We know critics of Bill Cosby's overturned conviction would love to see him back in prison, but surprisingly ... a bunch of his former cellmates feel the same way, though not for the reasons you'd think.
It's not a matter of jealousy, according to Cosby's rep, Andrew Wyatt ... who tells us Cosby's old buddies at SCI Phoenix reach out to him about 3 times a week. Instead, he says the prisoners are missing their guru, of sorts.
As you know ... Cosby was sprung from prison back in June ... something he obviously celebrated, but his fellow inmates might not have been thrilled.
Wyatt says Cosby had become the voice of reason within the prison walls -- solving disputes between inmates, dishing out advice and pushing education as a means to improve their lives.
He also claims Cosby encouraged them to show corrections officers and the warden they could be good citizens on the inside, and they were ready to do the same when released or paroled.
Ironically, the disgraced comedian who'd once been called, "America's Dad" ... now seems to hold that title with the inmates at the Pennsylvania State Prison.
Wyatt fields most of the calls from inmates, but says Cosby tries to get on the line as much as he can to say hello from time to time.
While Cosby's enjoying his newfound freedom, we're told his former fellow inmates want him to return to SCI Phoenix as a motivational speaker.
Wyatt says Cosby's planning something like that down the road, but for now, he's focused on legal battles -- a civil lawsuit, and Pennsylvania's efforts to toss the ruling that freed him. Prosecutors want the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case.