One video perfectly demonstrates why the folks behind 'Fortnite' are being sued for dance moves

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One video perfectly demonstrates why the folks behind 'Fortnite' are being sued for dance moves

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The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (Will Smith and Alfonso Ribiero)

NBC

Will Smith and Alfonso Ribiero.

  • The actor who played Carlton on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," Alfonso Ribiero, is suing "Fortnite" maker Epic Games.
  • Ribiero is one of several individuals suing Epic Games; he claims that "Fortnite" copied a set of dance moves that originated with his character Carlton on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."
  • A video comparing the in-game dance with Ribiero's version shows just how similar the two are.


For six television seasons, Alfonso Ribiero played Carlton on NBC's hit show "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." 

Carlton was notoriously dorky, and prone to breaking out in dance when he got excited. More specifically, Carlton was known to do "The Carlton" - a characteristic set of dance moves that remain a fixture in modern culture. 

The internet is absolutely rife with GIFs of Ribiero cutting a rug.

Ribiero is so directly associated with the dance that, when he appeared on Season 19 of "Dancing With the Stars" in 2014, he nailed a polished version of his classic "Fresh Prince" moves. Unsurprisingly, he and his partner Witney Carson won.

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It's no surprise that a version of Ribiero's famous dance moves, dubbed "The Fresh," is included in the massively popular game "Fortnite." After all, "Fortnite" dance moves are a core component of the game. There are kids taking dance lessons specifically focused on "Fortnite." 

It's also no surprise that Ribiero recently joined a group of individuals who are suing "Fortnite" maker Epic Games over the use of said dance moves.

One look at this short video comparison is all it takes to see why Ribiero is suing:

On the left is the dance from "Fortnite," and on the right is of course Ribiero in his performance on "Dancing With the Stars" from 2014. 

Whether Ribiero's claim will stand up legally remains to be seen, but, if nothing else, the video is a damning indictment in the court of public opinion.

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