Call me crazy, but I absolutely love The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I was a fan when the show debuted in 1990, and I am a fan to this day. Through the years, I’ve never been able to resist tuning in when I flipped through the channels and saw Will and Carlton.
I recently purchased Season 1 of The Fresh Prince on DVD. I’ve been watching a few episodes each night after work, and I have been laughing just as much as I must have the first time I saw these episodes. Will Smith is amazing - so talented and funny. I thought I was gonna laugh my ass off in the episode where he took Ashley to a pawn shop and pawned her violin. When Vivian found out and approached Will, he quickly said, “Love you!” and closed his eyes and puckered his lips for a kiss. This has to be one of the funniest moments of Season 1!
Another notable moment of the season is when Will becomes a “lucky charm” for one of Philip’s clients. The guy sets Will up with an Armani suit and a cellular phone! Yes, you heard that right - a cell phone!! I didn’t even remember that cell phones were in existence back then! And the hilarious part was that the phone was about the size of a shoe box, and oddly enough, almost shaped like one too! Just thinking about it makes me laugh again!
I have to say that The Fresh Prince is one of the funniest shows ever made, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a beautiful illustration of family values at their finest. We may not be able to relate to the wealthy Bel-Air lifestyle, but I think we can all appreciate the love that was so prominently displayed among the members of the Banks family. Some would say that the kids were spoiled, but I don’t view it that way at all. I see a family blessed with financial prosperity and strong morals - a husband and wife who were willing to take in a nephew from the streets of Philly and offer him the same love and support they had for their own children. We could all stand to learn a few lessons from the Banks family.
