filled with incredibly vibrant and quirky characters, but none of them are weirder and more unpredictable than Jazz. As portrayed by Jeffrey "DJ Jazzy Jeff" Townes, Jazz is a wild card in his relationship with all of the Banks family, even though he and Will are the best of friends for the entire series run.
He is loud, intrusive, overbearing, and almost always impolite. As a result of his usually less than pleasant behavior, Jazz finds himself the subject of one of the series' most frequently recurring - and most violent - gags: being thrown out of the house not just by the irascible Uncle Phil, but by most of the Banks family.
Deserved: Stealing a gift for baby Nicky
Jazz is a friend who likely means well most of the time, but he hardly ever goes about showing his friendliness in the correct ways. Take, for example, this particular incident. Nearly half a year after baby Nicky was born, Jazz finally arrives with a present.
Despite the lateness, the gift seems to be sweet at first, as it's a lovely little lace-trimmed pillow. But as it turns out, the pillow has another person's name inscribed on it, and clearly, Jazz has stolen it.
Didn't: Pointing out the phone is broken
Jazz is often on the receiving end of Uncle Phil's quick temper, regardless of whether he deserves to be the target of his anger or not. In the season two episode "Eyes on the Prize," Jazz finds himself to be the victim of bad timing for once.
After the entire Banks family has pointed out to Uncle Phil that the phone line is down in the house, as a result of Phil trying and failing to fix something, Jazz arrives and also points out the phone isn't working. Cue Uncle Phil wrongly throwing him out for it.
Deserved: Offering to take Hilary for a "test drive"
Jazz is one of the most crass characters in the entire series, and when it comes to his attraction to Hilary, he almost always steps over the line. But few attempts at coming onto Hilary are as in poor taste as this incident when Jazz is staying over at the Banks home.
After Hilary has an embarrassing courtship with a doctor who isn't actually interested in her, Jazz offers to help Uncle Phil out by beginning a relationship with Hilary - as long as she es a "test drive."
Didn't: "I resent that."
Will doesn't have many major recurring friends throughout Fresh Prince's run, but it's beyond clear that Jazz isn't exactly Uncle Phil's favorite of his social circle. Even when Jazz is doing nothing other than staying up watching television with Will, Uncle Phil is quick to find him at fault.
After trying to hide in the kitchen when Uncle Phil comes downstairs, Jazz is soon discovered when Uncle Phil smells chicken and cheap cologne - which is apparently Jazz's signature scent. Once Jazz speaks up, saying he resents that claim, Uncle Phil promptly throws him out in the middle of the night.
Deserved: "Seems like you eat here often."
The thorny relationship between Uncle Phil and Jazz isn't one that is one-sided in the slightest. As becomes clear nearly from the very beginning of the series, Jazz isn't exactly the biggest fan of the elder Banks either.
During the first season episode "Def Poet's Society," Jazz and Will are hanging out in the Banks family living room. After asking Uncle Phil what time people eat around here, Jazz learns that, according to Phil, Jazz "eat[s] here never." Jazz's ill thought out response? "Seems like you eat here often."
Didn't: Uncle Phil throws him inside
The second season episode "Cased Up" finds Will getting a car, thanks to some of Jazz's personal connections. But the episode also finds Will getting into a fender bender with Hilary's lawyer boyfriend - and Uncle Phil learning that Jazz's connections didn't provide Will with insurance during the purchase.
As soon as Uncle Phil learns that Jazz is partially blame for this mistake, it's clear that he wants to throw Jazz out of the house. But Jazz points out that they're outdoors, and he can't do so. So, Uncle Phil improvises: he throws Jazz into the kitchen.
Deserved: Conning Will into dating his sister
Jazz and Will might be the best of friends, but Jazz can actually be pretty terrible to Will from time to time, and few instances are worse than his behavior in the first season episode "It Had to Be You."
Jazz convinces Will to start dating his sister, who turns out to be an obsessive control freak who wants Will to change everything about himself. Jazz later reveals that he arranged this relationship in order to get his sister off his own back - which leads to Will promptly throwing him out of the house.
Didn't: Trying to get himself thrown out to prove a point
During the series' second season, Will has another best friend character, Tyriq, with whom Jazz is also friendly, but competitive. The episode "Eye on the Prize" finds this triangle of friendship coming to a head when both friends are competing to be Will's partner on a game show.
In an attempt to prove the strength of his friendship with Will, Jazz makes the ridiculous claim that Tyriq isn't as good a friend because he actually has to walk to leave the Banks home. To prove his point, Jazz taunts Uncle Phil - whom he calls "my tubby judicial brother," and who summarily throws him out of the house.
Deserved: Scratching Uncle Phil's records
Jazz certainly knows how to make a first impression - and not at all a good one, at that. Jazz first enters the series in its second episode, "Bang the Drum, Ashley," as a friend that Will brings over to teach Ashley how to play the drums.
After already making a poor first impression on the perplexed Uncle Phil and Aunt Vivian, Jazz doubles down when the family moves downstairs for teatime. As Uncle Phil relishes in the classical music playing, Jazz does the unthinkable: he begins to remix the music, aggressively scratching Phil's prized vinyl in the process.
Didn't: "For old time's sake."
Will and Jazz find themselves at odds with one another many times throughout the series, but one of their ugliest fights happens in the third season episode "Here Comes the Judge." After Jazz's parking transgressions wind up in Will being arrested, Will begins to freeze Jazz out.
When the two make amends toward the end of the episode, Jazz has one request of Will, who has only just recently forgiven him. He would like to be thrown out of the house - for old time's sake - even though there's no immediate cause. Will happily obliges.
