Whoopi Goldberg and the ‘A Different World’ Cast Reunite to Discuss Groundbreaking AIDS Episiode on The View

The cast of ‘A Different World’ reunited on an episode of ‘The View’ alongside producer and director Debbie Allen. The conversation on the show’s guest stars led to Whoopi Goldberg, who was moderating the discussion with co-stars Sunny Hostin and Sara Haines. Allen shared that Goldberg was the show’s “secret weapon” in creating a powerful episode about the AIDS epidemic.

Goldberg, who had just won an Oscar for her role in Ghost, made a cameo as a professor in the episode, assigning students to write their own eulogies. Tisha Campbell also appeared as a student revealing she had AIDS. This episode was the first network television show to address AIDS after Magic Johnson’s announcement.

Allen and executive producer Susan Fales knew they needed a big gun to make the episode happen. Goldberg readily agreed to participate, and the episode became the sitcom’s highest-rated that year. Goldberg noted that being part of a series focusing on an all-Black cast attending college was a unique opportunity.

‘A Different World’ premiered in 1987 as a spinoff of ‘The Cosby Show.’ Allen was brought in during the second season to provide creative input and make the show more accurate. The conversation on ‘The View’ provided a nostalgic look back at a groundbreaking episode of the popular show, which tackled issues such as racism, sexism, and homophobia head-on