As the better half of Cliff Huxtable, Clair Huxtable (Phylicia Rashad) embodied the epitome of a strong, virtuous woman. She was intelligent, stylish, and poised, with a presence that filled every room she entered. Clair’s no-nonsense attitude and her ability to call people out with grace and eloquence made her a force to be reckoned with on The Cosby Show. Here are five unforgettable moments when Clair’s wisdom left us speechless:
1. Elvin Learns a Lesson on Gender Roles in Marriage
Clair Huxtable was a feminist icon in many ways. She exuded confidence, class, sophistication, and grace while maintaining strong opinions on equality. Elvin (Geoffrey Owens) got a taste of Clair’s views on marriage when she offered him and Dr. Huxtable (Bill Cosby) a cup of coffee. Elvin’s surprise that Clair would ‘serve’ her husband was met with a powerful lesson on equality in marriage: “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 brought me a cup of coffee this morning. And that, young man, is what marriage is made of. It is give and take 50/50. And if you don’t get it together and drop these macho attitudes, you are never gonna have anybody bringing you anything anywhere anyplace anytime ever!”
2. Denise Gets Schooled on Financial Responsibility
Teenage Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) made the classic mistake of wanting to splurge on a new car after getting her driver’s license. Her parents disagreed, leading to a heated exchange where Denise tried to defend her choice. Clair’s response was a powerful reminder of the importance of financial responsibility and respecting one’s parents: “You see, Denise, you know you can pretty much do anything you want because, deep down, you know we’re always there to bail you out. You see, we’re your safety net. And, we’re so good at it, half the time you don’t even know we’re doing it. And, your father and I accept that responsibility because we’re your parents. And, you’d better not ever forget that, young lady. Because, if you EVER take THIS attitude with us again, you can take whatever is in that bank account of yours and go DISCOVER America!”
3. Theo’s Taste for Racy Magazines Gets Him in Hot Water
Raising teenage sons comes with its challenges, and Clair Huxtable was no stranger to them. When she discovered that Theo (Malcolm Jamal Warner) had a penchant for magazines featuring scantily clad women, she didn’t hesitate to call him out on the objectification of women: “Theo, this magazine is demeaning to women,” Clair said. Theo disagreed, but his argument only proved Clair’s point. In the end, she took the magazine away, teaching him a valuable lesson about respecting women.
4. Clair Shows Dr. Huxtable That Mother Knows Best
Despite being a lawyer, Clair Huxtable had a wealth of experience as a mother. This knowledge clashed with Dr. Huxtable’s medical expertise when their daughter Sondra (Sabrina Le Beauf) called for advice on dealing with strep throat. Clair’s concern for Sondra’s well-being and her insistence on proper precautions showed that sometimes, a mother’s intuition trumps even a doctor’s advice: “A mask? Cliff, bacteria are tiny little whatever that can get through anything they please. Did you tell her to scrub the walls down with disinfectant? That’s what you should have told her to do. Did you tell her to do that?” Needless to say, Dr. Huxtable didn’t win that argument.
5. Denny Gets Schooled on Aunt Flo and Women’s Moods
The Huxtable children knew better than to cross their mother, but Theo’s friend Denny (Troy Winbush) wasn’t so wise. After making insensitive comments about his girlfriend’s mood swings and blaming them on ‘that time of the month,’ Clair set him straight with a powerful message about respecting women’s emotions: “You tell them that a woman is entitled to have a mood. Any mood. A happy mood, a sad mood, an angry mood, and she can have this mood whenever she likes. And it has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not Aunt Flo is visiting…One more thing, these people should be happy that women get visits from their aunts, because, if they didn’t, there would be no uncles.”
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