Janet Hubert Will Smith Diss:Perfection Is Not A Sitcom Mom – Janet Hubert who played Aunt Vivian in the Fresh Prince of Bel Air has written a tell-all memoir where she slams Will Smith for sabotaging her career.Hubert who was fired from the show in 1993 and replaced by actress Daphne Maxwell Reid will publish her book called “Perfection Is Not A Sitcom Mom” in early 2010.Here are some explosive excerpts from the“Perfection Is Not A Sitcom Mom”.
On Will Smith sabotaging his co-stars:
“Smith had people around him who made sure no one outshone him. I was happy to see Don Cheadle become the quality actor that he is, and often wondered how he made it past one episode, as Hilary’s boyfriend, being such a fierce actor. No one could be on The Tonight Show, that first season, except Will. And I mean no one.”
On a guest star being too impressive an an early rehearsal:
“I recall the lovely and incredibly talented Countess Vaughn coming to guest star. Oh my God! The day of table read, she was pee-in-your-pants funny. The writers were howling, we were howling, so I knew she was history – banished into the cornfield. Many years later, after she had her own show, I had to tell her when she asked me why. ‘Miss Janet why did I get cut from the episode,’ she asked? Simply, my darling, you were too good.”
Jealousy – plain and simple. Will Smith is world known and who has ever heard of Janet Hubert……..
Take a sit hoes
Yeah. For sure.
Ridiculous.
Need a little money? do yah
She was funny, she had baby blues and will could not deal with them at the time. She needs props, she made the show what it is.
I don’t think she’s jealous. She’s just telling it like it is. If anyone ever watched that show, they would know she was very funny and very good in her character. She was way better than that Daphne Maxwell-Reid who replaced her. But that nakes sense to me as they did not want anyone to outshine Will. If she wanted, she could have brought this up against the show and Will at the time it was running, but she didn’t. Now she just wants to answer the questions for everyone who wondered whatever happened to her. This is simply a Diana Ross- making- sure- she- outshines- the- other- Supremes story. And Diana Ross and Barry Gordy were certainly wrong for the things they did against Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson. Just because Will’s a big star doesn’t mean he didn’t do these things; or let them happen.
I don’t think she’s jealous. She’s just telling it like it is. If anyone ever watched that show, they would know she was very funny and very good in her character. She was way better than that Daphne Maxwell-Reid who replaced her. But that makes sense to me as they did not want anyone to outshine Will. If she wanted, she could have brought this up against the show and Will at the time it was running, but she didn’t. Now she just wants to answer the questions for everyone who wondered whatever happened to her. This is simply a Diana Ross- making- sure- she- outshines- the- other- Supremes story. And Diana Ross and Barry Gordy were certainly wrong for the things they did against Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson. Just because Will’s a big star doesn’t mean he didn’t do these things; or let them happen.
We don’t know people. Will Smith and his PR folks show us what they want us to see. I believe her. I believe Will was full of himself and was intoxicated by fame in the beginning and was not kind. I also believe since she had been in the game for a while and was taken aback at his success. The industry is fickle.
The question is…. is he still that way now? People tend to grow up over time. My beef is if they blocked her from working…that’s wrong. Just because you can do something, (like blackball somebody) that doesn’t mean you should. I think her story needs to be heard and questions asked. I saw her in one thing, a Kool-Aid commercial since then. Why is that? I know she wanted to work. Something stinks here.
I am wondering why Will Smith trashed her on that Atlanta V103 interview. Not only did he trash her, but it seems like they tried to “blackball” her out of the whole industry. Well, I believe her and it doesn’t surprise me at all of what she says about the entire situation. Why did he (Will Smith) stoops so low, as to tell disrespectful “you’re so black” jokes, to a live audience before the show? I am glad that she’s telling her side of the story of what happened.
She was not lying and is not lying. Notice they replaced her with a much lighter actress. I believe her that there was much hate going on and who was going to stand up against Will or Carlton and say something?????
not really belive that…its moore out there….why she was the only one??
Will should not have trashed her in that interview in Atlanta. It was part of their agreement when she was fired that the circumstances of her leaving not be revealed. I believe the agreement specifically prohibited anyone from revealing that she did not leave on her own accord. I always thought he was phony and full of himself. Years before Obama he talked about running for president! I don’t think he even graduated from highschool. To me that just gave an indication of how delusional he is regarding himself.
@Green Line – Actually she did bring this up back then.
In general, I believe this happened but I also think that judging from the fact that he was a kid back then and looking at the man he is now, I’m sure that if he had a chance he would have done things differently. I don’t think for a minute that he is proud of what he did or what he allowed to happen. Still this did happen to her and it effected her life so she has a right as much as anyone to talk about what’s happened to her.
Tell it Janet, Will’s big ears have a BIG HEAD to match.
The premise that nobody was allowed to outshine Will is ridiculous because Hillary and Carlton, as well as Jeffrey, did it on so many occasions. Will let everybody eat…Robyn Givens. That woman was cut b/c of her nasty attitude and jealousy. She wanted to be the star but didn’t understand that the show was Will’s. Her nasty temper and foul mouth is well documented.
The “Pros”, ppl who have trained all of their lives for the entertainment biz, hate people like Will, who just come in and do it…and blow the f*ck up with seemingly little effort. They’ve trained for years, gone to acting schools, gotten college degrees in theater, studied voice, Suzuki Technique and the like, Strassburg Method, performed with Shakespeare companies, studied dance, and struggled for years to get to where they are.
Here comes a guy like Will Smith (or Queen Latifah, for that matter) with no acting experience beyond music videos, and little or no formal training. A few years later, Will’s starring in big-budget films and making $20M a clip.
That would piss me off a little bit too. I understand the frustration, but I don’t understand the haterade. Janet Hubert and Eriq LaSalle (who has gone on record saying he hates rappers taking acting jobs) are like that.
■joymom
Will Smith not only graduated from h.s., he had an academic scholarship (engineering) to go to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.), which is the virtual equivalent of Harvard. Will Smith has always been an exceptionally bright and talented guy, which is why he always gets it done. I ain’ mad at him because he produces. He acts cocky, but he backs it up, just like another icon: Muhumad Ali.
Oh…that’s right! Will was, coincidently, hand-picked by Michael Mann to play Ali and did a great job at that, too.
Don’t hate!!
I will say this: Will Smith should stop saving the world for a film or two, because his acting is starting to look limited. He’s great at what he does, but I think he can do something else, like play a retarded character, or another gay character (remember Six Degrees of Separation?).
Besides the Ali film and Six Degrees, he has essentially been the same character. He can be the hero but show some range. He needs to pick different scripts.
Will knew he would get limited in his acting role options, so he does the next best thing…put his family to work! His son rocked that new KarateKid (at least that’s what the commercial and the box office sales say). Then we have Jada in that Hawthorne show on TNT. Then there’s Willow (his name sake 😉 ) in a movie along side Eddie Murphy! Will Smith may not be the best actor in the world, but he knows how to make money in the business, so you can’t hate on that.
Ivan, get a life dude.
I think this book is spectacular. I disagree with those who believe she is jealous, or did it for fame, it was simply her stating how she felt about all the events that led to and came after her dismissal from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Ms. Hubert was only stating her side, her “For the Record…” book if you will. She did an amazing job as Aunt Vivian, putting a pizzaz to the show and her character. Her replacement could never quite come close to filling her shoes, no surprise of course, for they were big shoes indeed.
in answer to TMOMMA, jada makes me want to hurl, she’ so in your face all of the time.if my watching hawthorne makes it a hit,it would have fizzled the first day.the first time i saw her she was in jason’s lyric and i never wanted to see her films again. her movie characters acts just as she does;arrogant.pushy and stuck-up.i gave it one more try when she made set it off,i just gave up!! same characterization,different role.i know it just swells her bony chest when they call them acting royalty. i know some people will call this being jealous but to me,she’s not likable at all.she’s not someone i’d want to br around at all.
I DON’T BELIEVE SHE IS JEALOUS AT ALL MY LITTLE SISTER HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET WILL SMITH NOT TO LONG AGO BECAUSE HER SCHOOL PERFORMED FOR HIM..AND I CAN HONESTLY SAY THERE IS A MUCH DIFFERENT SIDE TO THE ACTOR WHEN CAMERAS ARE NOT AROUND..FOR WILL TO GO ON A RADIO SHOW AND BASH HER CHARACTER REALLY SAYS A LOT OF HIM AND TO WHOM EVER THINKS SHE IS OUT FOR MONEY YOU SHOULD WATCH THE SHOW LIFE AFTER VERY INSIGHTFUL…
Jealousy thy name is Janet Hubert. Girl, let it go and move on with your life. Hollywood is not for the faint of heart; don’t hate the player, hate the game.
Janet Hubert was great in Fresh Prince. The entertainment industry back then was not kind to darked skined actors unless you were seriously talented like Janet. She was so funny and had so many different facial expressions. I am 44
yrs old and still enjoy the re-runs but I honestly do only appreciate the episodes that Janet starred in. When she left and was replaced by someone light-skinned, well that speaks for itself. Will Smith was a young and ambitious entertainer who had the opportunity and the skill to make money. If you look back on his career his singing and acting skills were not that great, he’s just a very hard working businessman and it’s paid off but I don’t believe he possessed the type of talent that Janet did. Obviously she was hurt at what happened, and it affected her career somewhat, a real shame because I believe Janet could have gone on to be just as sucessful in many types of roles. God Bless Janet.
i dont no what happen but when janet was on the show she were a good actor and played a good mom and positive role model but things just happen it be that way sometimes so all i can say is good luck to janet in the future and i love will smith so i donot have anything to say bad about either one of them because i wasnt there so i donot no the real facts all i no is that i love the show and they both is good actors in the show good luck janet