Spike Lee Says Bill Cosby ‘Jacked’ ‘School Daze’ For The TV Series ‘A Different World’
Spike Lee had a few words for Bill Cosby.
In an April 3 tweet, the Oscar-winning film director claimed that Cosby “jacked” his idea for the film School Daze for the television series A Different World.
Both scripts were based on the HBCU experience.
“And For Record. SCHOOL DAZE Was Shot Before DIFFERENT WORLD. Robbi Reed Cast Both. Bill Cosby Jacked Us. #Fact #schooldazeonnetflix,” he tweeted.
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Lee’s comment came after School Daze began airing on Netflix this month and Lee joined Twitter so he could live tweet along with viewers.
A Different World was a spin-off of The Cosby Show and was created by Cosby. The series, which followed the lives of students at the fictional HBCU Hillman College, premiered in September of 1987.
Running for six seasons, race, class, colorism and more.
While School Daze premiered five months later in February 1988, according to Lee, the filming was completed before A Different World.
Nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture, School Daze was inspired by Lee’s college experience as an undergraduate student at Morehouse College. Addressing topics like colorism and the world of NPHC greek fraternities and sororities, the film stars Lee, himself, Lawrence Fishburne, Bill Nunn, Tisha Campbell, and Robbie Reed who also starred in A Different World.
That said, in 2017, Lee did thank Cosby and other prominent figures for supporting his vision in helping finance his 1992 film Malcom X according to Entertainment Weekly.
