CHEECH, CHONG STILL SMOKIN'

Just like that, Cheech and Chong are back in session.

On Saturday night, the stoner comedians brought their long-awaited
reunion tour, Cheech and Chong Light Up Canada, to Massey Hall for
two packed performances. Enthusiastic fans reportedly snatched up
tickets so quickly for the first show -- the tour marks the first
time that the group has performed together in more than 25 years --
that a second one was added.

After Richard "Cheech" Marin and Tommy Chong rose to fame in the '70s
and '80s -- releasing a series of comedy albums and films based on
the drug culture movement -- they went their separate ways, appearing
individually in television shows such as Nash Bridges, Lost, and That
'70s Show. The idea of a new movie was dashed five years ago, when
Chong went to jail for nine months after being found guilty of
distributing drug paraphernalia.

So, as you can imagine, fans were pretty excited to have them back.

In the theatre, the lights dimmed as a Cheech and Chong montage
flashed onscreen. Fans cheered for references to classic lines like
"Dave's not here", and the shrill whistles and thunderous hollers
made it one of the loudest Massey Hall crowds in recent memory. Who
knew stoners could be so rowdy?

Before the beloved duo arrived, a pretty blond with a whispery voice
grabbed the mic and started firing off one-liners. It was Shelby
Chong -- Tommy Chong's wife for more than 25 years.

"How did I do that?" She asked the crowd. "I dropped a lot of acid
over the years."

Some of her jokes fell flat -- such as tired lines about George W.
Bush or awkward references to Barack Obama's private parts -- but the
rabid crowd didn't seem disappointed. Their boys were back.

When Cheech finally swaggered onstage -- wearing his familiar tuque,
suspenders and undershirt -- audience members stood up and screamed.
They simmered down as he reenacted a scene from Up in Smoke, the
duo's first feature-length film. He entered an imaginary car, and
once he spotted an attractive hitchhiker, fans began quivering again.

Suddenly, a shaggy-haired man ran onstage wearing a pink bra -- it
was Chong, and the crowd was on its feet again. The fiction paused
for a moment as the two comedians looked out across the venue
proudly, visibly affected by all the audience devotion.

During sketches such as Let's Make a Dope Deal -- a game show spoof
where the prizes involved the group's preferred illegal substance --
the audience interaction actually made things funnier, as fans called
out their favourite lines.

Near the end of the show, puffs of smoke floated into the air as wily
patrons lit up and tried to act inconspicuous. Eventually, security
caught most of the smokers, making them wait until after the show to
get their fix.

Though the counter-culture comedians satisfied their followers, their
set was filled with a series of technical glitches. Granted, it was
only the second night of the tour, but the frequent appearances of
computer menus onscreen made you feel as if you were watching a lousy
Powerpoint presentation. And sometimes, ill-timed music would start
in the middle of a joke, threatening to ruin the punchline.

"As you can tell," Chong said at one point, "we're just working this show out."

At least he acknowledged it. Even though their shtick felt a bit
rusty, the two aging comedians knew their audience well, and Toronto
potheads left the show blissfully happy -- and ready for another
session, of course.

CHEECH AND CHONG LIGHT UP CANADA

Massey Hall

Saturday

Sun Rating: 3 out of 5