Will dislikes his mother's new boyfriend.
WAR
39
Wins Above Replacement
“Vying For Attention” ranks #128 of 148 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 71.0 — Solid. The episode packs 71 scored jokes at 3.4 per minute, averaging 6.5 on craft and 6.6 on impact, with Will landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Geoffrey: I'm afraid it's drier than happy hour at the Betty Ford Center, madam.
Aunt Vivian · Vivian · Aunt Vivian: The important question is, does his mother like you? / She's dead. / Girlfriend, you in.
Vivian · Ashley: Ashley, honey, where are your manners? / I'm sorry. Did he pop the question, please?
Will · Carlton: All she's trying to do is get to her retirement plan and her rocking chair. / Is that why she's moonwalking up the driveway?
Claudia: I'm not down with O.P.P. anyway.
Claudia Character Comedy Observational All Jokes — 71 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Will: Having breakfast with Rico Suave?
Will Observational Character Comedy Will: Don't worry, G. I'll have it back in your room in an hour, man.
Will Character Comedy Setup/Punchline Vivian · Will: How did this Playboy get in here? / I bought it.
Will: It's a special legal edition. The centerfold wants to be a Supreme Court Justice.
Will Absurdist Wordplay/Pun Carlton: I've never known anyone in construction. Except for that guy in the Village People.
Carlton Observational Character Comedy Ashley: Yeah, well, his daughter can sleep in my room, but if she touches my stuff... I'm stuffing her in the clothes hamper.
Ashley Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Ashley: What? It's not like Hillary never did it.
Ashley Character Comedy Setup/Punchline Will · Carlton: All she's trying to do is get to her retirement plan and her rocking chair. / Is that why she's moonwalking up the driveway?
Will Reaction Beat Character Comedy Will · Vivian: Hey, your complexion has cleared up. / So did yours.
Robert · Will: You're funny. You must be Carlton. / Well, no, you see, actually, Carlton is the funny-looking one over there.
Will: See, I'm Will. But you can just call me Your Majesty.
Will Character Comedy Setup/Punchline Robert: I may be small, but I'm not ignorant.
Robert Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Hillary · Claudia: Oh, my God! Isn't she the cutest little thing you've ever seen? / Not really.
Hillary · Claudia: And isn't he the biggest hunk you've ever seen? / Not really.
Will: First thing she does when she gets anywhere is... she kicks off her shoes... rolls her hair up into one of them twist joints... and goes and puts on one of my big old sweat suits.
Will Observational Character Comedy Vivian: Sorry, everybody, I just had to freshen up a little bit. You like my new pearls, Will?
Vivian Visual Gag Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Callback Will: Yeah, but they would probably look better with one of my big old sweat suits.
Will Callback Reaction Beat Callback Vivian · Robert: Thank you, baby, but I'm eating lighter these days. / You want half my melon?
Philip · Philip: I feel a little thirsty, too. / Robert? Do you mind getting Vivian something to drink while you're up there? And toss me a Pudding Pop.
Will: Oh, sure. It's just gonna break again in 20 years.
Will Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Vivian · Robert: Tell them, baby. / I'm in construction.
Will: Yo, I'm working on a big deal. You know, down at the restaurant where I work? I'm about to be promoted... to vice president in charge of keeping bums out of the entryway.
Will Escalation Character Comedy Hillary · Robert · Hillary · Robert: So, Robert, you know how to fix a broken dish? / Sure. You got any superglue? / I was talking about our satellite dish. / So am I.
Will: Well, why? It's hot, it's smoggy... and plus, I won't be able to hear nothing y'all are saying.
Will Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Vivian · Ashley: Ashley, honey, where are your manners? / I'm sorry. Did he pop the question, please?
Hillary: Let the maids worry about the sinks. What does he drive?
Hillary Character Comedy Observational Aunt Vivian · Vivian · Aunt Vivian: The important question is, does his mother like you? / She's dead. / Girlfriend, you in.
Claudia: I'm not down with O.P.P. anyway.
Claudia Character Comedy Observational Will: Claudia, now, after this barbecue... you know, you guys had the junk and all the stuff in your teeth. Did my mom have to go home to use her toothbrush... or did she already have one there?
Will Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Claudia · Will: Are you trying to trick me to find out how serious they are? / So, what, you think they're pretty serious?
Carlton: My brother, it's time you wake up and smell the Play-Doh.
Carlton Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Will · Will · Vivian: Mom! You half-naked! / Come on, you don't want Robert to get the wrong idea. / You damn straight! You don't think I'm doing these butt-busters for my health?
Vivian: Okay, that's it, young lady. You go to your room... in Philly.
Vivian Escalation Setup/Punchline Will · Vivian: Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold up, Mom. How you gonna play me? Why you ain't hook me up with one of them pink jumpies? / I couldn't find one with a fly.
Will: Man, Jane Fonda got a butt like Arsenio.
Will Observational Character Comedy Will: Maybe not. I'd like to have kids one day.
Will Physical/Slapstick Reaction Beat Will: When you say 'surprise,' you don't mean like... 'I'm driving down a big hill, and all of a sudden: Surprise! My brakes don't work'?
Will Absurdist Character Comedy Robert: It was an oyster bar. You see, I was a little shy, so... Luckily, she came up and she talked to me.
Robert Character Comedy Misdirection Robert · Will: Is it true you took your diaper off and ran around Sears naked? / You're damn right, and I'd do it again if I had to.
Vivian: So what kind of marble do you want for those his-and-hers sinks?
Vivian Callback Character Comedy Callback Philip: I'd like to impart some words that I've always lived by: Mo' money, mo' money, mo' money.
Philip Character Comedy Observational Robert · Carlton: I have to admit, success is sweet. But having three beautiful women to share it with makes it even sweeter. / Especially when they're triplets.
Will: It's nice to hear you gonna have some money now. I guess them old girlfriends gonna be coming out of the woodworks, huh?
Will Character Comedy Setup/Punchline Will: Uncle Phil, no jumping over the net.
Will Visual Gag Character Comedy Hillary: Honey, save the rice. You'll be needing it for the wedding.
Hillary Observational Character Comedy Will: I was standing behind Robert in the mirror... Dude ain't got no reflection!
Will Absurdist Character Comedy Geoffrey: How about reservations?
Geoffrey Deadpan/Understatement Setup/Punchline Will · Carlton · Will: I feel like something exotic. / Okay. How about Lebanese? / You think Robert will mind swinging by Beirut?
Geoffrey: I'm afraid it's drier than happy hour at the Betty Ford Center, madam.
Claudia · Carlton: Carlton, you just have to know how to ask. / Now can I have Barbie's head back?
Carlton: I haven't seen him this upset since someone told him he looked like me.
Vivian · Aunt Vivian: I thought I was the sweet one. / You said you were the sweet one. When we tried to tell you you weren't... you wouldn't listen because you're too hard-headed.
Vivian · Aunt Vivian: Vivian, I can't get this out of my mind. How can you say that I am hard-headed? / Gee, Vy, I don't know where I could have gotten that idea.
Carlton: I see your frightened inner child and I'm here to say... come out and play.
Carlton Character Comedy Observational Carlton: You can never watch too much Oprah. If it wasn't for her show, I'd still be in denial about my drinking.
Carlton: Of course, none of that will help you in the corporate world, but... for the next year or so you're sitting pretty.
Carlton Character Comedy Setup/Punchline Carlton: if your mom abandons you and gets married... you'll always have me. Because... well, you're like the brother I've always wanted.
Carlton Character Comedy Setup/Punchline Carlton · Will: For not hugging you, right? / No, you know, for saying that I'm like the brother that you always wanted. And for not hugging me, man.
Will: Boy, time flies when you're running up to your bedroom.
Will Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Vivian: Don't you use that tone of walk with me.
Vivian Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Will · Vivian · Will: All right, but I'm picking my own chair. / Boy, sit down. / What a coincidence. That's the one I was going to pick.
Vivian · Will: Do you expect me to be alone forever? / Yeah. I mean, you done good this far.
Claudia: The guilt alone will get us both ponies.
Claudia Character Comedy Observational Will · Claudia: Well, no, I'm not into using guilt for my personal gain. / Temper tantrums. That's where the money is.
Claudia: When you take me to the parks with you, I can attract more babes than a puppy.
Claudia Observational Character Comedy Aunt Vivian: Are you kidding, child? You cry more than Richard Simmons.
Claudia: Thanks for letting me polish your shoes... hang up your clothes, and vacuum your room. It was really fun playing Geoffrey.
Claudia Callback Character Comedy Callback Claudia: What? It's not like Hillary never did it.
Philip: I'd like to impart some words that I've always lived by: Mo' money, mo' money....
Philip Callback Running Gag Callback Philip: Trying to be a professional here!
Philip Meta/Self-Referential Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Top Episodes — The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
