The moment when the two friends fight is essential in having audiences understand what is actually going on between the two. The film appears to follow a typical romance movie storyline in parallel to the one that involves drugs, as this is like couple getting together, breaking up, and eventually getting back together as a result of several events that are very important in making each of them realize that the other is special. The moment when they reunite is impressive, as Saul rescues Dale from their pursuers and influences him in saying "You saved me," only to respond with "You came back for me." Even the individuals sent to follow Dale and Saul, Matheson (Craig Robinson) and Budlofsky (Kevin Corrigan) put across queer concepts as the former is jealous regarding the latter's interest in spending the night...

The people in charge of making the motion picture most probably wanted to prevent viewers from being appalled as a result of seeing the homosexual references by involving several drug-related elements in the film and making it particularly funny, in spite of the queer concepts that it put across.
Doty, Alexander. Making things perfectly queer: interpreting mass culture. (U of Minnesota Press, 1993).

Turim, Maureen. "Gentlemen Consume Blondes."

Wilonsky, Robert. "Pineapple Express's True Bromance."

Dir. David Gordon Green. Pineapple Express. Columbia Pictures, 2008.

Dir. Howard Hawks. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. 20th Century Fox, 1953.