Whether you know him from his catalog of comedy specials, hilarious twitter feed, or weekly podcast, comedian Doug Benson deserves his spot on the Mount Rushmore of cannabis advocacy. From continuously smoking jazz cigarets for 30-days in the name of science to getting Jack Black way too stoned on his podcast, Doug always knows how to get a roomful of strangers to shed their inhibitions and melt into the moment. We caught up with Doug at SXSW to talk about his upcoming tour, his workout regimen for playing “Bane” on Lego Batman and how teaming up with High Times TV in cartoon form for Animashups was the next obvious step in his career.
High Times: Alright Doug, we’ve seen you on the big screen, we’ve seen you on stage, you’re in our ears whispering sweet nothings to us during each podcast—why should people tune in to you in animated form?
Doug Benson: The animated me has less blemishes. And he can hold his breath for an incredible amount of time, which is great for holding in bong rips.
If you could animate any event in your real life what would it be and why?
Oh, definitely the time I was at the Emerald Cup and a dude was smoking cannabis out of a leaf blower. It looked cartoonish but it was real!
How did you get involved with Animashups?
Someone asked me if I’d like to see parts of my internet show Getting Doug With High animated, and I said ‘hell yes!’ I mean, who doesn’t want to be in a cartoon?
Do you prefer animation or real life?
Animation because in real life I would never get to play “Bane” in a movie, but thanks to Lego Batman I got to do just that. And I didn’t have to wear a mask on my face or work out eight hours a day like that poor slob, Tom Hardy!
Are there any similarities between you and your character on Animashups?
Yes, all of them. Except for my shape, I guess.
It seems like many of the characters on Animashups are your friends. Do you mind going into that a bit?
Yeah, my friends are guests on all of my podcasts–I have shows about cannabis, food, and movies, so it’s fitting they’re also on Animash.
Do you remember the first time you saw an issue of High Times and who was on the cover?
It was a long time ago and Cheech & Chong were on the cover. I’m guessing. Feels like they’ve been on the cover a lot. I was a fan of those guys pretty early in my life, even though I didn’t understand the culture and many of their references. I didn’t start using cannabis until after I started doing stand-up, but those guys are a huge influence on me.
Concentrate, flower, or edibles. What’s your preference?
Flower, please! But I won’t say no to the others!
What have you been smoking lately?
I’ve been on a couple of cruises so stealthy stuff. Vape pens and dabs are great for not stinking up the cabins.
What’s next for Doug Benson?
Doing some shows at SXSW in Austin, TX, then touring with my stand-up and live tapings of my podcasts through the summer. Hope to see some High Times readers at my shows!
