Yup. He's a kid from the South who suffered serious racism and abuse. That is what inspires him to go into law school, so he could change Social Acts and make the lives of other black people better.
I respectfully dissagree. The two best Uncle Phil moment are when Will's dad walks out on him again and when Uncle Phil hustles a pool shark to save Will from gambling debt.
I disagree I think the best two is when Will's dad walks out and when him and Aunt Viv storm the jail and he says "If you don't let those two boys out I am going to tie this place up in so much ligation your grandchildren are going to need lawyers".
Uncle Phil in my opinion represents what being a truly good man is. Hard working, puts his family first, treats others with respect and how he would want to be treated,but also doesn't take shit from anybody because he has worked too damn hard and been through too much in his life to let anyone try and take an ounce of that from him. A truly great character and a fantastic role model for not just men and fathers but all people in general. We need more characters like this today, because we need more people like this today.
On the series finale, the fact that he tells Will "you are my son. End of story.", made me cry so hard. He stayed behind to finish his degree and while they left LA they still supported and loved him. This show was and still is amazing.
Uncle Phil’s absolutely right. Will was street-wise and independent, sometimes to a fault, but he had the life experience that Hillary, Carlton, and Ashley never had due to being sheltered the entirety of their lives. He was way more equipped to deal on his own.
🧐 I wonder if Carlton & his sisters are more stable and secure in their person-hood though, having had consistent safety, and rules, and kindness and attention from their parents. 🤔 Just thinkin.’ Both things could be true at the same time, I suppose… 🤔
@@miahconnell23 I'd think there should be a fine balance of both. At least from how I grew up similar to Carlton and the family, I wish I had some of the lifestyle Will did.
"I remember a kid loaded with all the potential in the world, and now I see a person on the verge of realizing that potential." Considering Will Smith's career at the beginning and end of this show, this was exceptionally profound. RIP James Avery, you were a real father figure to so many of us.
@@tranquility2745 he somewhat did but he had blown all his money and owed alot to the IRS so most of his money from the beginning of the show went to the IRS
3:27 I think it's worth to it that I think at that point is a callback to the first episode when Uncle Phil catches Will playing Beethoven on the piano.
Yeah this is just silly. People get mad at the guy who played Lamott too for not going to Red Fox's funeral. Death is sad but at the end of the day you work with someone and eventually wish them the best and move on.
People act like when Will came to live with them was the first time he ever met Uncle Phil. He'd known him since he was a child, it's his Uncle ffs 🤣 There's flashbacks of Will and Carlton playing when they visited when they were kids.
The fact that Uncle Phil shows some love and respect for Will despite their grievances is very touching. But also note how Will seems to care a lot about how Uncle Phil perceives him and is even quite ashamed when he thinks he is failing his paternal figure.
Know why Phil never worries about Will? Because he’s already street savvy. He knows the way of how things work in the world. He’s just immature and needs life experience. The other kids were sheltered, so as they get older, Phil worries about them dealing with life complications.
"I'm gonna fill this place with so much litigation..that your GRANDCHILDREN ARE GONNA NEED LOYERS" James Avery was brilliant actor, and a tremendous uncle Phil.
This man's delivery and his genuine attitude towards everyone in the cast can be felt during their reunion episode. It was amazing to see how much of a real life impact he had on them and how that is also portrayed in the show as well.
I think the episode where Ben Vereen plays Will's birth father and Phil is there for Will (showing us all who Will's real 'dad' is) ranks up there. These are great moments too.
My uncle Phil, I call him dad. He's been there for me since my birth. When other young men of his generation ran away from fatherhood, my dad stepped up and together with my mom raised me. The only thing that separated my parents was my mother's untimely death nearly 23 Christmases ago. The only thing I fear in this world is letting my father down, so every day of my life I make damn sure that I live up to his name, because he gave his name to me (I'm a Jr.). He's a retired paralegal attorney now but my dad still calls me from 3/4 way around the world (I live and teach in Asia now). If I could be one quarter the man my father is, then I will achieve greatness, because that's what my dad is: greatness.
James Avery is irreplaceable! Loved him on Fresh Prince and as the voice of the Shredder. 90’s comedy shows are still very relevant for me and will always hold a special place in my heart 🙂
I had my father until I was 16 and he passed suddenly. Throughout that time and after I was fortunate to have giants continuing to guide, teach and mold me in his absence. I strive to emulate those qualities and strength as an uncle and godfather to the next generation.
@@germansantos5733 when u become a father u can Make the best out of it and become as caring as uncle Phil. You can make it better then your own father!
I "DID" have a great daddy like Uncle Phil. It's jus to BAD & very very SAD that I didn't realize it until after he was gone. If I had 1 "ONE" wish right now, I would wish I could still have my daddy here with us & in the same Xtra special wish, I would wish I would've @ least made the effort to get along with my daddy. In ever so sweet remembrance of my LUVING daddy: Scotty Rex Reed - 8/26/41 to 3/25/99 @ 5:06 pm. I LUV & MISS U SO SOOOOOOOOO VERY VERY MUCH DADDY!! RIHP.💚💙👍🏽🙋🏻♀️🥰😪👨👧👌🏽😘🌻🌴🌹🙌🏼😇🙏🏼🇺🇲💙💚‼️
I saw a kid loaded with all the potential in the world, now i see a person on the verge of realizing that potential.... Ydek how close i came to crying
If you rewatch the Pilot episode, it’s easy to see how Uncle Phil’s character really sees beyond Will’s rough exterior to see the potential he has when he proudly looks on in silence as Will, unaware that he was being observed, was performing a rendition of Ludwig van Beethoven's composition “Für Elise.” The line before your quote when he says “You have no idea what my first memory of you is’” is really powerful, when that pilot scene is on your mind.
Man... I wish I had an father figure like Uncle Phil in my life.... Scripted or not, he makes this look so natural as if this was just an extension of his personality.
The apartment scene is really impactful to me. I just graduated college and got a job. I feel like an adult and want to be an independent adult but sometimes I forget it’s ok to ask for help
I have a theory as to why Uncle Phil never worries about Will: Unlike Uncle Phil's children (Hillary, Carlton, & Ashley), Will grew up without a father and like his mother mentioned, she was always working. Will grew up learning how to take care of himself, do chores while going to school, gaining life experience i.e. street smarts. Will has proven in each episode he's pretty resourceful, a people person, and can be confident in situations he's never put himself in. Hell, in the first episode, we see Will, a dude who grew up in the streets from the hood, playing Beethoven at the end of the episode. No one would have guessed that Will would be able to play piano. I think that even Will is smarter than Carlton and that's why Uncle Phil never worries about him.
I wish my dad was like uncle phil...my own father never really helped me financially or morally... I had to deal with it myself and became a man on my own...sure is hard but still taking notes
im really sorry you didnt have a role model on par like uncle phil , but you know something , if you ever have kids or damn even nephews , you can the their uncle phil ...
I think everyone has their own favorite Uncle Phil moments that are relatable to them. In the end, every Uncle Phil moment is the best one, because he was a truly great man, and inspiration.
Uncles are the best. They treat you differently than parents. They let you do things your parents would frown upon. My uncle Ted was such a man. He taught me how to drive in a grocery store parking lot when I was twelve. He let me look at his collection of Playboy magazines (quite a learning experience for me for sure). I could talk to him about things I could never discuss at home. I have so many fond memories of him. He has since passed but I will never forget him or stop loving him.
RIP James 'Tank' Avery: He was from Atlantic City, New Jersey. He was actually one of my father's closest friends throughout childhood. The 1st time I met him is when he was in the prime of the Fresh Prince; I was in 3rd or 4th grade. I asked him if he knew my father he asked me his name; then he said Yes young man your father was my best friend growing up. His mother was also a school crossing guard. Dude was a REAL G: MUCH RESPECT..
@@smill1985 Apparently so. He played O-Line on the ACHS squad. They called him tank bcuz he was built like one. I remember one time he came to our school Westside Complex; his mom was a school crossing guard. I was in 3rd or 4th grade, I said to him do you know my father he said he was friends with you. He asked me who my father was, I said Gordon Adams. He said 'Gordon Adams, that was my best buddy growing up.". My pops was also really close with Harvey Mason of Four Play. .Anyway my dad used to always say, there's my boy. Tank Avery. When he was on Fresh Prince. My 😭 pops passed away 6 months ago. Today. RIP. BLACK 🖤 👑.
I can't describe how I feel when I hear James Avery speak as both himself and as uncle Phil. I don't even know him albeit I did watch the show, yet I respect so much and his words carry so much weight to them to really hit you in the heart. When he said to Will in the 2nd clip "A man I'm damn proud of", that has so much impact on me it's so strange but feels so familiar. May you rest in peace Mr Avery 🕊
Yeah that one with will's dad is deep. Seeing him show that he didn't think negativity with his first thoughts and being there for him when he buried himself with work. It's what fathers do. Yeah the first parts of there lives are basically boring. But once he gets into things you both enjoy and wanna do together. Is amazing. The last steps of seeing your son go from boy to manhood. Is overwhelmingly heartbreaking. Not in a bad way. But in the best way possible. I may be a young lad. But I know more than anyone on this matter. That's why uncle phil is the og.
" Of all the kids, you give me the most grief.... But ya know what, you are the one that I never worry about." As a son who have heard this a few times... it's a bittersweet feeling.
When uncle Phil hugs Will after his breakdown at being abandoned by his birth father again, I read it was more James Avery hugging Will Smith the actor as he put his real life experience into the performance. He broke for real.
I don't give AF what anyone says, Uncle Phil is the best black tv dad..... PERIOD! and to all the morons in the comment section let me explain something to you: I don't watch a great many white sitcoms I mainly watch the black sitcoms it's completely unfair for me to say Uncle Phil is the best TV dad. When I have not watched all of the TV dads. I'm black. I have a tendency to watch the black TV shows there are several shows I have not watched like Dawson's Creek, Growing Pains, Mr. Belvedere, 7th Heaven and so forth and so on. that's why I say he is the best black TV Dad, it's unfair of me to put him above people whom I have never watched. it's no different when back when baseball 1st became a national sport & all of the best players were white and they never allowed any black players to compete. So how can they say all of the best players were the white when they never competed against anyone else in other ethnic groups? So please stop asking me why did I use black in the description.
trulyspeaking a short ran. No TV dad besides Ward Cleaver wielded wisdom like Phillip Banks. But unlike Mr. Cleaver he tackled race issues, teenage child transitioning into adulthood, father abandonment, drugs, you name it. To me no other tv dad comes close.
We all go through that time in our lives when we feel how will felt... a failure, Hell for me it feels like right now, but like uncle phil keeps preaching Im keep ma head up and keep pushing because bad times don't last forever.
That second speech felt like James Avery to Will Smith, not Uncle Phil to "Will Smith". Real life Will really matured during this show's run. I hope one day, he and the REAL Aunt Viv (Janet Hubert) can reconcile.
To me what makes Uncle Phil so great is he never ridiculed his kids (Will included) for failing at something. It's when they didn't try, gave up, or didn't apply themselves that he came down hard on them. Kinda like with this apartment thing. He told them all it was a dumb idea, but when they went for it, he supported them and when it didn't work out, he didn't pull the "I told ya so." card. If you never try, you'll never succeed. It's the old cliche, it's not how many times you fall down it's how many times you pick yourself back up that matters. Vince Lombardi said, "I never lost a football game, I just ran out of time." The most successful people on earth have failed 10x more than they've succeeded. Wait I mean to say is that you never truly "fail" until you give up.
This show touches your heart and gives you so many fond memories. One of my favorite shows of all times. God bless Uncle Phil. One of the best characters on the show.
They really need to bring this show back and re run the whole damn thing. I truly believe it would help others to gain some perspective, direction and hope back into a lot of hearts out there!
When my kids get a bit older, family night is going to be watching all of the seasons of FPoBA. So many great lessons mixed with comedy that keeps the smiles on.
I have a uncle Phil and he has helped me so much and all I have done is give him grief? The funny thing that I was born and raised in north Philadelphia the bad lands!!! He just gave me another chance at life and I won't let him down!
Every time i feel like i've got a struggle going on in my life i always find myself coming back to hearing Uncle Phil's words. It always comforts me a bit to just hear it.
"I remember a kid loaded with all the potential in the world." Will Smith starting as the "fresh prince" "Now I see a person on the verge of realizing that potential." Will Smith being one of the most iconic actors in the world.
I like how his first memory of Will is said in a way , that we can think of it as the first time he saw him in the series, but actually it was probably as a kid, before the show took place.
I love the second scene most in the whole series because every child is brilliant no matter what.., but that being said if uncle Phil didn't push and motivate by his own success and discipline like he did. Will wouldn't have felt this way at all, and children need to realize as well as adults you never read a book by its cover and assume because no matter how right you think you are, your never close to what your parents or elders see you as...
I like that statement of "You're the one I don't worry about". I get that. I feel like Carlton might have the potential of being more financially successful, but I feel like Will would be the one that would be okay no matter where he ends up.
Reading these comments just shows how much everyone looked up to uncle phil on an emotional level. Growing up watching freshprince instilled a level of guidance for the future and for that we say thank you james and rest in peace brother.
Because as touching and as much of a hallmark moment that was, it gets plenty of shine for that already. This show offered more essential moments than that one.
Will reminds me of Alvin from Alvin and the Chipmunks he was always the trouble maker. But I learned something the one that they yell at the most is the favorite one and they admire the most. So when people are hard on you it's for a reason. Thank you James Avery for showing me that just real life lessons.
