The Fresh Prince wants the world to love him again, writes Fiona Sturges. But he’s going about it the wrong way, with the most tortured career resurrection in recent times
The real victim here is Jaden. Imagine your dad not handing you movie roles anymore because he fucked his own career. So unfair.
I think I might be OOTL. Why does everyone here hate him? I know he slapped the comedian, but it didn’t seem SO unprovoked, and AFAIK its the only thing. It’s not great that he did that, but I wouldn’t hang him for that
He’s very dated and shows no self awareness about that. He was always bland, fun rap, which is fine, but it’s not highly skilled. He also recently did a truly cringy music video where he’s in his 50s and perving after 20 year old. He just don’t seem to have moved forwards from the 90s
he’s rich. he never has to worry about anything in his life. he doesn’t “need” a comeback.
so he has to do is chill and enjoy life. and he’s still not happy???
He’s an actor. He needs an an audience. He wants to be remembered positively, hopefully for a very long time.
he can retire. i still think of MIB and Fresh prince when I hear his name.
he already won. just don’t fuck it up by being greedy
Why?
The guys a multi millionaire … it doesn’t matter if he had a come back or not, he’s still a millionaire.
You have to be a moron to want more than that.
He probably likes being famous.
Hes still famous. Hes just risking his legacy.
Do you think the shark gets tired of being jumped over?
Fuck Will Smith. Be forgotten, dickhead.
Just retire, Stale Prince.
Fuck that guy. Don’t come back, you hear?
Back up! Back up!
Mind ya business y’all. Just mind ya business.
His career was on the wane before he acted like an asshole at the Oscars. I loved him as a kid and still love some of his movies, but he was the upstart smartass. That doesn’t work when you’re 50+ and he doesn’t have the range to be more than that.
He lost any semblance of cool with Pinkett’s affair and the slap. He is desperate to get it back but that’s not really going to be possible. Had he not slapped Rock he might have been able to lean into being a more sentimental figure at this stage but that too has passed.
I don’t know. She didn’t really have any bearing on his decline before that point. I assume those that knew about their celebrity life and her affair did, but that wasn’t most people.
It’s hard to know if the slap was out of character as we don’t know him. However it was out of character for his image. And image is your brand.
He thinks he’s still 20 years old in Miami in the 90s. He has no appreciation for the fact that he has changed and rap has changed. No one wants to hear a creepy old man singing about offering jetskis to get with girls at a club.
I think when he was rapping, it was always a watered down pop, gentle version anyway. That was fine, because it was fun. Music doesn’t have to be meaningful. But as you say, there is no growth there.
He’s tri d a few times to have growth in his acting, chasing the Oscar. However, his strength was the smart talking kid who thinks he knows better, but gets schooled by life only to learn a life lesson.
Fresh prince, MIB. They were awesome.
Ali, not so much.
Its forced and cringe worthy.
Name something he’s done in the last 10 years that wasn’t cringe worthy.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I can’t name anything he has done in the past 10 years
Paywall
He didn’t do anything wrong, at least not more so than you or me, he’s just not funny anymore. And his serious stuff was always very meh.
He didn’t keep up with the times.
Speak for yourself. He’s done way more wrong than me
He’s a scientologist that made a scientology propaganda movie together with his son. Doesn’t get more cringe than that.
Ahh I didn’t realise he was in the cult.
Not officially. But he’s best friend with Cruise and his kids went to Scientology schools.
Dang, that’s disappointing.
I thought Will Smith was one of the better celebrities. I don’t keep up with this stuff, though.
Which one was the propaganda movie?
After Earth
I suspected it was that one. I never knew it had anything to do with Scientology when I first watched it, I just know that it was pretty terrible. Thanks for the answer.
Oh damn I didn’t know he boarded the scientology kooky boat.
I sometimes wonder if those celebrities are being paid though. I have no evidence of that, it just seems like something Scientology would do to try to gain traction.
I mean, they purposely recruit Hollywood stars to help lend credence to their cult. They don’t treat them the same as the normies and just basically shower them with praise and adoration to make them think Scientology is awesome.
Didn’t he punch some guy in the face for making a joke? Pretty sure I’ve never done that…
I thought he slapped a man for making a joke? I can see why many folks would see little difference, I mean violence is violence, but if we’re talking degrees Id rather get doses of slap then punch. Still unacceptable in the situation, however, and I believe what ever issue Will had that night skills have been handled in private.
All that being said, the man has aged and people move on.
Will Smith is 6’2" and played Muhammed Ali. I can think of a lot of people I’d rather have punch me than get slapped by Will Smith.
He slapped a friend for a cheating whore that humiliated him a few months later, she was the biggest mistake he ever made, she was basically a stone drowning him while he was gasping for air and for that he’s not just an asshole but a dumbass and there’s also his cult bs, he could have had the world if he wasn’t so stupid.
Tupac died just to get away from her
He slapped someone for making a joke about his wife. Both were kinda out of line, so it balances out.
I don’t really take anyone clutching their pearls over this seriously. They need to grow some balls.
Both were kinda out of line, so it balances out.
No. It was a super tame joke, and Chris Rock was literally doing exactly what he was paid to do that night. In fact, he probably didn’t even write that joke
It’s fine if you think that’s an excuse.
You can read my second statement to see how I view people like you.
Please explain how I was clutching pearls with my comment.
Chris rock.
He made a joke about Jada’s Alocopeia (the hair condition thing, if I spelled that right.) and also some jokes about their open relationship.
So, most of us can understand the impulse, I imagine. And most of us have enough sense not to make fun of medical conditions on a stage that large. To their face.
Alopecia
That doesn’t warrant getting on stage to slap a guy. And… As a guy, who slaps another guy? If you’re at the point of violence, who wouldn’t just throw a punch? Slapping another guy is embarrassing in and of itself.
I didn’t say it did, don’t put words in my mouth.
I did say I understood the impulse.
As for slapping instead of punching? Me.i would.
Broken hands are not fun; and once you’re there, you’re gonna want your hand working afterwards.
