Blood is Thicker Than Mud is the 8th episode of Season 4 of The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air.
Summary[]
Will and Carlton are given humiliating tasks as part of their initiation into a college fraternity, but the fraternity president has a personal prejudice against Carlton and his rich family who is shown to equate being black with being working class and from the 'hood.
Plot[]
Will and Carlton are looking at fraternities during a Rush Week showcase, One is a Delta Kappa Tau, which is a group of nerds, another is Lambda Kappa Nu, a group of blue-bloods. Top Dog, a classmate of Will's, is the president of an all-black fraternity call Phi Betta Gamma, which is been reputable for social causes. Will convinces Carlton that they should both pledge Phi Betta Gamma.
For the initiation, the pledges go through hazing in the form of chores and humiliating tasks, but Carlton is subjected to more difficult hazing (for example, bathing a full-grown St. Bernard while Will and the other pledges groom Poodle Puppies) due to Top Dog's personal prejudice against Carlton and his wealthy family, since he equates being black with being working class and from the 'hood. Carlton accepts his hazing silently, earning the respect of the other members. At a frat party, Top Dog tells Will that he is in, but Carlton isn't accepted as he doesn't fit the fraternity's standards. Will first lies to Carlton and claims he wasn't accepted to avoid hurting Carlton's feelings but after Carlton confronts Top Dog, he admits that he isn't accepting a sellout into his fraternity.
Carlton defends himself against Top Dog, telling him that he's still black and dealing with the same exact struggles even if he's from a different social background and calls Top Dog the real sellout for not sticking by all his brothers despite his earlier claims. After Carlton and Will leave, Orlando, Top Dog's second-in-command, confronts Top Dog for his betrayal and hypocrisy against their own kind, telling Top Dog he doesn't speak for all of them, and plans to have him kicked out. This leaves Top Dog speechless.
At home, Phillip learns about what happened and is irritated that a black man would penalize his fellow brother for having a successful life. Upset to learn that now their own community is discriminating fellow black people just because of their social background, he asks the family just when they will stop doing this to each other. Everyone remains silent after learning what has happened.
Quotes[]
(After believing Will didn't get into the fraternity)
- Carlton: How dare you not take Will. He's full of potential.
- Top Dog: That's why we want him. It's you we don't want.
- Carlton: Me? But I did everything. I cooked, I cleaned, I hand washed the toilets.
- Top Dog: Everything your butler does for you. I'm not acceptin' no prep school, Bel-Air bred sellout into my fraternity.
- Will: Homie, you can stop all that.
- Carlton: No, wait, Will, I got this one. You think I'm a sellout, why? Because I live in a big house or I dress a certain way? Or maybe it's because I like Barry Manilow.
- Will (addressing the partygoers watching the argument): He meant Barry White, y'all.
- Carlton: Being black isn't what I'm trying to be, it's what I am. I'm runnin' the same race and jumpin' the same hurdles you are, so why are you trippin' me up? You said we need to stick together but you don't even know what that means. If you ask me, you're the real sellout.
- Will: Yeah, that's right boy, and in the words of my illustrious cousin, we will make like a tree and leave.
(After Will and Carlton leave the fraternity)
- Orlando Hey look, you don't speak for the rest of us, Dog. I'mma have you kicked out of here.
(After finding out why Will and Carlton didn't get into Phi Beta Gamma)
- Phillip: You know, this really irritates me. I have worked very hard to give my family a good life and suddenly somebody tells me there's a penalty for success? I'm sorry you had to go through that, son. (Sighing) When are we gonna stop doing this to each other?
Photos[]
