Tommy Chong and Cheech Marin are two of the most beloved names in 420 culture. They are considered the fathers of stoner comedy, and without them the empires of Seth Rogen or Snoop Dogg might never have come into being. However, things have not always been great for the two comedians. After a meteor-fast rise to fame and fortune, the two had a falling out that was not resolved until almost 30 years later. But ever since the duo reunited in 2008, their brand has grown and returned to high (no pun intended) esteem. The two men now share a combined net worth of at least $50 million dollars. How did two broke stoners build a multi-million dollar marijuana empire?
- 10 They Rose To Fame In The 1970s
- 9 They Started Making Movies In 1978
- 8 They Broke Up In 1986
- 7 Cheech Found Work In Movies And TV
- 6 Chong Became An Iconic Sitcom Character
- 5 Chong Got Arrested In 2003
- 4 They Reunited And Revived Their Act
- 3 They Joined Social Media
- 2 They’ve Been Merchandising
- 1 Here Is How Much They Are Worth Now
10 They Rose To Fame In The 1970s
The two started like many in Hollywood did, as broke comedians. They created an act together to appeal to the stoner counter culture that was beginning to grow (again no pun intended) in the 1970s. They were the first to make stoner comedy mainstream because back then marketing directly to marijuana users was still taboo, which is why their first performances as an act were in dive bars and strip clubs. But Cheech and Chong managed to build up a following on the stand up circuit, most famously with the “Dave’s Not Here” bit. Their first album, simply titled Cheech and Chong, was released in 1971.
9 They Started Making Movies In 1978
Their first movie as the dynamic dimebag duo was Up in Smoke in 1978. The film was a hit and they would go on to write eight Cheech and Chong movies together. The popularity of their act would bring them cameos in other films too, even landing them a spot in legendary director Martin Scorsese’s 1985 film After Hours. On average, each Cheech and Chong film would gross around $25 million dollars.
8 They Broke Up In 1986
Even though the money was good and the act was still popular, the two had a falling out. In 1986, Cheech quit the act because he wanted to have more creative control and he wanted to branch out and do more than just his stoner character. Chong however thought it would be better to stick to the formula they created and wanted to be the one to hold on to creative control of their brand. The tension between the two mounted and eventually drove them to break up.
7 Cheech Found Work In Movies And TV
After their separation, Cheech and Chong both were on their own to find work. Cheech found consistent work in TV and movies. He starred in shows like Nash Bridges, a popular 1990s crime show, and had roles in several of Robert Rodriguez’s films, like Desperado and Spy Kids. However, while he found work, he was usually a supporting player and rarely found himself in leading roles like he had when he was a part of the duo. He was no longer the box office magnet he was when performing with Chong.
6 Chong Became An Iconic Sitcom Character
Chong had a harder time shaking off the stoner image than Cheech did, but it worked to his advantage. Eventually, his stoner character would earn him a comeback when he won audience's hearts with his portrayal of Leo, the loveable burnout hippie in That 70s Show. But like Cheech, it was nothing compared to the money and notoriety from starring in his own films. Despite them both finding work, money began to dwindle.
5 Chong Got Arrested In 2003
Chong decided to branch into the market of stoner glassware, selling bongs and pipes under the brand names Chong Glass and Nice Dreams. He began marketing his line of Chong Bongs, but this would eventually land him in jail because his company was illegally selling the bongs to smoke shops through the US mail. In 2003, Chong was busted by the federal government and forced to take a hiatus from That 70s Show. He served nine months in prison and was forced to pay over $150,000 in fines and forfietures.
4 They Reunited And Revived Their Act
Since their break up in 1986, Cheech and Chong had only reunited once for a brief cameo on an early episode of South Park. After Chong’s release from prison and after That 70s Show ended production in 2005, Cheech and Chong reunited over the fact that the two were not making the same kind of money as they were when they were together. The two announced their Light Up America reunion tour in 2008 and each venue sold out so quickly that they had to add more tour dates to accommodate the demand. “Why did we break up? Well we got rich,” Chong would joke during their reunion tour, “And we got back together because, well, we weren’t rich anymore.” They also recorded and released a new straight to video film, Cheech and Chong's Animated Movie, which was released in 2013.
3 They Joined Social Media
After they reunited, Chong was the first of the two to join social media and gained a quick following on Instagram, as did the official Cheech and Chong account they started. The two continue to thrive online, and now Cheech and Chong have their own TikTok, where they engage directly with their audience and have begun stitching and dueting fans and Cheech and Chong cosplayers.
2 They’ve Been Merchandising
The two continue to tour and Chong helped them launch a new (and now legally operating) line of Cheech and Chong glassware and stoner accessories (pipes, papers, grinders, etc.) as well as clothes and special editions of their movies. Their films have developed a new following with younger audiences thanks to their social media presence and their old fans from the 70s and 80s following them into the modern era. They now have a broad market that crosses age demographics for their comedy and their products.
1 Here Is How Much They Are Worth Now
Cheech is now boasting a net worth of $30 million, while Chong comes in second with a respectable $20 million, meaning the two now have a combined net worth of $50 million. The pair show no signs of slowing down, despite Chong’s cancer diagnosis in 2017, which has since gone into remission. When asked if more Cheech and Chong movies could be expected, Cheech revealed to journalists that a documentary chronicling the history of their act was in the making.
