Did Alfonso Ribeiro Just Low-Key Shade Tyra Banks' Hosting Skills?
Alfonso Ribeiro has officially been named as Tyra Banks' new co-host on "Dancing with the Stars" — but is there tension brewing between the new co-stars?
News of Ribeiro's casting first broke on Good Morning America, and it's pretty clear the hosts were all for it. Ginger Zee gushed, "Everybody loves Alfonso. He is not just a fan of the show, he also won Season 19." Shortly after GMA's announcement, a fun video of "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" star and Banks promoting the new season was posted to the official DWTS Instagram account. "I love 'Dancing with the Stars' so much, this season I asked for a front row seat," Ribeiro shares, before the video cuts to Banks beaming, "Well guess what, Alfonso? You've got it! And I cannot wait to see you in the ballroom."
Banks also took to her own Instagram to share her excitement over having a new co-star, and to remind fans that she and Ribeiro had a history of working together. Alongside a still of the two from an episode of "Fresh Prince," the supermodel wrote, "I'm reuniting with a very special someone I worked with when I was just 19 years old!" Banks also shared that she was looking forward to having "crazy fun" with him. However, a more recent interview with Ribeiro himself has got fans wondering if the feeling is mutual.
Alfonso Ribeiro hints that Tyra Banks isn't 'fun'
Speaking to Good Morning America after the announcement of his casting, Alfonso Ribeiro gushed over how excited he was about his new gig on "Dancing with the Stars." He also opened up about his goals for the new role, and that's where things took a slightly shady turn.
"My goal is to bring the fun and the loving, and the energy, and the ... uh, the laughter back to the ballroom." Translation: there hasn't been enough of any of the above in recent seasons. Yikes. As "DWTS" fans will be well aware, rumors have long been swirling over Tyra Banks' future on the show. It's no secret that the audience isn't exactly in her corner. In the past, they've not only criticized Banks' "DWTS" outfit choices, but per Heavy, they've even gone so far as boycotting the show while she's host. It certainly didn't help that Banks' predecessor Brooke Burke accused her of being a "diva" (via Page Six).
There's also always a chance Ribeiro meant no ill will towards Banks. In fact, in the same interview, he shared that he was looking forward to working with her again. Ribeiro also revealed that their history went well beyond even "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air." "The part that most people don't realize," he said, "is we actually went to middle school together." Either way, we wouldn't be opposed to a dance fight between co-hosts, just in case there are any tensions.