Phylicia Rashad: My Cosby Comment Was A ‘Misquote’, Cosby’s Stage Return Protested

Phylicia Rashad made headlines this week after coming to the defense of her longtime on-screen husband Bill Cosby following recent sexual abuse allegations against him.

Rodger Friedman of Showbiz411 reported that the former “Cosby Show” actress said, “Forget these women,” when asked about Cosby’s accusers, something the actress is calling a “misquote.”

Rashad spoke with ABC’s “World News Tonight With David Muir” on Wednesday, where she clarified her comments.

WATCH: Tina Fey: Cosby Jokes Not Off Limits During Golden Globes

“That was a misquote,” she explained. “What I said is this is not about the women. This is about something else. This is about the obliteration of a legacy. That’s what I said. So people might think that it is dismissive… I am a woman. I would never say such a thing. I would never think such a thing. I did not say that.”

Friedman also clarified his interview with Rashad, issuing a statement on Showbiz411.

“I did not misquote Phylicia Rashad. But she didn’t mean for it to be taken the way it was, and I should have punctuated. There was NEVER the meaning in ‘Forget those women’ that she was saying to actually forget or dismiss then. She meant, ‘those women aside’– as in, she’s not talking about that, she’s talking about Cosby’s legacy being destroyed. It was conversational. Somehow this got twisted,” his statement read.

WATCH: Bill Cosby Accusers Share Their Stories

“I am really sorry if the way I presented it made it seem like either one of us was forgetting anyone. I’ve been at a hospice on and off for 10 says with a family friend of 40 years. So really, let’s all calm down. What Phylicia was doing was defending her friend and his legacy. That’s what she said, that’s what I wrote, I’m sorry if it caused her grief. And no one asked me to write this. I’m just saying it because I like and respect her,” his statement continued.

Rashad’s comment clarification came on the same night that Cosby returned to the stage for the first time since November.

The comedian performed in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, in a 2,000-seat venue that was two-thirds full.

WATCH: Keshia Knight Pulliam: Why She Didn’t Contact Bill Cosby For ‘Celebrity Apprentice’

“First of all thank you,” Cosby told the audience at the start of the show, the Associated Press reported.

At the end of the evening, the 77-year-old comedian left the stage to a standing ovation from the crowd, but the night was not free of protest.

More than a dozen protesters were present outside the performance venue, some carrying signs that read, “rape is no joke” and some protesters were heard shouting, “you support rape” and “shame on you” at Cosby fans.

Protesters gather outside Bill Cosby show on January 7, 2015 in Kitchener, Canada (Getty)

Following the show, Cosby issued a statement.

READ: Bill Cosby’s Daughter Evin Releases Statement (Exclusive)

“Dear Fans: I would like to personally thank you for giving me the opportunity to bring laughter back into your lives tonight. Also, I would like to applaud all of you and give you a standing ovation for respecting yourselves, the theatre (Centre In The Square) and the event organizers that produced a spectacular show for the Kitchener Community,” his statement read.

Cosby has not been charged with any crime, and his attorney has repeatedly denied claims of abuse.

— Jesse Spero