I mean he was a black man living with his black family in Bel-Air of all places. He went to Carlton and Will’s basketball games.
But James Avery was more than just a celebrity for many of us. There was Hilary, Carlton, Ashley, and Nicky. The person that resonated with me as I tuned into NBC and saw re-runs was Uncle Phil.
In “No Role Modelz” J.Cole states, “First things first, rest in peace Uncle Phil, for real, you the only father that I ever knew.” I actually did not remember seeing my father until I was 9 years old. I was in a slight state of shock when I heard the character that played him passed.
I in fact related to such a thing being flown back to New York City by my mom’s brothers. He had to be patient when Hilary dropped out or ran up a credit card bill. Uncle Phil gave me a clue as to what a father should be. When I heard that James Avery passed I was very taken aback. He loved his nephew like his own son. Stature is a lifestyle brand dedicated to the interest of black men.
J.Cole - No Role Modelz (w/Lyrics in description) - YouTube
In “No Role Modelz” J.Cole states, “First things first, rest in peace Uncle Phil, for real, you the only father that I ever knew.” He wore many hats.
He really did it effortlessly. For a father to deal with such nuanced personalities is not a small task. He was fair, firm, loving, caring and nurturing. Uncle Phil did not have to take on such a task, but he did. He had to check Carlton for doing too much brown nosing. He made it out of North Carolina to Princeton University. He had shown his softer side with Ashley and Nicky. In one of the show’s most powerful scenes, Uncle Phil consoles Will Smith after his estranged father walks out on him for the second time. He engaged in activist endeavors. As a father, he was a role model with his achievements as well.
I connected with him and still do this day as an adult. Uncle Phil not only had to deal with Will, he had to deal with the distinct personalities of his children. How many people outside of Los Angeles knew where this was? They treated me and still treat me like a son. I actually did not remember seeing my father until I was 9 years old. He received Will in with open arms. He played the character of “Uncle Phil” on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
He put a lot of negative stereotypes to bed in regards to absent black fatherhood. He is the reason Carlton wanted to go to Princeton as a matter of fact. We saw him first on the show as a lawyer and then as Judge Banks. He flew Will out as we all know from West Philadelphia to the posh Los Angeles neighborhood of Los Angeles. Far too often, celebrities are put on a pedestal.