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Paul Mann: Cheech & Chong Light Up the Arlington
For most anyone growing up in the 1970s, Cheech & Chong will be remembered for their unique brand of multiethnic, pot-smoking hippy comedy. The duo became American pop icons throughout the decade, producing hit records — yes, teenagers throughout the country would sit around and listen to vinyl recordings of the smutty comedians — and tawdry low-budget films full of pop culture parodies.
By the mid-1980s, the duo had gone their separate ways, pursuing solo careers. Cheech Marin became a popular movie and television actor, and Tommy Chong made occasional television, movie and stand-up appearances.
In 2003, he was arrested and served jail time for running a controversial drug paraphernalia company, Cong’s Glass. In September 2008, the two reunited for the “Light Up America” comedy tour, much to the delight of their aging fans. Relying on lots of new material, many fans, however, were disappointed not to hear many of their favorite skits.
Responding to their fans’ many requests, the duo launched a new tour called “Get It Legal” and promised to perform much of their original material. A packed house in a smoky (despite heavy security) Arlington Theatre on Friday night screamed their approval for the old material as well as the new.
The evening began with a trance set of music by Cheech’s DJ son. Chong’s wife, Shelby, did an opening comedy set, before beginning the Cheech & Chong segment, as a commentator in a not-so-impromptu question-and-answer session.
Shelby Chong was actually quite effective in setting the tone of the evening, with a raunchy romp through generations of American drug culture. The 62-year-old is a stunning blonde who showed she could be as raunchy and crude as Cheech or Chong while telling stories about shoplifting during an acid trip or dealing with PMS.
Then the duo launched into a series of skits together and separately, representing their most well-known comedy bits.
Usually, the old material would ingeniously evolve into something new and more relevant in today’s pop world. Cheech’s routines would be the most visceral, such as his outrageous heavy-metal song complete with a lead guitar and pink tutu. But Chong’s newer material was the most poignant and purposeful, such as his quest for the legalization of marijuana. His brilliant, socially relevant humor was reminiscent of the genius of George Carlin. Carlin performed one of his most brilliant tours at the Arlington two years ago — his last tour before he died.
One thing was clear Friday night: Age had not mellowed the comedy of 63-year-old Cheech or the 71-year-old Chong. As lewd and crude as ever, they worked the crowd into a side-splitting laughing frenzy.
They opened Sunday’s show with the iconic “Dave’s Not Here” and included “Santa Claus and His Old Lady,” “Let’s Make a Dope Deal,” “Basketball Jones,” “Alice Bowie,” “Born In East L.A.” and “Up In Smoke.” They also revealed a couple of interesting tidbits regarding the song “Basketball Jones,” which Cheech reportedly wrote while in the back of a stretch limousine with Jack Nicholson.
“I was hanging out with George Harrison one day, and I sang him the song and asked him, ‘Do you think that’s funny?’” Cheech said. “He said, ‘I suppose so.’ It was bizarre because I was smoking dope with George Harrison on one side of me, and Wally from Leave It to Beaver on the other side.”
As the house lights came up on the aging duo, a standing ovation for the latest live performance of Cheech & Chong proved they are beloved icons — as American as apple pie.
— L. Paul Mann is a Noozhawk contributor.
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