For several decades, Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong were the most successful comedy team in the world, captivating audiences with their hilarious and contagious chemistry. From their performances on stand-up stages to appearances on the silver screen, the iconic duo became the face of the free-spirited, weed-friendly culture of the ’70s and ’80s, which gained them a devoted fan base. However, beyond their seemingly close friendship and box office success, their collaboration was anything but perfect, as it was marked by arguments, personal troubles, and the pressures of celebrity, all of which eventually led to their tragic breakup.
Now, in an upcoming documentary, Cheech & Chong’s Last Movie, which provides personal facts about the legendary duo’s career, the funnymen have revealed their perspectives on the factors that may have contributed to their falling apart.
Tommy Chong argues that his partner, Cheech Marin, never merited being a director in four of their films
In a scene from the documentary, Cheech and Chong, the two revisited their collaborative works on films, including the 1978 Up in Smoke and the 1984 Cheech & Chong’s The Corsican Brothers. While both were credited as writers on all six films they made together, Chong was listed as the sole director on four of them, a point of contention for Cheech.
In his response, Chong clarified by highlighting that being present during the filmmaking process was not sufficient to fulfill the requirements of directing. He noted that his partner did not deserve the director’s credit since merely being involved in the production alongside the person who was in charge of the project does not automatically make him eligible for the title.
Cheech Marin tackles Tommy Chong, says his claims are false
Cheech disputed Chong’s account, asserting his claims were undeniably false given his significant involvement in filmmaking. He emphasized that he contributed just as much to directing as the Far Out Man actor, making it pointless to revisit the argument.
In another scene from the documentary, the Nash Bridge actor previously knocked Chong, stating that his ego was quite bigger than his talent. Thus, his appropriation of the directing credit could be a means of compensating for his obvious lack of talent.