The Spirit of Tommy Chong

[dogday]

The world's funniest stoner talks about meditation, surviving prison, and his new book, 'The I Chong'

For Tommy Chong to get straight, he's got to go to God. Not God as envisioned by, say, Jerry Falwell, not the God of hellfire, but the omniscient source of goodness and, yes, jokes. He's cultivated a meditative practice over the years of smash hit movies, Grammy-winning comedy albums, and woozy influence over decades of pop culture as half of the comedy duo Cheech & Chong. So when he was busted in 2003 for selling Tommy Chong bongs and sentenced to nine months in the federal penitentiary at Taft, California, one of the items he brought with him was the I Ching, the ancient Chinese Book of Changes.

While in prison, he started ruminating on life's lessons, and the result was his new book, "The I Chong: Meditations from the Joint." This book is a breezy vision of the man's essential "Chongness," as he writes not some preachy life lessons but about a life lived: growing up rough as the mixed-race child of a Chinese father and a Scottish-Irish mother in Western Canada; learning to tango with his wife, Shelby; and using his gentleness and wit to thrive in lock-up. "I met the warden one day. I swear to God, I've met fans but he was one of the biggest fans ever," says Chong. "He says, 'Are they treating you OK?' He turned out to be a really sweet guy."

DEAN KUIPERS: Each chapter leaf in the book starts with a hexagram from the I Ching.

TOMMY CHONG: I went through the I Ching and just picked out a heading that would best suit the chapter. And the I Ching -- I was just doing it -- it's three lines on top, three lines below. And they're either broken or straight. And it's based on an ancient book called the Book of Changes. You throw them -- they used to do it with bones, but then they evolved it to coins, and they used to do it with yarrow stalks . What you get is a good sense of how you're feeling, where you're at in your life.

<snip>

CHONG: Yup. The Bush administration, Karl Rove, they just figure out who's got the media power. They mentioned that in the transcripts of the trial. They said that I had gotten rich, made millions of dollars off making movies about glorifying drug use and making fun of law enforcement.

KUIPERS: Well, that's true.

CHONG: Yeah, totally true. But it's also written in the Constitution that I have that right. And that shows you the extent of this administration, what outlaws they are. It's like the "weapons of mass destruction" reason to raid Iraq. It's the same mindset: they have an agenda and they will do anything to meet their goals.

</snip>

http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/40316/

[dubyaD40web]

1. Tommy rules!

I've partied with him on many occasions in K.C. He's pretty smart guy.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

2. Tommy Just Summed Up A Reason I Fear For This Country

It shows why I think I may someday leave. If they have this much control over you, to effect an impact in your life, or the lives of many, many others, or destroy a LA city you loved with all your soul, etc.....then it's only going to get worse. Unless you are or become one of them, and join the side of the dictators running the show.

I had planned on seeing his show last year, but it was cancelled when he went to jail. Way to screw up a guy's life.

[Rude Horner]

3. I love Tommy

I was a big Cheech and Chong fan growing up. Their comedy albums ruled.

"Dave's not here!" :rofl:

[Viking12]

4. There was an awesome interview w/ Chong & Terri Gross on NPR

It's more than a year old, but I just heard the replay recently and it's very cool. It addresses many of the issues surrounding his arrest and conviction.

You can still listen to it:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4488902

Comedian Tommy Chong. As one half of the comedy duo Cheech and Chong, Tommy Chong made a career out of making jokes about being stoned. Along with Cheech Marin, Chong recorded six gold comedy albums and starred in seven films. He currently has a recurring role on FOX TV's That '70s Show. The role comes after Chong spent nine months in prison; he pleaded guilty to conspiring to sell drug paraphernalia.

Chong's arrest was part of the U.S. Justice Department's Operation Pipe Dreams investigation of Internet distribution of drug paraphernalia like bongs and marijuana pipes. Chong says he pleaded guilty to protect his son, whose company was targeted. Chong is now on his first tour since leaving prison, performing in the play The Marijuana-Logues. An upcoming reunion will take place between Chong and his long-time partner Cheech Marin.