Janet Hubert Blasts Will Smith: Former 'Fresh Prince' Aunt Goes Off, Calls Smith An 'As*hole'

Count Janet Hubert, the first Vivian Banks, out of any heartwarming "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" reunion.

Last week, some of the major players from the early 90s Will Smith show got together at a charity event, leading to speculation that maybe, just maybe, fans would be treated to an on-air reunion. Smith even posted a photo of their get together on Facebook, writing "Got the Holiday season started right with a 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air' reunion...there's nothin' like spending Holidays with fam!"

Hubert, who played Will's aunt Vivian on the show, was noticeably absent, and it wasn't a clash of schedules.

"There will never be a reunion ... as I will never do anything with an as*hole like Will Smith," the actress told TMZ this weekend. "He is still an egomaniac and has not grown up. This constant reunion thing will never ever happen in my lifetime unless there is an apology, which he doesn't know the word."

Hubert was replaced on the show by Daphne Reid following the 1993 season when her contract ran up and she could not reach a deal with NBC. As she wrote in her 2010 memoir, she was only scheduled to work for ten weeks during the following season's production and was restricted by contract from other TV appearances, and could not make a living under those terms.

During the highly publicized fallout in 1993, Smith blasted Hubert for her attitude.

"I can say straight up that Janet Hubert wanted the show to be 'The Aunt Viv of Bel Air Show' because I know she is going to dog me in the press," he told an Atlanta radio station. "She has basically gone from a quarter of a million dollars a year to nothing. She's mad now but she's been mad all along. She said once, I've been in the business for 10 years and this snotty-nosed punk comes along and gets a show.' No matter what, to her I'm just the AntiChrist."

As she told BVonBooks at the time (the site is now part of HuffPost's Black Voices), "My departure was planned for a long time... There will never be a reunion of the 'Fresh Prince.' Will Smith and Alfonso [Ribiero, who played Carlton Banks] destroyed a 20-year-career with untruths. I got slammed. Will apologized later in an 'Essence Magazine' article, but it still lingers. It's still there."

In an interview last year with BlackAmericaWeb, Hubert said that Smith was abusive and arrogant and made racial jokes to the audience.

"I was a dark-skinned, African-American mother, and Will used to tell the you're-so-black jokes to the audience before the show, and at one point, I came out and stopped him, and the audience went 'Woooo,'" she remembered. "He didn't understand how unbelievably disrespectful that was to women like me... 'Yo mama's so black, when she looks at her shoes, she thinks she's looking in the mirror. Ha, ha!'"

For more, click over to TMZ.

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Comments

[Ignorance Isnt Bliss]

09:32 PM on 01/17/2012

I'm sorry, is there something wrong with a black man making jokes about other black people? There are more than a handful of black comedians who make their living telling jokes about other black people- and I am fairly certain anyone telling a "your momma" joke is doing just that: telling a joke! I think it's far worse to imply that his light skin makes him any more racist than a dark skinned man telling the same joke.

BTW, in case you didn't read this article, it says she was restricted by contract from performing on other TV shows. That's not Will Smiths fault, that is between NBC, her manager and herself. If she wasn't happy with the terms then she should not have signed a contract, plain and simple. Wonder how her career would have been if she had refused to sign it?

[Di Gray]

10:27 PM on 01/12/2012

I remember when she left. I was upset because they didn't replace her with a character who had similar features: dark-skinned, tall, thin, etc. They replaced her with a more "mainstream looking" actress. I thought it was disingenuous and that whoever ran the show was color struck. Now knowing that Will was doing "yo mama so black" jokes pre-show, it seems that perhaps the color struck one was him. How disappointing.

I loved the original Vivian. The replacement was just blah to me. I stopped watching for a long time after Mrs. Hubert was replaced. It just wasn't the same without her.

[Pam Denise Johnson]

04:47 PM on 01/20/2012

The "yo mama so black" jokes pre-show was highly inappropriate. I don't think I could have stood that and that rap music, too.

[michelleobamaok]

06:29 AM on 01/08/2012

It's a shame that Will felt, with all of his success, that he had to go out before audience members and tell "YO MAMA SO BLACK" jokes.

This was suppose to be a show about modern day, progressive blacks; whose parents came out of the Civil Rights Movement, and later became successful lawyers living in Beverly Hills.

I can't believe that he felt the need to disparage darker skin black people, when the show was supposed to showcase how educated and smart they were.

[Christina-Xena]

07:30 PM on 01/07/2012

Janet Hubert was bit player in this show, and easily replacable. To blame Will for her failures due to her inflated ego and pay demands is really the sign of a bitter, sad woman.

The only reason her comments even got this attention is it's a cheap shot at a major A-list performer who has been extremely successful over a notable career, with many years of great acting to come.

[michelleobamaok]

06:32 AM on 01/08/2012

Then YOU know nothing about this show other than re-runs or what you have heard/read in passing.

The parents of that show were ESPECIALLY very central to the story line and it's success.

In the end, they substituted the original and dynamic mother (Hubert) for an uninspiring woman who was rather dull and submissive.

[Christina-Xena]

03:47 PM on 01/08/2012

Another arrogant remark from you. You certainly can't say what I viewed or didn't view back in the 90s or since then on this TV series.

The uncle/aunt clearly only played a supporting role,just so Will and Alfonso could play off the boundries set by parents. James Avery, as "Uncle Phil" visually was more memorable as an actor on the show, and changing him out from the character would have been a notable loss. Daphne, might have been a tad more mild in her acting than Janet, but replacing her just left more focus on Will as the show's star. Also Daphne Reid was nominated as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for an Image Award in 1996, the final year of the series. So you estimate of her abilities and performance is slanted at best.

And as long as they have ONE aunt, the latest one, in a reunion, who really cares about the first one? I don't.

And that's my opinion. and if you don't like it..... too bad!

[Pam Denise Johnson]

10:49 AM on 01/20/2012

"Uninspiring" is right! I never was a big fan of the show, but I got a new respect for "Aunt Viv" and Janet Hubert during the show when she was a substitute teacher at the all-white academy Will attended during Black History Month. (In that show, the white students were more enthusiastic about the assignments than Will Smith's character). Her performance was so dynamic that it took me back to the days of the Civil Rights Movement when young black people were leading the community out of the darkness of racial inequality. I will always respect her for that performance!

[huffsandpuffs]

03:19 PM on 01/04/2012

I will never understand why people like Will Smith?

[AndrewFrisbie05]

06:49 PM on 01/06/2012

...and the fact that you can't see it is exactly why nobody cares what you say.

[huffsandpuffs]

10:52 PM on 01/06/2012

While Im glad you cared enough........

[Quai DOrsay]

01:50 PM on 01/04/2012

Aunt VIV, Take it easy ... You way to hold to .... nevermind

[amd02148]

08:48 PM on 01/02/2012

It's 2012 I know the only way you can get fifteen more minutes is to rehash a twenty year vendetta against Will Smith. First off when you auditioned for the show it was call "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, she knew Will Smith was the star of the show and she had a supporting role. LET IT GO.

[bradyhull]

04:30 PM on 01/02/2012

BITTER...YES!!! 20 YEARS AFTER TOO LONG...QUITE!!! BUT.....When a person ends on a bad note with you, you NEVER EVER FORGET...REMEMBER...She COULD NOT WORK!!! If she had the opportunities to do other shows, this would be a forgiving subject. She WAS BARRED from her career!! WHO CAN FORGIVE THAT!! As for the black jokes...HOW DARE WILL SMITH DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT? He must have been mad! What most people forget is that Will grew up in the 80´s at a time that blacks looked at light skinned blacks as being better than dark skinned blacks and played on that during those years.Half white boys, which gave him an edge in getting a lot of parts he attained.He played the black against black with jokes like that knowing that it was popular with the white audiences.THIS WOMAN IS/WAS AWSOME AND EXTREMELY TALENTED AND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL/SEXY woman on TV. HOT AS H..E..LL.

[Bernard Bethea]

07:48 PM on 01/02/2012

Sad truth its still that way

[AndrewFrisbie05]

06:52 PM on 01/06/2012

Nahhh...you're blind, and know nothing about talent. She was alright, but Aunt Viv was all she was ever gonna be.

[Andie Marshall]

03:31 AM on 01/02/2012

She is an excellent actress and she often pulled attention from the others in the her scenes. Daphne Reid was a weak replacement reminiscent of the 1950s roles given to white women. All too often when it comes to respecting, promoting and celebrating strong women American men fall short. Pity. Why not have had BOTH of them make it big? Our community would be richer for it!

[DanaDane504]

11:11 PM on 01/01/2012

i take smith's side all the way, the yo mamma jokes were just JOKES, and from Hubert is and was envy of him.

[mr whiteffolks]

07:47 AM on 01/03/2012

Everybody doesn't play the yo momma jokes game !

[michelleobamaok]

06:25 AM on 01/08/2012

Especially talking about people being too black. That was some passe and disrespectful stuff. I don't blame her for reprimanding him. How are black people supposed to progress if SOME black people feel that they have to continually be in BLACK FACE just to make it in the white man's world?

[Lady Xica]

10:06 PM on 01/01/2012

As I recall, NBC approached Will Smith because they wanted to work with him. Fresh Prince was marketed as Will Smith's show. He was the star of the show... not Janet Hubert.

After reading several interviews, there were a number of reasons why she was let go...
- She woman was difficult to get along with.
- She constantly bumped heads with the star of the show.
- She demanded more pay and more air time.
- She neglected to tell NBC she was pregnant, forcing the writers to do re-writes of the show.

Read the Jet interview. That interview was very revealing of Janet Hubert's character. Will Smith had nothing to do with her dismissal. As far as I'm concern, Janet Hubert fired herself.

[TheNewShadeofBlue]

09:51 PM on 01/01/2012

Bold, Beautiful woman of the darkest hue, stands your ground, affirm your character and profess your pride.
For it is not vanity from which you speak.
It is from this nation's not so distant history.
It is from a history rich and replete with stories of great pain, great suffering and yes triumphs simply because of the wondrous and mysterious beauty of your hue.
It is a history from which the countless have risen because you bore the struggles of your hue.
It is a history which tried to objectify you but could not because of the strength the emanates from your hue.
It is a history that reminds us all to honor you because of the distinction of your hue.
To dishonor you because of you because of your hue is unforgivable.

[VoiceofMany]

07:46 PM on 01/01/2012

For some reason I don't believe Smith is being totally forthcoming with the reason the 1st Aunt Viv was ousted from show. There's been an established history of young stars rising as the main attraction in comedies with older, seasoned actors as background noise. Given the jokes Smith told, perhaps, Smith secretly advocated for a more "mainstream look" for Aunt Viv. Just a thought.

[AndrewFrisbie05]

06:55 PM on 01/06/2012

...this is why you're not part of the business. Assumptions get you nowhere, and your thought process doesn't help you much.

[michelleobamaok]

06:38 AM on 01/08/2012

You are correct Voice of Many. He was telling racially insensitive jokes, and when this blew up in their faces; they decided to squash this thing by bringing in a very light skin woman and more submissive person.

I think this validates what she has said.

[alexander chris]

07:16 PM on 01/01/2012

the monetary value of the show, at the time, and now in syndication......id still be mad too....lol, however, her own behavior from what i heard over the years is what got her thrown off the show to begin with. tho she was my favorite Aunt Viv, ultimately she wasnt the star of the show......

[michelleobamaok]

06:40 AM on 01/08/2012

Yes. Malcolm X would have told her to stay in her place and accept the "Yo Mama So Black Jokes" on a show that was showcased to show the progressiveness of Black people (the strong aunt and uncle) who came out of the Civil Rights Era, and had made it as Civil Rights attornies.

[Divine thought]

06:03 PM on 01/01/2012

Get over it already! How many years ago was this?
Sounds like both of you have really big egos and couldn't work together for whatever reason.
Both of you are toooooo old to be holding grudges.
Life is short.
Ya better get it together.
Besides, I don't think we want a reunion.

[amd02148]

08:56 PM on 01/02/2012

Divine he's not the one holding a grudge. In fact, he has NEVER said anything about her. She's always trashing him. I think they just weren't a good fit. She admitted herself during her contract negotiations, she got up and left. They weren't offering her what she wanted. When she thought better of it she came back to the table they said that ship has sailed, sounds like her fault to me.