Illinois Entertainer January 2014 | Page 8

y Tomm Illinois Entertainer: You and Cheech have been reunited for the last few years, but spent so much time apart. Did you intend the break to last that long or did you just need more time to iron everything out? Tommy Chong: Well the funny thing is Cheech initiated the break. He want- son intercepted the email and put his own words to it that we should get back together again, and the next thing you knew, Cheech was showing up at my house for rehearsals. Everything's ordained in this world and it's meant to be. We were meant to be apart for that long and now we're back together and better than ever. IE: Out of all the comedy projects you've been involved in, what stands out as the most memorable to you and why? TC: Probably the first bit we ever did, "Dave's Not Here," which we still do on stage. That was a defining moment in the life of Cheech & Chong because it defined our relationship. He's outside banging on the door and I don't know who it is so I won't let him in. 01•2014 ed to get away from me and he wanted to go on his own. Then over the years when he wanted to come back, I wasn't ready, and when I wanted to get back together, he wasn't ready. We played that little game for almost 30 years, but finally my son Paris got us together. When we got together we had a big fight- "screw you" and "screw you" – and then I walked away. [Afterwards] I realized I hadn't seen him for so long that I wrote him an email saying "even though we're not together, it was nice seeing you." My We're a great st Ց䁥