Latest news with #Cheech&Chong
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Diddy Trial Proves 'A Lot Has Changed' Since #MeToo Movement Began, Bill Maher Says: 'It's Not Victim-Shaming' To Expect Women To 'Leave Toxic Relationships'
The Diddy trial is still unfolding, but Bill Maher believes it has already shown that a 'new rule' should be imposed for sexual assault cases nearly eight years after the start of the #MeToo movement. In his end-of-show monologue on Real Time Friday (watch it above), Maher used the prosecution of Sean 'Diddy' Combs as a prism for how sexual misconduct is viewed in society and in the justice system. 'A lot has changed' since the initial wave of allegations against Harvey Weinstein and many others in 2017, he maintained. More from Deadline 'Real Time': Bill Maher Compares Gen Z To 'The White Lotus' Character In Anti-Woke Rant 'Real Time': Tommy Chong Recalls "Bugging" Terrence Malick To Direct A 'Cheech & Chong' Movie Terrence Howard Turned Down A Lee Daniels-Directed Marvin Gaye Biopic Because He "Could Not" Kiss A Man: "I Would Cut My Lips Off" 'We need to keep two thoughts in our head at the same time: One, Diddy is a bad dude – really bad. Like, the worst thing in rap since Hammer pants. A violent, sick f–k – I'm sorry, an alleged violent, sick f–k. And we should lock him up and throw away the baby oil,' Maher said. 'And two, things have changed enough that moving forward, the rule should be, if you're being abused, you've got to leave right away.' The host pointed out what he sees as inconsistencies in the testimony of Cassie Ventura, Diddy's former girlfriend. 'It's not victim-shaming to expect women to have the agency to leave toxic relationships. Quite the contrary, to not expect that is infantilizing,' Maher said. 'If Diddy walks free, it will because his lawyers can point to an endless stream of texts from Cassie expressing what's often called 'enthusiastic consent' to their sex life. If you're 'MeToo-ing' someone, it's not helpful to your case if you texted him, 'me too!'' A graphic on the screen next to Maher displayed text messages from Ventura to Combs presented at trial, including one that read, 'I'm always ready to freak off.' Years ago, 'when women felt, for good reason, that 'OG predators' like Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein would never be held accountable, why not at least get something out of it?' Maher said. Most of the initially accused perpetrators were surrounded by 'all sorts of enablers' (assistants, cops, agents, 'cowards' afraid to defy the person signing their paycheck), Maher recalled. In that era, 'it was not illogical for an abused woman to say, 'Well, if I can't get justice for my pain, can I at least get a receipt? A coupon?'' Maher did acknowledge, 'as counter-intuitive as it seems, why an abused woman would send complimentary text.' Unlike in past eras, though, he argued, 'We're not in the 'no one listens to women or takes them seriously' era anymore. Operators are actually standing by to take your calls.' Statistics show more women have reported claims of abuse and mistreatment over the past seven-plus years, Maher pointed out. 'I understand why it can be difficult for women to leave an abusive relationship,' he said. 'But this should be society's new grand bargain. We take every allegation seriously, but don't tell me anymore about your contemporaneous account that you said to two friends 10 years ago. Tell the police right away. Don't wait a decade. Don't journal about it. Don't turn it into a one-woman show. And most importantly, don't keep f–king him. Your only contemporaneous notes about what he did should be a police report.' The show-business sparkle of the music business also can't be eliminated from the Diddy situation or others that have played out in Hollywood, Maher continued. 'If we're going to have an honest conversation about abuse, we also have to have an honest conversation about what people are willing to do for stardom. If you want a No. 1 record so bad you'll take a No. 1 in the face, some of that is on you,' he said. 'And if you're doing it for love, well, c'mon, Oprah and Dr. Phil and every podcaster in the world by now have done a million shows about 'abuse is not love' and 'abusers don't change.'' R&B singer Ike Turner 'was a psycho, just like Diddy,' Maher said. 'But in an era when there was no movement to help her, Tina Turner somehow got away and she did it with 36 cents in her pocket and a mobile card.' [youtube Best of Deadline Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds 'Poker Face' Season 2 Guest Stars: From Katie Holmes To Simon Hellberg 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More
Daily Mail
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ryan Reynolds is a surprise guest at iconic rock group's Walk of Fame ceremony after being mocked by fans
Ryan Reynolds was a surprise guest at Green Day's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony on Thursday. The 48-year-old Deadpool sensation — who brushed aside mockery from fans after he rocked an overdone spray tan — supported the iconic punk-rock band at the event and even stepped up to the podium to give a speech. Reynolds and wife Blake Lively have been making more public appearances in recent weeks, despite being embroiled in an ongoing lawsuit with Justin Baldoni. The actor looked stylishly casual in tapered navy trousers and a black, collared sweater as he arrived on Hollywood Boulevard, rounding out his outfit with a pair of white sneakers. He accessorized with dark sunglasses and looked handsome with a shadow of a grizzled beard — not long after the star joined the 'midlife crisis' hair dye club when he debuted new brown locks earlier this month. The entertainment industry veteran swapped out his dark sunglasses for round spectacles while giving remarks at the event. He made a joke before beginning his speech, telling the attentive crowd, 'I'm going to switch over to Billie Joe [Armstrong's] mom's glasses.' Reynolds kept the humor going as he then stated, 'As many of you know, I am the modern face of punk.' 'And I am deeply honored to be here today to talk about Green Day,' he continued more seriously. Then the star revealed, 'My connection to this iconic band goes back to its earliest days.' Through his expletive-laden remarks, Ryan went on to share a heartwarming story about hearing Green Day's seminal 1997 song Good Riddance in a cafe in London while shooting Deadpool in 2023. He said after the tune began, 'I watched people around this cafe change a little bit and it felt like a moment of togetherness, a scarce resource right now.' 'Music, concerts, films — they bring us together. We get to check all of our bulls**t and identity politics at the door and come together and feel something at the same time, in the same moment, together,' the father-of-four explained. Gesturing toward the band, which includes members Billie Joe, Tre Cool, Matt Pinfield and Mike Dirnt, Ryan said, 'That's a rare thing to be able to share with the world.' Green Day, who the actor said 'live at the intersection of nostalgia and evolution,' are fresh off their headlining Coachella 2025 stint. In a 2010 interview with Bill Maher, Armstrong confirmed that the band's name was inspired by cannabis. 'I think at first we were trying to be the Cheech & Chong of punk rock, and some of us still are the Cheech & Chong of punk rock in a lot of ways,' he commented at the time. And in a 2001 VH1 special, the singer-songwriter recalled: 'I got high one time and I wrote about the way I felt and I called the song Green Day.' It was featured on the band's 1991 album 1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours. Prior to settling on Green Day, the collective went through other nominal iterations — Blood Rage, and later Sweet Children. Ryan's latest outing at the Hollywood event comes shortly after he was mercilessly mocked by fans over his appearance. On Tuesday he stepped with wife Blake in New York City to attend close pal Hugh Jackman's play, called Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Class. He stepped out on Tuesday to attend close pal Hugh Jackman's play, called Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Class. Fans were quick to point out Ryan's overdone spray tan during the festivities as they commented on photos shared by gossip site DeuxMoi One person questioned, 'Why is Ryan so orange?' and another typed out, 'Ten layers of spray tan on the back of that neck' At one point, the two stars of Deadpool & Wolverine exchanged a friendly hug. Fans were quick to point out Ryan's overdone spray tan during the festivities as they commented on photos shared by gossip site DeuxMoi. One person questioned, 'Why is Ryan so orange?' and another typed out, 'Ten layers of spray tan on the back of that neck.' 'Looks like his neck had been daubed with iodine pre-surgery!' someone else noted, while another wrote, 'Petition to stop Ryan's spray tans.' Another critic compared the star's tan to a Friends episode in which Ross Geller was overly bronzed. Media personality @stephwithdadeets said, 'Maybe he thought, hey everyone loves Ross, he was so funny, so maybe if I channel that, people will love me again.' Blake and Ryan put on a brave face as they stepped out together this week following yet another bombshell amid their lawsuit with Justin Baldoni. Marvel asked the court last week to be removed from the lawsuit and to 'quash the subpoena' over the Nicepool character in Deadpool & Wolverine — which Baldoni previously claimed was 'bullying.' It also comes after Reynolds unveiled his newly dyed hair as he ditched his graying locks while attending the Time100 Gala in New York City. He's become the latest member of the 'midlife crisis' hair dye club with other stars such as Ben Affleck and George Clooney. Ryan had previously begun embracing his silver hair years earlier, sporting the color nearly 10 years ago during a 2016 outing in London. He supported his wife at the NYC premiere of her new movie Another Simple Favor last weekend. The couple cozied up together on the red carpet, and the actress was also accompanied by sister Lori, mother Willie Elain McAlpin, other sister Robyn, her husband Bart Johnson, and their daughter Isabela Ferrer.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Step Out After the TIME100 Summit in N.Y.C., Plus Miley Cyrus, Ryan Reynolds and More
Stars have been everywhere this week. In New York City, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle make a rare public appearance together, and Miley Cyrus struts the streets in style. Also in N.Y.C., Ryan Reynolds waves to the cameras, and engaged couple Robert Pattinson and Suki Waterhouse go for a walk. Here, are the best photos of celebs out and about this week. Come back tomorrow for more of the latest A-list outings! In a rare public appearance together, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle exit a building in New York City's Midtown on April 23. A glamorous Miley Cyrus glows during a day in N.Y.C.'s Long Island City neighborhood on April 23. Ryan Reynolds greets the cameras as he goes for a walk in New York City on April 23. Robert Pattinson and Suki Waterhouse keep it low-key in a cap and sunglasses while strolling in New York City on April 23. Demi Moore takes her tiny dog Pilaf everywhere with her, including the TIME100 Summit in New York City on April 23. In a bedazzled dress, Nikki Glaser sits for a conversation at the TIME100 Summit in New York City on April 23. A stylish Irina Shayk carries a puppy in her arms while out in New York City on April 23. Chace Crawford and his girlfriend Kelsey Merritt are shaded and side-by-side in New York City on April 23. Shailene Woodley stops to smell the flowers in Los Angeles on April 23. Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong of the comedy duo Cheech & Chong visit The Wrap Up Show at SiriusXM Studios in New York City on April 23. Stassi Schroeder looks through binoculars atop the Empire State Building to mark the premiere of Vanderpump Villa season 2 in New York City on April 23. Helena Christensen wears a polo to the LYMA Laser Pro US launch at San Vicente West Village in New York City on April 23. Ella Bleu Travolta hosts a luncheon at Tod's in Beverly Hills, California, on April 23. Kat Graham speaks at the Borrowed Spotlight exhibition honoring Holocaust survivors at Detour Gallery in New York City on April 22. Demi Moore (and Pilaf!) greet Sarah Snook backstage at The Picture of Dorian Gray on Broadway in New York City on April 22. Richard Gere, his wife, Alejandra and son Homer match in blue at City Harvest Presents The 2025 Gala: Carnaval in New York City on April 22. Christopher Meloni rocks a full beard at the opening night for Stranger Things: The First Shadow in New York City on April 22. Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin show off their matching Lakers jerseys at the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in L.A. on April 22. Penn Badgley lounges in his seat at The Jennifer Hudson Show in Burbank, California, for an April 23 episode. Alan Cumming dons a bucket hat for the opening night of Stranger Things: The First Shadow in New York City on April 22. Brooke Shields stays stylish in a leather look at the opening night of Stranger Things: The First Shadow in New York City on April 22. Liev Schreiber brings his daughter Kai, 16, to opening night of Stranger Things: The First Shadow in New York City on April 22. Stranger Things costars Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton attend the opening night of the prequel production The First Shadow in N.Y.C. on April 22. Martha Stewart sports a pair of gold earrings at the Stranger Things: The First Shadow opening night in New York City on April 22. Also at the Stranger Things: The First Shadow opening, T.R. Knight wears a fancy floral shirt in New York City on April 22. Ayo Edebiri and Ke Huy Quan stop by a screening of The Legend of Ochi in Los Angeles on April 22. The White Lotus' Tayme Thapthimthong appears on The Jennifer Hudson Show in Burbank, California, for an April 22 episode. Kate Hudson sits court-side for the Lakers game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Los Angeles on April 22. Also at the Lakers game in Los Angeles, Jason Segel watches from the front row on April 22. Once Upon a Mattress costars Sutton Foster and Michael Urie beam at a cast album signing and performance at the Museum of Broadway in N.Y.C. on April 22. A chic Eva Longoria waves to the cameras as she walks around New York City's Financial District on April 22. Chloë Sevigny proves why she's a style icon at a New York City screening of Magic Farm on April 22. Spencer Pratt continues to rep his wife Heidi Montag's album Superficial at Hulu's Get Real House in Los Angeles on April 22. Dancing with the Stars hostess Julianne Hough opts for monochrome at Hulu's Get Real House in Los Angeles on April 22. Dancing with the Stars' Alfonso Ribeiro and Derek Hough hang out at Hulu's Get Real House in Los Angeles on April 22. Also at Hulu's Get Real House, Khloé Kardashian reunites with her sister Kourtney's ex Scott Disick in Los Angeles on April 22. Grace Ann, Mary Holland, Brooks and Sarah Jane Nader step out in style for Hulu's Get Real House in Los Angeles on April 22. David Harbour looks suave at the Thunderbolts* special screening in London on April 22. Jamie Foxx and Kerry Washington snap a picture at a Shadow Force tastemaker event in Los Angeles on April 22. The Way Home cast members Evan Williams, Sadie Laflamme-Snow, Andie MacDowell and Chyler Leigh hit matching poses at a season 3 screening and Emmy FYC event in Los Angeles on April 22. Flavor Flav enjoys Raising Cane's chicken ahead of the restaurant's Flavor Fast campaign in Las Vegas on April 22. Lin-Manuel Miranda smiles next to "Pudgy" backstage at the Broadway production of Boop! in New York City on April 22. Sofia Richie helps out at Baby2Baby and Huggies' initiative to combat the maternal health crisis in Los Angeles on April 22. Demi Lovato is all smiles while looking chic in a crisp white shirt and dark shades in New York City on April 22. Penn Badgley has some fun at the Mooney's bookstore activation in celebration of the upcoming season of You on April 22 in New York City. Julia Louis-Dreyfus graces the carpet for the premiere of Thunderbolts* at Cineworld Leicester Square in London on April 22. Heidi Klum casually brings the glam while out and about in New York City on April 22. Robert Irwin touches down at LAX after a long flight from Australia on April 21. A cheerful Pedro Pascal waves to fans during the European premiere of Thunderbolts* at Cineworld Leicester Square in London on April 22. Eva Longoria and Ana Navarro are hugged up at the screening for CNN's Searching for Spain with Eva Longoria on April 21 in New York City. Antoni Porowski speaks onstage during CNN's Searching for Spain with Eva Longoria screening on April 21 in New York City. A dressed-down Paul Rudd is pictured exiting Madison Square Garden after catching the New York Knicks take on the Detroit Pistons on April 21. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige shares a moment with Florence Pugh at the Thunderbolts* premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square in London on April 22. Miley Cyrus flashes a smile and a wave while out in New York City on April 22. Jordyn Woods is all decked out in her New York Knicks gear for the team's game at Madison Square Garden on April 21. Proud mom-to-be Olivia Culpo steps out for a dog walk in L.A. on April 21. Lionel Richie gives a thumbs up after grabbing a bite to eat at Cipriani on April 22 in Beverly Hills. Minka Kelly smiles while making an appearance in New York City on April 22. Sarah Hyland and Orville Peck strike a pose together at the 91st Annual Drama League Award nominations celebration at The New York Public Library on April 22 in New York City. Timothée Chalamet roots for the New York Knicks while seated courtside during their playoff game at Madison Square Garden on April 21. Jon Bernthal and Ben Affleck celebrate their new movie The Accountant 2 at a screening in New York City on April 21. Penn Badgley attends a 92NY event for his podcast Podcrushed on April 21 in New York City. Demi Lovato takes the stage to perform at the Caron Treatment Centers' New York Gala on April 21 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New YOrk City. Miley Cyrus rocks a pair of statement sunglasses after spending some time at Electric Lady Studio in New York City on April 21. Idina Menzel opts for a blue velvet set at the Entertainment Community Fund's Gala on Monday at Marriot Marquis in New York City. Nick Jonas reps the New York Knicks from his seat during the team's playoff game at Madison Square Garden on April 21 in New York City. Nicole Scherzinger is all glammed up for the Entertainment Community Fund's Gala at Marriot Marquis in New York City on April 21. Quinta Brunson flashes a smile and a wave while arriving at Jimmy Kimmel Live! on April 21 in L.A. Lizzy McAlpine and Jeremy Jordan celebrate the opening night of their show Floyd Collins on April 21 at The Vivian Beaumont Lincoln Center Theater in New York City. Lisa Ann Walter steps out for the Entertainment Community Fund's Gala at Marriot Marquis in New York City on April 21. Denzel Washington and Spike Lee smile together at the Entertainment Community Fund's Gala at Marriot Marquis in New York City on April 21. Rob McElhenney cheers for his team AFC Wrexham from the stands during a match against Blackpool on April 21 in Blackpool, U.K. Eva Longoria rocks red for an appearance on Watch What Happens Live on April 21 in New York City. Kandi Burruss poses with a peace sign at the Entertainment Community Fund's Gala at Marriott Marquis in New York City on April 21. Beanie Feldstein, Taylor Trensch and Kate Baldwin smile together at the opening night of Floyd Collins on Broadway on April 21 in New York City. Dascha Polanco grabs some popcorn at CNN's Searching for Spain with Eva Longoria screening and reception on April 21 in New York City. Amelia Gray Hamlin, Meghan Trainor and Ben Platt are on the set of The Beauty on April 21 in New York City. Antonio Banderas holds a small arrangement of flowers at the Talía Awards' candidates party at All In One Caixabank in Madrid on April 21. Brooks Nader does some shopping on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills on April 21. Gavin Casalegno hosts an event at La La Kind Café in L.A. for his clothing line Kai Lo this week. Members of PEOPLE's editorial staff joined, from left, PEOPLE VP & GM Charlotte Triggs (in blue), Paige DeSorbo, PEOPLE President Leah Wyar, PEOPLE Chief Revenue Officer Melissa Guy and PEOPLE App GM Courtney Mason to celebrate the launch of the PEOPLE App (download it here!) with NASDAQ on April 22 and ring the opening bell. New York Knicks' Josh Hart is stocked with an assortment of Mike and Ike sweet treats ahead of his game this week in New York City. Engaged couple Robert Pattinson and Suki Waterhouse go for a romantic walk around New York City on April 21. Ryan Reynolds keeps it low-key wearing AirPods and sporting shades on a walk around New York City on April 21. Simone Biles, Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year, attends the ceremony in Madrid on April 21 to accept the honor. Megan Thee Stallion delivers a denim moment at Friday Nights in the Desert at Coachella in Indio, California, on April 18. After performing in Saudi Arabia, Jennifer Lopez opts for a comfy outfit on the set of Office Romance in Hoboken, New Jersey, on April 21. Sarah Jessica Parker waves to the cameras as she boards her vehicle in New York City on April 21. Eva Longoria walks through New York City's Hudson Yards wearing all black on April 21. Lindsey Vonn arrives to the Laureus World Sports Awards in a chic look in Madrid on April 21. Below Deck's Brianna Duffield and Marina Marcondes are all dolled up in New York City on April 21. AnnaSophia Robb, Michael Urie and Isa Briones beam at a press junket for the Off-Broadway production All Nighter in N.Y.C. on April 21. Miley Cyrus enjoys a day out with her boyfriend Maxx Morando (not pictured) in New York City on April 20. Sofia Richie reps Chanel as she walks through Coachella in Indio, California, on April 20. Eva Noblezada shows off her engagement ring from her Hadestown costar Reeve Carney in New York City on April 20. Justin Bieber parties with Chase B at Tao, Revolve and Beach Club's Friday Nights in the Desert at Coachella in Indio, California, on April 18. Jenna Ortega and The Weeknd snap a photo in front of their film Hurry Up Tomorrow's takeover of the Coachella ferris wheel in Indio, California, on April 18. John Mayer, Stevie Nicks and Bob Weir meet backstage at the Pollstar Awards in Beverly Hills, California, on April 16. Jennifer Lopez smiles from ear-to-ear as she performs at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix in Jeddah on April 20. Post Malone closes out Coachella 2025 with his headlining performance on April 20 in Indio, California. Cynthia Erivo holds up two peace signs at the YouTube + Coachella pop-up in Indio, California, on April 19. BLACKPINK's Jennie rocks the Coachella stage during her closing night performance in Indio, California, on April 20. Eva Longoria shimmers in a sequin dress as she arrives at Live with Kelly and Mark in New York City on April 21. Bowen Yang chats about his new film The Wedding Banquet on The Jennifer Hudson Show in Burbank, California, for an April 21 episode. With their costar Yang, Lily Gladstone appears on The Jennifer Hudson Show in Burbank, California, on an April 21 episode. Shaboozey brings country to the Coachella Valley in Indio, California, on April 20. Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong strums the guitar during the band's headlining performance at Coachella in Indio, California, on April 19. Natasha Bedingfield dons a cowboy hat for her Coachella performance in Indio, California, on April 19. GloRilla dances during her performance on the first day of Coachella's second weekend in Indio, California, on April 18. King Charles and Queen Camilla coordinate in blue for Easter Sunday service at St. George's Chapel in Windsor, England, on April 20. Liam Hemsworth and his girlfriend Gabriella Brooks enjoy a day sightseeing in Rome on April 20. Elijah Wood speaks to fans during Comic-Con in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on April 20. Chaka Khan takes the stage on fourth day of Byron Bay Bluefest in Australia on April 20. John Cena prepares to take on Cody Rhodes during the championship match of WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas on April 20 Flavor Flav sports his signature clock necklace in red at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas on April 20. Travis Scott carries the championship belt to the ring during WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas on April 20. Vanessa Hudgens puts up bull horns to match her jersey at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas on April 19. Jelly Roll beams while attending WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas on April 19. Brie Bella and Nikki Bella match in red at the SiriusXM Busted Open Wrestlemania party in Las Vegas on April 19. Benny Blanco brings his mom Sandra Beth Levin backstage to greet Sarah Snook after a performance of The Picture of Dorian Gray on Broadway in N.Y.C. on April 19. Read the original article on People
Los Angeles Times
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Cheech & Chong light up the big screen once more. Will it be their last joint?
'Cheech & Chong's Last Movie,' which hits theaters Friday, answers a lot of questions about the stoner comedy duo's career. But it also raises a few big ones along the way. Chief among them, given the title: Is this truly the final silver-screen sesh for the pair, now 78 and 86 respectively? And how, after a contentious creative split four decades ago, did they find themselves reunited for, of all things, a documentary? I found answers to those questions — and more — at the outdoor table of a Venice cafe earlier this month when I sat down to chat with them in advance of the movie's release. As to the first question, neither of them definitively ruled out another joint venture. 'It's [actually] the next-to-the-last movie, but that doesn't sound right,' quips Richard 'Cheech' Marin with a slight shrug and a wan chuckle that feels designed to add a dash of levity to the heaviness of the question. After a beat, he turns slightly more contemplative: 'You never know.' 'God only knows,' Tommy Chong says. 'It all depends on the script. Everything depends on the script.' When I ask this question — which is being videotaped to accompany this story — they are sitting front-seat-of-the-car close to each other at the cafe. Marin wears a crisp blue denim jacket and jeans, his arms folded. He leans slightly toward his longtime comedy partner, who provides a colorful counterpoint in a quilted zip-front jacket covered in a riot of paisley patterns. He's sporting a chunky shell necklace. They answer a handful of questions this way — Marin with quick bursts of humor, Chong with longer, near-meandering monologues. But when the camera clicks off, there's a palpable vibe shift. Cheech & Chong — the version joined by an ampersand in our collective consciousness — are gone. Cheech puts on his sunglasses and leans away. Chong looks at the facade of the restaurant and recalls how, under a different name, it appeared in a scene from one of his post-duo films, 1990's 'Far Out Man.' Both sip on their lattes. Instead of an affable pair riffing off each other, they seem more like two guys who worked together once, had a falling out and now are back in each other's orbit but maybe aren't exactly thrilled about it. Which brings us to that second question. What reunited them on the big screen for the first time since 1984's 'The Corsican Brothers'? 'You know, you can't refuse a daughter,' Chong says, referring to 59-year-old Robbi Chong, who is one of 'Last Movie's' producers. She coaxed the two back into a creative relationship in the mid-aughts, which resulted in a run of stand-up shows in 2008. It was around that time that she was also involved in an (ultimately unsuccessful) reunion-movie effort. 'I was brought in as a producer for that project,' director David Bushell tells The Times at the same Venice cafe an hour later. 'And that's how I met the guys and met Robbi. We became close and would take hikes together and [talk about] trying to keep the reunion-movie train on the tracks.' Bushell says that, over those years, the notion of doing a straight-up, old-school-style narrative movie gave way to a documentary approach, the result of which is Bushell's feature directing debut. I'll be the first to admit that, at first blush, a Cheech & Chong documentary sounds a whole lot less fun than the hazy buddies-with-buds tenor of the movies. But thanks to a little bit of magic and a whole lot of nostalgia, it turns out to be a worthy road trip down memory lane. Figuratively and literally. This film opens with a nostalgic nod to their very first one, 1978's 'Up in Smoke'; Yesca's blues-rock song 'Lost Due to Incompetence (Theme for a Big Green Van)' plays as a Rolls-Royce with a pot-leaf hood ornament and a KP SMOKIN license plate speeds through the desert. An opening montage of video clips ends with an iconic two-shot from the film of their characters, Pedro (Marin) behind the wheel and Man (Chong) riding shotgun, disappearing into a screen full of smoke. When the smoke clears — voilà! — they're back. Older, grayer and puffier (that's what a 47-year jump cut will do to you), it's still unmistakably Cheech behind the wheel and Chong in the seat next to him. In addition to those interstitial car-ride scenes, the movie relies heavily on archival interview footage (Cheech & Chong interviewed by Geraldo Rivera, Cheech & Chong at the Playboy Mansion, etc.). Paired with these older interviews are still photos and funky animation (by James Blagden). Throughout the documentary's two-hour running time, with very rare exception, the people telling their story are either Cheech & Chong themselves (from back in the day) or Cheech & Chong (from today). It turns out to be a seriously deep dive about two very funny peope and the arc of their career together. It starts with both men's early lives, the forces that shaped them and the mindbogglingly serendipitous paths that brought the California-born Mexican American Marin together with the Edmonton-born Chong, the son of Chinese and Scotch-Irish parents, in a Vancouver nightclub called Shanghai Junk in 1968. 'It just seemed right to us,' Marin recalls about that first meeting so long ago. 'I knew the tunes that he knew and he knew the tunes that I knew. And we both had a background in the Black communities, so we had that in common. It was like we understood each other's music.' About 44 minutes into the film, the third power player in the duo's dynamic emerges. 'We had two choices — New York or L.A.,' Chong says in a black-and-white archival video clip. 'It's warmer, [so] it's easier to starve in L.A.,' Marin jokes in the same clip. They recount being discovered by Lou Adler at a hootenanny night at the Troubadour in 1970 and how that relationship lighted the Roman candle of their career. They mention how Jack Nicholson's erratic high-speed driving — on the wrong side of the road down Manchester Boulevard — inspired their song 'Basketball Jones.' 'There's more space and it's progressive in California and it allows artists and creativity to expand and flourish, especially at that time,' director Bushell says about how he thinks moving here helped shape what became Cheech & Chong. 'People are going to be influenced by their surroundings. Los Angeles had the weed and surf and skateboarder [cultures]. So, yes, I think environment played a role.' With or without the ampersand, Cheech and Chong have pretty much made their homes here ever since. Both currently live in Pacific Palisades. (Although their homes were spared in the January fires, both said they'd temporarily evacuated and had only recently gotten things back to normal.) There's just enough movie magic in the doc to make it work on another level. Most of it involves the two men bantering (and occasionally bickering) behind the wheel in their current incarnations and the occasional unexpected back-seat cameo (the most memorable one being producer Adler, who financed and directed their first film). When Cheech turns to Chong during that car ride through the desert and asks, 'Hey, man, is this a movie or a documentary?' and Chong replies, 'I don't know, man,' it's a meta, laugh-out-loud moment that will make you feel stoned even if you're as sober as a church mouse. It turns out those revelatory car scenes, which include what feels like a very candid rehash of their big schism (part creative differences, part natural career evolution), were not scripted. 'Dave [Bushell] wouldn't give us anything,' Tommy Chong says. 'We were like, 'What's the scene here?' And he'd say, 'Well, it's just you guys talking,' There was no plot or anything. So I guess they got what they wanted — which is two old guys [talking].' Maybe so, but for fans who have been waiting for them to say yes to a big-screen reunion since the era of Nancy Reagan's 'Just Say No' campaign, it's a sight to behold. (When we spoke, Bushell confirmed that nothing at all was scripted and that he only suggested general topics based on his 30-plus hours of interviews.) Since it felt like the guys were genuinely working through that long-ago rift onscreen, I had to ask if it was as cathartic for them as it seemed. 'Yeah, I think so,' Marin said with a slight shrug about their 1985 split (a result of creative differences and Marin's move toward a more mainstream acting career). 'But we didn't think specifically about the effect it would have at the time. We were just kind of figuring out where we were going with it, what we were doing and how to get all this information out while we're there in the car.' When talking about the movie itself — how it came to be, what they hope people take away from it ('Hopefully not the seats,' jokes Marin) or how it may or may not cement their 47-year comedic legacy — neither man seems particularly enthusiastic to rehash it on this April morning. Maybe it's because it's 10 a.m. in the middle of a two-day press junket (they're about to head to an NPR interview). Maybe it's because they want the movie to speak for itself. Or maybe they've been reunited physically on the big screen but are not fully over their detachment. But when topics turn elsewhere — their biggest Hollywood regrets, for example, or expounding on who should join them on the Mt. Rushmore of celebrity stoners — they become reanimated and engaging. They seem decades closer to the Cheech & Chong of old. 'Trump wants to be on Mt. Rushmore, so we should be on Stone Mountain,' Chong says of his envisoned monument to stoner celebs. 'Along with Willie [Nelson], Snoop Dogg and ...' Without missing a beat, both men say Seth Rogen at the same time. They're similarly playing off each other's timing on the topic of their biggest Hollywood regrets. 'Someone called and asked me to do a voice for a video game movie and I was like, 'F— that, I'm a movie star,'' Marin says. 'It turned out to be 'Super Mario Bros.,' and because I looked like the guy with the mustache I would have gotten a part in the movie and a piece of the whole action. But I didn't.' As if to punctuate his asinine decision, Marin makes a braying donkey noise. 'Jeffrey Katzenberg asked us to be in his movie 'It Came From Hollywood,'' Chong adds. 'And as a reward, he offered to get us parts in a Disney movie. But I didn't want to be in a Disney movie, so I turned it down. And it turned out to be 'The Lion King.'' Marin, who would end up voicing a hyena in the 1994 animated film, makes another braying donkey noise. Both men smile. After the interview, as they walk toward Venice Beach to be photographed, it's easy to see how indelibly linked the two are. On their own, Cheech, in his scuffed Crocs, walking the stretch of Venice Boardwalk ahead of his once (and maybe future) co-star went virtually unrecognized. But once passersby clocked Chong in his baggy sweats and Skechers slip-ons several paces behind, heads swivel, iPhones are brandished and excited whispers are heard. Another movie — the last one or not — suddenly makes all the sense in the world. Until then, 'Last Movie' will serve as a plenty entertaining introduction to the duo. The real beneficiaries here, though, will be those intimately familiar with their work: the hardcore line-quoting fan base that will hear them discuss the origin of the classic 'Dave's not here' bit (fun fact: Dave was also the name of Chong's original, pre-Cheech comedy partner), how the Vietnam War and pottery played a role in connecting them and the people who directly inspired their most recognizable characters. And if 'Cheech & Chong's Last Movie' does, indeed, turn out to be the end of the road, they've lighted up the big screen one last time pretty much how they have charted their entire careers — unconventionally and in their own voices. They've rolled up a number worthy of their legacy. As Marin says to Chong at one point during that interstitial drive through the desert, 'Nothing lasts forever, Tommy.'
San Francisco Chronicle
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
There would be no Cheech & Chong without San Francisco. This documentary reveals why
If it wasn't for one night Tommy Chong spent in San Francisco, the comedy team of Cheech & Chong might never have happened. As Chong remembers it in the new documentary ' Cheech & Chong's Last Movie,' he was touring with a band in the 1960s and had intended to see comedian Lenny Bruce at the Hungry I in North Beach before he realized he couldn't afford the ticket. Fortunately, he stumbled upon a small venue nearby hosting Second City Improv, the famed Chicago-based experimental theater troupe, and was able to get in. One sketch, in which all the performers acted like dogs, crawling around on all fours and sniffing each others' rear ends, cracked up Chong so much he was inspired to start his own experimental troupe in Vancouver, where the Canadian-born Chong was living and owned a club. Soon, he met an American draft dodger from South Central Los Angeles, Richard Marin, who joined the troupe. The rest is history, with Marin adopting his childhood nickname Cheech for the act. They even stole the dog-sniffing skit. Directed by David L. Bushell, 'Cheech & Chong's Last Movie' is a nostalgic ride through the lives and careers of one of the most successful comedy teams of all time. During the 1970s and early '80s, their stoner-themed live act drew sold-out crowds, their records climbed the Billboard charts and their movies were box office gold. But it wasn't just hippies. I remember summers growing up in Indiana going to their movies with my mother, laughing so hard we became fans. If two shaggy haired stoners, one an L.A. Chicano, the other Canadian-Chinese, can be loved by conservative Hoosiers, they can truly cross all cultures. Evidently we weren't alone. At a special 420 screening of the documentary at the Alamo Drafthouse's New Mission Theater at 4:20 p.m. on 4/20, the crowd was from all walks of life, a mixture of older and younger, with a roughly even split between male and female. Many likely became fans when I, a non-stoner by the way, did. Younger enthusiasts discovered them later, perhaps when catching Marin as Don Johnson's co-star in reruns of the 1990s San Francisco-shot ' Nash Bridges ' television series. 'Cheech & Chong's Last Movie,' which opens nationally on Friday, April 25, has loads of archival footage that are tied together by an interesting framing device, in which Marin, now 78, and Chong, 86, drive through the California desert. During the roadtrip, they discuss their lives and the people they met along the way — some of whom, cheekily, magically appear in their car, including both Chong's former and current wives, and the producer who helped push them into the stratosphere, 91-year-old Lou Adler. It generally works, but the parts where they discuss their professional and personal fallout that broke up the act in the 1980s seem rehearsed. It's good that they address it; Chong at one point says, 'Man, we got to put this behind us,' but it's obvious that they already have. The documentary is the first Cheech & Chong movie in 12 years — since 2013's 'Cheech & Chong's Animated Movie' — and only the second in four decades. If this truly is their last movie, it's a good time to stop; they're still a great team, but with a softer familiarity that has worn off the edges. Times have changed. Few would have believed that a half-century after the rise of this then-wild stoner act that marijuana would be mostly legal in the United States. Now they are part of the establishment, beloved legends whose first film 'Up in Smoke' (1978) has been preserved by the Library of Congress and added to the National Film Registry in December. More recently, the duo received a career achievement award at CinemaCon in Las Vegas earlier this month. 'Cheech & Chong's Last Movie' provides a perfect coda, man.
