It’s almost that time of year again, when every corporate entity temporarily gives its logo a rainbow makeover and publicly reaffirms its commitment to inclusivity. But before we get to Pride Month, we have to get through 4/20, which Call of Duty is celebrating with a pair of skins depicting Thurgood Jenkins, the fictional character from 1998’s Half Baked, played by comedian and noted transphobe Dave Chappelle.
“There’s something going on at Frankencense & Burr Pharmaceutical, and Thurgood Jenkins is right in the middle of it,” reads a recent Activision blog post announcing the upcoming collaboration. “The master of custodial arts takes his chance to have some fun and save a friend, memorialized in this Bundle inspired by the 1998 hit comedy, Half Baked.”
I’m old enough to remember the days when Chappelle was known for being funny rather than being a bigot. I grew up watching Chappelle’s Show, and like many comedy fans, genuinely enjoyed the guy’s work until he started making unfunny jokes about the LGBTQ+ community, with a large amount of vitriol aimed at the trans community and female sexual assault victims specifically.
