Hank Bordowitz: Donna Summer 'Brought Disco From The Clubs…
Exercise Trumps Genetics For Lowering Blood Pressure
In her alternately plaintive and scathing memoir, actress Janet Hubert, known as Vivian Banks on the popular 90's sitcom 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air,' strikes back at former colleagues whom she says denigrated her name and hurt her career.
In 'Perfection Is Not A Sitcom Mom,' Hubert addresses her departure from the show in 1993 and the toll it took on her personal and emotional life. She talks exclusively to BV on Books about what motivated her to write the book and what she's up to today:
Black Voices: What motivated you to write your memoir?
Janet Hubert: I decided to publish my memoir because I saw this YouTube rant that Alfonso Ribeiro [Carlton] had done about me. He said I was crazy and that I was fired and that I was out of my mind. No one ever defends black women, so I had to do it myself. I wrote it for clarity, to clear my clear my name. I got tired of answering questions about why I left. I answer every single question. In the book, I also talk about how words can kill. You don't take someone's life and just step on it, and you don't take my family's name and destroy it.
BV: What are the most surprising things readers will learn?
JH: My departure was planned for a long time...There will never be a reunion of the 'Fresh Prince.' Will Smith and Alfonso destroyed a 20-year-career with untruths. I got slammed. Will apologized later in an 'Essence Magazine' article, but it still lingers. It's still there...
BV: What have you been up to?
JH: I live on the East Coast. I love the East Coast because there is energy, something else other than entertainment. On the West Coast, everyone is waiting to be discovered. I've been here now for 11 years. My son Elijah is 16. He'll be in college next year.
I've created a children's book series called 'JG & the BC Kids.' It's about a little boy who solves a complicated mathematical equation that opens his imagination and out comes a teacher who takes him and his friends on an adventure.
BV: What's next on the horizon?
JH: I'm quite content. I'm getting my son off to college. I'm remarried and living peacefully. I've written a pilot for a dramady. I'm doing some pitches and I'm going to start [filming] soon...
Comments: (269)
Add a comment
By: Eryn-Alexis on 1/07/2010 8:19PM
Janet you have to move on!!!!! It was over 17 years ago!!!!!!! U need to let it go.To me it seems like your bringing it up again just ot get attention for your books and show.Thats not the type of attention you need.I think your a really good actress but your living in the past!You cant let blogs get to you!You want ot bring this up now?When there are soooo many problems in the world,you want to bring up something that happened years ago and most ppl have forgotten???
Im glad she's living her life,but I mean come on!Move on and get over it and you can live peacefully.I admire Janet's smartness and wisdom and strenth tho
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: scott tuna on 1/11/2010 3:05PM
im just guessing more people have responded to this than are going to buy janets book.she should try celebrity rehab or get arrested so the world might remember her.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Zaveybaby on 1/07/2010 9:33PM
I think there are times....when you MUST stand up for yourself.... I give her alot of credit. It is not easy living with people..... trying to dance on your grave. CLEAR YOUR NAME WOMAN..... and then go on with your life. Much success to you and family.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: undrgrndgirl on 1/07/2010 7:55PM
all i ask of janet hubert is that she not lump the entire west coast with the narcissism of los angeles...those of us who live north of bakersfield are not looking to "be discovered."
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: JJ on 1/11/2010 5:12PM
I' not a fan of Will Smith..think he is overhyped - he doesnt even have half the talent of Jamie Fox ( an accomplished actor, singer, musician, comedian)
I believe her. I will check out her book, she should have sued for damages. Obviously the slander against her isolated her in the entertainment industry and crippled her ability to sustain an acting career.
Smith and Ribiero - two scumbags
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Me on 1/07/2010 8:15PM
Jaz, I totally agree. The very people that throw a fit about her discussing her pain and her right to talk about it are the same ones that are talking about it themselves and saying whatever necessary to feel superior to this woman. Talk about hypocrisy! I actually thought she was way better than the other mom that replaced her, and I don't remember any controversy surrounding her leaving the show because I was too young to know the difference. What I do know is that she obviously still feels a lot of pain and was very hurt by whatever went down. Let the woman have her feelings! The right that she has to feel and say what she wants, that is the same one that lets you people talk about things you usually know nothing about! And to make a comment about "white voice" just shows how much you DON'T get it!
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Vernita on 1/07/2010 10:14PM
OMG I loved you Janet when you played on that show and missed you when you left/fired the show. It just was not the same. Who knows maybe they did not like you on the show because you were the darkest on the show. Beautiful Black Talented Women at that. I can not understand why these people are talking to you this way. You do not deserve to be treated this way. You said that in the Essence magazine Will Smith apologize to you. So that mean that he did do something wrong. You people continue to talk about what a big star Will Smith is since Janet left/fird but you are not saying anything about that other lier, why not? Janet keep your head up and keep on keeping on sista
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: RT on 1/07/2010 10:02PM
Hey Larry (aka redneck white trash)did you ever notice that Fresh Prince was a sit com and not a documentary? Oh, and the Clampitts of Beverly Hills? Also, not a documentary.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: netball on 1/08/2010 8:43AM
popstardummy: Who gives a flying f**k about your childhood. It is not about your sorry a**. Its just like a no business for being born puss ball to try to shine. Sat the fu** down somewhere or tell the piece of tras you made a life with to clean that hellhole you call a home.
Reply to this Comment | Report This