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On an upcoming episode of That '70s Show, fans will see the return of Leo, the stoner photo-mart guy and the gang's erstwhile pot connection -- a character who's been missing from the show for two seasons. How do they explain his absence? "It's pretty funny, I just show up," says Tommy Chong, who plays Leo. "Eric (Topher Grace) says 'Leo, where you been?' And I just say, 'I don't know.' "

As he spoke on the phone from his L.A. home, Chong was about to leave to shoot the scene.

"What happens is Eric's car breaks down at the side of the road and I just appear out of the bushes. At the very end I'm in the basement, and Hyde (Danny Masterson) is there, and Hyde's the only guy I recognize.

"It's a real easy scene, and I got such a beautiful reception from the cast and crew. Everybody was so happy to have me back."

Chong's whereabouts are better known than Leo's. The Canadian-born comic, one-half of the platinum-selling stoner team of Cheech & Chong, was released in July after nine months in jail for selling personalized marijuana pipes on the Internet. No pot, just paraphernalia -- such is the Bush War on Drugs.

So how was his time in the, um, joint? He laughs at the euphemism. "How was the slammer?" he says. "It was a beautiful experience. The thought of going in for what I did was hellish. But being unfairly imprisoned gives me something in common with Martin Luther King and Lenny Bruce.

"But by and large it was a real easy experience. It was a minimum security camp, like a Camp Cupcake, near Bakersfield, Calif. There were Jewish gangs -- they controlled the library.

"The thing is, you put a stoner comedian in any jail and you're gonna find a fan base. My social calendar was pretty full."

It was a non-violent prison population, he says, "a lot of pot growers doing, like 20 years, 'cause they found a rifle on the farm where they were growing it in the country. America's gone totally wacko and has been wacko for a lot longer than we thought.

"I met, like, eight doctors who were there for Medicare fraud --people trying to help people with America's non-existent health-care system. You could say they did it for profit in the sense that they were performing procedures that weren't covered in Medicare and billing for something else.

"What was beautiful was that I was privy to a world you usually don't see unless you're a criminal. By actually being a criminal instead of a writer/comedian, I had the opportunity of a lifetime. I got to see firsthand what the system is about."

Since getting out of jail, Chong has returned to the standup stage (he did a stint in New York in December in the off-Broadway spoof The Marijuanalogues). Fans can expect the usual grab bag of old Cheech & Chong songs like Earache My Eye and originals -- as well as a rant or two about life behind bars.

For now, he's confining his comedy to Canada. "I wouldn't chance it down here yet, not while I'm on probation. They put me in jail for a bong. Could you imagine what they would do if I started spouting my hippie logic onstage in the U.S.?"

Ah, yes, probation. Chong is still drug-tested regularly and says he hasn't smoked pot for two years.

A release party was postponed because, "Technically, I can't even be around roach clips." All bets are off in July when his probation runs out.

"Of course," he says when asked if he'll indulge again. "I've had nothing but good experiences with pot -- other than the jail time."

Skedded to shoot this spring: The much-talked-about reunion movie with partner Cheech Marin. Tentative title: Grumpy Old Stoners. "The plot is, Cheech is fired 'cause he's bald, and I invent a pot lotion that grows hair."

And hilarity ensues -- along with a case of the munchies, we bet.

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VladTheInhaler

Its so good to have a hero back on the streets doing what he does best, Smoking and makin us laugh. Its Good To Have You Back Tommy boy

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SacredJellybean

Grumpy Old Stoners sounds like a half-way decent movie. I'm not huge on the Cheech & Chong comedies, but I might decide to see this anyway, if just to show my support for Chong. I'm sure it'll be hilarious if I smoke up beforehand.

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"Every age has its peculiar folly and if Charles Mackay, the author of the 19th century classic, Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds were alive today he would surely see 'cannabinophobia' as a popular delusion along with the 'tulipmania' and 'witch hunts' of earlier ages. ... I also believe that future historians will look at this epoch and recognize it as another instance of the 'madness of crowds.'"
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Unregistered

a true freedom fighter. you should see up in smoke , then you will appreciate cheech and chong

kannabis_kid

If you haven't been fortunate to view one of the Cheech & Chong movies, make sure that you do. They are perfect for a stoner of any kind, they are both extraordinary comedians. Up in smoke is my favourite but if you enjoy that one don't hesitate to view the others.

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The_do0rs

dude, tommy chong is a hero. he has done nothing wrong but lead a happy life. he is certainly one of my idols. we both play blue guitar. =)

PotShot

Its great to see how Chong's arrest is sky-rocketing his career. You could hold suspicions that he is in league with the government.

As great as the guy is, Grumpy Old Stoners? This has got to be a joke. Whatever the case, his popularity has got to be more proof that pot has "infected" the mystical "pop culture".

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413

I'd go see it just to keep my string of Cheech and Chong movies dates alive.
Make's me wanna sit down and listen to "Let's Make a New Dope Deal".
Kinda poignant, and ironic as well, with Tommy playing the part of Bob *****en
woulda been cooler to play off that one in the series than just "I don't know"

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