Unfortunately, in the 1980s (and honestly, even today), there were very few examples of films and TV series focused on the Black experience in college. However, within a year of each other, two projects in the late-‘80s were released with very similar premises, focusing on a group of Black characters who attended a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), which has always led to a bit of confusion. Did Spike Lee and Bill Cosby have the same idea when they released “School Daze” and “A Different World,” respectively? Or was one influenced by the other?
Well, according to Lee, the filmmaker says that he was the one with the original idea and that the legendary stand-up comedian, Cosby, stole the idea for “A Different World” from the director’s “School Daze,” despite the latter being released after the former.
Lee wrote on Twitter, “And For Record. SCHOOL DAZE Was Shot Before DIFFERENT WORLD. Robbi Reed Cast Both. Bill Cosby Jacked Us.”
As mentioned, both “School Daze” and “A Different World” focus on life for a group of students at HBCUs, but Lee is adamant that his is the true original. For those not familiar, Lee has always said that “School Daze” is based on his own life attending Morehouse College. “A Different World,” on the other hand, is a spin-off of “The Cosby Show” and told the story of the Huxtable’s oldest daughter as she attended an HBCU. Could they have been independently created? Of course. But Lee sure doesn’t think so.
“School Daze” is Lee’s follow-up film to his groundbreaking “She’s Gotta Have It.” It also was released the year before “Do The Right Thing,” which would launch the filmmaker into superstardom and vie for the Palme d’Or at that year’s Cannes Film Festival. (That controversy has been covered extensively before.)
