The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Running Gags

In addition to humorous scripts, the show found humor in physical comedy, insults, and running gags:

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• Will would frequently make jabs at Carlton's slight stature and virginity, as well as Uncle Phil's weight and baldness.
• A running gag throughout the series was Carlton's enthusiastic love of singer Tom Jones and a gyrating dance he would perform to Jones' tune "It's Not Unusual."
• A favorite recurring gag throughout the series involved Will's best friend Jazz flying through the front door after saying something offensive to a member of the Banks family (usually Philip) and being physically thrown out by him or her. The main scene of Jazz flying through the front door was only filmed once (used in Season #1, Episode #2- "Bang the Drum, Ashley"), and was re-used each time. For this reason, in episodes where he is thrown out the door, he is seen wearing the same shirt that was worn in Episode #2. (Once, Will was thrown out of the house in the same way.)
• Will would commonly break the fourth wall as part of a gag, such as describing a character as the person that spins him over his head in the opening credits, or by being confused by how Nicky aged several years over about three months. In this scene, Jazz accompanies Will in breaking the Wall by first asking if the same person was playing the mother, making refrence to Vivian's changing of actresses, then by seeing the older Nicky and saying "That's it, I'm going back to Compton, where things make sense."