cannabisnews.com: Stoner Chong Out of The Joint & Back in The '70s Stoner Chong Out of The Joint & Back in The '70s Posted by CN Staff on January 31, 2005 at 07:27:50 PT By Jim Slotek -- Winnipeg Sun Source: Winnipeg Sun On an upcoming episode of That '70s Show, fans will see the return of Leo, the stoner photo-mart guy and the gang's erstwhile pot connection -- a character who's been missing from the show for two seasons. How do they explain his absence? "It's pretty funny, I just show up," says Tommy Chong, who plays Leo. "Eric (Topher Grace) says 'Leo, where you been?' And I just say, 'I don't know.' " As he spoke on the phone from his L.A. home, Chong was about to leave to shoot the scene. "What happens is Eric's car breaks down at the side of the road and I just appear out of the bushes. At the very end I'm in the basement, and Hyde (Danny Masterson) is there, and Hyde's the only guy I recognize. "It's a real easy scene, and I got such a beautiful reception from the cast and crew. Everybody was so happy to have me back." Chong's whereabouts are better known than Leo's. The Canadian-born comic, one-half of the platinum-selling stoner team of Cheech & Chong, was released in July after nine months in jail for selling personalized marijuana pipes on the Internet. No pot, just paraphernalia -- such is the Bush War on Drugs. So how was his time in the, um, joint? He laughs at the euphemism. "How was the slammer?" he says. "It was a beautiful experience. The thought of going in for what I did was hellish. But being unfairly imprisoned gives me something in common with Martin Luther King and Lenny Bruce. "But by and large it was a real easy experience. It was a minimum security camp, like a Camp Cupcake, near Bakersfield, Calif. There were Jewish gangs -- they controlled the library. "The thing is, you put a stoner comedian in any jail and you're gonna find a fan base. My social calendar was pretty full." It was a non-violent prison population, he says, "a lot of pot growers doing, like 20 years, 'cause they found a rifle on the farm where they were growing it in the country. America's gone totally wacko and has been wacko for a lot longer than we thought. "I met, like, eight doctors who were there for Medicare fraud --people trying to help people with America's non-existent health-care system. You could say they did it for profit in the sense that they were performing procedures that weren't covered in Medicare and billing for something else. "What was beautiful was that I was privy to a world you usually don't see unless you're a criminal. By actually being a criminal instead of a writer/comedian, I had the opportunity of a lifetime. I got to see firsthand what the system is about." Since getting out of jail, Chong has returned to the standup stage (he did a stint in New York in December in the off-Broadway spoof The Marijuanalogues). Fans can expect the usual grab bag of old Cheech & Chong songs like Earache My Eye and originals -- as well as a rant or two about life behind bars. For now, he's confining his comedy to Canada. "I wouldn't chance it down here yet, not while I'm on probation. They put me in jail for a bong. Could you imagine what they would do if I started spouting my hippie logic onstage in the U.S.?" Ah, yes, probation. Chong is still drug-tested regularly and says he hasn't smoked pot for two years. A release party was postponed because, "Technically, I can't even be around roach clips." All bets are off in July when his probation runs out. "Of course," he says when asked if he'll indulge again. "I've had nothing but good experiences with pot -- other than the jail time." Skedded to shoot this spring: The much-talked-about reunion movie with partner Cheech Marin. Tentative title: Grumpy Old Stoners. "The plot is, Cheech is fired 'cause he's bald, and I invent a pot lotion that grows hair." And hilarity ensues -- along with a case of the munchies, we bet. Source: Winnipeg Sun (CN MB)Author: Jim Slotek -- Winnipeg SunPublished: January 31, 2005Copyright: 2005 Canoe Limited Partnership Contact: editor wpgsun.com Website: http://www.winnipegsun.com/Related Articles & Web Site:He's Taking One Big Hithttp://freedomtoexhale.com/tommy.htmTommy Chong Still Has What It Tokeshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20180.shtmlChong Family Values http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17916.shtmlTommy Chong’s Next Movie http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17908.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #17 posted by FoM on February 13, 2005 at 10:45:59 PT Related Article from The AP Cheech and Chong Deny Smoking on FilmFebruary 13, 2005 ASPEN, Colo. (AP) — Cheech and Chong may have joked about marijuana in their movies, but the comedians say they didn't touch the stuff when the cameras were rolling. "We tried one time and we wasted so much film," said Tommy Chong, recalling a scene in "Up in Smoke." "We were in the car waiting for the cue, you know. And the camera's rolling and we're sitting there, you know, and neither one of us heard the cue."Chong and former partner Cheech Marin appeared together for the first time in 20 years at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival.Chong said he isn't ashamed of introducing millions of Vietnam-era kids to marijuana. "When you think of how many kids died drinking alcohol, I feel I've saved millions of lives," he said.Marin said their humor was appreciated by an unexpected group: "Cops were our biggest fans. Because they dealt in what we were dealing with everyday, but in reality... they saw the essential humor and they laughed."Marin and Chong, who recently completed a nine-month sentence for trying to sell marijuana pipes on the Internet, said they are writing two new films, "Grumpy Old Stoners" and "Lord of the Smoke."Copyright: 2005 Associated Press Tommy Chong: He's Taking One Big Hit [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by Hope on February 01, 2005 at 13:45:24 PT Oh...but it's for their own good... yeah, right. Shame, shame, shame on the thieves disquised as drug warriors. Shame on them. Prohibitionists should be ashamed. Shame, shame, shame on them.Are they so blind? Obviously. Obviously. [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by FoM on February 01, 2005 at 10:00:27 PT afterburner I sure agree with you. I told my husband about this and he said what! This is really low.http://www.marijuananews.com/news.php3?sid=791 [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by afterburner on February 01, 2005 at 09:51:21 PT Feds Seek to Forfeit California Family’s Home Disgusting! Another broadside attack on the Compassionate Use Act by the federal neo-'compassionate' thugs. California is a huge state with a large population of dedicated medical cannabis patients and providers. The Bush administration is making another foolish gamble. The whole world is watching and cheering for the medical cannabis team. Bush beware, back off before you get burned."Slave driver the table is turned Catch a fire so you can get burned Slave driver the table is turned Catch a fire you're gonna get burned"Ev'ry time I hear the crack of the whip My blood runs cold I remember on the slave ship How they brutalised our very souls Today they say that we are free Only to be chained in poverty Good god, I think it's all illiteracy It's only a machine that make money"Slave driver the table is turned"Slave driver the table is turned baby now Catch a fire so you can get burned baby now Slave driver the table is turned Catch a fire so you can get burned"Ev'ry time I hear the crack of the whip My blood runs cold I remember on the slave ship How they brutalised our very souls"Oh god have mercy on our souls" --Slave Driver by Bob Marley, The Words of Bob Marley by Song Title http://www.bobmarley.com/songs/songs.cgi?slave SOUNDCLIP REAL MEDIA [If it's slow loading, try right-click and Open in a New Window]http://www.bobmarley.com/songs/ram/slave.ram"Description"Recounting the assassination attempt on his life in December 1976, Bob denounces those who keep the people ignorant and consequently wavering enough to shoot each other in the name of political games. "Lyrics"See them fighting for power But they know not the hour So they bribing with Their guns, spare-parts and money Trying to belittle our integrity They say what we know Is just what they teach us Thru political strategy They keep us hungry When you gonna get some food Your brother got to be your enemy"Ambush in the night All guns aiming at me Ambush in the night They opened fire on me Ambush in the night Protected by His Majesty"See them fighting for power But they know not the hour So they bribing With their guns, spare-parts and money Trying to belittle our integrity Well what we know Is not what they tell us We're not ignorant, I mean it And they just could not touch us Thru the powers of the most high We keep on surfacing Thru the powers of the most high We keep on surviving"Ambush in the night Planned by society Ambush in the night They are trying to conquer me Ambush in the night Anything money can bring Ambush in the night Planned by society Ambush in the night" --Ambush in the Night by Bob Marley, The Words of Bob Marley by Song Title http://www.bobmarley.com/songs/songs.cgi?ambushSOUNDCLIP REAL MEDIA [If it's slow loading, try right-click and Open in a New Window]http://www.bobmarley.com/songs/ram/ambush.ram [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by Hope on February 01, 2005 at 08:26:57 PT Forfeiture...another Wrong Probably, the second or third outrage in the war on marijuana I realized one day, years ago, and sadly not the last. The local TV news reported on the complete forfeiture of an entire ranch owned by a family that had held the land for 6 generations, since the first land grants, because one member of the family had secreted a few plants...12, I think it was, on the ranch. I couldn't believe I was living in a country that would do such an outrageous thing to it's citizens.The first outrage that I recall was when a young member of the Harlem Globetrotters was arrested on the Interstate near here and found to have one joint in his shirt pocket and served 5 years in the Texas Penitentiary.Since those times it's just been one outrage after another, until this citizen just had to start complaining out loud in a citizenry that was too afraid or too propagandized to speak out against such injustice.I cry out to God regularly, "When will this injustice end?" "When, Lord? When?"How can the principles behind this egregious set of circumstances even have the gall not to be ashamed? [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by ekim on January 31, 2005 at 22:03:00 PT Feds Seek to Forfeit California Family’s Home Top Story: Feds Seek to Forfeit California Family’s Home for Growing Medical Marijuana Posted by Richard Cowan on 2005-01-31 16:20:00 Source: Posted January 31, 2005 Analysis by Richard Cowan Sponsored by Advanced Nutrients (MarijuanaNews note: As Dale Gieringer of California NORML notes, it is ironic that this attempted theft is taking place even as Bush is calling for an 'ownership society' based on freedom and liberty. It may be even more outrageous that the Iraqis have just had an opportunity to vote, at a vast cost in American lives and treasure, while Americans get this proof that democracy means so little to Bush.) http://www.marijuananews.com [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by ekim on January 31, 2005 at 21:53:01 PT FAMM Day at the Capitol Families Against Mandatory MinimumsFAMM Day at the Capitol Wednesday, February 2, 2005 Andreson House Office Building Mackinac Room, Fith Floor 124 North Capitol (corner of Ottawa and Capitol Streets) Lansing MI.Email info to tomburkert famm.org or 517-487-1261 fax-517-487-1756 http://www.minorml.org [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by FoM on January 31, 2005 at 21:03:39 PT ekim You have such a great imagination and ideas. My husband and I were talking and we aren't sure that we feel up to the trip to Cleveland so we probably won't go. We went to see Neil Young in Cleveland last March 10th I think it was. It was wonderful. When we drove up it was raining and we came out of the concert about 3 hours later and about 4 inches of snow had fallen. It was beautiful to walk out after such a fantastic concert and play to see snow coming down. It was something I'll never forgot. Now the drive home that's another story! LOL!Maybe you should e-mail Norml with your suggestion. I don't know how they would do something like that but if it can be done maybe it could happen. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by ekim on January 31, 2005 at 20:37:43 PT FoM do you have cnews tee ---- does anyone--- Please anyone that sees Tommy get a tee-shirt made with Cannabisnews. com on it and wear them in the front row by all means. \ i have a little story == while running our cannabis petition PRA we had tee-shirts made all black-- on the front in green it said 3 ozs and below it said 6 plants and on the back it gave prayes.com for [personnel responsibility amemend. so i had two long sleeve shirts made up and put pra on both of the sleeves. i wore one and took the other to Battle Creek where a comedy club --Gary Fields Comedy Club was having Tommy doing his Annual engagement. so i waited at the bar and had the good luck to meet Tommy and gave him a video on PRA and a shirt he made me feel like we were doing a good thing and wished us luck. -- we needed 350,000 we got a little over 250,000 we had no out side money and did it all by volunteers. FoM the Nat'l Norml Conference is coming up it would be neat if they could beam it to video centers located across the States. It would be good to beam it to the Hash Bash in Ann Arbor. Willie Nelson is going to be in Ireland and is being asked to call the Hash Bash and give support to all there. Tommy could come to the Hash Bash so could MM. http://www.leap.cc/events [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on January 31, 2005 at 16:05:40 PT Dave Thank you. I never would have thought of that. If we are sure we are able to go we will call instead of waiting for Ticketmaster. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Dave in Florida on January 31, 2005 at 15:57:02 PT FOM We saw an ad in the paper for the show, and called the box office that day. We got 6 tickets, and when talking to the lady at Van Wezel, we told her we wanted good seats and because we were one of the first to buy tickets we had a choice, and she gave us the best seats in the house.. I would find the theatre he's playing at and call the box office direct. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by afterburner on January 31, 2005 at 10:27:17 PT BTW, I Had to Miss Tommy in Toronto Last Saturday I had to work that night, but I hear he's coming to nearby Hamilton soon too. I'm hoping to see him there. For now, we are blessed with Tommy's appearances this side of the Medicine Line. We'll be happy to share him with you when he's out of danger. G --. B -... us, everyone! [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on January 31, 2005 at 09:22:49 PT Dave I found it. He is going to be in Ohio but we can't get tickets yet from Ticketmaster. How do you get front row tickets? [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on January 31, 2005 at 09:09:29 PT Dave That sounds great! Do you know how I could find out if he will be in Ohio? [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Dave in Florida on January 31, 2005 at 08:58:46 PT The Marijuana logues Tommy Chong will be in Sarasota, Fl performing at the Van Wezel Performing Art Center on Friday,April 22. I have front row seats. :) http://www.vanwezel.org/boxOffice/event.cfm?eveID=316 [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by kaptinemo on January 31, 2005 at 08:11:15 PT: I can't wait for the new movie One note; most of C & C's movies weren't scripted very much; they improvised a lot of their performances. You have to think fast on your feet during a production, as the costs are literally ticking away in the background. So much for 'amotivational syndrome', 'laziness', and 'lack of problem solving abilities'. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on January 31, 2005 at 07:52:18 PT It Is Hard To Laugh It really is hard to laugh but I thought others here might like to know about Tommy Chong on the 70s Show. Since he wasn't on the show we have barely watched it. Now it will be funny again for us. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment