Darius McCrary's Reaction To Judy Winslow's Removal From 'Family Matters': "I Tightened Up.." 

Family Matters went from a sitcom about the Winslow family to the Steve Erkel show featuring the Winslow family.

Interviewer: What about Judy Winslow? Darius: Mississippi Burning was an excellent film.

She may not have been the most interesting character on the show....but she wasn’t any worse than Richies character...i could have done without him and 3J

Interviewer: "So what happened to Judy". Darius: "Let's talk about me some more".

When I watch an episode she’s in, I yell at her “Don’t go upstairs!”

Mr. Darius speaking that wisdom. I hope those pursuing the dream hear him.

“I tightened up on my backstroke...” I know that’s right 😂😂😂

Funny thing is.... we didn’t even realize she was gone till damn near a year later.

He'll be EDDIE WINSLOW forever to me!

He was trying to give the interviewer what really goes on behind closed doors with these directors/producers.

Yea I remember Mississippi burning...... made me never want to visit Mississippi!!!

Idk who started or owns this page/brand, as I hope it’s black owned, but I just wanna say thank you thank you thank you for giving our vet black actors their roses while they can smell them, and saluting them for their talent and works. Lately I’ve been seeing some really talented people I grew up on and it makes me smile fr, our actors never get the props they deserve . Hope you can get Wood Harris on here sometime soon, that would be sick.

Never knew when your last trip upstairs was going to be.

He look like the black Cory Feldman... 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

The minute Jaleel White arrived as Urkel (obviously) that's when the show shifted and _everybody_ took a backseat. _FM_ had three different phases across 10 years.

Wow, I love the part where he points out that Family Matters was 7 years in the making before he even stepped foot on the set, and how you're basically just a tool for the producers to get the project done. And to protect the blessing and the privilege. I think anything where we have opportunity, we have to make sure we never take it for granted. Noted, Darius, noted.... :)

All this "code" talk. It's like he saying everything and nothing at all😩😂

“I Tighten My Backstroke...” Precise Response. 🔥👊🏾

I love how the whole cast is still close and how he defends Jaimee.

Am I the only one that thinks they were still wrong for just abruptly and unsmoothly taking her off the show?

She literally went upstairs and never came back down. I missed her she was the sassy kid character.

Judy went up them stairs and ain't never come back down.

He should’ve asked why she wasn’t with the special cast reunion a few years back.

I really am enjoying hearing his perspective.

Interviewer: "so what happened to Judy Winslow?" Darius: "I was fired from designing women, and back to what i was talking about"

It's too bad the writers didn't at least acknowledge it. When Aunt Viv changed actors after season 3 in Fresh Prince, Jazz came in and said something to the effect of "you sure look different since you had that baby". Too bad the writers didn't say "Judy Winslow is off to boarding school". 1 line is all it takes.

Unfortunate for Jamie Foxworth but I guess they had to cut one kind once they made Steve a permanent character. He was just supposed to be on 1 or 2 episodes but was in instant hit with the audience

Wise Straight Talk from an Intelligent Brother. Love and Appreciate Him for Truth.

Who remember “Buddy” from next day air? 😂😂😂😂

Between he and Jason Weaver (and I'm sure other memorable 90's black child actors as well), I have learned so much. And it's so encouraging to see how articulate and well-spoken these men have grown to become. Excellent!

I was watching family matters one day when I was a kid and I kept saying something is different something is missing they didn't even write her off she was just gone

He was funny in Kingdom Come

Love his ability to get his point across. He's keeping it real.

Interviewer: What happened to Judy Winslo Darius: You see this on my neck, this is a gunshot wound. 😆

I read that “Judy’s” parents wanted more episodes to focus on her character, so that’s why they dropped her

Family matters was part of my childhood growing up I'm 39 yrs old now much luv

People often get "being humble" and "let me disrespect you" confused.

Vlad gonna try to interview him next watch lol

Facts the same thing happened to the dark skin young lady on my wife & kids..she went up stairs dark came down light skinned..

Preach. He has so much insight into his profession. A lot of people need to “tighten up on their backstroke” in all kinds of jobs and careers!

I can understand firing an actor. I can’t understand erasing a character’s existence after FOUR seasons of a tv show and pretending like she was never there. She didn’t go to a special school, or to live with a relative...they just suddenly had 2 kids. This never would have happened on Full House or Step by Step. Obvious reasons.

Nothing but wisdom. Keeping it real. Being humble. He kept it a G

“If you look at yourself as a fish in an aquarium things will be a lot easier”- insight right there for life. Thanks Darius.

I agree with the casualty of war comment. As far as the children were concerned. Im sure once Jaleel White's Urkel character got extremely popular can't get rid of Laura he was in love with her and can't get rid of Eddie because Steve considered him his best friend. So Judy had to go I guess.

The reason she was let go is because her mom asked when would there be an episode set around her. The producers laughed and said never. She was expendable since urkel was the star

I immediately knew the character role on DW he was talking about! It wasn’t too many times people of color other than Meshach were on that show. Truth be told even he was only supposed to be in one episode.

He was supposed to be Tyrone on Designing Women, WOW that's a nice fact to know!

Judy went up Those damn stairs and NEVER came out. We never heard or seen from Judy again. You know they call that child abuse?😳😂

I'm so glad sumbody finally addressed this!

I think the problem with Judy Winslows was that she clearly was put in to be the Rudy Huxtable of the show. Which is basically the cute kid. But since there was already Richie the baby it largely took away from her character. After Urkle came on the show, he became basically the novelty character. Typically the cute youngest kid fills in the novelty slot on the show. It's also clear that the character was an afterthought. As they didnt develop her with any personality. It felt like she was tacked onto the show just to fill in the "cute kid" quota. And she became superfluous once Urkle became a hit.

Darius singing 🎵Tender Kisses😘 with Tracie Spencer in the hotel room is such a classic...

Summary (Translation): The creators/directors/writers didn't think she was a good fit and got rid of her and unfortunately that's just part of the game as an actor. There's no rhyme or reason and sometimes not even an explanation for those type of random decisions. He realized that he was lucky it wasn't him getting fired and that he shouldn't waste HIS opportunity on the show. He felt bad for her but had to keep it moving. The. End. Lol

They should do a spinoff show that showed what happened when she went upstairs. They could say one of Steve's inventions sent her to another dimension. 🤣

Do you know how much Humble Pie I had to eat 😂😂💀

"I tightened up on my backstroke." Now that's a word!!!

definitely multi-talented her ability to multitask set her apart from the rest

One of the realest interviews ive seen on the acting industry in a long time

He handled that question very well, he did without bashing anyone. Great work!👍

JUDY WINSLOW WENT UPSTAIRS AND NEVER CAME BACK😭 VERY SAD EPISODE 😭

Judy had the best lines in Season 1. She was comedy gold for that season. She was never a developed character but she was a hilarious character and I think that makes her worthy enough to keep around. Had they not shoved Steve into the spotlight they could have given her development like they did for Laura and Eddie. There wasn't anything about her character that was less interesting than theirs were by default, they just stopped giving her any sort of meaningful focus after Season 1. She still has some really good lines in Seasons 2 and 3, but by Season 4 she was pretty much a background character. This isn't the fault of Jamie or the character of Judy, this is the fault of the producers caring more about the ratings than keeping the show close to what its purpose is. The show is "Family Matters". Not "Urkel Matters". Steve is a hilarious character and I don't think there was anything wrong with keeping him around in the series, but he should have been kept as a gag character that pops up every episode or two for a quick hilarious scene, and then leaves so the focus could be on the Winslow Family like it was supposed to be. The first season of Family Matters is my favorite because it's like this, and the fact they needed to retool the show to be around Urkel in order to avoid cancellation just shows how incredibly wasted the talent of the writers were on the audience at the time. Even before Steve showed up the characters were incredibly likable and hilarious so in my eyes there's no reason audiences shouldn't have been enthused.

I think people are seeing too much into what happened to Jaime's character. When the show first came out, it was billed as a lower middle class Cosby type show. As the show developed, they got away from the family aspects & focused on the teen elements of the show (Steve/Stephen, Laura, Eddie, Greta, Waldo & Maxine). Her character didn't fit in with them & what was left of the family element was being taken up by Richie & later 3J. By the time Judy was gone, the show started moving out characters anyway. They just left or were shown less. Rachel left & the grandmother was married off.

Everyone is saying he's only interested in talking about himself but he's choosing his words carefully because he's close with her and her family and he did answer the question go back and listen

He’s sharing wisdom for life periodt!

I have worked with actors on stage that were mad because they wanted to come out last for the most applause. This one dude held up rehearsal for almost an hour pissed because of just that. Really??!!?? I don't have an issue on telling the actor bye bye. I view this as it is about the ART not the EGO. Yes some performers should get certain perks however no need to go over board with it. I mean if you will not perform because the producer failed to get your favorite peanuts from walmart??? That's going over board.

I understand why Jamiee Foxworth was removed from the cast of Family Matters, but it was never explained what had happened to Judy Winslow the character. So, what really happened to Judy? Did the character run away from home? Did Judy commit a crime? Nobody will ever know why the Winslows never mention Judy anymore.

Interviewer: What Happened to Judy Winslow? Darius: My mama made awesome apple pie and it was the best like no other...

These are some of the realest interviews... kudos

Darius is a awesome dude. Great seeing him healthy and happy.

Harriette Winslow was like “throw the whole child away” so Carl had her arrested

The show was a mess. It became a fiction show after a while. When it comes to Jaimee Foxxworth, they should’ve at least replaced her. It’s like her character never existed.

Goodness I wasn’t going to post but all that chocolate 🤦🏾‍♀️

I love how he said it made him respect the blessing

I really missed Myra that passed away in real life, Michelle Thomas. She was Steve’s girlfriend. What a beautiful actress. Sad that she got sick and she continued working til the end.

They didn't do Jaimee right...

In the game of Hollywood, people got their boundaries in so many levels!!!! The producers got rules and regulations, too! And you don't played by the rules...then you don't have a job! That's your career!!!! I will thank Darius McCrary for telling his side of the story!!!!✌✌✌✌

What is ironic is that Laura and Eddie’s characters were very shady...they weren’t good friends to Steve, Waldo, or Maxine. They seemed to be very unappreciative about a lot of the things Harriet and Carl were doing for them. It’s interesting how the “producers” developed their characters after the departure of Judy.

Interviewer: "so what happend to Judy Winslow?" Darius: 'Mississippi Burning was awesome, and I had to step my game up. Just think of yourself as a fish in an aquarium or a lion in the jungle trying to get his next meal." Interviewer: 🤨

I love how he answers the question about his former castmate. He was indirect...but direct. 👏

Darius: She's very talented Jake Steed: 🙂

He is tip toeing around his answers honey! “Powers that be”

Remember when him and Jamie Foxworth was in Tevin Campbell's "Tomorrow" video? I'm showing my age 😂

It’s always hard trying to give an answer to “mysteries” but he answered it the best way he could from his perspective😌. Love him for that..

What happened was Urkel blew up and less lines went to Judy Winslow and they cut her after her reps fought for her to get more lines.

You all have to read between the lines, he basically said she was being a pain in the ass on set and thought she was more important than she was,so that’s more than likely the reason she was let go

Vlad would've definitely asked him if he ever watched Judy's porn lol

I loved Julia Sugarbaker 🤩

Who remembers TGIF every Friday??😎💯 4 shows 2 hours lets see who else knows all 4 shows!!

They should have done it like Judy went to boarding school or something

“Certain talents deserve certain gains” “Industry is not our game” “Tighten up on my backstroke” Sold, sold SOLD!!

I remember Designing Women I loved that show!

I heard her parents asked for a raise and the producers were like "hell no," so she kicked rocks. She didn't deserve a raise.

Designing Women was a good show... think middle aged women vs “Golden Girls”

There was no reason to have 4 kids...urkel was essentially the 3 kid. Once his character became popular, they had to eliminate a character for story and time’s sake.

Really great response to the questions bro. Well done.

He speaking facts! Thanks for this interview.

She disappeared, like Richie Cunningham’s older brother, on Happy Days.

When he said that family matters was 7 years in the making, it reminds me of what Katt williams said about girls trips being written a decade earlier before it hit theator.

She went to her room and never came out, steve was just that annoying or Carl really grounded her for life 🤣😂

Crazy to love these shows growing up and find out years later the cut-throat stuff that happened behind the scenes

All of Darius McCrary, Shawn Harrison, and Shavar Ross family matters scenes were without a doubt comedy gold.