JOKE ISSUE/'Fresh Prince' eyes City Hall

On the playground where he spent most of his childhood days, entertainer Will Smith officially announced his candidacy for mayor yesterday afternoon. Smith -- who in West Philadelphia was born and raised -- revealed that he had contemplated running for the Philadelphia mayor's post for several months but remained silent until yesterday's official press conference. Several hundred people flocked to the Overbrook High School playground, as Smith explained the fundamentals behind his campaign, appropriately titled "Jiggy 1999." "Philadelphia is, and always has been a great city," Smith began. "But to be perfectly honest, Philly is just not as jiggy as it possibly can be. We may have crime prevention but we need jiggier crime prevention. We may have a public school system but we simply must have a jiggier public school system." As a Republican candidate, Smith will compete for his party's nomination on May 18 against businessperson Sam Katz, who until yesterday, was running unopposed. "Looks like it's just the two of us," Smith quipped. About halfway through the 45-minute presentation, Smith paused to introduce his supporting cast, which includes his longtime partner-in-crime, DJ Jazzy Jeff, who will serve as campaign manager. Jazz, as he is commonly known in the music industry, has no prior political experience, but then again, neither does Smith. "I'm the campaign manager, he's the candidate," Jazz noted. The actor who played Carlton on the longrunning NBC hit The Fresh Prince of Bel Air will be Smith's spokesperson. No one at the press conference knew the actor's real name. Like Democratic candidate Marty Weinberg, Smith will not have to worry about money. This will come in handy, particularly given Smith's late entrance into the race. Following the announcement, several of Smith's opponents voiced displeasure towards the entrance of a new candidate with worldwide appeal. "All I keep hearing is jiggy this and jiggy that," Democrat Happy Fernandez said. "Well, I'm here to say that my campaign will be won on substance, not false promises. I'm bringing enthusiasm to City Hall!" The 59-year-old Fernandez admitted she did not know the definition of "jiggy." Penn student leaders said they were disappointed that Smith made the decision without consulting them. A rally on College Green to protest the announcement is scheduled for later this week. Smith, 30, emerged as a rap music phenomenon in the 1980s, winning the first-ever Grammy Award for a rap performance. After starring in his own television series, Smith starred in some of the highest-grossing films of the 1990s, including Independence Day and Men in Black.