Anler Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 Tommy Chong Turns 80, Looks 50. Is It the Cannabis? The Associated PressMay 24, 2018 Share Print Tommy Chong pose for a picture at his home in Los Angeles. About to turn 80, Chong says he never doubted he’d live to see the day when cannabis would be legal in one form or another in 30 states across the country. (Chris Carlson/AP) LOS ANGELES (AP) — Yeah, man, Tommy Chong says he always knew he’d live to see the day marijuana legalization would be sweeping America. He knew when he and partner Cheech Marin pioneered stoner comedy 50 years ago, a time when taunting the establishment with constant reminders that they didn’t just play hippie potheads in the movies — they really were those guys — could have landed them in prison. He even knew in 2003 when Chong was imprisoned for nine months for conspiring to distribute handcrafted artisanal bongs the government declared drug paraphernalia. Related An Oral History of ‘Up In Smoke’ on Its 40th Anniversary “Oh yeah, I saw it coming,” he says of cannabis being legal in some form in about two-thirds of his adopted country’s 50 states. The High Priest of Stoner Comedy turns 80 on Thursday. “In fact, I kind of planned the whole thing out,” he jokes. “Well, maybe I was a little premature with that bong thing. But other than that, I was pretty much right on point.” So much so that when the High Priest of Stoner Comedy turns 80 on Thursday — that’s right, 80 — he expects his Chong’s Choice brand of marijuana, available in legal dispensaries in several states, will be consumed in abundance at the parties his family is planning. “Tommy likes to say he tests every single batch. Which obviously he does. And he really enjoys it,” his son Paris Chong says with a laugh. “For this one, make sure that whatever you have to eat around the house is healthy because you’ll find yourself munching away like crazy,” the elder Chong says as he holds up a jar packed with a dozen or so choice green buds. “Oh, and we have chocolates too,” he says, reaching for a package of candies that vaguely resemble Tootsie Rolls. Related 6 ways to enjoy cannabis without having to smoke it Not that he was ever a heavy pot user, Chong says, just a consistent connoisseur. “When I was 17, a jazz musician gave me a Lenny Bruce record and a joint at the same time, and it changed my life,” he recalls. “I quit school I think a week later and went on the road and became a blues musician and eventually a comedian, and the rest, as they say, is history.” His group Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers was signed to Motown, and Chong co-wrote the band’s only hit, “Does Your Mama Know About Me,” a smooth R&B tune that rose to No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968. When no other hits followed, Motown dropped the group, and the Canadian-born Chong returned to Vancouver, British Columbia, where he ran a pair of strip clubs with his brother. There he crossed paths with Richard Marin, a Mexican-American art student from Los Angeles eight years his junior, who asked to join the house band. The pair began warming up audiences with stoner jokes, and a comedy team was born. After some discussion of what to call themselves — Chong says “Richard and Tommy” and “Chong and Marin” were quickly rejected — they settled on Cheech (Marin’s nickname) and Chong. By then, Motown had helped Chong obtain a green card, and the two headed to fame and fortune in Los Angeles. Related Watch This: Cheech & Chong Talk About the First Time They Got High On a recent early morning, Chong answers the door for a photo shoot at his longtime home in the hills overlooking L.A.’s wealthy Brentwood section, arriving in gray jeans, sandals and a black T-shirt advertising the name of a Colorado cannabis dispensary he recently visited. He offers to change into another shirt for the photos before deciding to stick with the original. “Don’t want to ruin my image,” he concludes with a smile. “Yeah,” he says, answering the obvious question, “we still toke up.” As a photographer sets up, Chong polishes off a breakfast of oatmeal topped with sliced banana. In recent years, he’s become a vegetarian, although he backslides. “Especially if you put a plate of dim sum in front of me. Of course, that’s my cultural heritage.” Chong, whose father emigrated from China before World War II, mostly identifies culturally as Chinese, although he’s equally proud of his Scotch, Irish and Native American ancestry from his mother’s side. Married for more than 40 years to his wife, Shelby, he’s a family man with six grown children, three grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. More than just a stoner comedian, he’s been a passionate marijuana advocate for decades. He used cannabis during a bout with prostate cancer 10 years ago and more recently during treatment and recovery from colorectal cancer. Related The best cannabis strains for cancer-related symptoms He finds it ironic that if the U.S. government hadn’t outlawed marijuana in the early 20th century, he and Marin might never have had a comedy career. Before the pair’s bitter 1980s breakup, Cheech and Chong dominated comedy for 15 years. They released five Grammy-nominated, best-selling albums between 1971 and 1976, winning the 1973 Grammy for “Los Cochinos.” Turning to films, they wrote and starred in a half-dozen, beginning with 1978’s “Up in Smoke.” After the breakup, they would try periodically to reunite. Those efforts generally ended in angry, insult-laden exchanges until 10 years ago when Paris Chong intervened. Related Why a Good Smoke Session Is the Ultimate Bonding Experience Finding an email on his father’s computer from Marin asking if he wanted to try again to put aside differences, the son didn’t bother to tell the father. He simply wrote yes and hit reply. “And then I told my dad, and they were really happy,” he recalls, chuckling. “Sometimes you’ve just got to get out of your own way.” “There’s a bond now that will always be there no matter what happens,” says Chong, who in casual conversation sounds little like his stoner-dude alter-ego. And “yeah,” he says, answering the obvious question, “we still toke up.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spin_dry Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 He does look good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArcticCrusher Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 50? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member steve from amherst Posted January 14, 2020 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted January 14, 2020 3 minutes ago, spin_dry said: He does look good. For 80 , yes. But he don't look 50. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spin_dry Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 Just now, steve from amherst said: For 80 , yes. But he don't look 50. I bet he looks better than 80% of the slobs here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Highmark Posted January 14, 2020 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted January 14, 2020 (edited) 6 minutes ago, ArcticCrusher said: 50? Doesn't look a day over 78. Edited January 14, 2020 by Highmark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member steve from amherst Posted January 14, 2020 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted January 14, 2020 6 minutes ago, spin_dry said: I bet he looks better than 80% of the slobs here. You dont think he looks younger then you , do you? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anler Posted January 14, 2020 Author Share Posted January 14, 2020 8 minutes ago, steve from amherst said: For 80 , yes. But he don't look 50. No not 50. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member steve from amherst Posted January 14, 2020 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted January 14, 2020 1 minute ago, Anler said: No not 50. That being said, I know a few hardcore drinkers that looked like that at 50 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anler Posted January 14, 2020 Author Share Posted January 14, 2020 Just saying this reefer junkie hasn't od'd on the devil's lettuce in 80 years... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anler Posted January 14, 2020 Author Share Posted January 14, 2020 Just now, steve from amherst said: That being said, I know a few hardcore drinkers that looked like that at 50 I'm finding alcohol to be a real problem within my little circle these days. I've had 3 incidents since Christmas with out of control drunks. It's annoying as hell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member steve from amherst Posted January 14, 2020 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted January 14, 2020 Just now, Anler said: I'm finding alcohol to be a real problem within my little circle these days. I've had 3 incidents since Christmas with out of control drunks. It's annoying as hell. Ive got a bud , great guy , hard worker, awesome friend. But when he drinks , around his 11th or so drink he loses the ability to speak English, or any language for that matter. Then he drinks for 3-4 more hrs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anler Posted January 14, 2020 Author Share Posted January 14, 2020 3 minutes ago, steve from amherst said: Ive got a bud , great guy , hard worker, awesome friend. But when he drinks , around his 11th or so drink he loses the ability to speak English, or any language for that matter. Then he drinks for 3-4 more hrs. When we were up snowmobiling in St. Germain 2 weeks ago my bud (great guy otherwise) got all fucked up and obnoxious at a bar. We got kicked out and me and my nephew had to physically drag him out of there. Then he tried to fight us in the parking lot. Didn't go well but he was a royal pain in our asses for the next hour or two. I wanted to kill him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member steve from amherst Posted January 14, 2020 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted January 14, 2020 1 minute ago, Anler said: When we were up snowmobiling in St. Germain 2 weeks ago my bud (great guy otherwise) got all fucked up and obnoxious at a bar. We got kicked out and me and my nephew had to physically drag him out of there. Then he tried to fight us in the parking lot. Didn't go well but he was a royal pain in our asses for the next hour or two. I wanted to kill him. " is this real? Im fucking babysitting an adult " 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anler Posted January 14, 2020 Author Share Posted January 14, 2020 1 minute ago, steve from amherst said: " is this real? Im fucking babysitting an adult " Yeah the really fucked up thing is his and my 16 year old sons were with us. They saw the whole debacle. It was embarrassing for him. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member steve from amherst Posted January 14, 2020 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted January 14, 2020 Just now, Anler said: Yeah the really fucked up thing is his and my 16 year old sons were with us. They saw the whole debacle. It was embarrassing for him. Did he at least realize the next day he was an idiot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member steve from amherst Posted January 14, 2020 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted January 14, 2020 Or as one of my buds says. " all parents set an example, some on what to be and others on what not to be" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SVT MXZ XRS Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 50 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoughnut Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 4 minutes ago, steve from amherst said: " is this real? Im fucking babysitting an adult " Actually when adults get sloppy drunk they're worse than babysitting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member steve from amherst Posted January 14, 2020 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted January 14, 2020 Just now, snoughnut said: Actually when adults get sloppy drunk they're worse than babysitting. They are. I don't get pissed at babies. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anler Posted January 14, 2020 Author Share Posted January 14, 2020 Just now, steve from amherst said: Did he at least realize the next day he was an idiot? Oh yeah he apologized. Paid me back for the bar bill because he was buying shots for the whole bar. He really is a great guy normally. He does alot for alot of people so when we go out (without the wives) he cuts loose. I let him have his fun because he doesn't get to otherwise. Normally he is just a goofy drunk, this is the first time I have seen him be a dick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anler Posted January 14, 2020 Author Share Posted January 14, 2020 2 minutes ago, snoughnut said: Actually when adults get sloppy drunk they're worse than babysitting. Way worse 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member steve from amherst Posted January 14, 2020 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted January 14, 2020 Just now, Anler said: Oh yeah he apologized. Paid me back for the bar bill because he was buying shots for the whole bar. He really is a great guy normally. He does alot for alot of people so when we go out (without the wives) he cuts loose. I let him have his fun because he doesn't get to otherwise. Normally he is just a goofy drunk, this is the first time I have seen him be a dick. Walking down the steps of a strip bar in Maine on one trip , I get tackled. Got the dude in a room and convinced him to smoke a joint. Was the only damn thing that worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anler Posted January 14, 2020 Author Share Posted January 14, 2020 Just now, steve from amherst said: Walking down the steps of a strip bar in Maine on one trip , I get tackled. Got the dude in a room and convinced him to smoke a joint. Was the only damn thing that worked. Yeah he doesn't smoke weed and I didn't have any but the one thing that did get his attention is I said I was going to call his wife. He got panicked then. I call his wife the fun police. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bussman Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 59 minutes ago, steve from amherst said: For 80 , yes. But he don't look 50. Analer is 50 and looks like his face started on fire and his old lady put it out with golf spikes, looking 50 is a relative term I guess. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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