Richard “Cheech” Marin and Tommy Chong
Las Vegas, N.M – The legendary comedy duo Cheech and Chong will perform Oct. 13 at 8 p.m. in New Mexico Highlands’ Wilson Complex, 1241 9th St.
Over the course of their career, Cheech and Chong have starred in seven films together and recorded six gold comedy albums, including the 1974 Grammy Award-winning Los Cochinos. The two are famous for their unique brand of off-color humor.
Cheech and Chong’s Up in Smoke was the highest grossing comedy movie of 1978.
“This Cheech and Chong performance is a great opportunity to enjoy an iconic comedy duo known for their counterculture humor,” said Donna Martínez, Ilfeld Auditorium manager. “They have never performed in Las Vegas. Join us for a night of fun and memorable entertainment.”
Martínez said the the Cheech and Chong performance is for those 18 and older due to mature content. Alcohol will be sold at the event.
Richard “Cheech” Marin and Tommy Chong first rose to worldwide popularity and critical acclaim in the 1970s and 1980s. Their stand-up comedy and films were laced with themes such as the hippie and free love era, counterculture movement, and cannabis.
The two artists pursued solo careers for more than 20 years before reuniting in 2008 for their Light Up America and Canada Tour. They have been touring together ever since, selling out in many venues.
Cheech is one of the most well-known and respected Chicanos in the entertainment world. The third-generation Mexican-American has received numerous awards for his work on behalf of Latinos, including the 2000 Creative Achievement Award from the Imagen Foundation. He was the first to receive the Legacy Award for Arts Advocacy from the Smithsonian Latino Center.
Cheech is also an actor, director, writer, musician, art collector, and humanitarian. He has appeared in more than 20 films during his career, including titles like The Perfect Game, Tin Cup, Spy Kids, and Once Upon a Time in Mexico. He is a collector of Chicano art, with his traveling exhibition, Chicano Art: American Painters on the Verge, breaking museum attendance records from 2001 – 2007.
In 2007, Cheech received an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts for his contributions to the creative arts from the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. He serves on the boards of the Smithsonian Latino Center and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.
Canada native Tommy Chong is known for his lifelong contribution to American counterculture. He began his entertainment career as a musician in a Canadian-based rhythm and blues band, co-writing the 1960s music hit Does Your Mama Know About Me. His acting career began when he formed the improvisational acting group City Works, where he met Cheech.
In his solo acting career, Chong appeared in several films in the 1990s such as Far Out, Man and National Lampoon’s Senior Trip. He starred as Leo on the Fox TV sitcom, That ‘70s Show, and has guest starred in ABC’s Dharma and Greg and The George Lopez Show.
A prolific writer, Chong penned Cheech and Chong: the Unauthorized Autobiography in 2009 and the the New York Times best-seller The I Chong: Meditations From the Joint in 2007.
The award-winning documentary about Chong, A/K/A Tommy, was released worldwide in 2005. In 2004, Chong lit up the dance floor as a contestant on ABC’s Dancing With the Stars.
General admission tickets for Cheech and Chong are $35 and reserved seating is $60. Highlands University students with valid HU IDs are free.
Advance tickets are on sale at the university’s KEDP radio station ticket office, Studio 103, 901 University Ave., Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 – 5 p.m. The general admission tickets are also available online at www.outhousetickets.com Or call 505-454-3238.
Arts@HU is sponsoring the Cheech and Chong performance.