Cheech Chong

Not many lines tickle the funny bone quite like the legendary "Dave's not here" that had audiences peeling with laughter. And the men who made the absence of Dave famous with their whacky, counter-culture, hilariously satirical performances & won over legions of fans are together again. Cheech "Richard" Marin & Tommy Chong are rolling back the years, & they hit the Mountain Winery on 14831 Pierce Road in the sleepy town of , California as part of their "Cheech & Chong Light Up America" tour. The duo gained worldwide acclaim with fans quite literally living off their comedy routines aimed at the popular hippie & free love culture in the 70s & 80s. & the reception to the tour so far shows that despite the numerous bumps on the road, the duo's histrionics are still fresh in the mind of the adoring fans.

Behind all the glitz & hearty dose of laughter, the partnership of Cheech & Chong has gone through a few rocky periods. First breaking onto the scene in televised commercials, the duo began their careers in earnest with entertaining comedy routines, & belted out several albums that gave them massive popular appeal. Their first foray in films was in the 1978 film Up in Smoke, which developed a cult following & did well at the box office. The ingeniously named "Cheech & Chong's Next Movie" & "Nice Dreams" followed. By 1985, they were a household name, yet straight after the release of the hugely successful album "Get Out Of My Room", the duo split contentiously. Cheech Marin pursued a solo career doing voiceovers for some of Disney's most successful animated films, & played small parts in comedy movies, before developing a bond with director Robert Rodriguez. This saw him play roles in many of his movies, including "Desperado", "Once Upon A Time In Mexico" & "From Dusk Till Dawn". Tommy Chong also cultivated a name for himself in a solo career, acting in a number of comedies, before landing the role of a washed-up hippie Leo in the hit TV series "That 70s Show". The character was one the audience could identify with, & helped to reestablish his name. A reunion was way overdue in the eyes of the fans by this time, & the duo did start planning a comeback after the relationship had gone frosty. But they were hit by a serious setback, with federal officials nailing Chong for the involvement of his company "Chong's Glass" (presided over by his son) in the distribution of cannabis, pipes & other drug paraphernalia. Chong pleaded guilty, & in order to spare his son, struck a deal with the state that saw him slapped with a nine month prison sentence & a hefty ban, along with forfeiture of $120,000 worth of assets. After serving his time, the duo announced a comeback, & in March 2009, a movie project was announced to be in the pipelines. The "Cheech & Chong light up America" tour has paved the way for their comeback since.

The dynamic duo have always enjoyed a dedicated following due to the unique brand of their humor. Memorable comedy acts, including "Basketball Jones" & "Santa Claus & His Old Lady" still elicit favorable response, & their stand-up comedy is brilliant & engaging. The "Earache My Eye" song performed by their band Alice Bowie in "Up in Smoke" is etched in the heart of diehard fans, while "Born In East LA" from the album Get Out Of My Room enjoyed great airtime. Cheech & Chong were honored at The Comedy Festival. Fans throughout their heyday in the 70s & 80s have identified with the prevalent drug culture, & the recent warm reception speaks volumes of the duo's flexibility & adaptation with time.

The current tour has taken Cheech & Chong to Stockton as well as Wallingford, Providence & Atlantic City. EJ Thomas Performing Arts Hall Akron will be the next stop in Oklahoma on November 6th. Plans of a movie are being mulled over. The duo appeared amid much fanfare at the Smokeout Festival, & their campaigning for legalization of marijuana continues passionately.

Cheech & Chong have verily taken stand-up comedy to a whole new different level. Not only has their hippie image endeared & helped a generation identify with them, but cutting through the well-aimed satire, one can see a genuine aim to send out a social message, a theme clear by their campaigning. Cheech & Chong outstrip others in entertainment stakes by a margin.