ABC/Michael Ansell(NEW YORK) — It’s been over 20 years since Alfonso Ribeiro played Carlton Banks on the hit 90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. While Ribeiro says he’s honored “people loved something that [he] was a part of,” the actor wants people to just stop asking him to dance the “Carlton.”
“I get asked to do the dance every day I leave the house,” Ribeiro tells ABC Radio. “So the only day in my life where I’m not going to get asked to do that dance is if I stay home.”
Ribeiro says being asked to dance is an annoyance in his life. He laughs it off, but to him, it’s actually not that funny.
“Some days I’m in a good mood and some days I’m not in as good of a mood,” Ribeiro explains. “And I might have a nice comeback for them. Every once in a while, I will say to people — when I’m just like in a bad mood, I’m like, ‘You do realize you just asked a black man to dance for you right?” And they’re like, “No, no! I didn’t mean it that way!'”
Ribeiro continues: “And I’m like, “‘Nah! I’m just messing with you. I’m just messing with you. But I just wanted you to think about it for a second. Just for one second!”‘
According to Ribeiro, being Carlton Banks has been a “blessing and curse.”
“I never want to take away their enjoyment of the moment,” Ribeiro explains. “But… I’m not a dancing puppet. We’re not going to be actually dancing for people all day long.”
Ribeiro says: “You.. actually don’t… have to ask me. You can just sit there and not ask. And it will be the same reality because I ain’t dancing for you,” he laughs.
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