American actor Jaleel White, who stars as Steve Urkel in the television series ‘Family Matters’, circa 1990. (Photo by Fotos International/Archive Photos/Getty Images)
Wow, we though 2020 was weird.
Well, 2021 apparently is a “one upper” and decided that Jaleel White, the actor best known for his hit role as Steve Urkel on Family Matters, would announce that he is starting his own brand of cannabis.
Though Jaleel, who’s been a marijuana aficionado for quite some time, wouldn’t exactly say this is coming out of left field. In fact the actor has been courted by cannabis companies for years trying to make the celebrity collaboration happen due to the wildly popular, though not yet officially endorsed, Purple Urkle strain. White even tried to find the origin of the famous strain back in the early 2000’s.
“Every few months since at least 2016, a new businessman would come along with ideas that felt very exploitative of the Urkel character legacy and money-minded,” White told Forbes in an interview. “My [childhood] pal Sean would shut them down like a protective big brother.”
After enjoying the popular strain and being approached for years, White had a chance encounter with Oakland-based Cannabis CEO Brad Melshenker. Melshenker and White hit it off on a flight and eventually their friendship lead to the upcoming release of the officially Urkel-branded weed called ItsPurpl.
“At first it was flattering but then it became frustrating seeing and hearing about Purple Urkle in the cannabis marketplace,” White said. “The thing that always stood out to me was there no clear brand leader for fire purple weed. It made no sense to me no company of significance had claimed this lane, so why not me?”
While we were hoping for possibly a “Did I Smoke That?” or a “Dank is My Middle Name” strain we’ll settle for the Urkel-branded weed paraphernalia.
ItsPurpl will be sold as eighths, resin pods, vape pens, and even noodle joints starting April 20th, 2021 in California.
“Eighth jars of the real deal Purple Urkle was a must, right out-the-gate. Noodle doinks are my personal fave,” White said in the interview. “Everyone I share them with in my inner circle freaks out over the rotini pasta filter. It’s so unusual, they’ve seen such a hand rolled joint before, the noodle filter never fails to spark conversation.”