In Jayne Kennedy’s memoir (Plain Jayne (https://www.google.com/search?q=Jayne+Kennedy+Plain+Jayne&sca_esv=e0bffaec294651cc&biw=1920&bih=859&sxsrf=AE3TifOsSwXIORrVXSTcO5xV3xc_bag92A%3A1764120473312&ei=mVcmaaDgEtaPm9cP2Lnx8AM&ved=0ahUKEwjgkJzx1I6RAxXWx-YEHdhcHD44ChDh1QMIEQ&uact=5&oq=Jayne+Kennedy+Plain+Jayne&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiGUpheW5lIEtlbm5lZHkgUGxhaW4gSmF5bmUyBRAAGIAEMgYQABgWGB4yCBAAGBYYChgeMgYQABgWGB4yCxAAGIAEGIYDGIoFMgsQABiABBiGAxiKBTIIEAAYgAQYogQyCBAAGIAEGKIEMgUQABjvBTIIEAAYgAQYogRIigRQAFi9AXAAeACQAQCYAWCgAa8BqgEBMrgBA8gBAPgBAfgBApgCAqACtgHCAgoQIxjwBRgnGMkCwgIKEAAYgAQYQxiKBcICCxAAGIAEGJECGIoFwgIKEC4YgAQYFBiHApgDAJIHAzEuMaAHqRSyBwMxLjG4B7YBwgcDMC4yyAcF&sclient=gws-wiz-serp)), she has a chapter about her friendship (https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/jayne-kennedy-was-supposed-to-be-cast-as-clair-huxtable-the-cosby-show.5989267/) with Bill Cosby (https://www.google.com/search?q=Jayne+Kennedy+Bill+Cosby&sca_esv=e0bffaec294651cc&biw=1920&bih=859&sxsrf=AE3TifOOKZwTgHO6gKlduk0RBkpoG2OWOA%3A1764120490507&ei=qlcmaezcHqGV0PEPxa73kAM&ved=0ahUKEwjs2bX51I6RAxWhCjQIHUXXHTIQ4dUDCBE&uact=5&oq=Jayne+Kennedy+Bill+Cosby&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiGEpheW5lIEtlbm5lZHkgQmlsbCBDb3NieTILEAAYgAQYkQIYigUyCxAAGIAEGIYDGIoFMggQABiABBiiBDIIEAAYgAQYogQyCBAAGIAEGKIEMggQABiABBiiBEjMFFAAWOAScAB4AZABAJgBX6AB5weqAQIxM7gBA8gBAPgBAZgCDaAClAjCAgoQIxiABBgnGIoFwgIKEAAYgAQYQxiKBcICBhAAGBYYHsICBRAAGIAEwgIKECMY8AUYJxjJAsICChAuGIAEGBQYhwLCAgoQABiABBgUGIcCwgILEC4YgAQYkQIYigXCAgUQLhiABJgDAJIHAjEzoAfgfbIHAjEzuAeUCMIHBTAuOS40yAcf&sclient=gws-wiz-serp). She said he approached her to help with the conception and pre-production of The Cosby Show (https://www.instagram.com/p/DMYwZi7hYk6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=invalid&ig_rid=23d64ad7-58d7-4a8c-8739-b736db4f835e) and told her he wanted to cast her as Clair.

But when he pitched it to NBC, the executives wanted Phylicia Rashad. They cited that Jayne was too young (https://sacculturalhub.com/entertainment/headlines/jayne-kennedys-new-memoir-is-far-from-plain-but-could-have-been-exceptional/) to play Bill’s wife (she was 33 years old at the time.)

Jayne was very upset because she was the one to help develop the show and she felt like Bill should’ve fought for her but he didn’t.