Aunt Viv: “Will Smith Sabotaged My Career”
Posted by Media Outrage on June 18, 2009
Janet Hubert portrayed Aunt Viv on The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air and has penned a tell all book entitled “Perfection Is Not A Sitcom Mom.” In the memoir, she details how Will Smith sabotaged a lot of their careers. She also speaks about getting fired from the show. Peep game
Via VBBuzz:
Actress Janet Hubert is probably best known as Aunt Vivian on the Will Smith sitcom, ‘Fresh Prince of Bel Air.’
The 53-year-old actress was fired from the show in 1993 and replaced by actress Daphne Maxwell Reid.
Now the twice-married, mother of one has penned a memoir, ‘Perfection Is Not A Sitcom Mom’ that is slated to be released early in 2010.
In the book, Hubert lashes out at Smith and accuses the then-hip hop superstar of sabotaging her and other talented actors who worked on the 30-minute NBC comedy.
In one excerpt from the tome, given to BV Buzz exclusively, Hubert writes: “Smith had people around him who made sure no one outshone him. I was happy to see Don Cheadle become the quality actor that he is, and often wondered how he made it past one episode, as Hilary’s boyfriend, being such a fierce actor. No one could be on ‘The Tonight Show,’ that first season, except Will. And I mean no one.”
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.
Hubert also vividly details her termination from ‘Fresh Prince of Bel Air,’ something she claims to have never anticipated.
She writes: “My agent called; it was time. He had a very funny sound to his voice, not the usual wonderfully funny Michael that I knew. ‘Jaaaannnet,’ he said, ‘I got the offer and you’re not gonna like it. They offered you 10 episodes.’ Now, to the layperson who doesn’t know what this means, each show is an episode, and the usual amount is 22, with perhaps two extra. But the show was a hit so they would order 26, with each show taking a week to shoot. I remember swallowing very, very hard. [My son] Eli was only three and half months old. That meant a cut in salary of more than $100,000.”
“We had a new house, a new baby, I had just opened a new exercise studio, signed a 3-year lease, and my ex wasn’t working at the time. And they knew this,” the excerpt continued. “‘That’s not all,’ Michael said. ‘They don’t want you to work on any other shows. You can only do two guest starring roles.’ What? Who? I stammered. I couldn’t breathe. What do we do, Michael? What do we do? ‘We pass,’ Michael said. ‘This is a dirty deal, and they know it.’ OK, I trust you, I said. Michael had been my agent for more than 20 years. ‘OK sweetie, I will call you back,’ he said.”
In the last of the passage, Hubert describes just how the news that she was being replaced was delivered, an ordeal she likens to a murder.
“My mind was going in a million places. OK, I thought, they will come back; this is how they do it. They always come back. I started into the kitchen where Rayna – my friend, housekeeper and nanny was. She was doing dishes as baby E was enjoying a
swing. I knelt down, kissed his head, and waited for the next round of negotiations. They never came. The next time Michael called he said, ‘They are going to recast your role.’ There was a beautiful stained glass window that I designed in the bedroom, and the windows were open, so my neighbors probably heard me scream. And that beautiful window probably has many cracks in it. Time of Death: approximately 3 pm. The real Vivian Banks was murdered,” the excerpt closed.
Since being replaced on ‘Fresh Prince of Bel Air,’ Hubert has had guest turns on ‘Gilmore Girls,’ ‘One Life To Live,’ ‘Friends,’ ‘NYPD Blue’ and ‘The Jamie Foxx Show.’
“For over 20 years I have been dealing with untruths as to my departure. I have decided to defend myself now. If I am going to be a part of the witch hunt this time, the witch is going to fight back,” Hubert told BV Buzz.
For more details on the actress and when the book hits stores, visit her online at www.janethubert.com.
Mediaoutrage- Wow…. Interesting. Wonder what the box-office king would have to say about this.
MissTX85 said
**pin drops**
Jolie said
Back then, I hear she was being a diva because she was from Broadway & did not think someone with her talent should have to work with a rap artist. Too little too late, don’t want to hear it.
Dickwell Thrust said
Man, thats sad. I nearly cried over this level of insecurity that Will and his producers played…..
Than I realized……
” Who gives a fuck ya dumb bitch…Who the hell are you!?!?”
Ms. Behave said
MO, Imma need that ZOOM-OUT feature really quick, i just can’t deal with this type of horror and how the hell did her knuckles get so hefty and hard. *shrugs*
Truly23 said
You guys have to admit, that was some shady ish though…
Dickwell Thrust said
@Truly23…
Yeah, it was shady, but the show was created by Quincy J. and his production company. Will didnt have real power until after the 3rd season when she was gone. She was a Diva that didnt want to get with the program of knowing this is about Will as Fresh Prince…..not the fucking Auntie Viv!
You see no one else got canned and they all were working after the show…
lowridaz said
i liked her on fresh prince, as the mom, i thought she was the best , i liked her
Truly23 said
You’re right DT no one else was fired…I guess she should’ve kept mouth shut and just acted… Especially buying stuff brand new knowing you’re going to have a mortgage and the broke azz man not working… She should’ve put his azz out on the freeway selling oranges or grapefruits something…
Ms. Behave said
((((screaming)))) @ DT pic, but seriously DT how many head shot pics do u have, although very appealing this isn’t any of them.
Maybe u are doing this on purpose, are u trying to make me beg?:)
Dickwell Thrust said
lol…girl stop im going to change my twitter page right now…im going to stop working and do it now…
Yea I Said It said
Wow! I can’t wait for the book to go to the library. There must be some valitity to her story otherwise how can she write a book on it,without the publishers worrying about being sued?
At any rate, I partially believe her.
Ms. Behave said
Is that u in the gravie MissTX85, how cute, awwww
Ms. Behave said
Please do!!! ** My cheeks are hurting me from grinning so hard** —> gone to twitter, i’ll keep refreshing til’ it updates. lol
Dickwell Thrust said
its done….lol…
Ms. Behave said
((((THANK YOU))))*kisses*_________^^^_________”Get the paddles”…”CLEAR”…[flat line]_________________DEAD.♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ PLease send me a copy, so i can be buried with it.
Dickwell Thrust said
…lololol…Ms. Behave do you have a twitter page?……
Ms. Behave said
NOT YET, best believe i WILL get one.:)
MissTX85 said
@ Ms. Behvave, yep that’s me. THANKS!!
ucanb2 said
Wow.. but who really cares after so long. I would have wrote my book the next day.
Ms. Behave said
@MissTX85 Says, i guess u didn’t see my ‘threat’ in the Aubrey-Oday post. lol cause’ ur awfully nice to me. haha.
–I love baby pics, they make me feel soooo mushy, like DT pics, but in a different way *wink, wink*
MissTX85 said
@ Ms. Behave, I finally saw it! LOL!
1coolazzchic said
for real though?? she been tellin this same damn story for years. who the hell cares? she didnt say will stopped her from gettin other jobs, so y the hell didnt she make a comeback? news flash, we dont give a damn.
MoneAlicia said
Exactly MissTX85…that was a looooong time ago. Get over it!
She looks good tho.
Lio said
I don’t know Will Smith , but I can tell you that his not responsible for her departure..Will is still friend all the cast member of the show, she ’s just a jealous old bitch who realized that she made a HUUUUUUUUGE mistake by being a diva….. Will shouldn’t be worry about her book..it will be a flop ..
mizzsimplicity said
thought she was great on that show, don’t know if what she’s saying has any truth to it, if it does it sure is sad.
Smurfette said
I liked her better than the new aunt viv. Wished she had stayed on the show! I see u on twitter, DT!! Lol
Atlanta said
She has been saying that for years.
2020VIZN said
Sounds like the same shit that happened on Good Times!
Tia said
she just wants attention…and a check
#1 New York Times Bestseller…NEGATIVE!
Yvonne said
I wondered why she was no longer on the show. I had heard she got fired and it had something to do with Will but I never knew the full story, if this is true.
I liked her on the show. Loved the way she dressed and her hair styles. I always thought she was pretty in her own way. Had a really nice body.
crystalshine said
Didn’t M.o. just post their reunion recently? She waits until now 2 speak her mind. If its tru, it was a dirty move. That should’ve made her strive 2 do somethan better, not complain about now.
joneblaze said
She was at her best on that show when she wore that white leotard and you could see her toned up body,other than that the show was titled The Fresh Prince of Bel Air not the fresh mom of bel air,and she’s still trying to make money off the show with this book.