Leo Chingkwake

Infobox character


colour = #6F8FBF
name = Leonard "Leo" Chingkwake
first = "Sleepover"
last = "That '70s Finale"
cause =
age =
death =
occupation =
title =
Relationships =
Nickname(s)= Leo, The Hippie
episode =
portrayer = Tommy Chong
creator = Mark Brazill
family = Theo (cousin)
Eli (cousin)
Larry (cousin)

Leonard ChingkwakeFact|date=September 2007 is a character on the Fox sitcom "That '70s Show". Played by Tommy Chong, an iconic actor associated with the stoner culture of the 1970s, he was most commonly referred to as Leo. The character is an aging hippie and the owner of a Foto Hut at which Steven Hyde worked. Leo himself does not have a strong work ethic, often putting play before work and maintaining an easy-going attitude in all things, business included. He once promoted Hyde to his boss.

Appearances

Leo is introduced in the episode "Sleepover." In his first scene in the show he interviews Hyde for a job at the Foto Hut. Leo asks, "You like photos man?" and, Hyde says yes, and Leo gives him the job. He doesn't interview anyone else because no one else showed up.

In the episode "The Battle of Evermore," after Leo had been absent from the show for several episodes, Hyde receives a letter from Leo that says "Dear Hyde, man. One day I stopped in Point Place for some gas, before I knew it eight years had passed. Whoa, that rhymes. Anyway, I should get home to my wife. Take care, you're a good kid, man. You're a good kid, man"

Leo returns to the show in the episode "Down The Road Apiece" after nearly a three season absence. Leo is reintroduced when he finds Eric Forman on a road trip. Shortly after their meeting, Hyde has Leo manage the record store owned by Hyde's father. When Hyde returns, a bunch of hippies are sitting around smoking pot, and when Hyde tries to enter his office, he discovers an orgy is taking place. Hyde takes over when Leo fails at the job.

After Ashton Kutcher failed to renew his contract for the 8th season, the show was without a resident "idiot" character, so Leo began to take on a more major role in that capacity.

Personality

Leo is a very confused individual, possibly because of his drug use. Ironically, Leo is strongly opposed to alcohol consumption saying, "that stuff will mess with your mind". In the episode "Who Wants It More?" he finds Hyde, Fez and Michael Kelso looking for UFOs. Hyde asks Leo what he is doing. Leo responds with, "Wow, that's a really good question man!" and does not know the answer. In the same episode, Leo says that he once saw a UFO at a football game that told him to have a good year (actually the Goodyear blimp). A further indicator of Leo's confusion is when he says, "He's making us look bad in front of the boss!" at the Foto Hut, forgetting that he is the boss. In one episode, he also reveals that he thinks he met God on the bus, who told him the meaning of life and gave him a pretzel. Leo forgot the meaning of life, but says it was a pretty good pretzel.

Leo has a bad memory. When he and Hyde are reunited, he talks with him for awhile before proclaiming "Wait a minute. You're Hyde man!" Leo later revealed he does not remember that he owned a Foto Hut, though he does remember what the building looked like and its location. It is revealed in the episode "Stone Cold Crazy" that drugs can refresh Leo's memory.

In the episode "Reefer Madness," when Hyde was accused of possession of illegal drugs, Leo revealed to Red Forman that he has indulged in the use of marijuana once or twice himself. Red was unsurprised.

Leo also revealed to Hyde while playing The Game of Life that he had kids who "split on me man;" it's notable as the only time Leo reflects on something in his past as being painful, including fighting in a war. Hyde is touched by this, letting Leo know his parents also abandoned him, Leo cements their bond by asking, "so you wanna be my father, man?" something that Hyde doesn't say no to. Leo also mentions having a son when he gives Hyde an El Camino, stating that he intended to give the car to his son on his 16th birthday, but his wife left with his kids. He calls Hyde the son he "never" had (as opposed to the son he does have).

In the eighth season episode, "You're My Best Friend", Leo reveals that he believes it's 1963, having in his possession a ticket to the '64 World's Fair ("One more year. I can't wait.")

Veteran status

In the episode "Long Away," Leo reveals that he is a war veteran and fought by driving a supply truck in World War II. This earns him a modicum of grudging respect from Red. In that same episode, Leo said that he got a medal. Not remembering what it's called, he said that "it looked like a purple heart." Also in this episode it is implied that Leo discovered marijuana after WWII when a hitched a ride with Jazz musicians. Curiously, he also mentions spending much of the Vietnam War in Canada, even though his status as a WWII veteran would make him legally exempt from the draft, in addition to being much too old for the draft at the time. However, this could be attributed to Leo's bad memory or confusion, or maybe he just happened to be in Canada. His veteran status was hinted at because Leo was often seen wearing dog tags. In the episode "Eric and Kitty's Night Out" Leo, while playing a game of Battleship, suspects that he might have been in the Navy.

Family

Leo has a cousin named Theo, (played by Richard Karn) who is a contractor, as well as a cousin Eli (played by Bobcat Goldthwait) and a cousin Larry. Leo also has made reference to a "big brother" that likes to interfere with his business (when Leo told Hyde this, Hyde thought Leo was referring to the government, but then Leo said he literally meant his big brother). Leo also has a dog (Dr. Zhivago) that Leo once accidentally fed illegal drugs instead of dog food ("Ice Shack"). A similar event occurred in "Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke," where Chong's character (Anthony Stoner) said his dog ate some of his drug stash.

Work ethic

Leo once told Hyde and Fez that he used to steal money from the cash register when his boss wasn't watching. When Hyde reminds him, that Leo is his own boss, Leo is happy about this because he knows that he is never watching the register.

In one episode, Hyde and Leo are playing The Game of Life at the Foto Hut when a customer requires attention. Leo tells Hyde that if he helps the customer, he will (ironically) be fired. In another episode, Leo temporarily hires Fez, but then fires him when he displays a stronger work ethic than either Leo or Hyde. Leo proclaimed "that dude's making all of us look bad. I'm afraid the boss is gonna fire me." To which Hyde responded "Once again, Leo you are the boss."

Age and birthday

Though Leo's age is not specifically mentioned in any episode, since he fought in World War II, he must have turned eighteen by 1945, which means he was probably born before 1927, though underaged combatants are not unheard of. One episode mentions Leo's Zodiac sign is (predictably) Leo, which would make his birthday between July 23 and August 22. Another episode mentions Leo's Zodiac sign as Aquarius. But information about his Zodiac sign (both times) comes from Leo himself, which means that it may not be reliable.