JumpinJack AJ

https://people.com/karyn-parsons-says-her-fresh-prince-of-bel-air-character-was-almost-cut-before-shows-premiere-11811942 Karyn Parsons Says Her Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Character Was Almost Cut Before Show's Premiere 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' aired from Sept. 1990 to May 1996 By Angela Andaloro Published on September 18, 2025 12:59PM EDT Will Smith and Karyn Parsons as Will and Hilary.Credit : Joseph Del Valle/NBCU Photo Bank NEED TO KNOW Karyn Parsons portrayed Hilary Banks throughout The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air's run from Sept. 1990 to May 1996 Parsons looked back at her time as Hilary, as well as some of her other notable roles, during an appearance on the All Bets Are Off podcast, hosted by Robby Vegas The beloved sitcom recently celebrated the 35th anniversary of its debut The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was an unforgettable career highlight for Karyn Parsons...that almost didn't happen. In a recent episode of the All Bets Are Off podcast, the actress, 58, chats with host Robby Vegas about the 35th anniversary of the beloved sitcom's premiere. Looking back at her time playing Hilary Banks, Parsons reveals the character was nearly cut from the Banks family at the suggestion of some executives at NBC. When it came to developing the character, Parsons says, "The writers were pretty incredible. They were great from the get-go." Hilary Banks, Alfonso Ribeiro, Will Smith, Daphne Reid, James Avery, Joseph Marcell, Tatyana Ali. NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty I "And then, as the show went on and new writers came in, I think they did a really good job of taking into consideration who they were writing for and how they work, and they were getting used to the character that I was creating," she continues. "The character that was on the page when I got the show was very thin... It said she was a model type, and it had her talking about Bruce and Demi and stuff. It didn't have a whole lot going on." "As a matter of fact, Brandon Tartikoff, who was the president of NBC at the time, when they were auditioning at the last network audition, he turned to Susan and Andy Borowitz, who created the show, and said, 'I think we should get rid of the daughter character. I don't... it just seems redundant,' " she recalls. Karyn Parsons, Janet Hubert, Will Smith, James Avery, Joseph Marcell, Tatyana Ali, Alfonso Ribeiro. Chris Cuffaio/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty "And [Andy and Susan] said, 'Just wait. Wait until this girl comes in.' They told me this story later. And I came in and did my whole weird affectation that I guess nobody else was doing." Parsons says that the affectation that became Hilary's signature — a mix of Malibu kids she got to know growing up in Santa Monica, as well as "my friend Leanne and my cousin Garland" — was born of her "trying to figure out how this character works for me." "The affectation, at first, seemed over the top. Like, maybe it's too much. But it kept carrying me. It worked. Judy Richmond, who was the amazing costumer on the show, she said that when I put the clothes on, that I became Hilary. And it was a little bit true," Parsons says. "Once I put the clothes on, my body started to change. My whole hips kind of fell and this lazy attitude just started to take over and once I started with the way she spoke, it just all fell into place." The role also allowed Parsons to embody someone so different from herself, which was "so fun" for the actress. "I was raised very much the good girl...and Hilary was the opposite," she explains. "She said whatever, unapologetic, I want this...she just said it and that was never me, so it was so fun to be able to be that person."

I don't mind Will experiementing. It's just not cool that he waited 20 years to drop and experimental album and won't follow up with the kind of material we know and love him for. "Pretty Girls" was a huge misfire. I'm wondering how many people along the way were down for this. When Will would do something musically over the past decade, he would generally get lots of love....but then he did something the opposite of what got him the love with "Pretty Girls". He needs to follow up with something dope. Walking away on "Pretty Girls" will just be weird and a poor choice.

I love this. I'm glad it was a great time. The clips fromt he tour have looked great, so it's good to hear that the lives up to the hype. I had no doubt that it would. I hope he does do some shows in the US. It's tough. The US is so jaded. They've turned hard on so many iconic artists that they used to embrace. Artists like Will, Jennifer Lopez, who have tons of hits, who were so univerally loved now get the side eye for some reason. Social media comments are often cruel. That's why there are US artists who are only/mostly touring internationally.

Congrats with the book!

I don't want this song to be the last thing we get for a while. I understand he wanted to essentially do a runway song, but I don't think the song checks all the boxes to get a celebrated song in that world. It's certainly not what the masses want. It's a litle frustrating because "Pretty Girls" has gotten a handful of remixes. I'd like to have seen other new songs get remixes, though not club mixes. I like some of the things going on with the Grvfiti Martyrz Remix. They re-work the chorus so it's not just the chinese water torture of the same spoken lines over that basic beat. I like that the Blaccmass Remix smoothes things out, taking away the club sound. I just wish it got a new chorus. The Michael Christmas remix doesn't do much for me. It mostly just speeds up the song without Chipmunking Will's voice. The Andrea Botez Remix is a pretty standard club mix, but I suppose it's still an upgrade on the beat.

Based On A True Story: Rave In The Wasteland - 5 Month Later I was listening to the album in the car the other day and found that my opinion of the album hasn't changed much. I'm curious how others feel about it. This album is the first JJ+FP/Will Smith/DJ Jazzy Jeff album that I didn't play almost non-stop for weeks/months after it came out. While I feel like an artist should freely explore and do what they want, that's the reason it hasn't kept me. "Hard Times (Smile)" and "Make It Look Easy" are still my favorites. I listen to them pretty often. This songs would have found their way to a "traditional" Will Smith album. "Int. Barbershop Day" was necessary to me, but due to the subject matter, I feel the song has a shelf life that has me over it, wishing that dope beat was used for a different subject matter. "You Can Make It" is still a gem. It's a highlight and it gave him a gospel hit. Thank God for that. You Lookin' For Me?, Rave In The Wasteland, and Bulletproof, Work of Art, and Beautiful Scars are all good songs, but I'm rarely in the mood to hear them until they come on. I've never been much of a fan of "Tantrum". I like "First Love" more than most people here, but I feel like both of these songs would have been stronger on other artists' albums, featuring Will. I think he really should have released physical copies. Even with a limited run of a few thousand CD and records (and even cassettes) would have created more interest for certain people and helped it chart. I had been eyeing someone who was selling bootleg versions of it on CD, but they recently stopped offering them, I guess due to the lack of interest. Some people will roll their eyes at this, but I'm just not feeling Will cussing in his rhymes. I'm so glad his tour has been sucessful. Sadly, that's what a lot of legends have to do to keep the momentum going. They'll drop albums and not get the sales they used to, but the tour helps justify it. I kind of wish he'd just release Based On A True Story as a triple album and let the main supporters buy the album and enjoy all he's created. I hope he's in love with being on the road, and I hope it brings him back to center so we can get the classic Hip-Hop that he's a master at.

It's strange. A lot of comments for this era have been positive outside of "Pretty Girls". I guess this channel just isn't for him. I will say that host is super annoying.

Maaaan, he saw that a lot of us were not feeling "Pretty Girls" and was quick to drop some heat. That "expect me on the stage" line is kinda gangsta. I just wish the host would shut up. This better be on the next album.

I think it's cool that he made a capella and instrumentals of "Pretty Girls" available through Instagram, and that he made them wav files (CD quality). I wonder what kind of remixes might come out of that.

I suppose it's kind of true that it's not that serious. I think that the song is just so disappointing that it kind of feels like the end of the world. With the Rave In The Wasteland being so understeamed and under purchased/under downloaded as a whole, it just doen't seem like this song is going to help give the new music a new life. Nothing from this era is even trending in his Spotify top 10. Will often gets called corny when it's not called for. With this song, it is. When we talk about fun songs from JJ+FP and Will, the music is still good. The lyrics are good. This doesn't compare that. A few lyrics are okay, but quite a few of them are dumb...on purpose. Maybe because the masses are into dumb music. I doubt Jeff is involved with this. When he's done dance and house tracks, the music is sooooo much better than this. I think Will just reacted too quick ot the question in that interview. He'd probably credit Jeff in a more noticeable way if he was. Speaking of which, was is Omar credited? I'm not tryng to be rude, but his vocals are just filler back-ups. With the pervous music releases, the feedback was all pretty good. That's not the case with this.

I agree. I think he's just trying different things and getting some sort of satisfaction out of that. However, if he's trying to please fans, I think he needs to go back to his roots. Hip-hop beats with him rhyming, telling stories, cracking jokes. 99% people don't want a new version of Will. They want the Fresh Prince and Will Smith they know to deliver a similar flavor. The pop audience might spend some money on the music (well, back when people spent money on music), but Hip-Hop is where he's always to be an important figure. And for what it's worth, even though I'm not into the song, I bought it.

You're being a bit of a jerk here. We want to keep a standard higher than what you'll find on social media.

It's out. I'm only a few songs in, but I'm loving it.

It's one thing to share an opinion. It's another to come here and act like a jerk toward other board members. You can be removed, if that's your agenda.

I'm not gonna lie. I'm struggling with it. I knew I would when I first saw the teaser. Those opening notes told me I wasn't going to love the sound. When the beat drops in, it's not so bad, but it sounds like something from the 2010's... a low point for music, generally speaking. If he was going to do a house-inspired song, maybe have Jeff and Masters At Work get on the beat. There are a few Fresh Prince style lyrics here, but some of this lyrics are quite dumb, which prevents them for making up for the beat. There is an audience for this, but it's not for me. The music video continues the struggle. There are some fun moments in it, but it's also a bit hard to swallow. As I type this, I'm realizing my own hypocrisy. One of the things about Rave In The Wasteland that has had me listening to it less than I have his other albums, or at least skipping through it more, is that so much of it serious. There's a time and place for that, but I'm not always in a serious mood. "Pretty Girls" provides a contrast. Maybe just not the contrast I prefer. I'm also still struggling with some of the language. Like, why drop the f word in a song like this? At this point, he's just doing it as carelessly as other rappers. Why a music video for this? I feel like if he did a video for "Hard Times (Smile)", it would have been a better investment and generally loved. This song is polarizing, as seen in the comments everywhere. As few music videos as we get, I kind of hate that it was wasted on this song. As for these weird posts, I don't know. They've been happening for months. The ones that are clearly spam get deleted, but the ones that are weird, but possibly made by real people have stayed. As one of the moderators, I struggle with whether they are bots and should be deleted/banned.

New Single! "Pretty Girls" drops this Friday, June 13th!

The mask makes this a little weird.

Victory is all about perseverance, storytelling, imagination and evolution. Slick Rick joins forces with Idris Elba for Victory — a visionary visual album set to be released through 7Wallace, in collaboration with Mass Appeal on June 13. Celebrating 26 years since The Ruler’s last album, Victory is a triumphant new chapter — a sonic and cinematic tour de force that redefines the boundaries of storytelling, legacy and the power of imagination. Executive produced by The Poet (Slick Rick) and The Visionary (Idris Elba), the project features powerful collaborations with Nas and Giggs, along with a special contribution from Estelle. At its heart lies a 30-minute immersive film, directed by Meji Alabi — the creative mind behind Beyoncé’s Black Is King, which brings Victory to life through bold imagery and narrative depth. For the aesthetic vision, Slick Rick collaborated with legendary photographer Jonathan Mannion and brand storytellers Equator Studios. The music was mixed by Young Guru, with the album artwork and rollout developed in partnership with British agency PAQ and Rick’s own Team Eye Patch. Victory will premiere at the inaugural SXSW London on June 7th followed by an In Conversation with Slick Rick, Idris Elba and film director, Meji Alabi. In New York, the film will premiere at the prestigious Tribeca Festival on June 13th followed by a Q&A with Slick Rick.

This is being released, right? The verse is dope. https://www.instagram.com/p/DJkjWovyCBg/

I can't say I'm sad to see this one go. It seemed kind of uneccessary.

https://ew.com/fresh-prince-of-bel-air-producer-gave-will-smith-acting-tip-11719281 Fresh Prince producer shares acting tip he gave Will Smith: 'He hated this' The future Oscar winner was force-fed some old-school comedy, much to his chagrin. By Jordan Hoffman Published on April 22, 2025 07:00AM EDT Will Smith during his 'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' days.Credit: NBC/courtesy Everett Writer-producer Gary H. Miller says knew from his first day on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that Will Smith was going to be a star, but that didn't mean he didn't give a few notes along the way. And one specific performance tic resulted in a homework assignment the future Oscar winner wasn't all that thrilled about. The former Fresh Prince showrunner appeared on a recent episode of Pod Meets World to discuss his storied career that goes all the way back to Laverne & Shirley, and includes Gimme a Break, 1st and Ten, A Different World, Reba, and, of course, Boy Meets World — hence the reason he was speaking with Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle, and Rider Strong on their popular podcast. "When I took over [The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in season 4], he kinda had his own way all the time," Miller said of series star Smith. "And I said, 'Look, I'm not like that,' and I think he respected that. I told him things like, 'Look, you're telegraphing your joke because you don't have confidence in it. You're touching the actor in the scene with you right before the joke — it's a thing you do, a habit you do.'" Miller explained that Smith's movements meant "I know the joke is coming next." To help Smith develop his comedic chops, Miller "made him sit and watch — he hated this — the old Sgt. Bilko series, You'll Never Get Rich with Phil Silvers." Yes, the very hip rap star of the early 1990s was condemned to watch the very schticky, black-and-white series from the 1950s, which was later called The Phil Silvers Show, but Miller being so old school, he used the original name. Hardcore. "I said, watch this guy. Watch this guy drive an episode. No matter how flimsy the storyline is, it's like a moving train, and he takes everybody on the train with him, and you get to the end," recalled Miller. "I said, that's the kind of energy we need in 22 minutes. Because slow time in a 22-minute show is deadly." It is undeniably amusing to think of Will Smith — who would later dominate the box office in blockbusters like Independence Day and Men in Black, then appear in critically acclaimed movies like Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness before finally winning the Oscar for King Richard — having to watch old tapes of Phil Silvers because the boss told him to. Phil Silvers in his Sgt. Bilko uniform. An early inspo for Will Smith?. Courtesy Everett Incidentally, Silvers' famous shyster character Sgt. Bilko was later revived as a feature film starring Steve Martin in 1996. It was not particularly beloved by critics, and did not fare so well at the box office. Maybe by then Will Smith could have offered some tips. For more wild tales from Hollywood's trenches, check out Gary H. Miller's interview on the Pod Meets World podcast below.

Chuck D is releasing a new project soon. You can currently pre-order it on... CD (signed): https://defjamshop.com/products/chuck-d-chuck-d-presents-enemy-radio-radio-armageddon-signed-cd and Vinyl (signed): https://defjamshop.com/products/chuck-d-chuck-d-presents-enemy-radio-radio-armageddon-signed-vinyl They are doing a 1,000 for each format.

I know that it's more complicated than this (which is why there is so much conflicting information). For example, listening to music on a free account versus a paid account counts differently. In the past year, I've seen Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Katy Perry, and Justin Bieber all selling CDs and CD singles on their website...sometimes with autographs. Granted, they have more money and big labels behind their careers, but those kind of things offer their supporters more opportunities to have their music boosted. I hope the lack of support for the full album changes and that Will doesn't impact Will's plans to release the other albums he already has in the pipeline.

Yeah, I'm confused on what means success when we're only talking digitial. The way they chart things is strange, too. I think he messed up by not having physical copies available up front. Buying the album in any form would have drastically helped on certain charts. I've found varying stats, but one said 1,250 premium audio streams equals one CD sale. 3,750 ad-supported audito streams or video streams equal one CD sale. I'm not sure if the digital album SALE (not stream) is considered the same. Additionally, CD sales and vinyl sales are documented separately. Unless you have outrageous support, steaming means virtually no money for the artists involved in the album and it makes it hard to chart.