Dave Chappelle Got His ‘Half Baked’ Star So High He Messed Up 1 Scene
The career of Dave Chappelle has gone in some extreme directions over the years. But one of the first examples of his comedic gifts is the comedy Half Baked. The movie was first dismissed as a failure, but became a cult classic. Most performers don’t turn to method acting when appearing in a stoner comedy, however, a misunderstanding led to one of Chappelle’s co-stars attempting to act after getting high.
The Dave Chappelle comedy ‘Half Baked’ is now a classic stoner movie
Chappelle made enough of a name for himself on the stand-up circuit to get his film Half Baked made when he was only 25. Co-written with his future Chappelle Show collaborator Neal Brennan, the movie follows Thurgood (Chappelle), Brian (Jim Breuer), and Scarface (Guillermo Diaz), as they attempt to raise money to get their friend Kenny (Harland Williams) out of jail after he accidentally kills a police horse by feeding it junk food. Their plan is to steal weed from a medical lab Thurgood works at and sell it to prospective buyers.
Critics were not big fans of the movie. But bad reviews didn’t top Half Baked from finding an audience who appreciated its blatant ridiculousness. The movie culminates in the stoners receiving unwanted attention from local drug lord Samson Simpson (Clarence Williams III), who attempts to extort $20,000 weekly from them. When Thurgood’s plan to do a deal with the police in exchange for freeing Kenny falls flat, the crew takes it upon themselves to take Simpson out with the help of the ghost of The Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia (David Bluestein in his one and only acting role.).
An on-set argument led to Breuer filming the movie’s climax while high
Breuer talked about his experience with Half Baked in his 2009 special Let’s Clear the Air (via BuzzFeed). He and Chappelle were friends and already worked together before on Buddies, a shortlived ABC sitcom. His face convinced Chappelle he was perfect for the part. “[He] came to me in a New York comedy club [and said] “hey man, you gotta be in this weed movie. The way you look, you don’t even need makeup,” he recalled while doing a surprisingly good impression of the comedian.
Being a professional, the actor didn’t smoke during filming, but after work, it was a different story. One day, after smoking a gift from Chappelle himself, he was needed back on set. Needless to say, Breuer was not in the headspace to return to work. “I’m really paranoid like I’m gonna get arrested and get fired from Half Baked for being baked,” he joked.
The one scene they had to do was the one where Jerry Garcia’s ghost hits Simpson with a guitar. Breuer’s one line was a taunting “Sucks to be you man!” as the kingpin was laid out on the floor. It took them an hour to get the shot because Breuer was so stoned that he couldn’t say his line properly. Chappelle eventually stepped in and told him to “pretend like you’re talking to yourself.” Those words got through to him and he finally nailed the line.
Chappelle’s genius is now marred by his harmful views
No one could’ve imagined where Chappelle’s art would take him from that point. The Chappelle Show is considered a timeless work of brilliance. Even the star’s decision to quit the show while at its commercial peak was a significant moment in Hollywood history.
His comedy was always socially minded. But his departure turned Chappelle into a mythological figure and when he returned to the industry a few years later, he received a hero’s welcome. His first two new specials for Netflix, Equanimity and The Bird Revelation, were acclaimed by most viewers.
However, Chappelle now invokes a lot of disdain for his transphobic remarks. While some of those who once supported him still have his back, the now-disgraced comedian has continued to align himself with others facing scandal. It seems unlikely he’ll reach his Half Baked level of fame again.
