Trivia / Friday

Movie

• Breakthrough Hit: For F. Gary Gray.
• Cast the Runner-Up: DJ Pooh originally hoped to play Smokey, but New Line Cinema wanted someone with more experience. He was instead cast as Red.
• The Cast Showoff: Terry Crews in Friday After Next pulls off his trademark Pec Flex when Damon shows up to intimidate Craig and Day-Day.
• Disabled Character, Disabled Actor: Deebo has one lazy eye, like his actor, Tiny Lister ^note Tiny was born blind in his right eye. In Next Friday, Tyrone threatens to "knock [his] eye straight" after Deebo bullies him.
• Harpo Does Something Funny: Chris Tucker improvised many of his lines in the movie.
• Sequel Gap: The first film came out in 1995 while Next Friday released five years later in 2000. ...After Next only had to wait a year for it's release in 2002.
• Star-Making Role: For Chris Tucker.
• Technology Marches On: This really helps set the first movie as taking place in The '90s. Not only are there wall-hung phones (with cords!) but Craig's mother states that she "knows it's Joi calling, cause I 'star-sixty-nined' her and she hung up again." Ask any Gen Z-er what a *69 is and you will probably get an answer involving pornography. For those not alive in the 90's, pressing *69 on a phone caused your phone to redial whoever just called.
• Throw It In!: The drive-by scene in which Smokey attempts to catch the gun tossed at him by Craig and fumbles it was actually a blooper on Chris Tucker's part that was kept in because it added to the comedy.
• What Could Have Been: Tommy Davidson and Chris Rock were considered for Smokey.
• Write Who You Know: Smokey was based on DJ Pooh's stint as a drug dealer, while Craig being fired on his day off was based on Ice Cube's cousin, who was working as a driver for United Parcel Service at the time.

Music Video

• Colbert Bump: The video went viral after tweets from comedians such as Mike Nelson, followed by a spotlight on Tosh.0.
  • Stephen Colbert himself sang "Friday" on Jimmy Fallon's show after losing a bet.
• Creator Backlash: Black already seems to be somewhat ashamed of her participation in "Friday", as does Benni Cinkle (the girl in pink/friend on the right). In the decade since then, however, she's developed enough of a sense of humor about it that she made a 10-year anniversary hyperpop remix, capitalizing on both its So Bad, It's Good reputation as well as genuine nostalgia.
• Milestone Celebration: Black released a poppier, remixed version of "Friday" exactly ten years after its original release (February 10, 2021).
• Real-Life Relative: It's Rebecca's actual family we see rushing.
• Similarly Named Works: With the movie starring Chris Tucker and Ice Cube. The connection HAS been made, of course.
  • And then there are horror fans who couldn't help but put it together with Friday the 13th. It was bound to happen.

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