Whether you smoke or not, you can’t deny that Friday isn’t a classic. Since its debut in 1995, it’s grown into a franchise with a strong cult following that has influenced the genre of stoner comedy for the decades that followed. Friday starred Ice Cube but it was Chris Tucker’s appearance as Smokey that brought all of the humor on screen.
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Unfortunately, Tucker went missing in Next Friday and Friday After Next with Mike Epps’ character, Day Day Jones, replacing him as comedic relief. There’s a reason for that, though. During a recent interview, Chris Tucker revealed the real reason why he didn’t end up starring in the subsequent films, and it stems from the success and the influence Friday had as a stoner comedy.
“Back then, I gotta tell you, once of the reasons why I didn’t do the second one is because of the weed,” he said. “Because I said, ‘Man, that movie became a phenomenon. I don’t want everybody smokin’ weed.’ I never really told people this because I kinda forgot about it but it was one of the reasons why I didn’t do it. Because I said, ‘I don’t want to represent everyone smokin’ weed.’ I kinda made it more personal than a movie and that’s one of the reasons I said, ‘Nah, I don’t want to keep doing that character.'”
Tucker explained that it was likely a better move for his career, anyways, as it allowed him to branch out to other roles. Check the clip out below.