2008 Charlie Parker Jazz Festival Gallery, NYC

Photos by KB The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival takes place at Harlem’s … Tue Aug 26, 2008 more galleries 4

The Glass Award is given to the best piece of glass exhibited at the Cannabis Cup Expo.

Wed Dec 03, 2008 more videos 2

U.S. Attorney not a fan of Tommy Chong's new DVD

Thu, Aug 28, 2008 1:34 pm

Tommy Chong might have spent time behind bars at the behest of U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan, but -- with an award-winning documentary about his ordeal being re-released today on DVD -- the long-time marijuana advocate regrets nothing.

"I really credit the experience as one of the highlights of my life," Chong, 70, said yesterday from his home in Pacific Palisades, Calif. "When you get martyred like I did, everything changes. People treat you with a lot more respect. It turned out to be a badge of honor."

In 2003, Chong pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court, Downtown, to a charge of conspiracy to sell drug paraphernalia.

Investigators duped workers at his family company, publicly called Chong Glass, into shipping several bongs to an undercover shop in Beaver County as part of a crackdown on "head shops" in Western Pennsylvania by Buchanan's office and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.

The case was the first in more than a decade in which a manufacturer of drug paraphernalia was prosecuted in the United States.

"Mary Beth, I don't know what planet she's from. They had to find someone who would prosecute these victimless crimes, these political facades they call justice," Chong said. "It's another example of Bush and the Republican Party keeping true to their word to be right-winged fascists."

Thomas B. Kin Chong spent nine months as Inmate No. 07798-068 at California's Taft Correctional Institute before being released in 2004. He has visited Pittsburgh numerous times since as part of his stand-up comedy tour.

Buchanan said Chong is the only one still thinking about himself.

"I have not seen any of his films, and I definitely don't intend to see this one," Buchanan said. "Chong has a very warped sense of his own relevance. ... He's attempted to use the prosecution to raise his notoriety in the community."

Filmmaker Josh Gilbert's project, "a/k/a Tommy Chong," won best documentary at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival and received recognition from film festivals in Toronto, San Francisco and New York, among others. The documentary won a Stony Award from High Times magazine.

Chong's indictment stated that he was targeted, in part, for "glamorizing illegal distribution and use of marijuana" and noted the 1978 movie "Up in Smoke," the first movie Chong made with Richard "Cheech" Marin. The comedy duo made a string of record-breaking movies and comedy albums based on the pot-laden exploits of "Cheech and Chong."

The men announced last month that they would begin "Light Up America," their first tour in more than 25 years, on Sept. 12 in Philadelphia.

Pittsburgh was not among the dates announced so far.

» add a comment

Henry Junior 420

Nov 24 2008, 4:31 pm

Everything happens for a reason. They found someone brainwashed enough by the system to prosecute, so they gave her all the power & promotion she needed to do so. They commit entrapment, and try to justify it infront of everyone so they can discourage others from following Tommy in his defiant footsteps. Mary Beth B. is ignorant and blind if she truly believes the DEA can help fight terrorism in any way, Do they honestly think we would believe that Tommy Chong's glass buisness funds terrorism or contributes to violence in any way? They use all that police power to raid a bong factory and none to fight real crimes or real "terrorism". They will do anything to keep people in conformity and in fear! what lengths will hey go to next? I guess they brought this on themselves. They tried to silence one black sheep, but all they did was wake up all the rest of the black sheep. By prosecuting Tommy Chong, they've exposed thier true colors for everyone to see. Tommy is now a hero because of this, he is in my books anyways. They've made a stoner actor/comedian into a world famous marijuana activist and a martyr with thier own hand, that's what they get. People are waking up, people are realizing the truth.

FREE MARC EMERY!!!

GanjWeed

Sep 25 2008, 2:50 pm

Daaaammmm! The po po's ho be all over that shit! That fucking aint right! Chong deserves some reperations for this govenment sancioned herrassment.

Bluesmoke

Aug 30 2008, 6:38 pm

Funny... an unknown federal judge saying that Tommy Chong has a warped sense of his own relevance. Well, he is a pop icon, beloved by millions, and she is a hateful, mean-spirited individual who brings harm to the harmless.

In other words...she has utterly NO relevance, and his legacy will live on forever. LONG LIVE TOMMY!

StashZoo.com

Aug 30 2008, 4:40 pm

People like Chong bring outsiders in to the movement, which is good. Keep it up Tommy! Everyone should visit leap.cc and norml.org

umm

Aug 30 2008, 2:06 pm

Indiafoxtrot yankeeoscaruniform alphasierrakilo mikeecho tangohotelechonovember india whiskeyoscaruniformlimadelta hotelalphavictorecho tangooscar sierraalphayankee tangohotelalphatango limaoscarvictorecho indiasierra tangohotelecho alphanovembersierrawhiskeyechoromeo tangooscar alphalimalima tangohotelecho whiskeyoscarromeolimadeltasierra paparomeooscarbravolimaechomikesierra.
foxtrotoscarromeo whiskeyindiatangohoteloscaruniformtango limaoscarvictorecho alphanovemberdelta charliealphanovembernovemberalphabravoindiasierra oscarfoxtrot charlieoscaruniformromeosierraecho tangohotelechoromeoecho indiasierra oscarnovemberlimayankee sierraoscarromeoromeooscarwhiskey.
limaoscarnovembergolf limaindiavictorecho charliealphanovembernovemberalphabravoindiasierra.
♥

Tango Alpha Romeo Delta

Aug 30 2008, 6:35 am

SO , this is news to who ?

Whiskey Alpha Romeo

Aug 29 2008, 4:24 pm

"I really credit the experience as one of the highlights of my life," "When you get martyred like I did, everything changes. People treat you with a lot more respect. It turned out to be a badge of honor." - Tommy Chong, philosopher, martyr, and fore-father of the cannabis revolution

"I have not seen any of his films, and I definitely don't intend to see this one," Buchanan said. "Chong has a very warped sense of his own relevance. ... He's attempted to use the prosecution to raise his notoriety in the community." - Mary Beth Buchanan, U.S. Attorney, oppressor, and another great example of ignorance and over-privileged self-righteous cog in the machine that is our corrupt system

LovesToSmoke

Aug 29 2008, 7:49 am

Buchanan thinks Chong has a warped sense of his own relevance? Please! Buchanan and peers are the real criminals. Your laws are unconstitutional, that you found treasnous men and women to subvert our constitution is irrevelant. They and their decisions DO NOT trump the intent of our constitution.
The DEA, FBI, CIA, the state and local police, the branches of our military, THESE are the 'state's well regulated milita'! They are tyrannizing, tehy are NOT securing a free state. They have no legal right, aside of treasonous decisions by corrupt officials, to use these well regulated militias against the people, as was done to Chong.
Assholes like Buchanan who stand on treasonous decisions deserve to be fired back at. The right to bear arms is guaranteed us so we CAN stand AGAINST these well regulated militias and the assholes, such as Buchanan, who deploy them.
Pot does NOWHERE near the harm, nor cause the pain, that people like Buchanan and governments cause. These people are just one step away from the nazi, they are just waiting for the government/state to issue the command to kill. And they will love doing it. Do you really think that if/when the state allows the likes of a Buchanan to deploy a raid, shoot to kill, that Buchanan would not be in glory? Do you not think that Chongs.. or our own.. blood would be worn proudly by the likes of a Buchanan? If the command came to exterminate, do you not think Buchanan would be smiling ear to ear?

Dale

Aug 29 2008, 4:26 am

What people like ButtCannon do is refuse to examine evidence regarding their causes. Any logical consideration of the benifit of laughing and enjoying oneself, as I do when watching a Cheech and Chong film, is no part of a misguided do-gooder's life. I have received much more benifit to the quality of my life from C&C than from that close-minded simpleton. Let her remain ignorant because it is scary to think about what kind of trouble she might cause if given a realistic view of reality.

HU210

Aug 28 2008, 9:47 pm

All the more reason to buy Chongs DVD. Speak with our economic power!

umm

Aug 28 2008, 8:57 pm

Not only that, but she's a menace to society, and should be fired immediatley!

She sends the wrong message to the adults and their children. Her message is one of intollerance, ignorance and war. What good is war? Her kind I'm sure burned witches at the stake. She is just plain evil, and will have to answer to God some day, as we all will.
"You think that she will front when revelation comes?"

umm

Aug 28 2008, 8:38 pm

"I have not seen any of buchy Buchanans work, and I definitely don't ever intend to." Umm said. "Buchanan has a very warped sense of her own relevance. ... The bitch attempted to use the prosecution to raise her notoriety in the community, and failed miserably." Her kind I'm sure says thaey believe in God which is love, yet the bitch shows only her hate. Typical Bitch!

bob oliver

Aug 28 2008, 4:22 pm

Not for long we don't. As soon as Obama wins, he'll send this bitch and alot of others packing. That's what they're afraid of. This is their last gasps of breath before they go under forever. Peace and good riddens lady. You've ruined enough innocent lives cow...

Malaka

Aug 28 2008, 4:20 pm

Im so pumped for Cheech and Chong comming to NY in October. That US Attorney is a dumb bitch. i watch the tommy chong documentry and she fucked him good

What

Aug 28 2008, 3:23 pm

really sucks is that we pay that cunt's wages.

i-agree

Aug 28 2008, 3:04 pm

The brain-dead U.S. attorney is distoring reality - Chong is an actor, a comedian, which this type of dweeb hates. Hatred is her philosophy - the public made Chong and Cheech famous, not themselves.

She should do some stand-up herself and see what happens when the crowd reacts. Chong and Cheech have always been winners, actually, despite themselves.

That's the point.

420Viper

Aug 28 2008, 1:47 pm

Tommy Chong has a warped sense of his own relevance? How about you, you two-bit fascist as well as all of the other self righteous prohibitionists out there?

If you really cared about "the children", which seems to be the most favorite whip you flog the "war on drugs" dead horse with, you would work to legalize cannabis so one would have to show ID and prove they are an adult to buy it.

If Cheech and Chong's movies glamorize drug use and distribution, why wasn't Cheech arrested as well? Why don't we put in jail all the actors that appear on TV and film that have murder and violence as part of the plot?