Today we’re deconstructing the iconic scene in Friday where Ice Cube’s character Craig smokes his first joint. When I was younger, I never really noticed all the layers within the scene. But as an adult, I watch it now and see so many types of smoker friends that we’ve all definitely been at one point.
The ‘It’s Not My Thing’ Friend
Remember when you believed all the negative propaganda surrounding cannabis? All those dumbass D.A.R.E. classes and “This Is Your Brain On Drugs” commercials had you thinking cannabis wasn’t for you. You may have had friends that indulged, which you never judged, but you maintained your stance that you wouldn’t like it. Until one day you did try it, and guess what? You were right, you didn’t like it. You LOVED it. That was Craig in Friday, as evidenced by the fact that it was followed up with two sequels.
The ‘Just Take One Hit’ Friend
We all have friends that don’t smoke and we love them all the same, yet we’re still polite enough to offer them a hit. That’s what friends do. As Chris Tucker’s character Smokey pointed out, Craig didn’t have shit to do, which is why Smokey offered him a hit to help stimulate his mind.
The ‘Tell You Everything Step by Step’ Friend
That moment where Smokey tells Craig to put it in his mouth? That’s every friend who’s excited that they finally got you to smoke. They’re so hyped about it, they want to give you step-by-step instructions to make sure that you gain the full experience. Most people just hold the smoke in their mouth, then blow it out, not inhaling a damn bit of THC, thus not even getting high. But the Step-by-Step Friend is there to coach you through it. We’ve all been there.
The ‘Die From Coughing’ Friend
We all remember that first hit of cannabis where you tried to hold it in so long that you almost passed out, causing a serious fit of nonstop coughs. Maybe you’ve even coughed so much that you’ve thrown up (raises hand). That’s just how the game goes when you have no clue what you’re doing at first, so you try to take a pro hit, only to realize you’ve still got virgin lungs. That was Craig when he got too comfortable and started showing out. Stay humble, my friends.
The ‘What Kind of Shit Is This’ Friend
The moment where Craig asks Smokey what they’re smoking is all of us at one time. “You said this was indo, it smell like outdo.” We’ve all been in a session with someone who pulled out a sack that wasn’t up to par with our usual strains. There’s no nice way to say “Yo, this bud is trash,” so you hit them with the “Yo, what strain is this?”, or the ever-popular, “Yo, where’d you get this?” Call us canna-snobs, but quality strains matter.
The ‘Dude, I’m Sooooo High’ Friend
This friend annoys the shit out of me. You can tell how irritated Smokey gets once Craig starts going on about his heartbeat and doing silly stoner shit. We’ve all been this friend, and the problem with being this friend is that you can dampen everyone else’s experience if you keep hyping how stoned you are.
The ‘So Happy You’re High’ Friend
Smokey loved every moment of smoking with Craig for the first time. We all know the feeling when your “I Don’t Smoke” friend finally tries cannabis and has a fun experience. You’re so full of pride and joy, thinking, “Pretty soon he’ll be buying his own.” You witnessed your friend finally cross over to the other side, where the grass is definitely greener.