Continuing my old school theme from my last celebrity-athlete, I decided to go back to one of my favorite shows of all time: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Summertime was just the beginning of the Will Smith phenomena, in my opinion; where it really started was on the TV screen. The Fresh Prince wasn’t just about its star, Smith. There were numerous actors/entertainers who played key roles in the show and made it the classic that it is today (why else would it play every night on Nick At Night?).
Today’s Celebrity Athlete: Ty Lawson, point guard for the Denver Nuggets.
Ever since his time at UNC, Lawson played second fiddle to the much bigger, more celebrated Tyler Hansbrough. He had his moments, but, in the end, the UNC Championship team was all about ‘Psycho Ty’. This is just one of the many things that connect this mighty mite to Alfonso Ribiero (whom America will always know as Carlton Banks).
If Will Smith was the glitz and glamor, Carlton was the glue that kept everything together. The show played on Carlton’s diminutive stature as the go-to bit for a quick laugh. Lawson was UNC Coach Roy Williams’ go-to guy for a quick bucket.
I watched many UNC vs. Duke games in which Ty Lawson would take the ball out of the hoop, receive the in-bounds pass and zip up the floor for an easy layup (much to my dismay, I might add…there was a LOT of cursing at my TV in those days).
Carlton’s patented “Carlton Dance” captivated the nation (or at least 6 Prescott Hall Road) and inspired me to try and create my own dance. Needless to say, that was an epically failed attempt on my part, but not for a lack of effort.
Lawson never had a dance, but I like to think that he was “getting jiggy wit’ it” all night long after the National Championship game. Having trouble picturing it, just check out the video below (try substituting the neckties and sweater vests for Nuggets jerseys and instead a TV-studio set, it's just Omarion screaming "YOU GOT SERVED!" at anyone who'll listen).
Both guys are short, stocky, and have outstanding goatees. While The Fresh Prince was likely the peak of Ribiero’s stardom, Lawson looks to have a lot of upside for the Nuggets. That is to say, both men have their similarities and differences; however, the trump card is the fact that they look the same.
Can I just say that the world is worse off without The Fresh Prince? I say Robert Horry and Ty Lawson take a hiatus from basketball – even though Horry is retired – and go film 5 new seasons of The Fresh Prince (I know I can’t be the only one who wants this to happen...oh, and 'Big Baby' Davis could play Uncle Phil).
Honestly, I think watching UNC win the National Championship in 2009 would have been much more bearable if Lawson had on one of Carlton’s patented wool-knit, ‘90s sweaters. At least I’d be able to get a kick out of it.
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