There aren't many people out there who haven't at least heard of the movie "Forrest Gump," which became something of a pop-culture phenomenon upon its release in 1994. Most viewers are even able to remember his best friend, Bubba Blue. The special friendship even spawned a real-life restaurant chain, Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. In the film, Forrest meets Bubba in the Army's basic training, and they eventually head to Vietnam. Despite the horrific battles nearby, the buddies concentrate on lighter subjects, such as going into the shrimping business together when they get back. However, this never happens, as Bubba is tragically killed in battle. The tear-jerking death scene that found Bubba dying in Forrest's arms was a cinematic moment Dave Chapelle wanted no part of.
Back in the '90s, Chapelle appeared in films such as "Robin Hood: Men in Tights," "The Nutty Professor," and "Con Air." But he turned down "Forrest Gump" because Bubba appeared to be a stereotypical role that he felt was common in Hollywood moviemaking. He felt that Bubba was there to make the main character look better. "No matter how dumb a white dude is, they always gonna find a n***** that's dumber," he said in his act. In addition to his opinion of Bubba being a degrading role, he also pointed out an obvious character observation. "You know he's going to get killed 'cause he's too cute," he exclaimed. Despite not being part of what would become an Oscar-winning film, Chapelle most likely has no regrets. Many now consider him one of the best stand-up comedians of all time.
