Phylicia Rashad -- I'm Not Defending Cosby for Money

Phylicia Rashad says her motivation for defending Bill Cosby has nothing to do with the almighty dollar ... as in residuals she gets from "The Cosby Show."

Rashad pooh-poohed her critics on Wednesday's "Nightline," saying, "They don’t understand how residuals go. The longer the show runs, the smaller the residual."

Rashad also insists she was misquoted when she said "forget these women" when talking about BIll Cosby's accusers ... saying, "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."

Several of Cosby's accusers have lashed out at Rashad, calling her shameful and wondering, "What if something like this happened to her daughter?"