropiano, Stephen; Buren, Holly Van (2015). "One Last Dance – The Cosby Show Waltzes off the Air". TV Finales FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Endings of Your Favorite TV Shows. United States: Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9781495046063 – via Google Books.
  12. Pak, Eudie (April 30, 2012). "The Cosby Show Cast: Where Are They Now?". Biography. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  13. Hamad, Ruby (September 15, 2014). "Four times Clair Huxtable was a badass feminist". Daily Life. Archived from the original on July 21, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  14. Vo, Alex (September 29, 2015). "The Cosby Show". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on March 26, 2016. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  15. Maddux, Rachael; Jackson, Josh; Kiefer, Kate; Ray, Austin L. (May 10, 2009). "The Best TV Moms of the Last 20 Years". Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  16. Ferguson, Anson (2003). "The Cosby Show and its role in breaking stereotypes". Lehigh University. pp. 6–25. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  17. Douglas, Susan; Michaels, Meredith (2005). "Threats from Without". The Mommy Myth: The Idealization of Motherhood and How It Has Undermined All Women. United States: Simon and Schuster. pp. 104–106. ISBN 9780743260466 – via Google Books.
  18. Johnson, Robert E. (November 28, 1988). "'The Cosby Show' Still A Hit In Its 5th Season". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. pp. 56–59. Retrieved January 18, 2016 – via Google Books.
  19. Evans, Erin E. (September 19, 2014). "12 Life Lessons We Learned From Cliff Huxtable". The Root. Gizmodo Media Group. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
  20. Harris, Aisha (September 18, 2014). "When The Cosby Show Got "Very Special"". Slate. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  21. Terrace, Vincent (2007). Encyclopedia of Television Subjects, Themes and Settings. United States: McFarland & Company. p. 257. ISBN 9780786424986 – via Google Books.
  22. Muller, Derek (April 30, 2015). "Fictional Attorney of the Month: Clair Huxtable". Excess of Democracy. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  23. O'Connor, John (September 20, 1984). "TV Review; Cosby in NBC Series On a New York Family". The New York Times. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  24. Johnson, Robert E. (February 1986). "TV's Top Mom & Dad". Ebony. Johnson Publishing Company. pp. 29–34. Retrieved January 14, 2017 – via Google Books.
  25. Smith, Ronald L. (1993). Cosby. United States: SP Books. p. 175. ISBN 9781561712052 – via Google Books.
  26. Bailey, Jason (September 18, 2014). "The Other Huxtable Effect". Slate. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  27. Cronin, Brian (October 14, 2013). "TV Legends Revealed! Clair Huxtable was originally a female Ricky Ricardo". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  28. French, Nancy (July 6, 2015). "Camille Cosby's Dismissal of Victims Shows True Feminism". Patheos. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  29. Kovalchik, Kara (May 8, 2014). "20 Things You Might Not Know About 'The Cosby Show'". Mental Floss. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  30. "30 Things You Probably Didn't Know About 'The Cosby Show' – 15. Bill Cosby was a fan of 'I Love Lucy.'". Zimbio. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  31. Olopade, Dayo (September 17, 2009). "An Exclusive Talk with Bill Cosby". The Root. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original on January 4, 2013. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  32. Fisher, Luchina (September 20, 2014). "'The Cosby Show' Turns 30: 30 Things You May Not Have Known About the Show". ABC News. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  33. Kovalchik, Kara (April 9, 2008). "5 Mysteries Surrounding The Cosby Show". Mental Floss. Mental Floss, Inc. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  34. "Bill Cosby and Phylicia Ayers-Allen: Introduce Nightclub Act". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. May 6, 1985. pp. 58–60. Retrieved January 14, 2017 – via Google Books.
  35. Moredock, Janet (January 21, 2016). "Phylicia Rashad". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  36. Hall, Jane (November 16, 1987). "TV's Reigning Mom, Phylicia Rashad, and Her Football Hero, Ahmad, Revel in a Match Made by Bill Cosby". People. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
  37. Weintraub, Robert (November 25, 2015). "With TV Proposal, Ahmad Rashad Married Sport and Pop Culture". The New York Times. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  38. Dawn, Randy. "Robbed! Surprising Emmy nominees who've never won". Today. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
  39. Reid, Joe; O'Keefe, Kevin (September 23, 2014). "Celebrating 30 Years of 'The Cosby Show' by Debating Four Key 'Cosby' Questions". The Atlantic. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  40. Smith, Ronald L. (November 19, 2014). "Creating a sitcom to show viewers the real Bill Cosby". Philly.com. Philadelphia Media Network (Digital), LLC. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  41. Unger, Arthur (November 23, 1984). "Phylicia Ayers-Allen: getting beyond the race question. 'Cosby Show' star sees acting as 'touching people's hearts'". The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  42. Green, Blake (August 8, 1993). "Phylicia Rashad: afteroo Clair Huxtable". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved January 16, 2017. But if there's something that annoys [Rashad] -- besides the suggestion that Clair was a little too perfect and, maybe, one-dimensional ...
  43. Hoyte, Nikeita (September 20, 2014). "15 Things You Didn't Know About "The Cosby Show"". Complex. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  44. "Clarice Taylor, Known For Grandmother Roles On 'The Cosby Show,' 'Sesame Street,' Dies At 93". Access Hollywood. NBCUniversal, Inc. June 2, 2011. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  45. "Clarice Taylor, known for grandmother roles on 'The Cosby Show,' 'Sesame Street,' dies at 93". Global News. Global News. June 17, 2011. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  46. Brunner, Jeryl (September 18, 2014). "The Cosby Show Turns 30! Surprising Facts About the Hit Series". Parade. AMG/Parade. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  47. "Top 10 Pregnant Performers – But Didn't Dr. Huxtable Deliver Babies?". Time. Time Inc. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  48. Phunk, Dee (2012). "Throwback Thursday: Clair Huxtable's Greatest Hits". Okayplayer. pp. 1–11. Archived from the original on February 3, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  49. Whitaker, Mark (2014). Cosby: His Life and Times. United States: Simon and Schuster. pp. 332. ISBN 9781451697971 – via Internet Archive. keshia.
  50. "The Cosby Show: 1984-1992". People. June 26, 2000. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  51. "The Cosby Show – Cast". TV Guide. CBS Interactive Inc. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  52. Chalabi, Mona (June 12, 2014). "How Do the Huxtables, Our Favorite TV Family, Compare to the Average U.S. Family?". FiveThirtyEight. FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  53. Gamble-Lomax, Wyletta (2016). "I Am Who I Am". The Lived Experience of African American Women Mentors: What it Means to Guide as Community Pedagogues. United States: Lexington Books. p. 71. ISBN 9781498514637 – via Google Books.
  54. Houston, Shannon M. (November 11, 2014). "Clair Huxtable's Good Wife Effect". Paste. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  55. Yang, Sarah. "The Best TV Moms". TheBump.com. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  56. Besich, Bekka. "15 Best TV Moms". Parents. Archived from the original on July 26, 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  57. "15 Best TV Moms!". US Weekly. May 10, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  58. Michae'l, Tracey (April 7, 2015). "The 18 Best Black Female TV Characters of All Time". For Harriet. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  59. Blades, Nicole (September 18, 2014). "6 Things I Learned About Motherhood From Clair Huxtable". mom.me. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  60. Williams, Lauren (September 19, 2014). "Without Clair Huxtable, there would be no Olivia Pope". Vox. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  61. Augustine, Afiya (April 28, 2016). "5 Reasons Why Clair Huxtable Is the Mom Everyone Wanted". Wetpaint. FunctionX, Inc. pp. 1–6. Retrieved January 16, 2016. Clair was quite possibly one of the best moms on TV
  62. "Top 10 Coolest TV Moms". New Jersey 101.5. May 10, 2013. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  63. "The Top 10 TV Moms of All Time". MeTV. May 6, 2016. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  64. Deggans, Eric (September 19, 2014). "Examining Bill Cosby's Legacy As 'The Cosby Show' Turns 30". NPR. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  65. Desantis, Rachel (May 12, 2017). "Happy Mother's Day to the top 10 best working moms on TV". New York Daily News. Retrieved February 16, 2018. Clair remains a vital slice of pop culture history - they don't call it the 'Huxtable Effect' for nothing.
  66. Lansdell, Geoffrey (September 27, 2008). "Top 10: Hot Sitcom Moms – 4. Clair Huxtable". AskMen. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  67. Douglas, Susan; Michaels, Meredith (2005). "The Mommy Myth". The Mommy Myth: The Idealization of Motherhood and How It Has Undermined All Women. United States: Simon and Schuster. pp. 104–105. ISBN 9780743260466 – via Google Books.
  68. Galo, Sarah (June 17, 2013). "5 Reasons Claire Huxatable is the Ultimate Feminist Mom". Mic. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  69. Thompson, Desire (2014). "The Top 20 Most Influential African-American Women Television Has Ever Seen (LIST)". Global Grind. Interactive One. Archived from the original on March 27, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  70. "20 TV Moms We Love". Entertainment Weekly. May 6, 2016. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  71. George, Anita (May 12, 2013). "The 10 Funniest TV Moms". Paste. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  72. Armstrong, Jennifer (March 26, 2013). "The Cosby Show: One of the Most Feminist Shows of All Time?". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  73. Ippolito, Amanda (September 30, 2014). "5 Feminist TV Characters — Old and New — You Should Be Watching". TCNJ Journal. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  74. Cashmore, Ellis (2012). "A Black Family That TV Hadn't Seen Before". Beyond Black: Celebrity and Race in Obama's America. United Kingdom: A & C Black. p. 51. ISBN 9781780931470 – via Google Books. The one character in the show who ... emerged untouched by criticism was Clair Huxtable
  75. Lang, Nico (November 24, 2014). "Is it time to kill 'The Cosby Show'?". The Daily Dot. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  76. Nochimson, Martha P. (2010). Screen Couple Chemistry: The Power of 2. United States: University of Texas Press. p. 364. ISBN 9780292788008 – via Google Books.
  77. Harris, Dr. Mlsee (July 2, 2014). "Where Is This Generation's Clair Huxtable?". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  78. Press, Andrea L (1991). "Middle-Class Women Discuss Television". Women Watching Television: Gender, Class, and Generation in the American Television Experience. United States: University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 80–81. ISBN 9780812212860 – via Google Books.
  79. "Black-ish Will Never Be The Cosby Show…and That's Perfect". truly tafakari. October 28, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2017. We would be hard-pressed to find the oft-venerated Claire Huxtable in this model of modern woman.
  80. Cheers, Imani M. (2017). The Evolution of Black Women in Television: Mammies, Matriarchs and Mistresses. United Kingdom: Routledge. ISBN 9781315511238 – via Google Books.
  81. Coker, Hillary Crosley (September 19, 2014). "Let Us Celebrate Clair Huxtable, Feminist Icon, and The Cosby Show". Jezebel. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  82. Guccini, Jill (July 31, 2012). "Study says TV hurts girls' self-esteem". AfterEllen.com. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  83. Fallow, Allan (April 29, 2016). "Top TV Moms: Where Are They Now?". AARP. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  84. Hartel, Nick (March 11, 2014). "The Cosby Show: Seasons 1 & 2". DVD Talk. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  85. Zoglin, Richard (May 6, 1985). "Video: Prime Time's New First Family". Time. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  86. "Tony Winner Phylicia Rashad Named 2017 Women in the Arts Honoree at Steppenwolf Theatre". Broadway World. December 21, 2016. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  87. Barron, Alicia (September 18, 2016). "Tracee Ellis Ross didn't win an Emmy. But she won our hearts and made history anyway". Upworthy. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  88. "Tracee Ellis Ross is first black woman in 30 years to be nominated for the Best Comedy Actress Emmy". ABC 7 Chicago. September 15, 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  89. "Nominees & Winners – 1989". People's Choice Awards. Archived from the original on April 26, 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
  90. "Cosby, Phylicia Rashad Take Peoples' Choice Honors". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. March 27, 1989. p. 53. ISSN 0021-5996. Retrieved March 23, 2017 – via Google Books.
  91. Keefer, Amanda (November 4, 2016). "25 Most Memorable Working Mothers in TV History". Working Mother. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  92. Brunner, Jeryl (September 22, 2014). "The Cosby Show Turns 30! Surprising Facts About the Hit Series". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  93. Hawkins, R. (May 6, 2016). "Mom goals: 10 TV mothers we love". Rolling Out. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  94. "The Cosby Show: Where are they now? – Phylicia Rashad – Claire Huxtable". New York Daily News. Retrieved July 27, 2017. Considered one of the all-time best TV moms ...
  95. Vega, Jackie (May 9, 2014). "Survey: 'Clair Huxtable' Best TV Mom of All Time". KXAN.com. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  96. Krischer, Hayley (February 9, 2014). "Where are the realistic TV moms?". Salon. The Associated Press. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  97. "TV's Best and Worst Moms: 'Veep,' 'Game of Thrones,' and More". The Daily Beast. May 11, 2014. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  98. Evans, Patrice (October 4, 2011). "The Clair Huxtable Code". Jezebel. Patrice. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  99. Miller, Laura (August 16, 2016). "Claire Huxtable, Not June Cleaver". JetMag.com. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  100. Daniels, Jibari (2014). "15 Life Lessons Clair Huxtable Taught Us". Celeb Edition. Celeb Edition. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  101. Juergens, Brian (May 8, 2014). "12 of the Best TV Moms Ever". NewNowNext. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  102. Boris, Cynthia (April 2, 2008). "The top 25 TV moms of all time". SheKnows. Archived from the original on July 29, 2014. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  103. Daniels, Sharifa (June 19, 2014). "10 Life Lessons Clair Huxtable Taught You". Vibe. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  104. "From June Cleaver to Claire Dunphy, we picked the best TV mom from every decade". Cetusnews. May 12, 2017. Archived from the original on March 10, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  105. "Claire Huxtable named best TV mom". Today. May 4, 2004. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  106. "On the tube, she was the mother of all mothers". The Spokesman-Review. May 9, 2004. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  107. "Access' Top 20 TV Moms Of All Time". Access Hollywood. 2011. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  108. Krupko, Sabrina (June 1, 2017). "Power Ranking The 11 Best Fictional Moms". The Odyssey Online. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  109. Wilson, Stacey (May 8, 2009). "Top 10 Favorite TV Moms". Film.com. MTV Networks. Archived from the original on July 22, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  110. Garfinkel, Jacki (May 10, 2012). "Mommy Dearest: The TV Moms You Love". iVillage. iVillage. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  111. Ramisetti, Kirthana (May 8, 2015). "Top 10 TV mothers: Lucy Ricardo, Carol Brady and Marge Simpson among coolest small-screen moms". New York Daily News. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  112. "10 Most Respected TV Moms Of All Time". Hear It First. August 24, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
  113. Adams, Erik; Alston, Johsua; Anthony, David; Eakin, Marah; Ihnat, Gwen; McLevy, Alex; Modell, Josh; PenzeyMoog, Caitlin; Ryan, Kyle (May 7, 2015). "The best fictional moms, from Malory Archer to Sophie Zawitowski". The A. V. Club. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
  114. "Slideshow: theGrio's top 10 favorite fictional moms". The Grio. June 19, 2012. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  115. Neary, Lynn (August 20, 2008). "Legendary 'Mom' Phylicia Rashad On Life in the Arts". NPR. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  116. Guerrier, Cassandra (January 9, 2015). "Clair Huxtable, Please Just Shut The F*ck Up!". Thought Catalog. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  117. "Clair Huxtable is Dead: On Slaying the Cosbys and Making Space for Liv, Analise, and Mary Jane". The Crunk Feminist Collective. October 23, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  118. Claire, Hannum (October 24, 2014). "Watch Clair Huxtable School Us All On Gender Stereotypes & Marriage Dynamics". The Frisky. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  119. France, Lisa Respers (September 24, 2014). "'Cosby Show': Our 10 favorite moments". CNN. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  120. "Exclusive: Michelle Obama On Being The Fiercest Working Mom In America, Part II". HelloBeautiful. 2009. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  121. Escherich, Katie; Ahuja, Gitika (September 3, 2009). "Phylicia Rashad and Debbie Allen Lose Weight Together". ABC. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  122. "Out100: Janet Mock". Out. November 7, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  123. Brown, Andy (September 25, 2014). "A Review-ish of Black-ish". CulSire. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  124. Plattner, Seth (January 8, 2015). "Women in TV 2015: Tracee Ellis Ross in 'Black-ish'". Elle. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  125. Ferguson, LaToya (April 28, 2016). ""The Johnson Show" does what Black-ish does best: It keeps it real". The A. V. Club. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  126. Foster, Kimberly (April 30, 2014). "8 Brilliant Moments from Clair Huxtable". For Harriet. Shine. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  127. Potts, Kim (March 2, 2011). "100 Most Memorable Female TV Characters". AOL TV. TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  128. "20 Trailblazing Female TV Characters". TVLine. March 8, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  129. "Than 50 of the Most Fearless Females on TV". Rotten Tomatoes. March 30, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  130. Wang, Connie (December 7, 2011). "Denise Vs. Clair: It's A Huxtable Fashion-Off!". Refinery29. Refinery29. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  131. "Phylicia Rashad Biography". Biography. A&E Television Networks, LLC. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  132. West, Kirsten (July 1, 2015). "Bye, Phylicia Rashad. Your Romanticizing of Cosby—and Cosby—Is Wrong". The Root. The Root. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original on July 23, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  133. Taylor, Jeremy (April 18, 2013). "See the Cast of 'The Cosby Show' Then and Now". The FW. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  134. Zurawik, David (November 28, 1999). "Cosby's 'Little Bill' sends the right message to kids". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  135. "The 75 Greatest Women of All Time". Esquire. February 4, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.