Legendary Comedian Tommy Chong Riffs on Idaho

I haven’t given him much thought in recent years. About a decade ago, I saw him on TV with Stuart Varney. I was surprised because I thought Chong had died. Indeed, he’s still going, and still an advocate for legalized marijuana. A friend back east came across one of Chong’s recent posts on X.

I don’t see much legislative action ahead in Boise that would clear the way for pot. But along with speed limits and bans on talking on the phone while driving, the marijuana prohibition is pretty much ignored. Law enforcers I talk to really aren’t concerned about a guy smoking a joint in his living room.

I remember an interview with Chong’s comedy partner, Cheech Marin. He mentioned that his dad was a Los Angeles cop. I got the impression that the old man laughed at the albums and movies too.

The odd thing about the comedy is that people are still laughing at it, whereas drunks are no longer funny. I’m not sure Foster Brooks would get the same nighttime comedy bookings as he did when alive. He wasn’t promoting drinking. It struck me his act was a critical look at a guy with a problem. Yet jokes about marijuana are still considered funny.