All posts in: Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

19 Sep 2020

A Fresh Rental

Airbnb is pulling out all the stops on pop culture reference rentals lately! First, it was securing the last Blockbusters in the country and now, you can rent the home from Fresh Prince. They were the family that won over our hearts with their quick wit, but will their home live up to everything we’ve seen? We’ve seen the “inside” of the home plenty, which was likely just a set, but I’m so curious as to what the interiors of this will actually look like. To commemorate the sitcom’s 30th anniversary, you can spend just $30 a night to stay over the Bel Air mansion.

The stay will include access to Will’s bedroom (minus Will, of course), a full bathroom, pool and outdoor lounge, and the dining room. All meals will be served on silver platters (no kitchen access due to COVID-19). Major perks also include a pair of Air Jordan sneakers for each guest, the loan of fancy outfits during the stay, and access to DJ Jazzy Jeff’s turntables. In what’s easily the best perk, Will and Jazzy Jeff will include guests in Smith’s Instagram Sunday via celebrity selfie with the pair.

Bookings for the home will begin September 29th for reservations to take place on October 2, 5, 8, 11, and 14. Only L.A. County residents who can prove a current living situation in the same household are eligible.

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01 Jan 2014

James Avery Passes Away

It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to one of the best dads on television in the 90’s. James Avery was famous for his role as “Uncle Phil” on Fresh Prince of Bel Air and today he passed away at the age of 65 in an LA hospital. Avery had recently undergone surgery for an undisclosed illness when things had taken a turn for the worst yesterday. He is survived by his wife of 26 years.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZPsfO2I4bo]

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26 Nov 2011

A Collection Part 28

The current season plays a huge role in these selection of photos this time around. It wasn’t until I finished that I noticed that there was a tinge of earthy colors transitioning from fall into winter. I hope you guys enjoy all of the photos! I also hope that you’ve all had a wonderfully relaxing Thanksgiving holiday.

Read more “A Collection Part 28”

22 Aug 2011

10 Families on Television You Wish You Could Call Your Own

[The Banks Family]

Did you ever wish your life were more like a sitcom? Growing up, I did. I questioned why my parents didn’t invite an Uncle Jesse and a comedic Joey into our family.  I wondered why my jokes were never followed by random laughter and applause in the background. All I wanted was someone who I could banter back and forth with in a town called Stars Hollow. Life in a sitcom seemed so much more interesting than real life, didn’t it? So what families made BuzzFeed’s list of “10 Families You Wish You Were Part Of?” Click here for the rankings.

My pick is above 🙂

18 Feb 2011

Dinner With the Fresh Cast

How much would you pay to have dinner with the original cast of “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?” Apparently, the bidding is already at $3,500. Since the show ended, Karyn Parsons (Hilary Banks) started managing charity “Sweet Blackberry” and as a way to raise money for it, she offered up this dinner party with the old cast reunited. So who else will could you be rubbing elbows with at the dinner table? Carlton, Ashley, Uncle Phil, and Will Smith will all be there!

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15 Oct 2009

Hot Air Balloon Kid… NOT

Falcon Heene … is now a celebrity. I’m not going to recap this story because I’m sure we all know it by now. I’ve skimmed a lot of the articles so maybe my question (s) are already answered but…

1) Why is this family making a giant homemade balloon?

2) Was this in fact a publicity stunt? The family has already been on Wife Swap after all…

“When asked by his father on-air why he didn’t respond, the boy replied, “You guys said we did this for the show.”

When the father was pressed by Wolf Blitzer, who was filling in for King, to explain what his son meant, he became uncomfortable, finally saying he was “appalled” by the questions, and then adding that Falcon was likely referring to all the media coverage.” source

You know what Falcon? I have nothing more to say to you except

31 Aug 2009

Meet: Derek Mio

Tonight at 8 PM, the new season of Greek premieres on ABC Family. What are you doing? Cause you should be watching.

I had the opportunity to interview one of my favorite characters from the show, Kappa Tau brother, actor Derek Mio. I’m a huge fan of the show and actually just started watching this year, but got myself caught up through watching the first season on Hulu and hosting Greek viewing parties with Lucia at school. It was an intense battle for Lucia and I to search for a lounge and an open tv in my building just to catch the new episode.

Q: Derek Mio, where are you from and how did you get started in this business?

Derek Mio: I am from Huntington Beach, CA.  I attended USC Film School and during the summer of my freshman year I interned at a commercial agency and they decided to send me out because I figure a) their Asian clientele at the time was pretty limited and b) I had spikey bleached tips.  From then on I booked print jobs, then commercials, then TV guest star roles, then independent film roles, and here we are with you interviewing me because I’m on Greek.

Q: Have you wanted to be an actor your whole life or did these gigs just fall into your lap?

D: I can remember daydreaming about being an actor from a very early age as I sat in front of the TV watching Saved by the Bell, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Jaws on TBS for the 37th time, or Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and The Last Starfighter on VHS; throw Big Trouble in Little China in there too!  Oh, and The Secret of My Success with Michael J. Fox! Anyways, I kind of had it in my head that I would eventually make it to being an actor and that probably influenced the cosmos to act in my favor.  For real, do you remember those posters in elementary classes that would say “Believe it and Achieve it!”?  Well, I guess I just applied that particular poster to my passion of acting.  I’ve been acting now for close to 9 years so I can’t really say that “these gigs just fall into my lap” but I have been fortunate enough to see a progression of one gig leading to the next.  We’ll see what happens…next!

Q: What is a typical day for Derek Mio?

D: I’ll get up around 9 or 10. Check my Gmail.  Check my Twitter.  Pour a bowl of cereal.  Maybe run to the gym and work out for a bit.  I like to edit videos so if I’m working on a project I will try to find a coffee shop and do that for a few hours.  Ummm…other days I might go play a round of golf with my buddy Zack Lively from Greek, who btw I saw you had a dream about the other day?!  I gotta tell him that one!


Q: You and the other Kappa Tau guys have a great relationship in front of the camera, are you guys bffls in real life as well?

D: I don’t think many people are “best friends for life” because that is a long time.  A lot of times you will lose track with friends over the years either because you switch jobs, or you move, or you just lose touch because you get married and have a family and now your whole life is devoted to your wife and kids.  I just think it’s a stretch to call any friend a bffl’er.  But to answer your question, our relationship onscreen is pretty accurate to that of ours in real life.  We don’t all hang out together a lot but when we do it’s like we’re back at the Kappa Tau house and we’re close as can be.  I’ve been pretty fortunate to work such cool professionals.

Q: I was reading a previous tweet of yours the other day when you said, “Just wrapped my last scene/episode of Greek. Bittersweet for sure. Love that crew! Look out for @Day_One on NBC!” Explain yourself please. Say it isn’t so, I don’t want Wade to leave Greek nor do I want to see Greek end.

D: Well don’t turn to my Twitter page for your source of official news!  I did land a role on a new NBC show called Day One which will air next year and that might conflict with Wade’s enrollment; hopefully not, but let’s just emotionally prepare for that now if it happens.

Q: The new season of Greek premieres Monday, what can we expect out of this season and out of Wade? A possible serious girlfriend?

D: You know Wade is up to the same tomfoolery and shenanigans but he’s older now…and a little wiser…by a semester.  You’ll just have to tune in to see what I mean.  Serious girlfriend?  Pssh!!  Wade doesn’t get down like that!  Ask Casey, Ashleigh, and Rebecca!

Q: How much alike are you and your character Wade?

D: Wade dresses much better than I do.  I’m a little more intelligent than Wade.

Q: What’s on rotation on your iPod right now?

D: I don’t really use my ipod as much as I should.  I go on Pandora.com a lot.  If you haven’t tried it you definitely should.  It plays music similar to a song or artist of your choosing.  But in my car’s cd changer I got Eminem’s Relapse, Doors-esque psychedelic rock band Black Angels, Hawaiian reggae band Katchafire, and L.A. based hip hop band DDL Roundhouse--definitely worth checking out!

Q: What’s new with Derek Mio and where will we be seeing you next?

D: What’s new with me?  I just went deep sea fishing with my brother, cousins, Aunt, and Uncle and caught some yellowfin tuna.  You will be seeing me on Greek, Monday nights at 9/8c on ABC Family and next year on Day One on NBC.

Q: Anything else you want to tell my readers?

D: If you watch Greek, thank you for supporting the show!  If you don’t watch Greek…

Thank you so much Derek for the great interview 🙂 Can’t wait to see you on this new season of Greek and your new show next year. Take care! Watch Greek every Monday at 8 PM on ABC Family