Being featured on popular TV shows means we've become a phenomenon - the larger culture is paying attention to the bubbling market - which has many benefits as well as some drawbacks.
In this article, let's take a look at nine times vaping has appeared on television.
House of Cards (S2, E4)
While this isn’t the first time e-cigarettes have appeared on television, it is the first time they’ve been featured in a mainstream setting, rather than as a joke or just a background feature. In this scene, the show’s director openly addresses the issue of smoking cessation when Kevin Spacey’s character Frank Underwood is caught smoking by his wife, who thinks he’s quit.
When she (the wife) complained that he was “cheating,” he looked her in the eye and said, “No, it’s not. It’s just steam.”
It may seem like an innocuous statement. But for a community that has been waiting for this moment for nearly a decade, it's a major mark of media acceptance.
However, Underwood’s next line of dialogue sparked controversy when he claimed that e-cigarettes “allow them to get addicted without the consequences.” While this may not be the most positive way to represent the e-cigarette industry’s goal of reducing the harm caused by smoking, it does clearly show the writer’s mindset – vaping has become a popular choice for ex-smokers.
Young Pope (S1, E4)
Young Pope, the controversial HBO show that has made headlines for its bizarre premise and premise, stars Jude Law as Lenny Belardo, a former archbishop of New York and the new pope of the Catholic Church.
Taking the name Pius XIII, Lenny was very different from his predecessors, and he shouted at the Vatican, often saying shocking things to his colleagues, including doubting the existence of God.
On a less extreme, but still controversial note, Pius was a heavy smoker, something HBO lovingly portrayed through its quirky protagonist. In the show, the new Pope not only smokes out of habit, but also seems to enjoy the reactions of those around him to this behavior.
Perhaps the show didn't intend to glorify this act, but the writers seem comfortable portraying cigarettes as a source of rebellion for the main character. And while rebellious heroes are cool, it also makes this association uncomfortable for some.
In one episode, a Cardinal celebrant offered Pius an e-cigarette to kick his smoking habit, and the idea was dismissed with, “I hear this is worse than real cigarettes.”
Young Pope may be a little TV, and a pretty good one at that... But it does nothing for the vaping industry.
Billions (S1, E2)
Still on the cable side of things, Showtime’s Billions was one of the first shows to feature herbal vapes. Instead of having the characters smoke a joint or pipe, Showtime modernized things a bit by having actors Damian Lewis and Malin Ackerman share a puff on a Pax 2.
What makes this scene so great is that it's so down-to-earth and normal. Instead of trying to act like, “how cool and cool do we look,” the characters use the device in casual conversation, making it look like a regular cigarette.
While a little more explanation would make it easier for newcomers to understand and be curious about the device, the best way to get more exposure for vaping on mainstream television is to treat it as a mainstream product. For that, we happily tip our hats to the show’s producers.
True Detective (S2, E2)
In season two of True Detective, there is a minute-long scene in episode two that revolves around one person’s opinion on vaping. Ani Bezzerides, played by Rachel McAdams, is a cop with her partner Ray Velcoro, played by Colin Farrell. Teaming up to solve a bizarre murder, the two cops from different departments begin to bond after becoming partners.
The famous vaping scene is set in a car with Ani driving while discussing with Ray the clues about the suspect. Ani is driving, holding a Cig-a-like e-cigarette. And Ray, a smoker, is sitting in the passenger seat. The scene starts with Ray nervously tapping on the passenger window and Ani telling him to stop. She talks a little about the case while vaping. Then Ray says.
Ray: You use e-cigarettes, not many people like it.
Ani (refuting): This place has 70,000 people passing by every day, right? Where do they live?
Ray (continuing on e-cigarettes): I tried it once, and it felt more like the thing was sucking me. A real cigarette doesn't feel like that. It's almost like giving a blow job to a robot.
After that line, Ani just glanced at Ray, and the scene ended. The worst part is, Ani never used an e-cigarette again in any episode after that. In fact, Ani smoked for about three episodes after that, and Ray didn't say another word of complaint.
2 Broke Girls (S4, E11)
CBS comedy 2 Broke Girls isn't known for its funny or well-regarded scripts. One of The Odd Couple's more dated scenes takes place in a restaurant, with sex jokes that are dated from 1981. And the show also takes a bland approach to discussing vaping.
In one episode, the main character notices a table full of vapers in a restaurant. This leads to laughter from jokes about the room being filled with smoke and other miscellaneous things. The only notable thing about this episode is that the actors use high-end vape mods instead of the usual Cig-a-likes and vape pens.
Deadliest Catch (numerous episodes)
You might think vaping and Alaskan crabbing have nothing in common, but the show has been tied to vaping culture since its inception. The documentary highlights the lives of fishermen who navigate the waters the most ferocious in the world for weeks at a time every time they go out to sea.
There wasn't much to do at sea, so they smoked a lot. It was only a matter of time before one of the crew switched to a safer alternative. Unfortunately, that happened after a key member of the program died of a stroke.
Captain Phil Harris was a heavy smoker, and while the show never revealed that smoking was the primary cause of his death, it was noted by his son Josh, who took over Phil's position on the ship and immediately switched to e-cigarettes after his father's sudden death.
Luke Cage (S1, E6)
The Marvel world has a darker and more dangerous atmosphere, so it's no surprise that there are adult activities appearing in the films.
In recent episodes, there have been quite a few scenes showing the show's cast appearing in front of a Beyond Vape store, one of the vape shop chains for vapers.
Maybe one of the future episodes will show Cage blowing smoke into an enemy's face, but for now, we can be glad the show is straight up about the safe way to quit smoking instead of hiding it away.
Z-Nation (S2, E4)
The American cable show Z-Nation (aka “not The Walking Death” but the other zombie show) featured two characters vaping with a pretty cool vape setup with a box mod and a cutting-edge atomizer . As you can see, it’s the Innokin MVP box mod and the Aspire Nautilus atomizer.
It’s good to know that vaping culture is strong enough to withstand a zombie apocalypse. Now if only we could get it through the FDA, that would be great.
The Simpsons (S26, E20)
This is a pretty big blow to vaping culture. Not just because we love the jokes on The Simpsons. But because The Simpsons has a pretty big capacity for destruction. So when the show’s writers decide to talk about vaping by writing about stereotypes and misunderstandings, it feels like they’re playing around with jokes that don’t help either side.
In a 2015 episode, vaping was featured in Springfield, with all the main characters – including Maggie and Mr. Abe – playing with the vapor. This was concerning to many because it sent the message that vaping was for everyone, when everyone knew it was for adults and people who wanted to quit smoking. So seeing kids vaping, even if they were just kids in a cartoon, was not a positive image for the industry.
The show also pokes fun at the impact e-cigarettes have on children by having grocery store owner Apu sell flavored vapes to Bart and say, “this is not a kid’s toy. Now, do you want bubblegum flavor or melon flavor?”
The show may be old, having been on the air for nearly 30 years. But it was a stunning attack on an industry that is trying to help people, and it showed the indifference of the show's writers.
Is it the end or a new beginning?
Having more aspects of vaping on TV could open up the market and allow smokers to consider trying this new technology. It could also normalize vaping among non-smokers, making it less of a weirdo.
But it can also make us targets. Being singled out by health groups and state lawmakers is annoying, but being the target of popular TV (or comedy) dramas can make vaping even worse. If we become the butt of silly jokes, the larger culture will assume we’re just clowns.
