but the show definitely inspired, generations of people of colour who pursued higher education. denise: i m going to hillman! i know my parents love me beretta smith shomade: and so then you have denise who is going to go to an hbcu, historically black college and university. jasmine guy: it s the story of leaving home for the first time. and i was the snotty bitch that messed with denise huxtable. whitley: do you know how to give foot massages? jasmine guy: when i found out dianne carroll was playing whitley gilbert s mother, i kind of freaked out. marion: how s my darling? jasmine guy: i felt like a truck driver around diane carroll. marion: oh whitley. what is that dress, it just screams first communion. jasmine guy: she was always the only black woman on the set of julia. but she let us know how special it was that we re on a set with all these black people.