This story is from a couple of years ago, but, like Billy Zabka, it’s timeless. Zabka, of course, is best-known for playing the villain, Johnny Lawrence, in 1984’s Karate Kid and, more recently, as one of Barney Stinson’s friends in How I Met Your Mother. Most may not know this, but he also has an Oscar nomination for co-writing the 2003 Czech film Most.
Anyway, you may recall that, several years ago, Will Smith produced a remake of The Karate Kid with his son, Jaden Smith, in the lead role. For whatever reason, Zabka decided to attend the premiere of that movie (the “reason” probably being “he was invited”), and it was there he had the opportunity to speak with Will Smith, as he told USA Today last year:
It was fun because I was backstage at the afterparty and Will introduced us to Jaden and he said “I just want you to know we weren’t doing anything disrespectful, it’s an homage to the Karate Kid.” I said, “I get it man, I’m actually doing the same thing with the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.”
NO MERCY.
Really, what could possibly be better than a Fresh Prince of Bel Air remake starring a 49-year-old Billy Zabka?
Also of note from that interview, it turns out that Zabka did a music video for a song called “Sweep the Leg” by the band No More Kings, which also starred Mr. Belding from Saved by the Bell and most of the cast of the original Karate Kid, including Ralph Macchio. It’s equally terrible and awesome.
Source: USA Today
