Photo: Rolling Stone
In a 1974 interview with Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong, several questions were asked on the topic of “drugs,” the first of which was: What do you like so much about drugs?
The two consider the question and Chong replies, “It gives you a lift. Some people are into religion; we are into drugs, but not such drugs as heroin or anything like that. More about pot, hash and psychedelics.”
The questions become more audience focused, directly asking Cheech and Chong why they feel the need to satirize, what was then believed as, the dangers of marijuana. Chong fidgets in his chair. From Chong’s response, it seems they focus on understanding people’s needs, whether its laughter or marijuana, in order to “get some use of living. There’s no judgment.”
To them, being out in the open is much different than performing in a formal setting, the crowd very conservative, with ties tied tightly. They laugh about the contrasting differences between who they are and what they stand for, as opposed to the views of their conservative audience.
