For the past few decades comedians have made jokes about smoking marijuana and getting high. Not many have been able to center their entire careers around it.
Richard “Cheech” Marin and Tommy Chong, the infamous stoner twosome, have been getting people high off their comedic skits focused on weed and their love for the notorious plant.
The chronic duo is taking its herbal humor all over America on its “Get It Legal” tour.
“It’s time to get it legal, before it’s too late,” Chong told CelebStoner.com. “We want to promote change through laughter. The marijuana laws are so ridiculous; you’ve got to laugh at them.”
In 2005, the duo had a reunion tour called “Light Up America,” which focused on the more traditional and famous bits they performed in their movies and shows. The intention of this tour is to bring more attention to the legalization of marijuana.
“Their objective is just that,” said Joe Graziano, Cheech & Chong’s tour manager. “They want to make marijuana legal.”
Graziano said the tour is not necessarily new material, but it highlights some of the duo’s less renowned skits.
“There’s some music, there’s some comedy bits, there’s a little bit of everything,” Graziano said. “It kind of highlights their career. It starts at the beginning and wraps up with the reunion days.”
Graziano said Chong’s marijuana-based political battles and previous run-ins with the police inspired Cheech & Chong’s tour.
In 2003, Chong was allegedly targeted by police investigations that focused on businesses that sold drug paraphernalia. During the trial, the prosecuting attorney said Chong “used his public image to promote this crime,” The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.
This trial and his sentence of nine months imprisonment caused civil rights advocates to begin a “Free Tommy Chong!” movement that demanded his release.
Following his release, Chong has been an avid critic of his trial and has made several appearances on television and radio shows, and has written about his experience in jail.
Cheech & Chong have partnered with the Marijuana Policy Project, a Washington D.C. based group, in effort to promote the need for marijuana law reform to a wider audience.
“We wanted to help Cheech & Chong use their genius marijuana-focused comedy to make people laugh while educating them as well,” said Morgan Fox, the communication manager for MPP.
Since 1996, MPP has worked to create rational and effective marijuana laws.
Cheech & Chong talk about MPP and give out the organization’s pamphlets at their shows. During meet-and-greets after the show, people usually want to discuss the political aspect surrounding marijuana in America, Graziano said.
Cheech & Chong: Get It Legal will be in Columbus on Friday at the Palace Theatre.
