13 things you should know about Alfonso Ribeiro
So we all enjoyed the Fresh Prince of Bel Air reunion on last week's Graham Norton Show, didn't we?
Big Willie on the mic, Jazzy Jeff on the decks… but it was Alfonso Ribeiro that was the real star of the show, strutting his stuff as only Carlton can.
In honour of the feelgood clip of the year, here's
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Born in New York in 1971 to parents from Trinidad and Tobago, Alfonso's dancing skills saw him land a spot in a 1984 Pepsi ad alongside none other than MJ himself.
Yep, that's him in the red jacket.
He had to learn his moves. And you could, too - if you bought his easy to follow book, complete with 65"x70" fold-out breaking board, rap sheet and instruction poster.
Radical!
But it wasn't very good.
In fact it was woeful.
Here it is:
On the plus side, the old red jacket got a fair bit of wear.
The network president didn't like him after he saw the pilot, and ordered him fired from the cast.
Six weeks later bosses admitted they'd made a mistake and hired him back.
Watch clip for the full story, as well as scandal on how Alfonso didn't get on with 'the first Vivian' (meow!).
Carlton had a whole Ned Flanders thing going on. As evidenced by this picture of Alfonso, Will, Karyn Parsons (Hilary) and Hef at the Playboy Mansion.
Still don't believe us? Check out this clip of Carlton stripping.
So how's he holding up now?
Pretty good, by the looks of things.
His mobile is set to vibrate, his step-daughter told Reddit users last year.
Why would this be asked?
Because of this, possibly seminal Carlton dance.
(although this, to Apache (Jump On It) by the Sugarhall Gang, runs a close second)
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And wouldn't ever do the dance, even when his kids asked.
"He refused to do the Carlton dance for a long time," his step-daughter said, until he copped that there was money to be made.
"Turns out he just realized he could get paid for it and started doing the flash mobs."
He even breaks out the dance on the golf course.
He's quite the golf fan, it turns out.
Hey everyone. You must go out and get the new @nikegolf Covert driver. I'm telling you it's the best driver on the market. So hot. #20yards
— Alfonso Ribeiro (@alfonso_ribeiro) February 14, 2013
In fact, he's an all-round sportsman with his second passion being car racing, and won several celebrity motor races in the 1990s.
Where he revealed that he and second wife Angela (they married last year) took in the sights of London after his epic appearance on Graham Norton.
With my hubby @alfonso_ribeiro at Buckingham Palace. #London #AfterEarth pic.twitter.com/eTW59K4QRU
— Angela Ribeiro (@angiesue224) May 24, 2013
They even went to the Champions League final
Says him.
Here's the Springsteen vid for comparison, Courteney's up around 3.30. To be honest, there could be any number of culprits in this, not least The Boss himself.
Who would want to punch Carlton? Jesus, what is wrong with people?
And still we say - stick to the dancing, Alfonso.
Alfonso has been the victim of multiple online death hoaxes.
Nope, still here.
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