Cheech & Chong

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Cheech & Chong were a comedy duo, consisting of Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong, who found a wide audience in the 1970s and 1980s for their stand-up routines, which were based upon the era's hippie, free love, and especially drug culture movements.

Contents

[edit] Background

The duo released a number of successful comedy albums, and starred in a series of low-budget films, becoming a highly successful comedy team. Their best-known comedy routines include "Earache My Eye," "Basketball Jones," "Santa Claus and his Old Lady," and "Sister Mary Elephant." Perhaps their all-time most famous line is "Dave's not here." (from their self-titled debut album).

[edit] Breakup

The duo separated in the 1980s due to creative differences. Cheech Marin has separated himself from the pair's drug-addled act by working on a solo career, finding success in a one-hit wonder song entitled "Born in East L.A." (based on Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A."), and later starring in a film of the same name. He has performed character voices for several animated feature films, including Disney's Oliver and Company (1988), The Lion King (1994), and Cars (2006). Marin also starred in various comedy films, including The Shrimp on the Barbie, as a lead in two television series: Nash Bridges (which featured Chong in one episode and treated fans to "Dave's not here, man", to which Marin replied "Let's not go there") and The Golden Palace, as well as a recurring guest role on Judging Amy. He had a memorable part as a bartender in the film Desperado, as well as other roles in successful Robert Rodriguez films such as From Dusk Till Dawn and Once Upon a Time in Mexico, and has a recurring role as Hugo Reyes' (Hurley) father in the popular ABC series Lost.

Tommy Chong also pursued a solo career, starring in such comedies as Far Out Man, in which Marin made an appearance. He co-starred on the Fox Television series That '70s Show in which he played Leo, a burned-out hippie very similar to his character Anthony Stoner (Man) in the movie Up in Smoke (1978). Chong also had a cameo in the U.S. Bicentennial movie spoof, The Spirit of '76.

[edit] Reunion

The two reunited when they did voices for an episode of the animated television series South Park, though their voices were recorded separately. The duo also appeared in the video game Scarface: The World is Yours.

After their contentious parting in the '80s, the duo had a less-than-stellar friendship. Chong recalled going to Cheech's birthday party in 1994 and seeing Cheech "on the couch with his arm around his wife like we had just met. It wasn't comfortable."

The duo had plans to reunite for another film when Tommy Chong's California-based company, Chong's Bongs, was raided by federal officials on February 25, 2003, as part of a federal crackdown on "drug-related paraphernalia." Tommy Chong pleaded guilty to charges of distributing drug paraphernalia in May and on September 11, 2003, was sentenced to nine months in federal prison, fined US$20,000, and forced to forfeit US$120,000 in assets. He served the time between October 8, 2003 and July 7, 2004.

With Chong released, the duo planned to resume production on their latest opus. A variety of titles were rumored, including Grumpy Old Stoners. Cheech and Chong announced on September 8, 2005 that the reunion film had been canceled. In a 2007 interview, Chong hinted that the reunion may be back on.[1]

On June 3, 2008, Tommy Chong announced "[[2]]" that, starting in September, he will be reuniting with Cheech Marin for a comedy tour. Shelby Chong, Tommy's wife, will be opening.

Tommy also mentioned that he and Cheech plan on doing a movie together.

[edit] Discography

  1. Cheech and Chong (1971)
  2. Big Bambu (1972}
  3. Los Cochinos (1973)
  4. Wedding Album (1974)
  5. Sleeping Beauty (1976)
  6. Up in Smoke (1979)
  7. Let's Make a New Dope Deal (1980)
  8. Greatest Hit (1981)
  9. Get Out of My Room (1985)
  10. Where There's Smoke There's Cheech & Chong (2002)

[edit] External links

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Cheech & Chong
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Discography