At the beginning of season three's premiere of Saved By The Bell: The New Class ("Welcome To Bayside"), viewers were introduced to three new characters, all of them transfer students from Bayside's longtime crosstown rival, Valley: feisty Maria Lopez (Samantha Esteban), smooth talker Ryan Parker (Richard Lee Jackson), and snazzy dresser R.J. "Hollywood" Collins (Salim Grant).

Maria, Ryan, and R.J. were replacements for departed students Megan Jones (Bianca Lawson), Brian Keller (Christian Oliver), and Bobby Wilson (Spankee Rodgers), all of whom had been terminated--without any mention from Rachel, Tommy D., or Lindsay in "Welcome To Bayside"--at the end of The New Class' second season.

R.J.'s cool-as-ice demeanor reminded me of a teenaged Billy Dee Williams, and Salim's performance as slick operator (and aspiring D.J) R.J.--Rachel, Lindsay, Tommy D., Maria, and Ryan all ultimately discovered, along with viewers, that R.J. was short for his full birth name, Ronald Joseph--was reminiscent of a cross between the late Meshach Taylor (Designing Women) and the late Cleavon Little (Blazing Saddles).

Of the three new characters, only R.J. didn't last beyond the aforementioned third season, for Salim was handed his walking papers at seasons' end. Too bad...I had hoped R.J. and Rachel would've become a couple during season three, considering the fact that they were both fashion experts and always wearing the hottest clothes on the market.

What is your overall verdict of Salim Grant's one-season performance as R.J. "Hollywood" Collins during season three of The New Class? Drop me a line...I'd love to hear from you.

Enjoy your day!