Will Smith Rejected A RuPaul Cameo On ‘Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air’ As ‘A Really Bad Idea’

etcanada.com:

Back when Will Smith was starring in “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”, the idea emerged for RuPaul to appear on the show. Smith, however, decided to pass up a cameo from the now-iconic drag queen, who at the time was experiencing a burst of fame as the single “Supermodel (You Better Work)” was rising in the charts.

According to Thea Glassman’s new book, Freaks, Gleeks, and Dawson’s Creek: How Seven Teen Shows Transformed Television, Smith was discussing an upcoming episode with executive producer David Steven Simon when the idea emerged. READ MORE: Will Smith Presents Unseen Moments From The ‘Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air’ Reunion “I remember him saying that would be a really bad idea,” Simon recalled in the book, as reported by People. “And I said, ‘No, listen, hear my story —’” Smith, however, would not have it, and dismissed the notion of bringing a drag queen onto the show. “I remember him saying that would be a really bad idea,” Simon said. “OK, OK.

We don’t need to do it,'” Simon eventually told Smith, recalling, “The reason he would say no is because of his image. Period.