Alfonso Ribeiro says he's not sure if he'll read Will Smith's memoir Will: 'I know the people'

By ADAM S. LEVY, US SENIOR SHOWBUSINESS REPORTER

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Alfonso Ribeiro says he's not sure he'll if read Will Smith's memoir Will.

'I don't know if I'll read the book because I know the people,' Ribeiro, 50, told Extra  in an interview Friday.

The New York City native played Carlton Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alongside Smith, 53, for its six-year run from 1990-1996, and the pair have remained close ever since.

The latest: Alfonso Ribeiro says he's not sure he'll read Will Smith's memoir Will. He told Extra in an interview Friday, 'I don't know if I'll read the book because I know the people.'

The latest: Alfonso Ribeiro says he's not sure he'll read Will Smith's memoir Will. He told Extra in an interview Friday, 'I don't know if I'll read the book because I know the people.'

The entertainment veteran said that Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith, 50, appear to be giving the public what they want with details about their personal lives in the book, as 'they are laying it out there in a way that is their truth.'

He noted, 'For many, many years, people speculated about them as a family.'

In the book, Smith said that Ribeiro gave him 'the best advice ever' to go by his real name on the popular NBC comedy, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Smith said Ribeiro told him, 'Hey, man, I hear the producers discussing names for your character. Take it from me: Give your character your name, Will Smith. Because people are going to call you that for the rest of your life.'

The New York City native played Carlton Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alongside Smith, 53, for its six-year run from 1990-1996, and the pair have remained close ever since. They were seen on last year's reunion for the show on HBO Max

The New York City native played Carlton Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alongside Smith, 53, for its six-year run from 1990-1996, and the pair have remained close ever since. They were seen on last year's reunion for the show on HBO Max

The entertainment veteran said that Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith, 50, appear to be giving the public what they want with details about their personal lives in the book, as 'they are laying it out there in a way that is their truth'

The entertainment veteran said that Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith, 50, appear to be giving the public what they want with details about their personal lives in the book, as 'they are laying it out there in a way that is their truth'

Elsewhere in the chat with Extra, Ribeiro opened up his six-plus years hosting America's Funniest Home Videos.

'I'm not even afraid to say it - I know that I got the best job in television,' he said. 'I'm already on this show longer than I've been on the Fresh Prince. 

'Looking back at my career, this is the biggest hit I've been on.'

The longtime friends posed with Alfonso's son Alfonso 'AJ' Lincoln in LA in May of 2019

The longtime friends posed with Alfonso's son Alfonso 'AJ' Lincoln in LA in May of 2019

Ribeiro opened up his six-plus years hosting America's Funniest Home Videos, noting, 'I'm already on this show longer than I've been on the Fresh Prince'

Ribeiro opened up his six-plus years hosting America's Funniest Home Videos, noting, 'I'm already on this show longer than I've been on the Fresh Prince'

Ribeiro is father to daughter Sienna, 19, from his past marriage to Robin Stapler, and shares three children with wife Angela Unkrich, 40: sons Alfonso 'AJ' Lincoln, eight, Anders Reyn, six, and daughter Ava Sue, two.

Asked how he celebrates his longevity on the comedy series, he said that the 'celebration is watching every Sunday with my kids.'

America's Funniest Home Videos airs on ABC Sundays at 7/6c.

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