Alfonso Ribeiro Talks "Dancing with the Stars" Finale and More

Turn on the TV at any time any day and there's at least a solid chance you'll see Alfonso Ribeiro on a show of some kind. Over the last five decades, Ribeiro has made himself a mainstay on television, whether it's on a daytime talk show, hosting two of the most popular long-running reality TV series, and of course, on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air where he played Carlton Banks.

Ribeiro is currently the co-host of Dancing with the Stars, which is somehow, someway in its 32nd season (!) this year. The season finale airs Tuesday, December 5th on ABC, and in lieu of it, Ribeiro was kind enough to join me to chat about the finalists as well as his acting/television career.

Dancing with the Stars is again down to five finalists: Xochitl Gomez (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), Alyson Hannigan (American Pie), Charity Lawson (The Bachelorette), Ariana Madix (Vanderpump Rules), and singer-songwriter Jason Mraz. Ribeiro talked about how stiff the competition as is the season rounds itself out:

I really do believe that anyone of them can win for many different reasons. Obviously, the journey for Alyson has been long. We never thought she'd get to the finale, she never thought that, but here she is. Obviously, America is loving her and continues to vote her through [....] Xochitl Gomez, the first Latina Marvel superhero, and you got Ariana Madix, you got Jason Mraz, beautiful Grammy winning singer, we've got Charity Lawson [....] you just don't know which one is going to win this [....] It's going to be one incredible, super-sized finale. We're taking over the entire ABC primetime lineup on Tuesday night, and it's going to be great. It's going to be a lot of fun. - Alfonso Ribeiro in our interview

Beyond Dancing with the Stars, Alfonso Ribeiro is also the host of America's Funniest Home Videos. He's made appearances on Celebrity Family Feud and a number of other TV shows. His charisma is clear as day and his presence is comforting and amiable. Of course, I had to ask him about the enduring appeal of his famous "Carlton dance" on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and the origin of the dance too.

Ribeiro also discussed his process as a director, and any other goals or projects he hopes to tackle in the coming years. However, he couldn't be clearer in communicating how happy he is to be the host of two of the most popular reality series on TV at the moment.

Take a listen to my interview with Alfonso Ribeiro below, and check out the season 32 finale of Dancing with the Stars on Tuesday, December 5th on ABC.