Just about any teenager or young adult who grew up in the “sex, drugs and rock n roll generation” of the 1960’s was a huge Cheech & Chong fan…..and our Bone Daddy was no exception…..for these were the guys who blew the lid off a generation of young people who simply stated openly that they enjoyed all three elements of that generation. Since Bone Daddy lived in Midland, Tx until he graduated from High School in 1965…it wasn’t until he went to the University of Texas in Austin that he became inundated with the “sex, drugs and rock n roll” movement…..for this was where he met his 1st “hippies”…..which were folks who were a subculture of the “sex, drugs and rock n roll” movement. A hippie is a member of the counterculture of the 1960’s….which was originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960’s….and spread to other countries around the world….as the word “hippie” came from “hipster”….and was originally used to describe beatniks…..who moved into New York City’s Greenwich Village, San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district and Chicago’s Old Town community. The term “hippie” 1st found popularity in San Francisco with Herb Caen….who was a journalist for the San Francisco Chronicle. Long story short…..Austin, Tx had it’s fair share of “hippies” by the time Bone Daddy got to UT….and the truth be told, it was a “hippie chick” named Brenda who provided Bone Daddy with the virtues of the sex part of the “sex, drugs and rock n roll” movement….as she was a woman who had an insatiable appetite….with a great deal of experience….while knowing exactly how she liked to be pleased….so, Bone Daddy’s 1st outing was with a beautiful light blue-eyed curly haired blond “hippie chick” who taught him well…..plus, she also introduced him to the very best “sex, drugs and rock n roll” hipster comedians to ever walk the streets of Haight-Ashbury…..who happened to be comedic geniuses, known as Cheech & Chong.….as Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong raised a whole generation with their humorous life style and approach to life as portrayed in their movies and comedy. The influence of Cheech & Chong on the entire “sex, drugs and rock n roll” generation….including Bone Daddy….created lasting memories for a youthful generation as they matured into the Baby Boomer Generation….which is why I am writing and dedicating this story to Cheech & Chong.
Comedy – 1978 – Stand Up Routine – Cheech & Chong Live In Concert
Cheech & Chong are a comedy duo consisting of Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong.….as the duo found commercial and cultural success in the 1970’s and 1980’s with their stand-up routines, studio recordings and feature films….which were based on the hippie and free love era, and especially drug and counterculture movements, most notably their love for cannabis. The duo met in Vancouver, British Columbia, in the mid-1960’s…..as Chong was a Canadian citizen….and Cheech had moved there from southern California to avoid the draft at the height of the Vietnam War. The pair performed stand-up shows, released many successful comedy record albums and starred in a series of low-budget films….as some of their best-known comedy routines and songs include “Earache My Eye”, “Basketball Jones”, “Santa Claus and His Old Lady” and “Sister Mary Elephant”….with perhaps their most famous line is “Dave’s not here” from their self-titled debut album.
Music & Comedy – 1971 – Cheech & Chong – “Santa Claus And His Old Lady”
Music & Comedy – 1974 – Cheech & Chong – “Earache My Eyes” From Up In Smoke Movie
Music & Comedy – 2014 – Cheech & Chong Live in Concert – “Basketball Jones”
Music & Comedy – 1978 – Cheech & Chong Live In Concert – “Sister Mary Elephant”
Their early success culminated with the release of their first feature-length movie, Up in Smoke, in 1978….which became a cult classic….and was also successful enough at the box office while grossing over $44 million despite a low budget….and thus warranted two sequels with Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie in 1980….and Nice Dreams in 1981. These were followed by the less successful Things Are Tough All Over in 1982….and Still Smokin in 1983….then the pair attempted a departure from their “stoner comedy” with 1984’s Cheech & Chong’s The Corsican Brothers. To date, their most recent starring vehicle as a duo was 2014’s Cheech & Chong’s Animated Movie. Tommy Chong directed four of their films…. while co-writing and starring in all seven with Cheech Marin. They also appeared in smaller supporting roles in Graham Chapman’s Yellowbeard and Martin Scorsese’s After Hours. In 1985 the duo released their album Get Out of My Room….. which included the novelty hit song “Born in East L.A.” (based on Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.”)……as tis song later served as the basis for 1987 film of the same title…..in which Cheech Marin played the starring role. Immediately following the release of the album, Cheech Marin separated himself from the pair’s drug-inspired act by working on a solo career.On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed Cheech & Chong among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.
Comedy – 1981 – Movie Excerpt – “Nice Dreams” – With Cheech & Chong
The duo spent years without working together after their contentious parting in the 1980’s….but came back together in 1992 for the first time in several years….while voicing characters in the animated film FernGully: The Last Rainforest…..and then in 1997, Chong made an appearance on Marin’s TV series Nash Bridges, in an episode titled “Wild Card”…..which contained a reference to their iconic “Dave” skit from their 1972 debut album. In 2000 both performers voiced characters in the animated television series South Park for the episode “Cherokee Hair Tampons”….but their voices were recorded separately. Both Marin and Chong indicated in a 2003 episode of Biography that they were willing to reunite…..as they had plans to reunite for another film when Chong’s California-based company, Chong’s Glass, was raided by federal officials in February 2003….as part of a federal crackdown on “drug-related paraphernalia”…..when in a plea bargain which allowed his son and wife to remain out of jail, Chong pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to distribute drug paraphernalia in May…..and in September 2003 was sentenced to nine months in federal prison, fined $20,000 and forced to forfeit $120,000 in assets. He was released in July 2004…..where his cellmate was Jordan Belfort.
Comedy – 1974 – Rare Interview With Cheech & Chong
Comedy – 1980 – Special – The Tommy Chong Comedy Roast
With Chong released, the duo planned to resume production on a reunion film…..as a variety of titles were rumored….including Grumpy Old Stoners…..but they announced in September 2005 that the reunion film had been canceled. Beginning in September 2008, Cheech and Chong reunited for the Light Up America comedy tour which opened in Ottawa…..while making a radio program appearance on The Bob & Tom Show…..then in March 2009, they recorded two shows at the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio for a DVD release of the reunion tour.
Comedy – 1978 – Movie Exerpt – Cheech & CHong – “Up In Smoke” Car Scene
In 2011, both performers were guests stars on the animated sitcom The Simpsons, on the episode “A Midsummer’s Nice Dream”…..as the episode focuses on a fictitious separation of the duo, with Homer taking Chong’s place. In August 2012, Cheech & Chong appeared at the 13th annual Gathering of the Juggalos in Cave-in-Rock, IL…..then In February 2014, Cheech and Chong appeared on an episode of Tom Green Live…..and folllowed in March 2014 by their announced they were working on a new movie with writer/director Jay Chandrasekhar.
Comedy & Movie – 1980 – Movie Excerpt From “Next Movie” – With Cheech & Chong – “Pee & Soap”
In 2007, Brett Harvey’s marijuana advocacy documentary The Union: The Business Behind Getting High starred Tommy Chong as a commentator about marijuana related issues and his drug paraphernalia charge in 2003. The film had many other notable names such as former Vancouver mayor Larry Campbell, Canadian marijuana seed retailer Marc Emery, Canadian baking marijuana icon “Watermelon Girl” and other marijuana advocates like Author & Former ‘Pot TV’ Manager Chris Bennett and former High Times editor Steve Bloom.
Comedy – 1971 To 1985 – Special – Cheech & Chong In 10 Minutes
On November 5, 2008, Cheech and Chong reunited for a Funny or Die video titled “Cheech and Chong Get Out the Vote!”….as the video, which encouraged people to get out and vote, was released the day after the United States general election….then on November 30th, 2008, Cheech & Chong were honored during the roast special Cheech & Chong: Roasted on TBS hosted by Brad Garrett….which included other guests, among them Chong’s wife. The event was filmed at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas during The Comedy Festival.
Comedy & Music – 1982 – Excerpt From Movie “Things Are Tough All Over” – With Cheech & Chong – “Me And My Old Lady”
On April 17, 2009, while on the Sydney leg of their “Cheech and Chong Light Up Australia” Tour, they had to delay the start of their show as it became the target of a drug operation by the New South Wales Police. About 25 police and four drug dogs were involved, searching around 50 people, with six people caught in possession of small amounts of cannabis. On January 25, 2010, Cheech & Chong appeared on Lopez Tonight. During a singing segment they started to perform their song “Mexican Americans”, but it turned into “Get It Legal”, in reference to their current U.S. tour. On March 1, 2010, Cheech & Chong were the guest hosts of WWE Raw in Oklahoma City. On April 20, 2010 (4/20) Cheech and Chong’s Hey, Watch This, the DVD filmed in San Antonio on March 14, 2009 was released.
Comedy & Movie – 1980 – Excerpt From “Next Movie” – With Cheech & Chong At “The Welfare Office”
In September 2011, Cheech & Chong appeared in a viral video posted on YouTube which at first appeared to be a trailer for a (non-existent) upcoming movie titled Cheech & Chong’s Magic Brownie Adventure…. which at the end revealed itself to be a commercial for Fiber One 100-calorie snack brownies. In 2012, Chong revealed to CNN’s Don Lemon that he was battling prostate cancer. It was unknown how this would affect any future projects…..but then on September 28, 2014 they were guests of Doug Benson on his podcast Getting Doug with High.
Comedy & Music – 1980 – Opening To Movie “Up In Smoke” – With Cheech & Chong – “Low Rider”
TV Ads & Comedy – 2015 – Tommy Chong For Unaired Lincoln Commercial – With Tommy Chong’s “Smoke Swipes”
The pair appeared together on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on April 23, 2018 in response to recent news that John Boehner had joined the board of a marijuana company. The pair expressed displeasure that marijuana was no longer rebellious, Cheech remarking that he could now buy weed “from a store in a strip mall” when before he could only buy it from “behind a store in a strip mall.” They then claimed they would no longer be doing stoner comedy and would do comedy about things that were still illegal, such as unpasteurized dairy products, importing exotic reptiles, taping and distributing football games without the consent of the NFL and burning leaves without a permit….cuz the truth be known, the window for Cheech & Chong’s comedy had lost its zing….as that which made them famous was no longer a “walk on the wild side”…..and its impact was gone…..for its time had passed…..and regardless of the fact that their counterculture image had passed, they had still left a lasting impression on a generation that grew with them along the way until all the “illegal smoke” had culturally cleared the air….as Cheech & Chong had been the harbingers of a significant movement that swept the USA and much of the world for decades.
Comedy & Movies – 2015 – “Up In Smoke” Special – Moments That Changed The Movies
