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Back to the Article » EUR WORLD EXCLUSIVE: Janet 'Aunt Viv' Hubert speaks out about her new book on Will Smith (Pt. 1)

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Name: soulmusic101

Comment: If this is true...Why didn't Quincy Jones do the right thing and pull Will aside? If this is true? ...Karma is a bytch Will.

Name: MsBlake

Comment: She sounds bitter, plus this is over 13 years ago. Some of the folks I've heard taking her side are doing so because she was replaced with a light skin actress. Lets talk about the latter for a sec, if her skin complexion was ever an issue they woulda had a light skin actress in her role from the start!!! *rolling eyes*. Personally I think her issue with Will is that, he was not a trained actor (matter of fact he was wack when he started!!) and was getting more money n' respect than her.........but she needs to realise the show was never 'Aunt Viv of Bel Air'!

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: soul, there's no way Quincy Jones could have been counted on to intervene in this type of situation. Don't forget, he's probably worse than Will when it comes to that mindset.

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: IMO...Will is shallow and phony...always has been.

Name: soulmusic101

Comment: What dark and lovely Woman loves your mama is so Black joke's?

Name: Gurlfrand

Comment: I can't believe this woman is still in emotional bondage to being dumped long ago - she's a good actress - if she had any sense, she would have forgot about Will and opened up herself to new things and moved on - sad.......

Name: Gurlfrand

Comment: I agree with you MsBlake - she was probaby ticked off that some rapper kid got star billing and became the big star of the show, but, the show was based on his character anyway, so, I don't understand her frustration; she knew this from day one.

Name: FiveMore

Comment: Sorry, Janet but do you know how Will Smith got the part for the show?The show was created by Jones for him and you were just in the way, dear, Hollywood has no love for black female actresses at all.I can believe Will did those ignorant "Yo momma jokes", even if he knew Janet would play the mom on the show!She's 20 years too late with this book but I would be mad too, if my career was trashed by some ignorant kid!

Name: MsBlake

Comment: This situation is very similar to someone who has worked for a company for many years and then they bring in a youngster straight out of college to head the department. I can understand the resentment, I guess, but i have no love for folks who write tell all books. Also this woman sounds somewhat arrogant.

Name: huey

Comment: she sounds like a jilted lover. never could find another piece of penis quite as good as her former lovers penis. so she decides to fires shots over the bow to try an evoke a response for attention.

Name: MsBlake

Comment: ......and another thing. She had a respectable role on a hit sitcom, she shoulda just accepted the deal especially knowing how difficult it is for black actresses in the industry. That way she coulda parlayed her way into other roles. Putting the star of the show on blast back in the 90's woulda put alot of potential employers off. Besides I doubt Will had the power to have her blacklisted in the industry. As for the 'your mama is so black jokes', Will's mother is as dark if not darker than her so she shoulda let that slide.

Name: BKLYNVIAMAHATTAN

Comment: always remember, in some people the hurt and backstabbing never dies. As for her career, she hasn't done anything in the acting dept since Fresh Prince! I have heard that she had gotten married in New Jersey and the Wedding was Whack! This book will not hurt Will not one iota. If this is what she needs to do to get satisfaction then so be it. Just be prepared for the back lash this could produce!

Name: huey

Comment: also, what left out of this article is she was pregnant during the end of her tenure on the show and she herself on many occasions stated that she became a complete bytch towards everyone of the cast members. i heard her in several interviews saying that they all hated to see her coming because she was so mean to them. but she stated that they knew she was pregnant and they were suppose to be understanding of a pregnant woman flipping out.

Name: MsBlake

Comment: Co-sign Huey. Her situation is no different from Jill Marie Jones from Girlfriends. She didn't get more money so decided to bounce. Despite her significant contribution to the show (By the way Toni Childs was my favourite character)the show continued for two more seasons and she never got a better role after that. It happens!!! If I was Aunt Viv I woulda made nice with Will, cos with his clout he coulda hooked her up! Thats pride for ya.

Name: huey

Comment: " As is the usual case with re-negotiations, there is a back and forth dance between the network and the talent. Hubert made it known to NBC that she would be unable to make a living with the offer they placed on the table, so she declined, expecting them to return with something better. You know? NEGOTIATE. They never came back" so it sounds like they didnt dump her, it sounds like she quit. duhhh

Name: MsBlake

Comment: Hey guess what she (Janet (aunt viv) is responding/arguing with bloggers over on blackvoices.com on the BVbuzz section. Sounds like she has alot of time on her hands. While I was on that site I read Bishops Weeks (Prophess Juanita Bynum's ex) is engaged to marry another prophetess. Interestin!!

Name: PlanetRock

Comment: The show's title was "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" not "The Mother of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air," right? Just checking to make sure.

Name: Janissi

Comment: I am not a Will Smith fan, and I do believe that he has an ego as big as his ears, but that's neither here nor there. I am a bit concerned that Janet is still bitter after all these years. It's time to pack that bitterness away and move on. Will has gone on with his life and career and so should she. BTW, she had a small role on the Bernie Mac show as Wanda's mother. She was actually my favorite Aunt Viv. When Daphne Maxwell Reid took over, it wasn't the same (that had nothing to do with her skin color). I just didn't care for her in that role. Janet was classy, sophisticated and I loved how she dressed. My favorite episode with her was when she turned 40 and put the dance moves on those girls when she tried out for a show or something. Hopefully Janet can move past this because bitterness is not a good thing.

Name: huey

Comment: lol @ PlanetRock

Name: Southernbelle

Comment: He (Will) was young, semi-powerful and rich so yes he probably was an azz hole. I'm sure the maturity level wasn't there yet. It was up to Janet as a grown azz woman to understand and look past his arrogance or at least wait until she found a job before moving on.

Name: Southernbelle

Comment: For the record, I believe Daphne Reid did a horrible job playing Aunt Viv.

Name: McNasty

Comment: Co sign Southernbelle! I believe Will was an as.shole and yeah I think this woman is arrogant but I think this is her time to purge. She obviously is still bothered by it because she didn't get her say back then. The relationship between her and Will wasn't good and then she gets that funky offer and poof - then she was gone. She wants her story told and Will has enough foundation to not be bothered by it - why should he - he has to know he was an as.shole even if only because of that radio interview.

Name: Lorraine315

Comment: This is total NONSENSE. Its a darn shame when you spend years bitter over how you perceived to be treated wrong by someone BUT that person has moved on with their life- not even thinking about you. This type of drama happens all the time on tv sitcoms. Heck the blonde blued eyed Susan Sommers was let go from Three's Company when she walked around thinking she was all that-asking for more money. Will Smith may not be the *best* black actor out there BUT he is a very hard worker. And he has managed to have a very successful career as being a Hollywood "action star"

Name: TJthemilitant

Comment: I do not believe Janet is a bitter women. She has every right to get shy*t off ehr chest no matter how long it's been there. We've all heard about tension on the set between Will and Janet and that's because Will was an immature snot azz brat who had a show that marketed his name and his name only. But he was ignorant about the business(his words on his bio. )Janet and uncle Phil were seasonesd actors and should have been treated as such. All the other actors and actresses (Karyn, Alfonso, etc.) gave Will the power by willingly acting like little squirrels all over his nuttz! Also, Will's mother is not dark complexioned, no where near as dark as Janet. But regardless, "black mama jokes" were unwarranted and disgusting especially in front of a predominantly WHITE studio audience! Big eared sissy!

Name: huey

Comment: Lorraine315, and truth be told Will has put a lot of black actors to work in front of and behind the camera, on tv and on the big screen. so the wrongs that he may have done as a youngster he certainly to some degree has made amends for as a more knowledgeably adult.

Name: TJthemilitant

Comment: But can he sit down and make amends with Janet?.. Or should she have just STFU and prayed that Will selected her for a role in one of his movies?

Name: Penelope

Comment: Whelp, all I can say is God don't like ugly. I don't know what the true story is, but the network made her an offer that she declined. She had a po-po-po-po-po-poker face, and she got played, b/c she thought the network would make her a better offer. But she DECLINED! Did she offer other terms? I didn't get that she did from what she proffered here. Plain and simply, she thought the network was obligated to negotiate with her, and the network thought differently. How she places that burden on Will Smith is a reach in my opinion. She needs to move on, because I just don't think that the almighty Will Smith has caused this woman to not get any work. I just don't believe it.

Name: Penelope

Comment: And oh by the way, I guess she believe the profits from this book will make up for what SHE gave away when she was on a highly rated sitcom that made her an offer which she elected to decline. Dog won't hunt. She said she declined the offer, so she made a choice not to accept what was put out there. I wish someone would offer me a quarter of a million dollars for 10 weeks for work!

Name: MsBlake

Comment: In another interview she said she had just had her son, bought a big ole house with a nanny and housemaid, so to her a cut in pay was unacceptable.

Name: Lorraine315

Comment: If anything instead of writing books dissing Will Smith she needs to be making nice with Tyler Perry! LOL He is the one giving young and old, past and present,famous and not famous, fat and skinny, dark skinned and light skinned black actors work these days. She betta recognize...

Name: Quanli

Comment: I don't see the to dog this woman out for stating her peace. She was THE BEST in this role, hands down.

Name: Quanli

Comment: *the need

Name: Reds

Comment: Southernbelle: “For the record, I believe Daphne Reid did a horrible job playing Aunt Viv.” … Cosign. That’s one fact which the Janet Hubert haters cannot dispute. Janet Hubert’s acting came off natural, believable, unforced. Daphne Reid, on the other hand, always seems out of place, out of her league, in over head. Tried as she may, she never seems to be able pull off a convincing performance. The original Aunt Viv made it seems that she wasn’t even trying.

Name: PgDn

Comment: Usually the truth is somewhere in the middle of the two sides of the story. We haven't heard Will respond to her side so we may not ever know what is accurate. I agree that this is her opportunity to purge and finally let go. Now she'll probably go on to greater success or figure out how to finance her own thing. I do believe the dark skinned stuff tho. They did the same thing on "My Wife and Kids" when they pulled the original big sister and replaced her with the light/bright chick. Blondes and other non-black actors may have to deal with money, weight, & youthful appearance issues but Black women actors have to deal with that AND the light skinned long hair/good hair & natural hair is not acceptable stuff TOO.

Name: Gurlfrand

Comment: >tjthemil - no, Will should not do that, and, I wouldn't waste my time - she should go see a therapist to learn how to move on with her life...........

Name: soulmusic101

Comment: MelodyCool....is that becuz Q always dated and married Caucasian? I always gave Q a pass on that because he did brake down racial barriers. MsBlake was Aunt Viv bougie in real life? If Will put Janet on blast like that tho on a radio show, he sure was smelling his p.iss. Will (pun not intended) I boycott Will's movies, probably not, since I don't know who is telling the truth. Will could always throw her a bone in his next pic to show he is the bigger person.

Name: ss69054

Comment: I'm just curious to what Will has to say about this allegations. I think Aunt Viv needs to move on and face the fact that she was never intended to be the star or any star of anything. Yes indeed she played a better role than Reid. This woman sounds just a little bitter too me. Anyhows, she declined the offer and NBC doesn't have to negotiate unless they really wanted her back on the show. So basically she duked her ownself.

Name: smitdawg

Comment: It's hard to tell who was in the wrong because I wasn't there, but it seems to me like both of 'em were actin' like a$$e$.

Name: JAXXIE

Comment: So, why didn't Ms. Hubert contact Mr. Smith to reconcile differences? If she did, the reconciliation probably did not turn out the way that she needs or expects; therefore, the tell-all book bad mouthing Mr. Smith. Ms. Hubert's actions speak volumes about her no matter what she writes or says about Mr. Smith. Even if the book makes a moderate profit, Ms. Hubert will still need an intangible something that Mr. Smith can't give to her.

Name: smitdawg

Comment: And another thing....why are you tryin' to unite the cast to ask for more money your first day on the job?? Seems to me like you were already rufflin' feathers from the jump. There was nowhere to go but down from that day forth.

Name: yunvme

Comment: This is bull. She was not the star of the show, it doesn't matter how seasoned she was. Also, what kind of pull did Will have in those early episodes? He was just an actor, not a producer, directer or anything. How could he have stopped anyone from doing anything? Also, he was a KID then. She seems so bitter and immature and she needs to get over herself. I also feel she is pulling the "dark skin" card. I dont believe Will said the things she says (yo momma so dark jokes). This bytch is a dolla short and 20 years to late.

Name: dcdouglass01

Comment: "...It has been rumored that she was jealous of Smith for landing such a sweet deal without any previous acting experience....She said she asked him what role he was going to play and he said, ‘I’m Will’. “I said ‘Oh!’ I didn’t even know who the brother was. I’m 30-something years old [at the time]. I’m not a rap fan at all, not in the least. I didn’t know ‘Summertime’ or his name or whatever his hits were. I’m not easily impressed...Rappers don’t impress me. Their ideology...what they’ve done to our children..." Will probably sensed that elitist animosity on Day One. And of course, to toss Will Smith, as a rapper, in the gangsta rappers' pile is ludicrous. DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince were about as corny as rappers come. Her elitist "I'm better than you because I'm a trained actress" attitude has put her exactly where she deserves to be: selling product in an Amway'ish fashion on her website.

Name: Quietstorm16

Comment: I LOVE Will Smith. He is my celebrity crush, so I don't want to hear negative things about him. However, I was a bit of a snob/jerk in my youth as well and I had a lot less power {no power] than him. I'll cut him some slack and chalk it up to youthful ignorance. I'll have to co-sign some of the other posters in that Hubert was the better more natural Aunt Viv, but seems as tho she was smelling herself too and should have taken the offer given her. She has to live with the choices she made and move on.

Name: yunvme

Comment: ...with all that said, I agree, I never cared for the new aunt viv. My favorite episode of the show ever was the one where she went back to dancing and took that class. I crack up thinking about it...."Everybody dance now.."

Name: eddie

Comment: I was never a fan of will smith , he is a Super freak,and Quincy jones is a freak also,he thought michael jackson could not make it with out him ,but mj did,London, Mar 7 (ANI): King of pop Michael Jackson is likely to rake in 400million dollars from his comeback deal involving new music and movies as well as concerts, according to his promoter. Randy Phillips, head of AEG Live, which is staging the gigs, said they had a wider deal that could cover a world tour and a 3D film based on Thriller. “We”re talking to him about helping him figure a new plan for the release of singles, new music,” The BBC quoted Phillips as saying.

Name: MrUnapologetic69

Comment: I feel Janet is entitled to feel the way she feels and has EVERY right to author a book about her experiences with Mr. Smith. We don't have the right to tell her to "get over it." It is what it is... Assuming that what she's claiming is true, it doesn't matter how old Will was at that time - he sowed seeds of discourse and harvest times always comes around. I, personally, am a HUGE fan of Will Smith, but I don't find it hard to believe any of this. Just keeping it real... The "yo mama so black jokes" were tasteless and the fact that no one on that set/crew thought it was important to whisper in his ear speaks volumes to me. Hollywood is viscious when it comes to black actresses and I am sick of it!

Name: unclekipper

Comment: she sounds pretty bitter to me. get over it. and get on with it. and leave dawnn lewis' name out ya' mouth.

Name: huey

Comment: dcdouglass01---exactly

Name: Reds

Comment: For the folks who are saying that she needs to just get over it, why don’t we as blacks just get over slavery? Just last week, the senate issued somewhat of an apology, after 150 years. Shouldn’t we have gotten over it by now? … This woman was dumped not because she tried to negotiate her salary, but because Will Smith wanted her gone. He didn’t want someone on the set who had the guts to tell him when he was effing up and being disrespectful. His ego was too big for that, so he used his power and influence to get rid of her, using the salary negotiation as an excuse. This woman was an accomplished professional actress, she didn’t deserve to be black listed by some rapper turned actor. How dare anyone tell this woman to just get over it after twenty or however many years.

Name: queeniebunz

Comment: >Lorraine - I was thinking the same thing - that she sounds like a bitter ex-lover watching her ex skyrocket in his career while she's sitting at home watching TV eating a bowl of Haagen-dazs. It's not good to be in that position. When I’ve broken up with someone, I’ve made myself not focus on my ex and his success/new relationship because it holds me back from moving forward myself – it is emotional bondage, only you hold the key to your own cell. She has locked herself away in her own private prison and now so many years later, she is still locked away and this book ain’t gonna bring her out of it. And I don’t believe he had the power back then to blacklist her like that. He was a rapper turned actor and to this day they STILL don't get a lot of respect so the idea of a such a person telling everyone "Don't hire her" and Hollywood people actually listening – nah. I don’t buy it.

Name: queeniebunz

Comment: >MsBlake – So he’s marrying another prophetess. Why don’t these Prophetesses look into their own futures and see what will happen? Of course the second one can simply look at dude’s past and see that it’s probably gonna be her future. Not a good look.

Name: huey

Comment: Reds "why don’t we as blacks just get over slavery?"....(huey staring at Reds, blinking)...and u equate these two as being synonymous becccauusseee?

Name: queeniebunz

Comment: >Mrapologetic - I understand that it's hard to "just get over it" BUT it's been TWENTY YEARS. Holding onto something that long is pathological and requires therapy and I'm not being facetious....and y'all are gonna throw cans and tomatoes and banana peels at me but I think she overacts. The only reason I watched that show was to see Jeffrey get at them and to watch Carlton do his Tom Jones "It's not unusual" dance. He was corny as hell and I loved him for it! LOL And the time they found out about Jeffrey's shame - cheating at the marathon - priceless. As far as her checkin' Smith about his poor acting (and it was VERY poor acting, painful to watch acting), there is a way to correct someone that can be productive. Clearly if she did try to school him, she didn't do it in a tactful way.

Name: Dante

Comment: Come on folks that lady has been blacked listed since they fired her from the show and Will hasn't even lifted an ear to help her. He is the reason they fired her, why shouldn't she feel resentment against him. What if GOD was that way with us through the sinning we people have accomplish in our life, what if he turn his back on us. How would you feel.

Name: ss69054

Comment: Reds: I disagree. Yes, this woman has the right to disclaim whatever she wants. Nobody is saying she can't but Aunt Viv should move on. Why? One reason, it won't kill Will Smith's career and at the end of the day it definitely won't take away crumbs from his table. He is a permanent household name and the highest paid actors. People will continue to support his movies. Second reason, this book sounds nothing like juicy gossip and some allegations. We don't even know if it is true. I'm not a big fan of Will Smith but who cares. Third reason, will it be a bestseller? No, I don't think people are too impressed to hear what she has to say. Why wait all these years to speak out and why haven't the other cast members said anything against Will. Seems like she blacklisted herself with her crabby attitude.

Name: LazySusan

Comment: I'm glad this book is out. Because that joke of a show had more problems than just how they treated actresses. And it's because of this, that I don't doubt one thing this woman says. Will and that stupid show of his, were one of many, that perpetuated the stereotype that it was uncool and nerdy to be smart as a Black male. The way the Carlton character was demeaned, so that dumb azz Will could look hip, was a true disgrace. Suddenly Hilary turned from Valley Girl to some kind of Black Kelly Bundy. And as for 'Mrs. Banks', sorry but with Janet, at least it looked as if she and 'Uncle Phil' could've produced Hilary, Carlton and Ashley. But when Daphne Maxwell-Reid took over, I just didn't believe that visually, or emotionally, that that woman was their mother. This woman got fired because she at some point, hurt and offended Will's ego. Oh well.

Name: huey

Comment: Dante "What if GOD was that way with us through the sinning we people have accomplish in our life, what if he turn his back on us. How would you feel."---i woulda felt like i ought nottae been pisssing god off is how ida felt....

Name: ss69054

Comment: Why are u guys comparing slavery and God to this? I'm mean really?

Name: huey

Comment: LazySusan, i think the show was deeper than that, it touched some good issues, ie, the episode when the black frat wouldnt let carlton join, the episode when carlton almost died taking speed, the episode when Will got shot at the atm, the episode when Will gave a stunning performance when his dad didnt want him but he wanted to be with his dad...i think u are selling the show short.

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: MsBlake, if Will was prone to hooking people up he would have Black female performing opposite him "sometimes". He would have also thrown Jazzy a bone as well. It's all about him and he's not hooking anyone up outside his immediate family it seems.

Name: MsBlake

Comment: Co-sign DC Douglas. I totally understand her wanting closure but the reason why I feel she's bitter is because her side of the story is being turned into a tell-all book for financial gain, nothing new I guess. Someone mentioned earlier that they both may have been azzholes, this may be true, i.e. he was immature and her hormones were all over the place.

Name: yunvme

Comment: It seems to me that SHE fvked up her career, no one else. She was a trouble maker from the get go.

Name: goldengirl2

Comment: Why don't both Will and Janet try to meet each other half way an sit down and talk about the issues the have/had with each other, letting this bitterness go on for almost 20 years is ridiculous. LIFE IS TOO SHORT

Name: goldengirl2

Comment: correction- talk about the issues they have/had with each other.

Name: Renetta

Comment: I thought Wil was more conscious than that. I thought we had gotten over that light-skinned dark-skinned thing. If the ‘your mama so black’ thing is true, I’m disappointed to hear this about him. But I had heard years ago about he and Jada being bi-sexual, so nothing else about him would surprise me. I loved Janet Hubert – she was a beautiful, elegant ebony-skinned beautiful woman. I lost interest in the show when she left. The show stopped being funny when Wil took over everything.

Name: huey

Comment: goldengirl2, i wouldnt meet her halfway after she had done thrown the book at my azz. i woulda said "sheet, let that heffa sink or swim on her own".

Name: SUGA32

Comment: Will and Jazz are still friends. Jazz is doing his thang and Will is doing his. Gee Whiz. Some of you are really reaching. Yes "aunt viv" was talented but she made her choice and declined the offer. So what if she had bought a new home and had a little one on the way. That happens everyday and what do we do - we pick our unhappy a$$es up and find some other way to make ends meet to provide for our families. She should have spoken up about this back or at least asked for a meeting with Will and the producers. She reeks of bitterness and apparently her attitude has not improved. We watched Will grow on that show - and he could have done that with or without an "aunt viv"!!! Bottom-line if you want to make amends and seemingly act like an adult then be the bigger person and extend an olive branch or open dialogue. Her chosen method only makes her look petty; especially considering the time it has taken.

Name: WordUp

Comment: Will Smith ain't perfect. But I doubt his day will come to suffer the Hollywood syndrome of: "build him up tear him down." I firmly believe he was wrongfully prejudiced against Ms. Hubert. She wasn't pretty enough for him. She was too black, (I bet he thought to himself). I also believe he wanted her off the show (even though the show was successful with her), because Will probably tried to "direct" Ms. Hubert after Will became a power player on his show. Ms. Hubert likely resented that and probably said some things that made Will mad and he didn't want to work with her anymore. He wanted to show his muscle to have the power to get rid of her. I think Will was turned off by the color of Ms. Hubert's skin though. But at the same time, I don't think Will is a mean person for no reason. I think he did set out to get rid of Ms. Hubert because of her true Africanness. We know he's never been involved with dark black women. That brotha definitely got a thang for light skinned women.

Name: Reds

Comment: ss69054: “Nobody is saying she can't but Aunt Viv should move on.” …Neither you nor I has the right to say that. We can never know how hurtful that experience was for her and why it continues to be hurtful years later. It’s just not our place to make that call. … I don’t think she wrote this book to kill Will Smith’s career, I think she is smart enough to know that it is more likely to hurt hers. I don’t think she wrote it to be a best seller either. I think she wrote it to genuinely express how hurt she was, and maybe the timing has to do with getting someone willing to publish it after all these years.

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: Co-sign, Reds--->"This woman was dumped not because she tried to negotiate her salary, but because Will Smith wanted her gone. He didn’t want someone on the set who had the guts to tell him when he was effing up and being disrespectful. His ego was too big for that, so he used his power and influence to get rid of her, using the salary negotiation as an excuse."

Name: Mas90

Comment: Gurlfraud...ur stupid... she did try to move on. You can't be succcessful in the business if you've been BLACKLISTED, ya dummy. Didn't you read the article? MsBLAKE... your quote: "she shoulda just accepted the deal especially knowing how difficult it is for black actresses in the industry". WHAT? Did you not listen to what they offered her? Just 10 episodes out of 27 and you can't do NOTHING else in the business, tv or film, except for 2 guest appearences. She would locked and notable to do anything else. The woman wants to work a full season not less than half. Also, understand taking the ten... she would have to turn down other leading roles except for just two guest shots. You're trying to talk about the business but you don't have no idea of what you're saying. She is speaking out now because they likely had a gag on her for years. You would be bitter to if you're 9 to 5 job said, you can only work 20hrs a week and only for half of the year and can't except any other jobs. i don't blme here for writing the book. She needs to make a living too!!!

Name: MsBlake

Comment: Melodycool, Will was behind the predominantly black show 'All of Us'. When asked by an interviewer why he did the show, he said one of the reasons is to give his people jobs. Will fought for Vivica Fox to be his woman in Independence day. He has had black love interests in other films. If we're going to hold that against him then it should apply to other black actors n' actresses, Denzel, Halle berry and nem. He hooked up Carlton, making him a co-director with Debbie Allen for his show. Tried to get his nephew in the rap game. Also maybe Jazz did not want to be an actor. He's prolly just happy doing his neo-soul stuff. The list goes on........

Name: Reds

Comment: Queeniebunz: “BUT it's been TWENTY YEARS. Holding onto something that long is pathological and requires therapy and I'm not being facetious” … But maybe this is the only therapy that will work for her, venting in public with a book. At least now, she may be able to “move on.”

Name: Kaya

Comment: There is a lot of truth in this story and most of it was known at the time. In all fairness, I think writing this book and getting it all out is her way of moving. Will was a complete azz at the time, no question about that. But both could have handled the situation better. He did go on to become HUGE. It would be interesting to hear a response from him because I think even he would have to admit it was not his finest moment. Respect.

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: ss69054, it's not about killing Will's career, but making folks aware of what's happening in Hollyweird. It's bad enough they hate the sight of Black skin on female actresses, but to have Will rub it in is unforgivable. I'm so glad I was never enamored of this man.

Name: SUGA32

Comment: Her sense of entitlement because she was a "seasoned or trained" actress in addition to her fukked up attitude blew up in her face and she's blaming everyone except herself. She still can't get over the issue of them not negotiating her salary. She had a WTF moment that's never ended and figures the world should know. How would she feel if Will called a press conference to apologize to her. That would ultimately make him the bigger man (showing that he has sense grown from the ignorant rapper) and she would still be %*$!ed cause she didn't get the shine. Give me a break! She needs to have some sip - sip and keep it moving.

Name: McNasty

Comment: PgDn the little girl on my wife and kids couldn't act nor did she look right. Everybody in the house was brown skinned and she was chocolate.

Name: huey

Comment: McNasty, so are u saying the child looked like a an over cooked popcorn kernel in a freshly popped bag of orville redenbocker?

Name: Exmun

Comment: See now... this is one of those situations where "keeping it real goes all wrong." Whether Will Smith is or was an azzhole is a matter of interpretation, better interpreted at the time it occured. However, even if you give her the benefit of doubt that what she says Will did is absolutely true, he may have had a 'degree' of power on that show 13 years ago but now after becoming a full fledged HOLLYWOOD star he REALLY NOW has the power to get people paid and greenlight projects. And, with all of the years of acting, now he REALLY can act (Oscar nomination for 'Ali' anyone?). She could have put herself in a spot to ALLOW Will to make amends for his youthful ignorance and arrogance, but by playing this keeping-it-real card with the tell-all book, she doesn't give a man with true Hollywood power who's now in a position to 'get her paid and working.' This is just another sad story of folks who marinated on silly stuff too long and was playing checkers while they should have been playing chess.

Name: Reds

Comment: Huey: “Reds "why don’t we as blacks just get over slavery?"....(huey staring at Reds, blinking)...and u equate these two as being synonymous becccauusseee?” …. Because of the time factor. The prevailing opinion is that Janet Hubert should get over it because it’s so many years. The point is that when something hurtful is done, folks don’t necessarily just get over it with time. It may need a genuine apology or something done to make up for it. … A genuine apology from the US for slavery and some form of reparation may help some of us to just “get over” slavery. The same from Will Smith may help in Janet’s case. Or maybe finally getting the opportunity to vent through her book may help her to just “get over it.”

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: Janet has spoken out in the past on these very issues so I'd be shocked if Will responded at this point. He needs to understand what he did tho.

Name: WordUp

Comment: We can't blame this lady for trying to make a buck by telling her side of the story. Will Smith has adversely affected her life single handedly. It just goes to show if you don't kiss up to the right person, you will screw up a good thing for yourself. That even applies in the corporate world. Azz kissin is a fact of life to get ahead.

Name: SUGA32

Comment: Ok, here were her options - take the deal and still get paid something and not make any other appearances (as a seasoned or trained actress - why did she enter into a deal with these possibilities anyway?)or to totally be a$$ed out in the industry as "alleged" with nothing although she had personal obligations - Regular folk would be called stupid or lazy if they declined the deal cause they didn't take advantage of the available resources. Why isn't she held accountable for her decision and actions. We don't even know if Will had a hand in her not really being there anymore. Those that are taken her side have assumed that she is telling the whole truth which is bs. She was strong then and could have bust this thing wide open back then. She could have fought in the struggle and impacted the dark-skinned vs light-skinned issue with AA actresses, but she didn't do that either. She's put it out there now - let's hope she can finally let it go.

Name: dede0320

Comment: Wow!!!I think she really needs to move on with her life. Will has power in Hollywood, do not underestimate him. AS far as him telling "yo momma"jokes, I don't believe that, becuase someone would have spoke about it before now. I have to question Ms. Hubert's motives, she is quite an arrogant person and why would she put Dawwn Lewis on blast? Thats why I question her motives. She is the better Vivian Banks, but hey, maybe thats the direction the show was going in, I mean when she left they were going to college I believe, so there was no need to have her around all the time right?

Name: MsBlake

Comment: The reason I am not buying this dark skin excuse is because if it was that much of an issue for the show they woulda had a light skin woman in the role in the first place. Also I believe Janet suffered the same fate as most black actresses who leave successful shows (with or without drama). Jill Marie Jones from Girlfirends, Rachel True from Half n Half, Countess vaughn from parkers, all the daughters in the Cosby show except Raven....The list goes on. Oh and its even harder when one is approaching or has already hit forty.

Name: dede0320

Comment: Oh and TJ Will's mom is a dark skinned lady, not the same hue as Janet but dark nonetheless.

Name: Mas90

Comment: Reds... you make a good point.

Name: dcdouglass01

Comment: Smoozing is a part of the acting business, particularly for something as high profile as a TV series. You'd better be on good working terms with the director, producers, other actors, etc., or there are going to be problems. Having been an actress for years prior to the start of the "Fresh Prince...," you'd think Hubert would have been well aware of that. But to meet the guy playing the lead character---and who's character's name is in the title of the show---with the attitude of "Rappers don’t impress me. Their ideology...what they’ve done to our children...": that would seem to have been the foundation of the 10-show offer (a setup/trap for her firing by the way, which she fell into perfectly with her rebuttal).

Name: SUGA32

Comment: > MsBlake - agreed!

Name: dede0320

Comment: Ms. Blake , Rachel True did not leave Half and Half it was cancelled, and only Lisa Bonet left the Cosby show. Also Jill Marie Jones has in fact been one of the most successful out of all the Girlfriends cast and even moreso since she left, she has had numerous big screen roles. I have to question the source of your infromation.

Name: Kaya

Comment: Believe it dede. Will has told those types of jokes on many occasions.

Name: dede0320

Comment: I do agree with your comment about the dark skinned issue, I don't think it was a problem since it was cast fron the beginning and her sisters were cast perfectly also. I think Ms. Hubert is just reaching...I don't think Will had anything to do with the casting anyhow.

Name: huey

Comment: Reds, she wont no slave, she a well appointed spoiled brat that was over paid to begin with and started shooting off her pie hole and got gotten. she was NOT a slave. and she didnt deseve NO apology and NO reparations.

Name: dede0320

Comment: Really Kaya?, he should have been called out on that long before today, becuase maybe the dark skinned women should not be buying his movie tickets. Oh yes this can hurt him, too, Wesley Snipes and Terrance Howard, thought it could not hurt them either when some things came to the light, betta watch out, Sisters will make you azz pay!!Will might want to issue a statement regarding this mess.

Name: Exmun

Comment: Now the whole "Rappers don’t impress me. Their ideology...what they’ve done to our children" tends to suggest that Janet Hubert didn't know shyt about Will Smith then or now. Will Smith's rapping can't HONESTLY be put in the category of his contemporaries in the gangsta rap or other hard core rap world. Janet sounds like a dufus saying that.

Name: stellababy5

Comment: I've been waiting for this for a long time.Everything she's saying is so true.At one time she came in to my firms office for a consultation.There is alot more then what she's telling you right now.But I will wait for the book to come out.Will Smith did say to our attornies that this is the Will Smith show not the Aunt Viv's or anyone else's show.What's on the surface is not always true.Good for you Janet"Aunt Viv"Hubert.I will be buying your book.I hope you folks realize that because of the backlash it caused a trickle down affect to other dark-skinned actresses.When is the last time you've seen the sista who played Ice Cube's mother in that "Hood" movie? Angela B%*$et,Latonya Richardson,Sheryl Lee Ralph,Diahann Carroll,other than Lincoln Heights where do you see the woman who plays the mother.People wake-up,there is a shortage of COLOUR in the hollywood Industry and we can change that.Lets start by buying Aunt Viv's book,and taking a look at what we can and can't control.I personnally stopped watching Fresh Prince when the real Aunt Viv was no longer there.Dahpne was only really good in "Franks Place",and as Eartha the hooker on that short-lived show with Pam Grier,Golden Brooks and Steven Williams.It was about a bar in DC.On Showtime about 10 years ago.

Name: MsBlake

Comment: Dede, I never meant these actresses quit their shows, I was trying to say they have not reached the same level of success since leaving/cancellation etc. I happen to be fan of alot of them so I'm always checking the site IMDB to see what they're up to and it pains me to see they are not doing much. Jill Marie Jones for example has had bit parts but nothing major, same with the other women from the show. Some are lucky like Tichina Arnold and Tisha Martin who have been on two hit shows but that is not always the case with black actresses.

Name: Big10

Comment: Well, she's telling everything in these interviews she's doing. Why bother selling the book if you're gonna tell everything? I'll wait for the bargain bin.

Name: SUGA32

Comment: True enough that Will did tell those type of jokes sometimes. We should also remember the time period - those mama jokes and the dozens were extremely popular during that period. It doesn't make it right cause they were quite hurtful sometimes but like hurts. Just like some people get breaks and others don't. You keep moving until you reach your goal. If you're not calling the shots then you will always have cases as such. They just didn't take her back. Now what have you done lately, lady.

Name: queeniebunz

Comment: >huey - those shows may have been about relevant topics BUT the acting was so poor that watching it was ridiculous. Will and his Dad? Overly melodramatic and not believable. Ridiculous. Any sure that whole thing about the black frat and him not being "black enough" was supposed to be deep or whatever but let's be real. Carlton was too white for even white frats! And he was a dork. I liked him as a dork but that's what he was. I think Hubert is a beautiful woman outwardly but on the inside, she got some issues. I was thinking about it - do people below 30 even know anything about this? Will Smith has been "Will Smith" since 1996 when he did "Independence Day". All people know now is him as a superstar and her as an actor on a re-run on Nichelodeon and TVLand. Don't nobody even know who she is. Who's gonna buy this book???

Name: Kaya

Comment: And the other thing is, Willl didn't have a lot of pull when the show was first cast. Though the part was created for him, he was nearly broke at the time. But that changed once the show became such a big hit.

Name: Teigh

Comment: Fresh Prince...based loosely on the true story of Benny Medina was a vehicle for Will Smith from the get go. What isn't mentioned here is that when the Fresh Prince made it's debut...for like the first three to five years Will wasn't even receiving most of his salary. He was DEEP in debt to the IRS to the tune of millions. Will has admitted that he was an a$$hole on the set when he started. If you watch the early shows you can even see him mouthing all the parts. He fully admitted he wasn't an actor. Janet did get blackballed. People negotiate for more money all the time. Anna Horsford did it when she starred in Amen. Back then it was the top rated show but the lowest paid show. It's not what you do...it's how you do it. Anna Horsford got more money to play Thelma. Losing a negotiation is one thing...but losing a career is another thing. I would bet Benny had more to do with that than Quincy. Benny can be more demanding than the folks he represents. If you remember Benny tried to put LL on tv as Will was movin into film. LL had a show for a minute but notice LL hasn't worked with Benny or Quincy since. Difference there-- LL wasn't in debt, LL dated Quincy's daughter and got put on...but after LL got put on he went back for Simone, married her and took his family to LA. Janet does need to move on but I can only imagine how she must feel. Her "intellect" (if you will) got the better of her judgement and if she could do it all over again, no doubt she would handle it differently.

Name: yunvme

Comment: She's playing the "dark" card. She should be ashamed of herself.

Name: Exmun

Comment: stellababy5, uh... uhm... are you 'seriously' blaming the shortage of Black actresses in all of TV and Hollywood movies on a young, damn Will Smith? You have got to be kidding here?

Name: DCGG

Comment: bytch get on, you wait 20 fuvkin years to come out with "he made Yo mama so black jokes"??? She sounds bitter and insecure...Smith been an azzhole for years, no story here...

Name: Kaya

Comment: Haha. Teigh, do I know you?

Name: SUGA32

Comment: Teigh great point! I understand that she was hurt. However, part of me is inclinded to believe that she wouldn't handle it differently. The tone and elitist attitude is there. So, nope....ole girl would probably react the same way!

Name: Teigh

Comment: Will HAD ALOT OF PULL AT THAT TIME. Will was never considered a credible rapper that could go toe to toe with Rakim or KRS one (who were his contemporaries at that time) but what most folks don't even know is that Nas ghost wrote most of Will's rap's. Nas makes more money ghost writing for others than he does his own music. Nas don't want that out there but it's true. Will was a safe rapper...he crossed over...whites liked him...parents liked him. They (Benny & Quincy) wanted to take that to television and make money. So yes Will was aware of what his presence was bringing to the table...but he also knew it was an opportunity to have another chance because he messed up all the money he made while rapping.

Name: Mas90

Comment: SUGA... did you not get it? She's not reaching her goal. She's been BLACKLISTED! Same thing happen to Stephanie Mills. That's why she had to go to gospel. Dawn Lewis is not successful. After her getting booted she hasn't done much at all. Jill Marie hasn't done much either.

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: stellababy5, and don't forget Phyllis Yvonne Stickney...another he11uva Black actress. Yes, it had a trickle down effect, but people like Will could care less about truly breaking down barriers. Most of our men in Hollywood believe dark skin is only acceptable on them and have no problem with what's happening to Black women in Hollywood...it's just another reason for them to be paired with nonblacks.

Name: MsBlake

Comment: There is a possibility Janet was talking down to Will because she was older and more experienced. If he was actin a fool which I'm sure he prolly was, dude is goofy like that, then calling him aside for a quiet word may have been the best option. Thats normally the best way to handle youngsters with an ego, makes them feel grown. Also If Will was that bad, why is she the ONLY cast member complaining????? hmmm

Name: yunvme

Comment: How/when/why was Stephanie blacklisted? I've never heard that. I've never heard she was difficult. She had MANY hit records and grammies.

Name: Harriet

Comment: The color issue is the biggest issue here for me. Will's "your mama so black" jokes, Quincy- wearetheworld- Jones, refusing to do anything about it, the network offering her an absurd contract and her character being replaced with a woman of much fairer skin, is blacklisted in the highest sense of the word. The only other person of a somewhat swarthy hue on that show was Jazz, and he was constantly seen being tossed from the big house. Will Smith has admitted that he was an arrogant pompous azz and when you behave that way you step on somebody. You step on an elder or someone who has made possible the benefits and opportunities that you now enjoy. Color consciousness amongst African Americans is a very real issue and it most adversely affects Black Women AND when we try to talk about it, you get the response that Janet is getting: "get over it," or "go somewhere and sit down."

Name: kevobx12

Comment: It's call showbiz, 90% business 10% show which is never personal.

Name: dede0320

Comment: Ms. Blake I stand corrected, but I do cosign with your posts.

Name: TGen

Comment: I hate to say it, as I think Will is probably a decent guy, but I have to co-sign Melodycool, Stellababy, and Harriet, in that the part that stuck out most to me was the "dark-skinned" thing. I've never really gotten into the light skinned vs dark skinned thing too much (becaue I'm neither, lol), but I've never denied that the color issue is very real, and most of the time, it seems dark-skinned women get the short end of the stick. And if honest, when I think about Will Smith, I cannot think of him being linked (eitehr personally or professionally really save Regina King in Enemy of the State) to a dark-skinned lady. So I can soooo see what "Aunt Viv" saying to be truthful. I can see it. There I said it, I can see Will Smith not being perfect.

Name: WordUp

Comment: Janet best be careful. Or Jada will be kickin some black azz. LOL!

Name: Teigh

Comment: Janet fully admitted she didn't even know who this kid (Will) was. She didn't GET IT. She probably thought he could be recast...not her. She didn't realize he was in the executive producers from the beginning. He was the money card. She never really mattered but she didn't know that. There are alot of pi$$ed off actors who studied their craft for years only to play second fiddle to rappers because they have a built in audience. I'm really surprised Lil Wayne hasn't moved into film. He probably can't talk (enunciate) so they really can't make no money off him. Anthony Mackie should have gotten the lead when Raisin In The Sun was recast...or even Don Cheadle. Puffy was cast to bring in the hip hop crowd...and it worked. Could he really follow Sidney Poitier...heck no! But now dude thinks he should play James Bond? really? Janet never had a plan B...she's mad alright...but it's misdirected. She should be mad at herself.

Name: Mas90

Comment: Co-sign Harriet!

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: MsBlake, no matter how tactful and diplomatic she was during her talk with Will...I'm sure the mere fact that she dared open her mouth was enough to set her up.

Name: Angel

Comment: OK...so let me get this straight. She accepted a gig without doing ANY research (i.e. she wasn't aware that Will was the star of the show and he was a rapper) so she had no clue that her multi-talent would play 3rd or 4th fiddle to someone with zero acting talent. AND the first day on the job, she was manuevering for more money?!? Heffa please!!! You sound like drama from the start. Maybe it was because your nose was so far in the air that you ended up on the outside looking in. And for the record...when Will started this show, HE WAS FLAT BROKE. He owed the IRS so much money that they took most of his money from this show in first couple of seasons, so I don't know how "powerful" he was back then...

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: Mas90, I've been silently co-signing with you for the very first time. Just thought I'd share cause you gave me the impression you despised sistas. Your stance means a lot. ;-)

Name: Kaya

Comment: Sorry, that should have been that Will didn't have a lot of pull with the original contracts and salary negotiations when the show was first cast. Yes, he definitely had the draw.

Name: Gurlfrand

Comment: >Mas90 - you don't know me enough to call me names - what are you in 9th grade - this woman obviously has some severe emotional problems - it's great you relate closely with her on that - game recognizes game, boy........

Name: MsBlake

Comment: Co-sign Teigh. I totally understand when folks get ticked off when non actors are just handed roles, no audition nothing, but its a case of 'don't hate the player hate the game'. If you go over to the movie website IMDB, 50 cents has 11 films in production for 2009 and 2010. Can u believe that??? Professional actor like Michael Ealy has only one and thats in 2010, nothin for 2009.. Sigh!!!

Name: Mas90

Comment: Melody...:) You made me smile. I don't hate women. I get mad when I'm put down for something I can't change about myself.

Name: Teigh

Comment: Janet wasn't asking for more money from day one. Will didn't have pull with salaries and negotiations but Will was Benny's guy and Benny's guy wasn't going anywhere. sorry folks That's PULL when you're a non-credited broke "actor" who really hasn't done anything beyond selling millions of records (before bootleg people) cause Will made a lot of money rapping back then. Those numbers are hard to reach today.

Name: Mas90

Comment: Teigh... ur so right. When I heard Puff got that lead role. I know Phylicia Rashad must've sh*tted on herself!

Name: Mas90

Comment: Gurlfraud... but you are. You obviously have not kept up with Aunt Viv 'cause homegirl started writing children's books to make money. This woman did move on. Now she trying to cash in on the truth. I bet you they had a gag on her for 10 years. They figured after that it would not even matter.

Name: MsBlake

Comment: Melodycool, you're prolly right, Janet being diplomatic may not have made a difference, we don't really know but she does come across as somwehat uppity. Refering to Will's music as damaging to children is...well....untrue. She probably did approach him about the way he was carrying on but sometimes its not so much what u say but how u say it. That prolly made them butt heads.

Name: yunvme

Comment: jealousy and envy in an older person is so unattractive. Its unattractive for anyone- but especially when its someone thats older and they are jealous of a kid. Same thing happened on Good Times.

Name: Teigh

Comment: Mas90...you make a good point about the gag order. It was more than likely a part of her "settlement" which happens all the time!

Name: Angel

Comment: Teigh - the article said "Yet Hubert says in the first season, before she even knew who Will Smith was, she tried to get him to join her in uniting the cast so that they could ask for more money." If she was trying to unite folks before she even knew who Will was, that sounds like she was trying to get more money from jump to me....

Name: 1VAsweetsexy

Comment: Exactly MsBlake to your first post (post num 2)the show is and was about the Fresh Prince going to a upper clase family and neighborhood and fitting in..Wil Smith was corny and would be still corny if my girl(Jada) had not come in and "changed" somethings- ..I love them and wish Aunt Viv can get it together and get tht hate out of her blood..WoooSaaaawww!!

Name: Penelope

Comment: Again, by her own admission, she was offered a contract which she declined. Now I don't know what came with that declination, but the bottom line is that she said, "Thanx, but no thanx." How Will Smith ends up being blamed for her decision to decline a very lucrative offer just seems a bit of a stretch. I think Ms. Hubert needs to accept the fact that SHE turned down the offer. Period. She turned it down. Period. No more questions. She turned it down, thinking that there would be a counter. I guess I understand that if you were a player in a production, and your contract was up for negotiating, that there would be an offer made. That did in fact, happen. But, where is the rule that says if the player turns down an offer, that there had to be a second offer. How it it go from "I turned them down" to "I can't believe Will would do this to me." I'm sorry, but unclutch your pearls, and take the lumps. YOU TURNED THE OFFER DOWN!

Name: Reds

Comment: Kaya: “And the other thing is, Willl didn't have a lot of pull when the show was first cast.” … “He had a lot of power. He had full power on that set! Maybe not the first season, but by the second, third season he was basically running it,” she states.

Name: Dovelyone

Comment: Out of all that's been said here, it's the "yo mama so Black" jokes that is most disappointing. I agree that Aunt Viv has the right to express her story in her way, her time, for whatever reason. I agree that Will was young and immature and Aunt Viv should have had a next plan. I agree that Janet was the better Aunt Viv. Per the evergreen dark/light-skinned fight: I don't have those hangups and I am a mocha-kissed sistah with a BEAUTIFUL COMPLEXION. But the yo mama jokes combined with will's proclivity for LATINA CO-LEADS (Yes, he's had more Latina ones that Black ones) makes one wonder....

Name: queeniebunz

Comment: I have to agree about "Raisin in the Sun". I love Anthony Mackie. He is an excellent actor. I hope he moves up in the ranks because the boy is bad. I love Don Cheadle, too but I think he was a bit too old for the role. As for Puffy, I couldn't stand to watch his ugly, bucked tooth, cross-eyed azz in that role on TV. He shoulda worn sunglasses during the movie. After seeing him in that, I realized why he wears shades all the time. If I was doin' him, I'd either need him to wear the shades to bed, have the room as dark as Marcus when he did Eartha Kitt in "Boomerang" or have him close his eyes. Blech.

Name: Teigh

Comment: Angel...Janet wasn't replaced immediately...now was she. What Will more than likely did was become the eyes and ears for Benny...who made most of the money. It was his story, he was the executive producer. Will made nice cause he was getting out of debt and was still what (maybe 20 something) he was an immature kid...the same person who did not want to pay up in his divorce from his first wife. Denzel even called him and said give the girl the money! Yes Jada helped him grow into what he has become today!

Name: Mas90

Comment: Penelope... i don't think you get it. A full season is 22 episodes. This particular season they decided to do 27! 5 more episodes is huge deal when you're lucky to do a full season already. It's cost big money to run an episode of a show. They offered her only 10! ONLY 10 out of 27! WTF? The woman wants to work more not less. Lets see how you act if you're job cuts your hours down. What you gonna do? Negoitate for a better offer! People kill me to think that business is just so easy and that there is some type of job bank available to run to if you lose work. All these studios have restricitions in your contract. You can't get pregnant, cut your hair, color your hair, get piercings, chop off you leg, work next door, talk to yo momma, etc.

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: A gag order does make sense. Never thought about that one, but I know Janet has been giving talks to small gathering about her issues with Will.

Name: TGen

Comment: Penelope, I suggest you read Mas90's post upthread. He gives a very plausible explanation of why she might have turned that offer. It was an insulting offer from jump, not even for the whole season. No agent worth his salt would encourage his client (who was beleived to be an intricate part of the show) to accept that offer. However, both client and actress miscalculated, not necessarily her worth to the show, but the power the young star wielded. You would think they would have seen the handwriting on the wall after that offer (ie "They're trying to get rid of you Janet) but for whatever reason they didn't. But I don't see how she's at fault for not accepting what was apparently a very insulting offer. I think of all the posts, Mas90 seems to have his finger on what probably went down most accurately.

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: Penelope, you should read Reds breakdown on how Janet was set up most likely and that disasterous contract was a ruse.

Name: Penelope

Comment: No Mas, I do get it. But she declined their offer. Should she have negotiated better, probably. But, she said she thought the studio would come back with a different offer. She thought wrong. That's is completely unfortunate, because I liked her in the role. That episode where she danced is one of my all time favorites. But she turned down their offer. The studios at that point I don't believe were obligated to extend any additional offers. Especially if they thought someone else would take less and be happy. So, that's my thinking on that. Oh, I get it. I really do. She turned down the offer with an expectation that there would be a second one, but it didn't happen. She punted, but it did not yield the results she expected. Further, I don't think in the big scheme of things that Will Smith has the power to make all of that happen. I'd like to know how the rest of the cast feels.

Name: Penelope

Comment: We are all speculating. I'm just saying that she said she turned down the offer. She thought the studio would offer her something different but they didn't. She's not the first person that has ever happened to. And as far as MY JOB is concerned, I'm not declining anything until I find something new. So, if my package is changed, then that's my cue to make some decisions. But, until I have something I can hold on to, I think I'll keep what I got.

Name: Angel

Comment: Teigh - At the end of the day, Will DID pay up in his divorce and is currently friends with his ex... It sounds like she came to the first meeting not having done her due diligence and was going around trying to unite folks to ask for more money. Who does that? How unprofessional is that? It sounds like Will wasn't the only immature/a**hole on the set. At the end of the day, she turned down their offer and was replaced. Maybe if she would've spent more time building bridges instead of being a trouble maker from day one, they might've been more willing to negotiate...I'm just saying. Wasn't she the ONLY main character on the show given the boot?! That speaks for itself. Some how he was able to "take care" of everybody else.

Name: MzTee

Comment: There's always three sides to every story -- the two people involved each have his/her version and the truth. If Janet Hubert needs to write a tell all book to get her truth out there, so be it. I think both she and Will both could have handled the situation differently. But, it didn't work out that way. As Reds wrote, no one has the right to tell her she should get over it. Folks process things differently and there is no pre-set acceptable amount of time to get over something.

Name: Kaya

Comment: Reds- agreed, and that was my point. People were asking why he allowed a dark skinned woman to be cast in the first place. The original casting decisions were not his. Thanks.

Name: Mas90

Comment: Penelope... negoitate better? From what it sounds like... Janet only gave one chance to respond back. They NEVER came back to her. They just said %*$!( good-bye! How do you know what is a better offer? Unless, you're pychic you will never know. SMH

Name: yunvme

Comment: because this show wasn't produced by someone white, she cant play the race card. So she is now claiming "yo momma jokes" about dark skinned women. She has no shame. She has been talking this same ish since the 90's and I am just learning about these jokes. She played herself.

Name: queeniebunz

Comment: >MzTee - I can only speak for myself but I think she should get over it because she is keeping herself back from what she could be dwelling on the past. There have been many people in the industry who were given really raw deals but the ones who come back from it do so because they put it behind them and keep plugging along. I don't know exactly what she did after that but to be writing a book like this now makes it look like not much is going on. And, think about it. When someone is interviewed who got a raw deal but did very well after it he/she usually just chalks it up and doesn't dwell on it, doesn't spill the tea about it and doesn't really comment at all. To write a whole book about it - not very smart. Not smart at all and it looks like you've been chewing on them sour grapes so long that vinegar would come out if somebody stabbed you.

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: yunvme, you can try and stifle any discussion on the the colorism issue, but when it's to "your" benefit then naturally you gonna "feign" ignorance...until it's "your" turn that is. Every dog has his day!

Name: Reds

Comment: Kaya: “Reds- agreed, and that was my point. … The original casting decisions were not his.” … Got you.

Name: DOne

Comment: So they cut her episodes down to 10 and she would have not been able to accept any other work. Sounds to me like they were just trying to force her out; they know she would not accept that. Now I agree the show was built around Will and everyone else was just supporting cast. However, I read that she stated that Will's people made sure that no one else on the show could do the tonight show and was limited in their public appearances. Well I could see this happening also. If you are Will's managers you want to make sure all focus stays on him; too often with sitcoms, some support cast member will steal every scene and then all of a certain the show focuses more on that character. Will's people made sure that would not happen with the Fresh Prince. Unfortunately, some toes were stepped on in the process; I'm sure she's not the only one. I think Will is probably a decent guy,however, I think anyone at his level of success in Hollywood have probably stepped on many toes. Show business is dirty and most people in it are extremely self centered. Now the skin color issue is beginning to bug me about Will. Early in his movie career he was obviously not in a position to choose the female leads; ironically it was early when he was cast with sisters of a darker tone; however the bigger he has become the lighter his co stars has become. At this point I do think it's intentional. He's obviously at a point that he can pick his female leads and if he continues on the trend of only casting latino or white actresses; even as a man I'll have to take issue.

Name: MzTee

Comment: QB...you're entitled to your opinion and I respect it. But, I think folks should also respect this woman's right to process her feelings in her way and on her own time. Yes, it might not be the way you or I would do it. But, again, there is no prescribed format for how processing hurt and anger should be handled and for how long. Her blessings are on the CREATOR's timetable. What is hers will be given to her when the time is right. Perhaps, this is a huge cathartic step the CREATOR is leading her to take in order for her to truly receive all her blessings.

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: queeniebunz, dehumanizing Black women comes quite easily to some and I definitely include you in that number. You need to stop trying to dictate the time limits on what Janet needs to express/feel just because you can't identify with her experience and probably believe it could never happen to members of your own community.

Name: Grace12_34

Comment: Oh, well, if all this IS true, life will come back to bite Will Smith on the azz, just like it does every one else. Glad she wrote the book, so we won't be surprised IF and when that happens. I co-sign with Soulmusic101. Karma's a bytch and always will be.

Name: yunvme

Comment: so what is it about her or her personality that the producers of the show were trying to "force her out"? What does that tell you? She is trying to make Will the fall guy.

Name: Exmun

Comment: While I sympathize with the food that was literally taken off her table with her contract not being renewed, her speech betrays her as a "strong personality." And if Will or his handlers were set on making him and him only the star of that show, it goes without saying that the shows creators had to quiet all loud dissenting voices. Not saying it's right, just saying that I can understand it happening, because it happens all the time. In many ways, the ends justify the means. In the case of Will Smith, his ends turned out pretty a'ight. So it seems that his handlers made the right decision (A-S-SUming he or his people did push the network to give Janet Hubert the ax). And I'm saying this as someone who liked her version of "Aunt Viv" to Daphne Maxwell Reid's version.

Name: TGen

Comment: Yunvme: "so what is it about her or her personality that the producers...were trying to "force her out"? "That heffa's making our star--our meal ticket--uncomfortable, ruffling feathers and whatnot, complaining about jokes and ish. If he wants her gone, that darkie's outta here."

Name: Grace12_34

Comment: I co-sign with Harriet about the color consciousness issue in the African American community. I have gone to middle school with dark-skin girls who were so traumatized from being ridiculed about their complexions that it has affected their self-esteem as adults. So, for those of you who are saying this woman needs to "get over it," you just don't realize that people NEVER get over this. As a teacher, I have protected dark-skin girls from ridicule of other students. This doesn't need to be brushed off, swept aside or swept under a rug. This needs to STOP. It is a reflection of the society at large. It is just plain wrong, uncivilized, and NEGROIDIAN.

Name: yunvme

Comment: Was she fired because she was dark skinned?

Name: Taurusingr

Comment: Yo?...dude has become a "good actor" & all?, but as far as "I'm" concerned?, it ain't NEVVA "too late" for....THE TRUTH! And you can't "bury that shyt" for evva neeeeeeither! Also, if you haaaaave been "wronged AND blackballed"?, WTF WOULDN'T be "bitter"! Sheeeeeeeit! Yall no damn well yall "smelled that shyt" back in the day! Now, this woman might sound/seem uppity"?, but "this" is prolly?.... the REAL shyt, son! Nature!

Name: queeniebunz

Comment: >MzTee - I understand what you are saying. I do. BUT you can only move past something if you put energy towards trying. Forgiveness is something not mentioned here. And see, what I've learned is that forgiveness is 1) something you need to ask God for help with because sometimes you can't do it by yourself and 2) forgiveness is sometimes more for your sake than the person who did you wrong. Forgiveness releases you from the hurt/pain and no, it doesn't happen immediately. I know that. BUT 20 years? That's a long time. A long time. And when you stay hung up in the past, you block your future blessings. That's all I'm saying. 20 years is a lot of time to hold on to anything especially something as minor as a job. And yes, in the scheme of things a job is minor. Does she have her health? Do her arms and legs work? Is she in her right mind? Is her child healthy? Is she a good parent? Is she helping people in the community? Those are the things that are important because when it comes down to it, do you want to be remembered for being a good person - a good parent and a good daughter and a good citizen in general who enriches the lives of people around you or do you want to be remembered as that bitter lady who wrote a book about getting kicked off a sit-com? It ain't really that serious. I'm not belittling her career by saying that. I just think that people are not really focused on the big picture. When you don't keep things in perspective, you dwell on things that don't deserve that much time, energy and emotion. You can disagree if you want, of course, but that's my take on it.

Name: Southernbelle

Comment: "Rappers don’t impress me. Their ideology…what they’ve done to our children. I’m really not impressed,” she concludes." Well, I can understand why she needed to leave the set early. If you feel like this towards the star of the show then I guess things could feel uncomfortable.

Name: TGen

Comment: Yunvme, NO. She was fired (ie offered a sub par contract) because she and the star--the meal ticket--did not get along apparently. Why they didn't get along might have to do with her being dark-skinned (who knows?), but it was the dissension with the meal ticket that cost her her gig. That's what I gather. And for the record, I don't condone tell-all's. I think they're tacky, especially the notion of capitalizing off of someone's fame who you say you don't respect (ala the Goldmans trying to prosper of OJ's book). But like Chris Rock says, "I ain't saying she shoulda done it...but I understand." lol

Name: khufu

Comment: why dopeople always say that? "She sounds bitter" as though she doesnt have a right to be or if being bitter is wrong........sheet if someone fooked your career up, youd be bitter as well....being bitter doesnt mean you have let it go or moved on...it's just that when you talk about it, the emotions attached to the person or situation cause you bitterness

Name: yunvme

Comment: Ok Tgen. Just wanted to clear that up. This is why I feel she brought up the "yo momma so dark" jokes. For sympathy only. What better way than to get at least black women on her side? Her complexion most likely had nothing to do with her being fired. It was her attitude. Anyone who on the first episode is trying to get a little "union" going is asking for trouble. She thought cause she went to school for acting that she was a "seasoned" artist. NOT. She had the attitude that she was better than most and she fvked up her own future.

Name: queeniebunz

Comment: >Grace- Ya know, that teasing goes both ways. Hurt people hurt people. You know what I mean so I'll leave it at that. And self-esteem like what you're talking about begins in the home. I have a really good friend who is dark as she wanna be but nobody can tell her she's not beautiful because she believes she is. And she is beautiful - pretty clear skin, natural hair - all of that. Her parents nurtured her to have pride in who and what she is. So yeah, playground antics are rough but if your parents tell you you're the shiznits, nobody on no playground gonna convince you differently. I can imagin my girlfriend on the playground w/somebody teasing her. I know she'd give them her azz to kiss even as a child. That kind of nurturing she had ain't easy. And unfortunately it's not as common as it should be but it is what is necessary.

Name: Taurusingr

Comment: P.S...not only did they "recast" the role?, but the NEW Aunt Viv"?, was a "quiet,less seeeeeeen, and not quiet as intelligent Aunt Viv"!, & without the "sista vibe" "this" woman brought to the role! (& rightfully so "I" might add!!) So....WTF do yall think "that" was changed also!? Will was "EGO TRIPPIN" plain & simple!

Name: khufu

Comment: Oh shut the fook up with that sheet! "She was probably jealous 'cause..." damn....the woman tells you why she was perturbed......dman gossip mongers!

Name: Penelope

Comment: In employment, you can have two very well qualified individuals. One may be superiorly qualified, but if they present a lot a problems, it is not uncommon for the employer to say we can eliminate this right now. It happens all the time. If Ms. Hubert felt it was her skin color, than take it to the EEOC--they adjudicate employment based discrmination complaints. She wouldn't need to write a book, b/c the EEOC would make it a part of the public record. She could have very easily filed a complaint of color discrimination for constructive discharge...

Name: khufu

Comment: I am so surprised at you MSBLAKE...so surprised...so she should have just kissed azz and been grateful, huh? so that's how you roll? No principles and spine huh? Bend over and take the ram rod......

Name: Taurusingr

Comment: One moe!?...if you're wanting to "get someone back"/"hit or hurt" somebody?, you "wait for the right, & most EFFECTIVE time"! (even if it takes 15/20 G.D. years! yo!) So...now that ole Willy has "blown the "F" up"!??, "this" IS ....the perfect time!!

Name: yunvme

Comment: She didnt have to kiss azz. She could have just opted out or quit. Problem is they beat her to the punch.

Name: Exmun

Comment: Well sort of Penelope. She wasn't "discharged." They just didn't renew her contract after the old one expired. A subte but important difference in the whole employment discrimination world. If this was a discharge mid-employment you would be correct about the possibility of an employment discrimination claim. It appears to me that there were several (non-discriminatory) reasons that her contract was not renewed. I'm frankly surprised that such a self-described "seasoned" actor didn't get the whole network has the right to do what it wants with the "talent" thing. [scratching my head at how she ignores that reality in order to pin this thing on Will Smith]

Name: Taurusingr

Comment: Khufu: Yo!, once again?...."><"!, ahiiiiight!? Damn, "whaddup" wit 'em!?? Sheeeeesh!

Name: yunvme

Comment: she was the one ego trippin from day one.

Name: Harriet

Comment: DOne- Enjoyed your post. When I think of color consciousness and how it has adversely affected an artist, I think of India Airie.

Name: Penelope

Comment: Other than the fact that she may feel better for getting this off her chest, what does she have to gain? I mean she may make some money from the book. Maybe. She may get people to hate Will Smith even more than they do, because I know a lot of folks hate him and Jada. But, with this book, I'm thinking she is doing more damage to herself than good. She already has a reputation for being disruptive (doesn't matter whether or not it is true), but to write a book about it in my opinion is foolish for her career. Frankly, I don't care what she does, but I think she has done more harm than good to herself. But if she feels better, than do you I guess. I just think its a little to late for it all myself. Again, I would love to know what the rest of the cast thinks about all this.

Name: Exmun

Comment: There are actors and actresses who act in the scenes where they are 'written out' of the show. It's showbiz and it happens every day for a host of reasons, such as change of direction, reduce friction, freshen up the show, etc... Actors are not guaranteed a spot on a show, it's still a privilege unless one owns the rights to the show. She didn't. I'm simply at odds with the fact that she didn't understand this about playing the game.

Name: TGen

Comment: Exmun, I don't get why you think she "didn't get the whole network has the right to do what it wants." OBVIOUSLY she "gets it" BECAUSE THEY DID JUST THAT. Her beef is that she was wronged in the process, that she feels one of the co-workers--who the network valued more--helped coax the powers that be in that direction.

Name: khufu

Comment: Benny Medina was the creator wasnt he? Want the show actually about him?

Name: Penelope

Comment: "Constructive discharge" is a term where an employee says they had no choice in the employment matter. Typically, it is used when an employee feels the environment is so hostile that they quit because going to work is unbearable. Its a stretch in this case, but bascially, she was in fact forced out of her position, even though she volunteered to reject the offer. But its a stretch.

Name: Southernbelle

Comment: Titiana Ali has always spoken fondly of Will and she's of dark complexion. Also, Will personally asked for the little boy, who played the youngest child of Phil and Viv, to star along side him in Independence Day. This young man was also of dark complexion. Is Will color struck in his relationships, I don't know? but I don't see how that could have lead to Janet's career demise. She played Aunt Viv for several seasons. If color was a factor she would have been dropped after the first season. I just think they didn't respect each other. It appears to me that she considered Will an immature rapper turned actor wanna be. She probably didn't appreciate the way he was being given a "pass" when she, through hard work and dedication to her craft had to sacrifice just to play second fiddle to him. Will on the other hand was young, rich, arrogant and comedic on top of that. I'm sure he said a lot of things that a 30+ year old woman would find insulting. Just like every other 20 year old in America LOL. I'm confident that the Will we know today is not the same Will she knew then. Hopefully that these revelations by Janet will lead to some dialogue between the two of them. Will is a powerful man in Hollyweird. She may find that the Will Smith of today is someone she could work with.

Name: Exmun

Comment: TGen, I 'get' why SHE thinks she was wronged, I'm in the Queenie/Penelope camp... I think she really should have gotten over this a long time ago (Queenie) and I don't see how she gains because of all of this tattle tailing (Penelope)

Name: dcdouglass01

Comment: "I’m not easily impressed...[I] come from the theatre; [I’ve] gone to the school of hard knocks. Rappers don’t impress me. Their ideology…what they’ve done to our children. I’m really not impressed...” It all goes back to that statement. She didn't like Will out the box, and that elitist and slightly nasty attitude of hers was the setup for the showdown that they'd eventually have.

Name: southernbrothah

Comment: All the comments today have been quite interesting…after reading them though it makes me wonder how many episodes were all the other actors offered???? This may have contributed to Aunt Viv’s decision to decline. As far as my opinion goes im torn. First, Im kinda surprised her offer wasn’t met with a counter offer, but then again a disrespectful 10 episode offer it may have been, it still was 6 figures…you gotta do what you gotta do. *shrugs* back to my lurking….

Name: khufu

Comment: I agree with HUEY...she might have miscalculated her value to the show during negotiations...that was a business tactic on her behalf that didnt work...while it wasnt wrong that she expected them to get back to her, they didnt give her that professional courtesy...I would blame the agent (her's) on that......

Name: TGen

Comment: No Exmun, you intimated at least twice that she's somehow naive about the "game." I stated I don't see why/ how you could say that. Your thinking she "have gotten over it a long time ago" or not seeing how "she gains because of tattle-tailing" is neither here nor there, irrelevant to my point really. Again, you said the lady didn't know the game, you have no proof of that. Her complaining about how she was treated does not prove "she didn't know the game," only that she had a problem with the game, period. If you think the lady should move on, fine, but don't insult her intelligence in the process. Geez

Name: Exmun

Comment: Penelope, there can be no discharge if there was not an existing contract. There are other forms of discrimination that can be made into a claim, like a section 1981 discrimination claim, but constructive discharge is not one of them under these facts. She made a counter, there was no acceptance of her counter. There is nothing to dischage, because she wasn't employed after her contract ran out and has not legal right to have her contract renewed.

Name: khufu

Comment: If you and your mate were in a relationship for ten years and you went you own ways...your mate has the right to tell their side of the relationship.......it was their life and expereince as well as yours..........get my point? she has the right to share her experiences....why do you feel she is "tattle telling?"

Name: TJthemilitant

Comment: Oh uh DEDE, I don't know what you consider 'Dark Skin-ded' but you apparently have not seen Mrs. Smith up close and personal AS I HAVE! She is a Pittsburgh native and graduate of Westinghouse high school and is town quite often many times with her big eared son. She is not "dark" complexioned!

Name: Harriet

Comment: Will has admitted that he had an enormous ego while filming that show. We are assuming that she has a bad attitude by interpreting what she said. However, none of that is neither here nor there. Does Will Smith actually think that he's God? The disrespect he showed an elder and someone who has opened doors in the industry speaks volumes. And Quincy Jones. Quincy is concerned enough about apartheid to create "We are the World" yet cannot ensure harmony on his own television show? Quincy can allow a Black Woman to be humiliated and offended by the skin tone jokes that the light skinned boy tells to an audience of whites to "warm them up?" and not be called to the carpet? We should address the real issues here. Everyone keeps speaking on what SHE should or should not have done, but I would like to keep it focused on Will and Quincy. Will should have shown more respect and he never had any business cracking on one's color for giggles from white folks. Quincy should have ensured that every person he'd hired was being treated with courtesy and respect and made to feel comfortable in their environment. I thought Quincy was a mentor. Is this what he was teaching Will? I don't know what Uncle Phil was doing, other than dressing in drag, but he is awfully quite with all of this. If you saw UNSUNG featuring SHALAMAR last night then you will understand how extremely difficult the business of entertainment is for a woman. The original Aunt Viv, was a mother, a career woman, a dancer and a wife. The new Aunt Viv did nothing more than arrange flowers in a vase in the home. The subtle message within the switch was very loud.

Name: Penelope

Comment: YOu're right Exmun. On that note, I am out. But, my final opinion, which amounts to very little is that I think she has really made a bad situation worse. If she couldn't get work before. Well, I'm thinking she has just narrowed her field a whole lot more. G'nite y'all.

Name: TJthemilitant

Comment: Yes KHUFU the show was based on Benny Medina's life growing up in the suburbs by relatives after being chased out of the city. He picked Will to play him I thought.

Name: WordUp

Comment: Janet Hubert was not dropped from the cast AT FIRST because Will Smith was not completely recognized as the star of the show AT FIRST. After he established himself as the STAR, he got cocky and decided that he didn't wanna work with Janet Hubert, who was jealous of Will's popularity on the show.

Name: khufu

Comment: well, while I am not an attorney I do know that while there is contract law, there are specifics to Entertainment Contracts that are unique and to be taken into consideration...I dont know what her contract said...maybe a "right of first refusal" or some similar clause/terms was in her contract where she was supposed to be given special consideration before another offer was made to another actress and that's why she was expecting them to get back to her after the intial offer and refusal

Name: Exmun

Comment: TGen, her agent at the time may 'get' the "didn't get the whole network has the right to do what it wants" thing, but she sure as hell doesn't get the game IMO. If she'd gotten the game, we wouldn't be hearing about this now. Her role being reduced to 10 shows is ... [drum roll] a part of the game. I can understand her personal disappointment, but let's not act like this isn't done like every day in Hollyweird and other places. Par for the course. Maybe a better agent would have gone back to the network privately (without rejecting the network's offer with a counteroffer) and NEGOTIATED something better, like at least giving the actress the ability to work on noncompeting shows and films during the contract term. But she ignores any personal liability for rejecting the network's offer outright, any liability that her agent/handlers might have in this, any personal responsbility for animus between her and the star, and any possibility that HER attitude was a non-starter, regardless of her talent (which I fully acknowledge). Ergo, my comments about her not getting the game. I stand by them.

Name: Southernbelle

Comment: I won't call the woman bitter but she's cheating herself if she does not acknowledge the mistakes she made in being dismissed from the show. I'm sure that there are some things she could have done differently. Personally, I would have been more interested in reading about her overall experience and lessons learned. This could be especially interesting to up and coming actors/actresses. Because what ever happened between her and the show resulted in her being blackballed by the industry (I assume b/c I haven't seen her since) To me, that type of information would have been much more useful to print. Unless she's ready to come with some never been heard of before, juicy gossip on Will then this book will be a waste of ink. If anything she may get a lot more negative backlash. Besides, most of Hollyweird is comprised of arrogant, backstabbing, mean, self centered people. If you're not all of these then you're not working.

Name: Exmun

Comment: Khufu, network contracts talent/actors typically give the NETwork the first right of refusal/option on the talent's services, not the other way around.

Name: yunvme

Comment: Southernbelle- great post. I agree.

Name: Exmun

Comment: Also @ Khufu, she has a right to tell her side of the story, but her silence in all these years in between suggests that she is more than bitter and doesn't paint her in a great light in my eyes. What I hear from her is tattle taling about what Will Smith did. But it's like she expects us to believe that all he did was go around and say stupid and arrogant shyt like her examples. She doesn't acknowledge what she might have said or done. She implies that he was a azzhole to the extreme (possible), but ignores the azz that she might have also been (very possible, given her statements highly probable). So I can't respect that. You don't just go out 'setting the record straight' without some self reflection. The truth is always a three way affair... and it damn near ain't only her side of it.

Name: Reds

Comment: I still don’ understand why folks have such big problem with “her in uniting the cast so that they could ask for more money.”.. We don’t know how much they all were being screwed, salary wise. She, being in the biz for ten years at the time, may have had a better insight into how much more they should be getting.

Name: Exmun

Comment: @Khufu, it's her lack of self reflection that is troubling... that is all.

Name: TGen

Comment: Exmun: "If she'd gotten the game, we wouldn't be hearing about this now." Huh? That makes no sense. You do too much azzumption here. You're equating her "getting" the game with her ACCEPTING the game. Two different things. Again, she was burned by the game so OF COURSE SHE GETS IT. That does NOT mean she has to like it or shut up about it. Much like victims of theft "get" that ish happens, that does not mean they don't have a right to speak against their azzailant. And maybe I missed the part of the article in which it said she accepts "no" responsibilty for how things went down. I didn't read that part. (More azzumption on your part I guess.) I only read that this lady felt jilted by how she was treated both by the show and Will Smith. Just because you might hurt me, does not mean I feel I am totally innocent. You're a lawyer Exmun, you should know not to insert your thoughts into the mouths of others. But I digress. You are free to "stand by" your azzumptions if that makes you feel better.

Name: Exmun

Comment: Reds, I believe that more people on this board have written about having a problem with her tying this whole thing on Will Smith alone, without acknowledging that she played a part in this... It should not be ignored that she was the only one who lost her gig out of this. Cannot be ignored.

Name: TGen

Comment: Reds: "I still don’ understand why folks have such big problem with “her in uniting the cast so that they could ask for more money.”.. I meant to mention that earlier. Asking for money is wrong because??? lol

Name: Mas90

Comment: Penelope... if she was going to file complaint for discrimination she would go to SAG union. EXUM... it doesn't matter if she decided to tell her side 5 minutes after they kicked off the studio lot or after she has died. It's a free country! You can tell your side whenever you want. Deal with the consequences of your actions. She has a right to be bitter. There had to be a gag order on her.

Name: Exmun

Comment: TGen, "she was burned by the game so OF COURSE SHE GETS IT." Love you like a step sister TGen, but you're azzuming with that statement while calling me out because of my azzumptions. Pot, meet kettle. Good news... ya'll both black.

Name: Exmun

Comment: @Mas90,"You can tell your side whenever you want." Sure you can. But people listening to you can also opine on what they perceive to be bitterness, some of which is not justified.

Name: Harriet

Comment: The very first post made on this thread asks why Quincy Jones did not pull Will to the side, and I could not agree more. That is where I am stuck. We all know that Quincy Jones does not personally do dark skinned Black Women. I don't know that he does Black Women at all, but certainly no dark skinned Black Women. Quincy was ultimately running shyt, and ultimately, it was his responsibility to demand that all were treated equally and fairly on his set. For Quincy, coming from the generation of pre-civil rights, to allow this kind of color taunting is more reprehensible than Will cracking the jokes- to me. Quincy allowed this tone abuse because he himself is quite color struck.

Name: Reds

Comment: Exmun: “Reds, I believe that more people on this board have written about having a problem with her tying this whole thing on Will Smith alone, without acknowledging that she played a part in this... It should not be ignored that she was the only one who lost her gig out of this.” … Perhaps because she was the only one who had the courage to challenge him on his inappropriate behavior.

Name: Harriet

Comment: Mas90- I too think that there was probably a gag order. There is no such thing as a right time to tell the truth.

Name: Harriet

Comment: Reds- Agreed.

Name: huey

Comment: i like all shades of black women....long as they are necked....

Name: Exmun

Comment: Reds, "she was the only one who had the courage to challenge him on his inappropriate behavior." She may have been. But courage and employment are too different things. And it wasn't like she wasn't getting seriously paid. It's just that she didn't think that her remuneration was appropriate. It's legit to have a difference of opinion over her worth to the show. But she wasn't 'entitled' to the job. I personally liked her version of that role better than her replacement. And I like her personally then and now. But I also think her convo about this suggests a certain sense of entitlement to the job, more than reality ultimately dictated to her.

Name: huey

Comment: and as long as their titty balls or showing....

Name: Southernbelle

Comment: @ Mas90, I agree there was most likely a gag order in place. This type of info would have been most useful early on in Will's career but now?!?! He's a box office hit, highly sought after actor. The industry will protect him at all costs, including throwing Janet under the bus. As soon as this book hit the shelves the big wigs are coming after her with both guns loaded. I hope she knows what she's doing.

Name: Teigh

Comment: DOne...great porst. What you speak about is exactly what happened to Marla Gibbs show. When the brought Jackee on (and even Tookie Smith) the focus was taken from Marla and her family (which included a very young Regina King..one of the few black child actors who grew up uneffected with drama) and placed on Jackee. Marla wasn't feelin it at all and eventually the show went away. HARRIET> you really broke down the switch in emphasis of the female leads. You're dead right on that one. But Quincy was no more involved in the day to day production of that show than he was at Vibe magazine. His name was on it. He got paid for it, but acutally on the set dealing with the drama...no that would be Benny Medina. The King of drama, so of course it was allowed to fester.

Name: JamerDelta

Comment: LOL @ Huey! I'm nekkid right now!

Name: JamerDelta

Comment: oh yeah, dark chocolate...couldn't care less about others' complexions...

Name: huey

Comment: JamerDelta--OH SHI77!! WHAT!! ur titty balls got the dark chocolate areola with the knots built around them?

Name: katgrrrl

Comment: Around the time she left the show, I remember hearin' that she and Will didn't get along. But from this article, sounds like she thought she carried more weight that she actually did, threw her weight around, tried to "negotiate," and was brought back down to earth. And why's she blaming Will exclusively? Sorry, but I don't believe for a second that he ALONE got her replaced. <> Hopefully, one day she'll move on. Seems the only time anyone's gives a crap about what she has to say is when she has somethin' funky to say about Will.

Name: southernbrothah

Comment: *slides in the room doing that stupid wavy arm movement Carlton was doing when they tried to convince the big big dude he was dreaming....* *slides back out doing the Barry Manilow dance*

Name: JamerDelta

Comment: slow your roll, huey, TMI, but no knots...LoL

Name: Taurusingr

Comment: huey: YOU my boy?, but negro....YOU HAVE LOST YO G.D. MIND son!! LMBAO!

Name: Southernbelle

Comment: If she couldn't compete with Will Smith 20 years ago then she damn sure can't compete with him now!

Name: yunvme

Comment: I'm still not getting the color issue regarding her and her role. Because she "claims" Will made a joke? Thats a stretch. Also, there was no damn gag order. She has been telling these stories for at least 10/15 years to anyone that would listen. So obviously the time was when she ran out of money.

Name: Southernbelle

Comment: Did huey just say "ur titty balls got the dark chocolate areola with the knots built around them?" Oh my.

Name: katgrrrl

Comment: LOL, from jump street, I assumed that she prolly looked down upon Will. That she thought she was the schitt with her background in the thee-ay-tah (ya gotta say it like Bette Davis in All About Eve). "I come from the theater." I think I was right! <> The article also mentions that she had a "fierce battle" with the writers and Will, not to mention the powers that she was tryna negotiate with. She prolly made the life of everybody involved with the show a living hell and that's why she got axed.

Name: Taurusingr

Comment: Southernbelle: regarding "T. Ali"?..."that's" b/c she wanted to KEEP....working! sml!

Name: Reds

Comment: Questions have been asked as to why Q, Benny, or someone else didn’t put will in his place, but as Janet said, “He had a lot of power. He had full power on that set! Maybe not the first season, but by the second, third season he was basically running it.” For those people, it was all about money, and from their perspective, the success of the show depended on Will, everyone else was expendable. They made him feel that way and he fed off of it, getting even more arrogant. As “Hubert says, adding that no one would disagree with Smith … She mentioned one day on the set when Smith screamed, ‘I am God!’ … As for me, I really didn’t care much for Will’s character. My favorites were Jeffrey, Carl and the original Aunt Viv. I actually think Will’s character took away from the show, that extra aspect which would propel in into the “Cosby show” status. Will’s character was a non-acting, over dramatized buffoon. Did the producers even take a survey to see what folks really liked about the show, before azzuming that it was all about Will? I bet if they did, they would be in for a pleasant surprise, no longer would they have to yield to this false “god.”

Name: queeniebunz

Comment: >khufu - Let's use your analogy. If I was in a relationship for 10 years TWENTY YEARS AGO, and I'm still harping over what happened, that's pathetic. I was in a relationship for 5 years 13 years ago and instead of focusing on the bad, I focus on the good. That's what you gotta do or you won't be open to a new relationship. By the same token, if you spend 20 years of your life harping on a job you had that didn't go well, how open and prepared will you be for another opportunity? Here's a scenario for you. If you had a male friend still pining for some woman who dumped him 20 years ago, what would you tell your boy? Be honest.

Name: kevobx12

Comment: Sounds like someone is green with envy. She wanted those royalty checks after 5yrs & didn't complete it.

Name: huey

Comment: i cant get to sleep unless i have a nipple in my mouth...

Name: Big10

Comment: Harriett> I understand that it was disrespectful and wrong the way Will was towards Janet (his elder). What I wanna know is, "What doors did she open?" There was way too many black actresses before she came along who could claim that title.

Name: huey

Comment: Big10--"What I wanna know is, "What doors did she open?"---the same door phillp use to throw jazzy jeff out of is the one she opened.....for herself...

Name: kevobx12

Comment: We should know all know by who runs Hollywood & it's not the straight people.

Name: JamerDelta

Comment: Huey, what's going on over there? LOL..sounds like you've got something on your mind...and its not Janet Hubert...LOL

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: Reds, didn't they rally together on "Friends" to get more money? I think they did the same on "Seinfeld" too. Now we know what Sojourner Truth went through tryna get the slaves to leave the plantations!

Name: Reds

Comment: Southernbelle: “As soon as this book hit the shelves the big wigs are coming after her with both guns loaded. I hope she knows what she's doing.” … That’s why you have to give her her props. Just as when she was on the show, it’s more about standing up for what you believe in. she feels that this is her time to vent, whatever the consequences. This is all about a person wanting to exhale, not about trying to make money, not about trying hurt Will’s career. I can’t see why people have such a hard time getting it. If anyone of us were treated the way she was, by a rapper turned wanabe actor, we would feel the same way.

Name: Teigh

Comment: huey stop it...did you hijak Teena Marie from the Jazz Festival...well no I don't think you'd do that she can sing but Teena ain't your type! Huey where the pimp cups...on a Monday!

Name: huey

Comment: JamerDelta--u got me thinking about your nipples.....

Name: huey

Comment: Teigh--lol, its bout time for to clock outta this joint.

Name: Southernbelle

Comment: gotta give it to you MelodyCool, great analogy.

Name: JamerDelta

Comment: sorry Reds, don't buy it. I'm with Queenie on this one...if you keep focusing on the past, you'll keep getting the past...letting one person, no matter who they are, have such power over your life is not healthy. She needs to take her power back by moving forward. He's obviously grown..check his interview with Tavis Smiley on you tube. very telling.

Name: Teigh

Comment: Reds...trust me it will be a non event. She doesn't have a major publishing house. If she did would EUR get an "exclusive" she'd be on the national news programs. It's gonna be a non event. What Janet did not need to do was make mention of Dawn Lewis...that was tacky. Janet still has things to work on. What happened to her was real, but even the corner crackhead has a story. Wht happened to them was just as real. It's time to move past it. She is showing Hollywood (potential employers) who could even be Will Smith that she still is not ready.

Name: Grace12_34

Comment: I co-sign with Harriet once again. The light-skinned boy should not have been ALLOWED to warm up the mostly-white audience by doing "dark-skinned Black Woman" jokes. No matter how a person was brouhgt up by their parents to have pride in their color, being a member of "the joke" being made to a crowd of people can only be devastating. Quincy Jones is SUPPOSED to have SO MUCH class. If in fact he allowed this to go on, then I see him with different eyes now. WTF was HE thinking, or WAS he thinking at all?? Maybe that metal plate in his head clouded his judgment.

Name: yunvme

Comment: Reds you are wrong. It is about the money. She has been venting for 15 years. We have all heard this stuff before from her. She got it off her chest then. So I ask, what is the point now? The checks done stopped coming in. No one probally wanted to publish a book from her unless she got gutter. She aint never mentioned no "yo momma is so black jokes" before. So pat her on the back all you want. She is selling out a brother for the white man- just to get her book published, and to make some money.

Name: Teigh

Comment: MelodyCool...you're right she and Harriet Tubman was probably kicking a$$ all up and down the underground railroad. Anna Horsford (a dark skinned Black actress) successfully negotiated a pay increase when she starred in the tv series Amen...and that was a role that everyone thought would go to Sheryl Lee Ralph. It's not what you do...it's how you do it!

Name: Mas90

Comment: SOuthern... the big wigs who were there at NBC in the 90's most likey have been fired, released, quit, replaced or dead. No one's going to come after her. Only person who would have beef would be Will. He ain't going to say sh*t cause it's old and he's rich.

Name: JamerDelta

Comment: Teigh, really appreciate your posts today...the last one is so apropos, if I were hiring, I would think 10 times about dealing with her. By the way MelodyCool, Friends and Seinfeld were way, way, way into their shows for years before they banded together...I think it was for the final 1 or 2 seasons...

Name: Dovelyone

Comment: Southernbelle>>> Tatiayna is a dark-skinned DOMINICAN compared to Janet as a BLACK AMERICAN... different racial ideologies. Also, Tatiyana was what, an adolescent when she started the show? That's going to give a VERY DIFFERENT perspective compared to Janet who was a GROWN (and a so-called accomplished) actress.

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: Harriet, co-signing about Quincy. The closest he came to doing Black was a creole-type woman from Haiti I believe. I recall once watching a tribute to Q where he sat alone (away from the general audience) with Salma Hayek as his companion for the evening so they could watch the show and bask in all the glory. I recall thinking "just what is with this ol' dude? I "cannot" care for this man who I admired a great deal at one time. He's definitely color struck to the bone marrow.

Name: Angel

Comment: Exmun - I totally agree. To me, it sounds like she started this whole gig off on the wrong foot (i.e. trying to unite folks to get more money ON DAY ONE and no respect for the star of the show) and never really recovered. If Will's ego is as big as she says, then I totally can see how her looking down on his lack of skills didn't go over well. If she's bold enough to be trying to unite folks to ask for more money before the show starts, I'm sure she didn't hold her tongue about Will's skills (or lack thereof). You should never pizz into the wind... Anyway, it's totally possible that they gave her a ridiculous offer for such a "seasoned" actress because they knew she wouldn't accept it, but thems the breaks in Hollyweird. If her manager was any good, he would've recognized a "go away" offer and come up with a different strategy than just declining and offering a counter. He/she may have been better accepting the offer and then working vigorously to repair any issues with the "powers that be" or start looking for a replacement gig to jump into once her new contract expired. I was always told it's easier to find a job while you still have one....

Name: Exmun

Comment: FYI, Dawn Lewis has been a "working" actress on off-Broadway productions for the last few years, including a current stint on the off-Broadway reissue of "The Whiz." Dawn Lewis is doing a'ight. Can we say the same about Janet Hubert. Reminds me of that Robert Frost poem about two roads diverging and choosing a certain path and learning to live with that choice.

Name: Teigh

Comment: Quincy Jones was not on that set on a regular basis...Benny Medina was. The only aspect of Quincy's enterprises that he is truly hands on with is music! I worked at Vibe and Quincy was never there or directly involved. He was paid for the concept the use of his name, and possibly some revenue early on. Yes he showed up at a major event here and there...but daily input. NO NO NO Time Inc. doesn't even own Vibe magazine anymore. Quincy is probably listed as a founder.

Name: dcdouglass01

Comment: Someone asked why is she solely on Will's case instead of calling out the names of others who may have had a role in her black balling. Because calling Will out sales books! Now granted she'll be lucky if she sales 20,000 copies, but Hubert is about trying to generate income any way she can (visit her website and you'll see what I mean). Now do I feel bad about her being black balled and discriminated against in general? Yes. Many of you on this board are being discriminated against in some form or fashion right now. Can you prove it in a court of law? Or are you in the mood and have the financial resources to litigate for the next 10 years to try and prove it? Probably not. But that doesn't make the discrimination any less detrimental. Still, in this woman's case, her attitude was a detriment as well.

Name: Southernbelle

Comment: @ Reds, she gets much respect from me. If she felt wronged then pen your novel, have your written vent. But, what does she hope to accomplish? At the end of the day Will has overcome gay rumors, swing rumors, religious cult rumors and etc. I'm sure him being labled an arrogant bytch is small in comparison. Hell, the claim may even make him more marketable LOL.

Name: Exmun

Comment: Angel, if that were my client and I/we got a go-away offer (with a current member of a then-successful series), I would have gone to management privately BEFORE rejecting the offer. We could have worked out any number of arrangements that would have involved my client keeping her income ... perhaps allowing her to do outside projects to supplement. But to do that New Jack move and then not even claim a shred of responsibility for that move is the height of arrogance, ironically the same kind that she accuses W. Smith of having.

Name: Dovelyone

Comment: "Friends" is not the best comparison because first of all, the show wasn't built around one person; there were no break-out stars on the show; 2) AFTER the show eventually grew into a major hit, NBC wasn't about to mess up a working formula. Friends was a cash cow. As far as Seinfeld was concerned, Jerry did then and still is now getting the big bucks for that show in syndication. The other three cast members had enough sense to figure out to hitch their carts to Jerry's wagon and rode it out into the sunset. Not saying Janet should have just shut up and acted like a good little wife, but she was thinking ahead about her marketability and NBC was thinking about their bottom line and if she was causing such a stink with Will as well, NBC did what it had to do without violating their contract with her. And unfortunately, she was trapped so she did what she had to do.

Name: Teigh

Comment: And as for Tatianna...of couse she would have nothing bad to say about Will. He helped her get into Music. She had an album out just after Fresh prince ended. Very slick production, he more than likely called in some favors. When is her new release coming out....NOT!

Name: Exmun

Comment: Quotes to remember...DCDouglas "Still, in this woman's case, her attitude was a detriment as well." Dovelyone "As far as Seinfeld was concerned...The other three cast members had enough sense to figure out to hitch their carts to Jerry's wagon and rode it out into the sunset." Couldn't say it better.

Name: Exmun

Comment: Teigh, "Daydreaming" by Tatianna Ali was my jam back in the day. Loved that girl.

Name: Reds

Comment: Grace12_34: “Quincy Jones is SUPPOSED to have SO MUCH class. If in fact he allowed this to go on, then I see him with different eyes now. WTF was HE thinking, or WAS he thinking at all??” … Quincy only thinks in terms of $$$. In his deluded world, Will was his ATM, and he wasn’t about to do anything to jeopardize that.

Name: Reds

Comment: Southernbelle: “I'm sure him being labled an arrogant bytch is small in comparison. Hell, the claim may even make him more marketable LOL.” … Sadly, that may actually turn out to be the case.

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: I'm sure Janet was somewhat embarrassed to bring up the subject hinting at colorism, but it's out in the open now. You now have nonblacks belittling Black women because it's easier for them to get jobs hosting shows on BET even. Look how the Black guy is the latina's sidekick. And I'm sure Will made those off colored jokes as a direct stab at Janet. He knew exactly what he was doing!

Name: Angel

Comment: MelodyCool - They rallied for money on Seinfeld and Friends AFTER the show was a hit. If you think your pay is crap on day 1, either don't sign the contract and counteroffer or wait until the show is a hit.

Name: Exmun

Comment: Angel, Cosign. MelodyCool, but you weren't there so how do you 'know' what Will really did and why he did it. Isn't it more like you believe that he did this thus and so?

Name: Mas90

Comment: Exum... are u a entertainment lawyer?

Name: Harriet

Comment: Remember when Samuel L. Jackson was byatching about and refusing to work alongside rappers in movies? Same difference- right. There is nothing wrong with trying to negotiate a salary that is reflective of your worth. There is no certain time, for you to do that. The byatch will be trying to get other Black actors- whom are just happy to have a job and don't want to rock the boat- to go along with you. Again, the only major attitude that has been publicly recorded as needing adjusting, was Will's. We have completely removed Quincy from the picture saying it was his in name only and that he had no role. We'll agree that Will's "jokes" were out of order, but will trace the source of her hurt back to envy, greed and a bad attitude. If this is what she is dealing with today trying to be heard, imagine what she was dealing with 20 years ago. And now, we want to tell her that she doesn't have the right to tell her story. She absolutely does. If you are not interested and already ave an opinion on the matter, then don't read it. But the overwhelming and automatic assumption that because she spoke out, she focked up, is unacceptable. Will Smith is not God, should have shown more respect- PERIOD. When I say that she opened up doors I mean that most of those who come before us are bridges (in the words of Oprah). Bridges that Will's big eared azz was allowed to CROSS OVER on. Do you think that his position has changed or something? Please! His entire family has the same skin tone! Isn't he a scientologist? All day long Will has been protected as Janet has been vilified. I don't get that.

Name: khufu

Comment: yesd QUEENIE but you still have the rigjt to tell your side of the sory if you so desire without it having to be deemed tattling.....she should have let it go? maybe. However,if it was devestating to her career, maybe it was a traumatic experience. can you orothers imagine what it would be like to have your source of livelihood taken?

Name: Exmun

Comment: Mas90, I have a few entertainment clients, but I'm primarily civil/commercial litigation and intellectual property. I'm not in a major entertainment market. Why do you ask?

Name: Teigh

Comment: Will did what will thought was funny at the time. Does anyone remember when Chris Rock went on Arsenio and told a rape joke. Arsenio shut him down when the heat came. Chris was young, it was a stupid thing to do, yet age appropriate. Yo mama jokes are wrong, have been from the beginning, but the dozens were always about specifically saying things to get under your skin. When someone makes a joke about something anyone is sensitive to...feelings get hurt. But do I think Will was overtly trying to upset her...no. Will was more than likely amazed that he had been given carte blanche on the set and could basically do whatever he wanted!

Name: Harriet

Comment: Southernbelle- Will hasn't exactly overcome any of those rumors. Many many people still view him as a gay swinging cult member who happens to make movies.

Name: khufu

Comment: PROFOUND.......Name: Harriet Comment: There is nothing wrong with trying to negotiate a salary that is reflective of your worth. There is no certain time, for you to do that.

Name: Mas90

Comment: Will has denied being scienctologist. I was waiting for that. Next... some one going to say "Isn't Will Smith gay!"

Name: Teigh

Comment: Actually back then Will was the slave...the snitch (as folks would say in the hood) he just didn't know it!

Name: Southernbelle

Comment: @ Harriet, agreed. I should re-word that. Despite those rumors Will continues to work.

Name: khufu

Comment: HOWEVER, as a person who has worked in the business and stildoes but who has yet reached my zeneith...I don KNOW this to be true....YOU DONT TELL....if you tell, you burn bridges and ban yourself.....

Name: Mas90

Comment: Oh Lawd there it go! Told ya. LOL!

Name: Mas90

Comment: Exum... just curious.

Name: Harriet

Comment: Teigh- "Will did what he thought was funny at the time." That statement is quite telling. In other words, telling jokes about black mama's is the proper way to warm up your mostly white crowd, create a harmonious relationship with your very dark co-worker, whom is a mother, while getting a green light from the studio heads and Quincy Jones at the same time. Also, because Will was young, he probably didn't know any better. Why is the youth element only an excuse when it comes to Black men focking up? From Chris Brown to Will Smith, young Black men get to kick azz and call names because they are "young." GTFOH!!!!!!!! We don't even allow children to do that without some sort of discipline.

Name: Exmun

Comment: @Mas... gotcha.

Name: Southernbelle

Comment: 2009 remake of the Fresh Prince's classic hit *Eurwebbins just don't understand* LOL.

Name: Harriet

Comment: Mas90- "Will has denied being a sceintologis." So. He also denied stating that he and his wife have an open relationship but I have the ESSENCE magazine article at home to disprove that. Will and Jada are funding and opening various foundations based on the precepts of scientology. It is a fact that he and his wife have attended several meetings with their friends the Cruises. Will and Jada have been shrouded in mystery and speculation every since they paired and to me they are very weird.

Name: Angel

Comment: My bad Dovelyone - You beat me to it. Folks don't show up on day 1 trying to rally folks against "the man"....unless they really want to get the boot. LOL You might want to see where the show goes first AND get to know the people you're working with to see if they are even trustworthy enough to keep your rallying a secret until the appropriate time.

Name: Mas90

Comment: Harriet... Youth is used as the excuse is because scientifically the brain is not fully matured until your late 20's. The brain is still developing. As far as the "yo momma so black jokes"... comedians/comical actors get a past on telling hateful/mean comments cause its' a joke. Will & jada's made be based on Siencetology but doesn't mean their are members. Hell, Christians claim to be holyer than thou but doesn't mean they aren't the devil. As far as the open relationship.... please their gay. The marriage is a cover to make money. To fool consumers! DUH!

Name: Harriet

Comment: Mas90- I knew you were going to ease a Christian jab in! I too feel that he is gay. My point was if he will lie about his marriage, he will lie about being in a cult which denies God.

Name: Angel

Comment: Harriet - I don't recall SLJ making those types of statements until AFTER he became a blockbuster star. There is a time and a season for everything....2 seconds after you've signed your contract is usually not the time. If she had such heartburn with the pay, she should've negotiated prior to signing or wait until she had leverage (i.e. after the show is a hit and OTHERS are willing to join her cause or she became the breakout star and could hold out on her own).

Name: Harriet

Comment: Mas90- So at the time, Will's brain was not fully mature enough to realize that his jokes about hue might offend the people with whom he worked and who happened to be of a swarthy hue? I never said that they were members of anything. I only said that many believe them to be.

Name: Mas90

Comment: Harriet... okay. I gotcha. The brain development and jokes/comedians are two separate things.

Name: dcdouglass01

Comment: MelodyCool said: "...I'm sure Will made those off colored jokes as a direct stab at Janet. He knew exactly what he was doing!" Yeah, Exmun, Melody done slipped off into another dimension. One where she seemingly was sitting in the audience during one of those warm up nights.

Name: Harriet

Comment: Angel- What difference does it make when he made the comments? The only thing relevant is that many true thespians do not agree with rappers taking starring roles and all of them voice this. There is always more strength and leverage in numbers and sticking together. Perhaps this was her mindset. Perhaps they did not know that they'd been focked until after signing and talking with one another. None of them other than her self, had any real experience. Again, to me, it is always a good time to fight for your money.

Name: Harriet

Comment: Mas90- I am so proud of our progress! Did you ever think we'd get to have a conversation and agree?

Name: Angel

Comment: Harriet - If you don't care how it will affect your career, then it doesn't matter. People like that are rare. Most people don't think before they speak or recognize the consequences. If she didn't give a dayum about the consequences, then you're right, she spoke when she needed to speak and let the chips fall. In this case, the chips fell off a cliff along with her career...

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: @Harriet, this is why I believe he knew exactly what he was doing and "who" he was targetting...then he prolly sat back smirking and just watched his little handiwork ---> "That statement is quite telling. In other words, telling jokes about black mama's is the proper way to warm up your mostly white crowd, create a harmonious relationship with your very dark co-worker, whom is a mother,"

Name: Mas90

Comment: Harriet...Yeah, cause anything is possible.

Name: Angel

Comment: Also Harriet - If she didn't know she was focked until after she signed, she needs to be looking at her agent/lawyer instead of the network....

Name: Reds

Comment: Hey, y’all think part deuce will stir up as much controversy? …. “Later this week in part two of Janet Hubert’s exclusive interview with EUR, the actor reveals how she had to leave the set after filming her scenes because her presence made Will Smith uncomfortable. She speaks of the lack of support from fellow cast members and the Black media; the legal battle that ensued between her and Smith” . … I think it will answer a lot of the questions posed today, like why didn’t she bring it up before, and Will’s take on it. It seems that they had quite a fight, her and will, “the legal battle that ensued between her and Smith.” … Bring it on EUR, can’t wait.

Name: katgrrrl

Comment: "Someone asked why is she solely on Will's case instead of calling out the names of others who may have had a role in her black balling. Because calling Will out sales books!" Thank you, Dcdouglass. That does answer my question. <> Exmun, "The Whiz"? Now I can't stop thinkin' about Cheese Whiz. Thanks a lot.

Name: Exmun

Comment: @Harriet, SO WHAT if Will and Jada are scientologist? I don't get it. Are you out to discredit a person's "acting" ability because of their religious leanings? Why does it matter? Isn't that the point of "acting" to act as a character different than yourself? What's with the witchhunt? SMH

Name: Exmun

Comment: Right back atcha Katgrrl.... grrrrrr.

Name: Mas90

Comment: Exum... Scienctology isn't REAL! The creator of it wrote a fictional book. People who were fond of the book killed the author and developed it into a "religion". Please watch the South park episode about Scienctology because it's explains what they believe in. I'll give you a little bit of crazy relgion thinking... they believe their souls came from another planet that was cast off by an alien ruler of that planet. He sent their souls to Earth and had then deposited into a volcano. While the aliens soldier didn't cap the volcanoes quick enough and the souls escaped. The souls fled and place their selves inside human bodies. NO JOKE.

Name: Dovelyone

Comment: WHOA on the DOZENS! That's an INSULT to call what Will was doing "the Dozens". The dozens is played when two people stand face to face, toe to toe with each other and spit insults. It's COWARDLY to stand in front of a white-washed audience and say "yo mama so black" jokes. That's one step up from Amos and Andy... or is it?

Name: MorrisOKelly

Comment: I haven't listened to the audio yet...but I'm familiar enough with the general details to form a somewhat knowledgeable opinion. This reeks of 1977 when Esther Rolle became disenchanted with the direction and slant of Good Times when it became focused on Jimmie Walker (J.J.) an unpolished/untrained commedian (i.e. not an actor) instead of Esther Rolle, for whom the series was supposed to be about (as a spin-off of Maude). That's where they're similar, although Rolle never directed her angst at Walker publicly at least, just Norman Lear. The real difference is in that...the lack of class in how it was handled. Black actresses have gotten a raw deal for decades, having little to do with Will Smith and/or Quincy Jones. Sounds like I found my editorial...

Name: Mas90

Comment: Ronald Hubbard is the author's name.

Name: Big10

Comment: When all this is over, Will Smith's career will continue to thrive. and as far as Janet.........It's a wrap!

Name: Exmun

Comment: I getcha Mas90, but Christians (myself included) believe that a sentient being out of this world created a man with clay, made the heavens light up with his words, made a woman from a man's ribs, yada yada. While that is my belief system, I can still 'get' the athiest argument on how ridiculous they think it sounds. Why can't we simply respect scientology as a religious path for what it is. I don't get how their belief system is any more ridiculous than any other religious group. The ALL require faith don't they?

Name: Teigh

Comment: There are girls in my neighborhood who wear their pants under their A$$ just as low as the boys. They curse and cause a ruckuss just like the boys. Are they also immature yes. Being immature doesn't give you a pass...it's just what someone was at the time. Was Will immature when dealing with Sheree absolutely. Will was marketed as the "next Eddie Murphy" with the big July 4th movie release dates until a sequel flopped beyond belief. Point I'm making (or trying to is that Will for the most part of his early career in TV and film he was a puppet. He did what he was told until he got into the game himself. Everything he does is calculated...all those movies with characters...they make the most money. He learned alot from Mr. Benny Medina, but again, does he work with him now....do you ever even see the two of them together. No. Is Will Smith the same person he was 20 years ago NO. Does Janet Hubert kind of sound exactly the same 20 years later...yes. Harriet, you make some very good points but dang don't people get to grow. Isn't it possible Janet started taking eveything personal...Benny is beyond a diva, but Will was going for the laugh not realizing he was also disrespecting himself. Jazzy Jeff had limits. He's fine...went on to create a successful production team and was very involved in creating some of the more successful R&B out here now and was very much involved in launching Ms. Jill Scott. He didn't play coon like Will did.

Name: kevobx12

Comment: All I know is you can not get yourself saved unless you humbled yourself & resist the proud. I'm a born so sinner why do Christians have to speak about their holiness.

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: @MO, but Will and Q had no problem perpetuating that raw deal and still don't IMO. --->"Black actresses have gotten a raw deal for decades, having little to do with Will Smith and/or Quincy Jones"

Name: Mas90

Comment: Exum... Require faith? No, not necessarily. Faith can be in anything besides religion. Some don't have faith in religion... athiest. You can go through life without having to believe in something you've never seen. Some use religion as a crutch to survive.... some use religion to make money to survive. You don't have to have religion to function day to day. YOu need food and water. People believe in religion for whatever reasons.... some had it beat into them(meaning taught not abuse)... some saw it has as way to motivate discipline in their lives. Do you actually believe in a talking snake? Do you believe your soul came from another planet and was dropped into a volcano? People can be guliable. That's why you should read and research all/some religions. I know friends who believe that Christianity is not the black man's religion. Muslim is. Christianity was something taught to the slaves. It was just past down and over to the next. But whatever you believe is your business just don't hurt nobody in your doing.

Name: kevobx12

Comment: Faith comes by hearing the word of God The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. Pride brings self destruction. When mankind messes up who do we blame?

Name: Exmun

Comment: @ Teigh. Cosign.

Name: Exmun

Comment: Mas, that's kind of my point... what you said. Perhaps I missed your point above that last post with your harping on Will & Jada's alleged belief in scientology. I was like ... what does it matter?

Name: Beezyuu

Comment: I'm a hugh fan of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and I imagine back then he was probably a little full of himself, so it would be nice that when Will hear's about this book that he'll apoligize and give her a part in one of his movies to get her career going again.

Name: Fortitude

Comment: I do not blame Janet for asking for money from day one, since the cast inclusing Will were probably being paid less than white cast of other sitcoms from jump. Janet was stupid to not realized that the show was developed for Will. I do believe that Will is color struck. None of his recent leading ladies are on the darker side. And now since he is trying to break into the market in India he will not be cast with any dark actresses any time soon. I am waiting to see if his production company will develop and produce any films for any Black actresses who are darker than Halle Berry.

Name: ladybyrd

Comment: Did you read the story?? She is black listed. She hasn't been able to get projects greenlight. She's not bitter, she wants to work, period. It's not unusual for the star to have a say. Remember, Webster, Emanuel Lewis?? Those parent's was upset at how much he made and the fact that the producers gave this kid a say in things.

Name: Mas90

Comment: THis is from blackvoices... Janet: In an effort to drive the point home, Hubert also recalled an incident where another actor was cut from a guest spot on the show after being too impressive at an early rehearsal for that episode. "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," she recollected.

Name: MelodyCool

Comment: Good find, Mas90. But somewhat sad what happened to Countess Vaughn. They knew Will's acting chops were underdeveloped and did everything to make him appear head and shoulders above the rest. Countess was simply too good...and too dark apparently. The powers that be know they can rely on men like Will when it comes to deep sixing Black women. Let's see if nonblacks fills theatre seats as he loses his luster over tanking box office receipts. I also believe it's just a matter of time before his name is attached to some scandal. Look at Morgan Freeman...who'd a thunk he was sitting on landfill of sleaze. If Michael Jackson can slip...anyone can.

Name: Reds

Comment: Y'all need to check out this artticle on blackvoices for more info http://www.bvbuzz.com/2009/06/17/sitcom-saga-tv-mom-cl aims-will-smith-was-no-prince/

Name: dede0320

Comment: This is from Black Voices too, a link from Alfonso(Carlton)form Fresh Prince: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ITl1fjD7co

Name: ladybyrd

Comment: Make no doubt about it, Will had RAW talent. You knew from that show that he was going to be around for awhile. He went from rap to acting.

Name: touch26

Comment: I'm sure she's not making these claims just for fun, but I also wonder how exaggerated they may be too. One thing that caught my attention when I was reading was how she disrespects rappers. Now Will has never been a negative type of rapper so the idea that she associates rap with all that's wrong with "our kids" is quite broad and in fact just as ignorant as she makes Will out to be. I believe that she felt as if Will was young and because of that he should've shown her more respect/listened to her/followed her lead when the fact was that he was the star of the show. I'm sure Will was feeling himself, but it sounds to me like this woman has a harsh way of approaching people. Why is it that we haven't heard "Uncle Phil" or any other cast members or any one else who worked on the show from cameramen, writers, etc. In a nutshell I think she was bossey, overly opinionated, mad because some teenage rapper had more power than she did, mad because he wouldn't listen to her or follow her lead, and even more mad because he was more important to the over-all project than she was. I liked her better in the roll as Aunt Viv, but this campaign that she's been on for I don't know how many years is not helping her and it damn sure ain't hurting Will. By now, as many movies as he's done and as many people as he's had to work with somebody else would have had just as much of a problem with Will as she has and either joined with her or told their own story. If will were constantly doing these unwanted "yo momma's so black jokes" surely there were other avenues that she could've taken to address that problem. I'm sorry for her in a way because she was a great for the show, but there are 2 sides to every story and eventually Will will have to give his side. Personally she sounds aggressive, controlling, judgemental, and somewhat egotistical....pretty much the same as she claims Will was/is. Her comment about rap, especially rap from that era was totally uncalled for and meant to insult Will's significance as an actor. She even stated that she didn't listen to rap and that rappers don't impress her and spoke on "their ideology." Well isn't that putting all rappers in the same box?? How small minded of her. She seems to think that because she attended Juliard & "came from the theater" she was better than Will or whatever. Though I'm not a huge fan of Will Smith's, I think he does a more than adequate job as an actor and millions of people around the world think so too. Will probably was an azzhole at that time, but at least one could chalk it up to his youth.....but what's her excuse???

Name: ladybyrd

Comment: I'm not going to lie, I think they ruined the show when they changed Aunt Viv and added the kid.

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Back to the Article » EUR WORLD EXCLUSIVE: Janet 'Aunt Viv' Hubert speaks out about her new book on Will Smith (Pt. 1)

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