The High Life Of Cheech Marin

Richard Anthony Marin, better known as Cheech Marin, is an enigma spanning both the world of entertainment and that of cannabis. An actor, director, writer, musician, Chicano art collector, art exhibitor, and humanitarian, Cheech Marin is firmly and irrevocably ingrained as a comedy and pot culture icon. 

Starting as a part of the great tradition of the laugh masters of the past with Tommy Chong, the legendary duo “Cheech and Chong” gave birth to rock comedy - and in the process, turned a whole generation.

Up In Smoke - When It All Started

In 1978, a little, lesser-known film starring Cheech and Chong called "Up in Smoke" was quietly released without much fanfare or fuss.

The film was a huge hit and played an integral role in changing public perception of marijuana and helping to make it more mainstream. Not only did it change the face of the pot culture, but it also shed some light into the Latino culture and gave slight insights into what it meant to be a Mexican American during that day and age.

Based in Los Angeles, "Up in Smoke" is a classic stoner comedy about two guys who are constantly on the lookout to score some weed on the way to the “Battle of the Bands”.

The movie follows the misadventures of Pedro (Cheech) and Man (Chong), as they travel across the country in a cannabis-laced van. Along the way, they run into all sorts of trouble, but eventually, make it to the contest and win. "Up in Smoke" is a timeless, hilarious movie that to this day will appeal to anyone who enjoys good stoner comedy.

Most of the content of this film was taken directly from their comedy records. Largely regarded as a seminal piece of stoner cinema, the movie owes its success to the likability of its two counterculture icons. The brand as stoner improv comedy was way ahead of its time and hadn’t been done before in cinema.

The hugely successful film went on to lay the ground for two sequels - Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie (1980) and Nice Dreams (1981).

What was so successful with this type of comedy was that it was mimicking in a way what the audience was doing, and this resonated with a large number of the disenchanted population.

The duo then went on to cement their cult following with 9 comedies between 1972 and 1985 and got nominated for 4 Grammy Awards.

Cheech And Chong - The Trailblazers

The relationship cinema has today with cannabis is worlds away from back then. With the view of pot now shifting dramatically, “stoner movies” have become a genre of their own, resulting in Cheech and Chong being regarded as pioneers in the genre, forever ingrained as household names. 

As Cheech predicted so many years ago, ““We weren’t radical. This is the norm. You just don’t know it yet.”

The duo pioneered the "stoner humor" genre that later inspired "Harold & Kumar,” Seth Rogan, and even Quentin Tarantino. When reminiscing about the success of the movies, Marin makes a point to also contribute to the changing times of the period. 

As the world turned away from the corporate suits at the start of the baby boomer area, WW2 veterans were looking for stability and were contented with family life, but try as they might, they were unable to impose their principles on their children. Significantly influenced by the media, their children had different values and rebelled against the government and any other authoritarian body.

Unfortunately, by the end of the late 90s, the duo broke it off. According to Marin, the fame was getting to Chong’s head and he was becoming too controlling and unable to surpass his main character. Getting over their differences, the pair got reunited and started touring again in 2008.

Cheech - Still Living The High Life

Marin continued in show business, acting, writing, and directing several projects such as the 1987 production “Born In East L.A” which he wrote, directed, and starred in. The movie, based on his best-selling record parody, basically kicked off the rest of his life and launched his solo career.

In addition to his comedy appearances, he also has participated in plenty of more somber projects such as “Nash Bridges” (1996–2001). Successful throughout its six seasons, Cheech starred alongside Don Johnson in this CBS police series. Cheech also starred in the Golden Girls’ spinoff, the Golden Palace, as Chuy Castillos.

With over 147 credits to his actor resume, Cheech Marin has been a constant presence in the pop culture scene since he started making waves over four decades ago. Some of his many projects, including those with Danny Trejo, in his long, successful career include:

• Spy Kids

• From Dusk Till Dawn

• Desperado

• Machete

• Race To Witch Mountain

• A Million To Juan

• Ghostbusters

• Things Are Tough All Over

• Get Out Of My Room

• The Corsican Brothers

• The Perfect Game

• Judging Amy

• South Park

• Tales From The Crypt

• Christmas With The Kranks

• Once Upon A Time In Mexico

• The War With Grandpa

• Tin Cup

• The Cisco Kid

• Dark Harvest

• Jane the Virgin

A Disney veteran with up to 10 roles to his name, Cheech lends his distinctive, unmistakable voice to a variety of characters such as:

• The Chihuahua Tito in Oliver & Company

• The hyena Banzai in The Lion King

• Himself in several episodes of the Simpsons

• Quita Moz in Avalor

• The Chevy Impala low-rider Ramones in the Cars franchise

• Pancho in the Book of Life

• The mouse Manuel in Beverly Hills Chihuahua

• And a corrections officer from “Coco”

Cheech’s foray into animation culminated with Cheech and Chong’s Animated Movie in 2013, the duo’s first and only attempt to bring their unique brand of comedy to the genre.

Cheech and Muncheechos

Of Mexican descent, Cheech is a man who possesses the talent, humor, and intelligence to succeed in anything he sets his mind to. A truly versatile individual, his love for cannabis led him to launch “Muncheechos” with award-winning chef, Zach Neil.

Serving stoner-friendly food menu for the cannabis connoisseur, Muncheechos boasts the signature “Up in Smoke” cherry wood and hemp smoked tacos that pay homage to the one movie that started it all, while CBD-infused edibles and vegan options pepper the rest of the innovative menu. 

Cheech And Weed

A distinct contrast from the scandalous beginnings of what was Cheech’s career as a poster boy for an illegal drug in the 70s, the current comedy, and movie industry has a fresh take on cannabis today. 

Now legal in 36 states for medical use and 18 states for adult recreational use, Cheech profited from it by founding and creating his very own, hand-picked cannabis line “Cheech’s Stash”.

Cheech and Chong undeniably helped pave the way for marijuana to be the norm in the general mainstream and took the blow and the attacks of all anti-marijuana advocates at that time.

Cheech and Art 

What may come as a surprise is the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Arts Culture and Industry, the home base of Marin’s formidable art collection located in the Riverside Art Museum in California. 

A patron of the arts, Marin holds one of the best and the most private collections of Chicano art in the US, though many pieces are often found loaned out to numerous museums and galleries dotted across the country. 

Final Thoughts

Cheech Marin is an accomplished artist, actor, and musician. He has worked hard to become one of the most successful entertainers in the world, and he has shown the world many times over that when you love your job, it shows in your performance.

His unique brand of humor and laid-back style has won him millions of fans and he, along with Tommy Chong, has undisputedly changed the face of cannabis culture and filmmaking forever.