Identity Crisis


What do people say to you when you are introduced and give them your name? For me, about a third of the time it's "Just like the guy from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, is that where you got your name?"....."UMMMMM NOOOOOO!"

Carlton Banks My name is Carlton. I am not the guy on the left, nor am I named after him. First of all, I'm frickin' 30 years old and by golly, I look it. So, it's not likely I'm named after a character from a TV show, that I was watching in college. But that just doesn't stop some people from instantly drawing the comparison. Many people have admitted to me while they were certain I wasn't named after that character, that in fact, the first thing they thought of when they hear my name is the Alfonso Ribeiro character of Carlton Banks from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Although I am tempted sometimes to watch some reruns of the show and learn the little dance that he does from time to time on the show. Then when anyone asks me about it, I could just break into the dance and say yes I'm named after a TV character who didn't get on the air until 16 years after I was born.


At least no one asks if I'm named after another Carlton character that was also on NBC at the same time. It was just for a few episodes, but William Hickey played the role of Carlton Blanchard on on Wings. Nobody but me remembers that guy, not even the stars of Wings. I met Crystal Bernard one time who played the role of Helen Chappel on the show. She was signing an autograph for me and asked my name. I replied "Carlton, just like the grumpy old man Carlton Blanchard from the show...". All I got back was this completely blank stare. She was totally lost. Carlton is lowestNow this guy had been on the show, and had a scene with her where she actually says his name within a year of when I met her, but she was still completely blank. I quickly explained a storyline from the show involving him and she just nodded and smiled. I stopped explaining then, figuring to continue further would begin to move me from fan to stalker.


As for my name...I'm not named after anyone or anything....not even a pack of cigarettes. I just got the name. I was born a year and a half before Carlton Fisk became famous for his world series home run. I'm sorry I don't have something exciting to tell you...I'm just me.

Posted: Mon - May 3, 2004 at 11:08 PM   | | Email Me | |

©