The Secret Weapon: How Whoopi Goldberg’s Cameo in “If I Should Die Before I Wake” Helped Save Millions of Lives

Debbie Allen, the producer and director of “The Different World,” reunited with the show’s cast and guest stars on “The View.” During their conversation, they reminisced about the impactful episode that dealt with the AIDS epidemic, “If I Should Die Before I Wake.” The series was a spinoff of “The Cosby Show” and premiered in 1987.

Debbie Allen praised Whoopi Goldberg as the show’s “secret weapon” during the powerful season four episode. Goldberg played a cameo as a professor who assigned students to write their own eulogies, shedding light on an important issue. According to Allen, Goldberg’s participation helped spread awareness and saved millions of lives, making it one of the highest-rated episodes that year. She also noted that it was an important milestone for television, as it was the first network series to address AIDS after Magic Johnson’s announcement.

Goldberg reflected on her role in the episode and how it was a unique opportunity to be part of a series with an all-Black cast going to college. She said that she always said yes whenever Debbie asked her to do something because she believed in the importance of addressing social issues on television.

Allen explained how she brought in creative input for season two to make the series more accurate by attending historically black colleges like those portrayed on the show. The reunion on ‘The View’ allowed them to discuss the significance of addressing important social issues on television and how it has influenced future generations.