On ‘Settle In,’ D.L. Hughley recounts his confrontation with Bill Cosby

Comedian D.L. Hughley says he challenged Bill Cosby during a radio interview years before public allegations against Cosby became widely discussed. The account, shared in an interview about Hughley’s memoir, describes a clash over Hughley’s comedy and language, and shows how Cosby’s public image shaped reactions to criticism of him.

Hughley recalls Cosby criticising his use of a racial slur and saying the interview would not air; Hughley responded by referring to allegations that Cosby had drugged women. The station removed the recording, and it was never broadcast. Hughley said he admired Cosby’s cultural influence while also seeing him as dismissive of comedians who did not follow his style, and distinguished the fictional Cliff Huxtable from Cosby himself.