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OTC Markets Group, Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), is a private company that provides services to the U.S. over-the-counter (OTC) securities market including electronic quotations, trading, messaging, and information platforms. According to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), OTC Markets Group, Inc. is not a stock exchange. The company facilitates the exchange of securities between qualified independent brokers.

History[link]

The company was first established in 1913 as The National Quotation Bureau (NQB). For decades, the NQB reported quotations for both stocks and bonds, publishing the quotations in the paper-based Pink Sheets and Yellow Sheets respectively. The publications got their names from the color of paper they were printed on.

Regulatory status[link]

Pink Sheets is not a stock exchange. To be quoted via Pink Sheets, companies do not need to fulfill any requirements (e.g. filing financial statements with the SEC). With the exception of foreign issuers, mostly represented by American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), the companies quoted in the Pink Sheets tend to be closely held, extremely small, thinly traded, or bankrupt. Most do not meet the minimum U.S. listing requirements for trading on a stock exchange such as the New York Stock Exchange. Many of these companies do not file periodic reports or audited financial statements with the SEC, making it very difficult for investors to find reliable, unbiased information about those companies.

For these reasons the SEC views companies listed on Pink Sheets as "among the most risky investments"^[1] and advises potential investors to heavily research the companies in which they plan to invest.

Market tiers[link]

Pink Sheets established a categorization system to indicate the level of financial and corporate disclosure provided by the companies using its quotation system. The disclosure categories do not signify issuer quality or merit of any security. Categorization is based on the level and timeliness of a company's disclosure and any category can include speculative, distressed, or questionable companies. Investors are encouraged to use caution when considering these companies for investment.^[2]

OTCQX[link]

This tier is for companies that meet financial standards and undergo a qualitative review by OTC Markets Group. Companies are not required to be registered with or reporting to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

OTCQB[link]

OTCQB companies must be registered with and reporting to the SEC or a U.S. banking regulator. There are no financial or qualitative standards to be in this tier.

OTC Pink[link]

OTC Pink is a speculative trading marketplace that has no financial standards or reporting requirements. The stock of companies in the OTC Pink tier is not required to be registered with the SEC. Companies in this category are further categorized by the level and timeliness of information they provide to investors and may have current, limited or no public disclosure.

OTC Pink Current Information[link]

Companies that have submitted information no older than six months to the Pink Sheets News Service or have made a filing on the SEC's EDGAR system in the previous six months are rated as having current information. This category includes shell companies or development stage companies with little or no operations as well as companies without audited financial statements.

OTC Pink Limited Information[link]

Companies that are unwilling or unable to meet Pink Sheets' Guidelines for Providing Adequate Current Information but have have submitted some but not all of current information required are rated as having limited information. These are often companies with financial reporting problems, economic distress, or in bankruptcy.

OTC Pink No Information[link]

This tier indicates companies that are unwilling or unable to provide disclosure to the public markets. Companies in this category do not make current information available via Pink Sheets News Service, or if they do, the available information is older than six months. This category includes defunct companies that have ceased operations as well as 'dark' companies with questionable management and market disclosure practices. Securities of publicly traded companies that are not willing to provide information to investors are considered highly risky.

Caveat emptor - buyer beware[link]

There is a public interest concern associated with the company. This may include a spam campaign, stock promotion or known investigation of fraudulent activity committed by the company or insiders. During a spam campaign, any stock that is not in the Current Information category will also have its quotes blocked on pinksheets.com.

Other OTC markets[link]

OTCBB[link]

The OTC Bulletin Board (OTCBB) is a listing of securities that are also traded "over the counter" similar to the Pink Sheets, but unlike Pink Sheet companies, OTCBB companies are required to file timely reports with the SEC. Many OTCBB companies are also quoted via Pink Sheets' electronic quotation system.

Grey Market[link]

Securities that are not listed on any stock exchange nor formally quoted via the OTCBB or Pink Sheets are considered to be in the Grey Market. Unsolicited transactions are processed independently and not centrally listed or quoted. Trades are reported to a self-regulatory organization (SRO), which then passes the data on to market data companies.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• SEC information about the Pink Sheets
• SEC Listing and Delisting Requirements

Jedi Mind Tricks (JMT) is a hip hop duo with Vinnie Paz from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Jus Allah from Camden, New Jersey. The group was founded by two high school friends, rapper Vinnie Paz (Vincenzo Luvineri) and former producer/DJ Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind (Kevin Baldwin). In 1999 the New Jersey rapper Jus Allah (James Bostick) joined the group to record the second studio album by JMT, Violent by Design but left shortly after for reasons that remain unexplained. The track "The Rebuilding" (2006) marked his unofficial return to JMT since the split, but made a full fledged return aside Vinnie Paz for the sixth studio album, A History of Violence (2008). In September 2011, Vinnie Paz officially announced the departure of Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind from the group, because "his heart wasn't in making JMT records anymore".^[1]

DJ Kwestion is also a part of the group, mainly scratching choruses on the turntable. Kwestion (or Kwes) is also a part of the group Skratch Makaniks. Kwestion was a replacement for JMT's previous tour DJ, Drew Dollars, who is no longer affiliated with the group.

JMT has collaborations with both regional MCs and rap veterans, including GZA, Kool G Rap, 7L & Esoteric, Sean Price, Ras Kass, Canibus, Percee P, Killah Priest, Immortal Technique, Virtuoso, Louis Logic, R.A. the Rugged Man, Tragedy Khadafi, and Ill Bill. The group has sold over 250,000 albums in the United States and 450,000 albums worldwide, all of which were released independently.^[2]

History[link]

Amber Probe EP and Psycho-Social LP[link]

JMT officially debuted with the Amber Probe EP.

"The Psycho-Social, Chemical, Biological, And Electro-Magnetic Manipulation Of Human Consciousness" known as "The Psycho-Social" for short was released under Babygrande Records and is JMT's first full length LP. It featured 12 tracks and 6 bonus tracks. It is considered JMT's most groundbreaking and influential album.

Five Perfect Exertions EP and Violent By Design[link]

Prior to the release of their first LP, Vinnie Paz had conceived the idea of forming a rotating, collaborative super-group of underground East Coast artists called the Army of the Pharaohs (AotP). ^[3] 1998 saw the first result of these efforts in The Five Perfect Exertions EP. The release featured Virtuoso, 7L & Esoteric, Chief Kamachi and Bahamadia as well as Vinnie Paz himself. The EP was later remixed for JMT's next LP, Violent by Design (2000), albeit without Chief Kamachi's verse.

The LP was originally titled "Nyugha Reincarnation of the Hologramic Christ"^{[citation needed]}. Vinnie Paz became noticeably more aggressive, abandoning his cosmic, paranoid rhyme style from The Psycho-Social CD for more violent lyrics. The LP also introduced Jus Allah, a founding member of JMT who had left for college but dropped out a short while after. A self-proclaimed five-percenter, Jus was present on every non-AotP track on Violent by Design as JMT's unofficial third member. Most of the lyrics in Violent By Design show Jus and Paz describing exaggerated ways of killing people as well as their metaphorical superhuman powers. Typically, they do this by combining themes of hardcore/gangsta rap with mythological or fantasy imagery.

The list of guest artists on this album was also their longest, including Mr. Lif, Planetary of OuterSpace, Louis Logic, Diamondback, Philip King Rappah,Coffee Gangsta Child L-Fudge, B.A. Barakus, J-Treds, Killa Sha, C-Baz and Tragedy Khadafi, plus a couple of odd phone-call interludes by Mr. Len.

During the course of Violent by Design's 1999–2000 recording period, Paz changed his alias to Vinnie Paz, inspired by the boxer of the same name. The reason for this has been reported to be the result of a short-lived rivalry instigated by fellow Philly underground rapper iCON the Mic King. Vinnie Paz decided to settle on his new moniker in order to prevent any further confusion.^[4] It was also around this time that he formally declared himself to be a follower of Islam, alluding to this fact several times on record.

Visions of Gandhi[link]

In late 2001, JMT was made an offer by Babygrande Records founder Chuck Wilson to sign a deal. Jus Allah's uncertainty caused him to leave the group on good terms. Stoupe and Vinnie Paz closed their homegrown Superegular label and migrated to Babygrande. Before his White Nightmare EP on Virtuoso's "Omnipotent Records" label, Jus was somewhat isolated from the entire Philadelphia underground scene; the two sides wouldn't talk to each other for over three years. Virtuoso was also estranged from JMT and AOTP for his support of Jus, among other reasons.^{[citation needed]}

Mid-2003 saw the release of JMT's third LP, Visions of Gandhi. In an interview, Vinnie Paz said the title was inspired by Foxy Brown's verse in Nas's song "Affirmative Action", and expresses the need for a prominent figure of non-violent social change such as Gandhi in a post-9/11 world.^[5]

Stoupe, now supplied with a professional studio in New York, also expanded his variety of production, incorporating grand orchestral samples and a stronger Latin feel. In response, some longtime fans felt let down by Vinnie Paz's lyricism and delivery, as well as the abundance of slick, upbeat loops adopted by Stoupe^{[citation needed]}. Nevertheless, the album helped expand the group's audience as its popularity and commercial success continued to grow.

Legacy of Blood and Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell[link]

A little over a year later, JMT continued their creative streak with Legacy of Blood, this time intentionally keeping guest artists to a minimum. Carrying with them their lessons from Gandhi, Stoupe and Vinnie tried to strike a balance between the past two albums. Vinnie Paz also added a more personal aspect to his lyrics, most notably in the last song "Before the Great Collapse".

In February, 2005, Babygrande officially announced that Jus Allah had signed on to the label after reconciling with his former partners. Babygrande released his long-awaited debut LP, All Fates Have Changed, in May of that year. However, after a dispute with label CEO Chuck Wilson soon after the album's release, Jus left Babygrande and denied any new association with JMT.

In March, 2006, a reunited Army of the Pharaohs released The Torture Papers LP. The crew now consisted of Vinnie Paz, Chief Kamachi, 7L & Esoteric, Apathy, Celph Titled, Planetary & Crypt the Warchild of Outerspace, King Syze, Faez One, Reef the Lost Cauze, and new Jedi Mind Tricks hype-man Des Devious. This time, however, Virtuoso and Bahamadia were not featured and are no longer associated with the Army.

The fifth Jedi Mind Tricks album, titled Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell, was released on September 19, 2006. The release coincided with the beginning of the album's supportive tour, which kicked off in New York City's Time Square. The album was widely acclaimed, unlike the group's two previous albums, which both received mixed reviews. A large part of the acclaim was due to the album's lyrical and musical diversity, both missing from their previous efforts. The album featured the single "Heavy Metal Kings" with Ill Bill, the Shara Worden-assisted "Razorblade Salvation", and the storytelling track "Uncommon Valor: A Vietnam Story" with R.A. The Rugged Man. A day after the release of the album, Vinnie Paz of Jedi Mind Tricks did an interview with The Breakdown, a show on ItsHipHop.tv where he discussed the album and his thoughts on Jus Allah.

In early 2006, rumors spread that the group had reunited with estranged member Jus Allah, and that he would be featured on Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell, but no collaboration appeared. However, on September 20, 2006 a newly-recorded Jedi Mind Tricks/Jus Allah collaboration, produced by Brods, titled "The Rebuilding" appeared online. Jus is also planning to release his second album, The Colossus, in the summer of 2007. In a January 2007 interview Paz stated that Jus will be featured on the group's upcoming sixth album, titled A History of Violence.^[4] Jus Allah, Doap Nixon and Demoz were added to the AotP roster in 2007, and will contribute verses to the group's second studio album Ritual of Battle, scheduled for release on September 25, 2007. Also, in summer 2008, Jedi Mind Tricks' Label, Babygrande, will be releasing a JMT DVD. "With a 12+ year career under their belt and a continually growing rabid fan base, the history of Jedi Mind Tricks has never been officially documented…until summer 2008, “Divine Fire: The Story of Jedi Mind Tricks DVD,” promises an insightful excursion into the roots of an underground empire." This is from Babygrande's Newsletter.

Reunion with Jus Allah and A History of Violence[link]

In an interview conducted in September 2007 on the Art of Rhyme website, Jus Allah announced that he has rejoined Jedi Mind Tricks.^[6] In the interview he states that "I'm back in the group [and that] I'm focused on... putting out the next Jedi Mind Tricks album... a History of Violence." A History of Violence (album) was released on November 11, 2008. This album would be the last JMT album released on Babygrande Records.

Enemy Soil, Violence Begets Violence, and the departure of Stoupe[link]

After a long time dispute with Babygrande Records, JMT decided to part ways and form their own record label entitled Enemy Soil. Enemy Soil features artists such as JMT, Reef the Lost Cauze, Dutch (the side group of Stoupe The Enemy Of Mankind), and Army of the Pharaohs.

Vinnie Paz released his first solo album Season of the Assassin (album) on June 22, 2010. Jus Allah is in the works of releasing his second solo album entitled MMA (Meanest Man Alive). Stoupe released the album for his group, Dutch, (which features Liz Fullerton on vocals) entitled A Bright Cold Day (album) on June 8, 2010. Army of the Pharaohs released their third album as well entitled The Unholy Terror on March 30, 2010.

It was announced that JMT would be creating a new title called Violence Begets Violence. This album marks the first album without Stoupe behind production. Vinnie Paz stated in a blog on the JMT website that Stoupe has lost the inspiration for Hip-Hop and decided to focus on other things in his career, such as his sidegroups, and that Stoupe would not be producing any of the tracks on the new JMT album. Vinnie Paz stated that there is no conflict between the two and if Stoupe wants to be part of the next album, Paz would welcome him back.^[7] JMT has since gotten numerous producers to fill in the slot and released a new single from the album entitled "Target Practice". The new album was released on October 25, 2011.

Public opinions on piracy[link]

At the same day as Violence Begets Violence was released, a post at the official Jedi Mind Tricks Facebook page addressed copyright infringements and the early leaked album online. An upset Vinnie Paz condemned downloading the leaked copy calling it an act of stealing.^[8]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

EPs/Singles[link]

Compilations[link]

Jus Allah discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Jedi Mind Tricks website
• Official Babygrande website
• Official CrackSpace page

Me One (born Eric Martin on August 19, 1970) is a multi-instrumentalist singer, song-writer and music producer born in Cardiff, Wales.

Educated in London and New York, he is the son of an English teacher (mother) from Kingston and a Pentecostal Church minister (father) from Port Antonio. He holds dual citizenship of both Jamaica and the UK.

His debut album as Me One was released in May 2000 on Universal-Island U.K.^[1] The 12 track release was titled As Far as I'm Concerned^[1] and featured Guru (from Gang Starr) on Do You Know and Michelle Gayle on a cover version of The Beach Boys track In My Room. The latter was released as a single, along with Game Plan and Old Fashioned. ^[2]

Aside from his solo work, Martin has written with (or for) Jeff Beck, Maxi Priest, The Roots, Capleton, Lynden David Hall and The Sugababes.^{[citation needed]}

He formed his own record label, Frenemy Records in 2005.^[3]

In 2011 he signed a recording deal with Glasgow based record label Innovation Music ^[4].

In addition to the Me One project, Eric Martin is known as an original member of Technotronic.

References[link]

This biographical article about a British singer is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Tommy Chong
Tommy Chong in San Diego, 2006
Born	Thomas B. Kin Chong (1938-05-24) May 24, 1938 (age 74) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Occupation	Actor, comedian, musician
Years active	early 1960s–present

Thomas B. Kin "Tommy" Chong^[1] (born May 24, 1938) is a Canadian-American comedian, actor, writer, director, activist, and musician who is well known for his stereotypical portrayals of hippie-era stoners. He is most widely known for his involvement in the marijuana-themed Cheech & Chong comedy movies with Cheech Marin, as well as playing the character Leo on Fox's That '70s Show.

Early life[link]

Chong was born as Thomas B. Kin Chong at University Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.^[2][3] His mother was Lorna Jean (née Gilchrist), a waitress of Scots-Irish and French ancestry,^[4] and his father was Stanley Chong, a Chinese truck driver who emigrated to Canada from Guangdong province, China in the 1920s, where he first lived with his aunt in Vancouver.^[5][6][7] While he was still young, Chong's family moved to Calgary, Alberta to a conservative neighbourhood Chong refers to as the Dog Patch. He says that his father had "been wounded in World War II, and there was a veterans' hospital in Calgary. He bought a five-hundred dollar house in Dog Patch, and raised his family on fifty dollars a week." He later dropped out of Crescent Heights High School in Calgary, Alberta. “I dropped out of Crescent Heights High School when I was 16 but probably just before they were going to throw me out anyway,” Chong laughs as he reminisces about his early years. “I played guitar to make money. I was about 16 when I discovered that music could get you laid, even if you were a scrawny, long-haired, geeky-looking guy like me.”^[3]

Early career[link]

Entertainment[link]

By the early 1960s, Chong was playing guitar for a Calgary soul group called The Shades. The Shades moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, where the band's name changed to "Little Daddy & The Bachelors". They recorded a single, "Too Much Monkey Business" / "Junior's Jerk". Together with bandmember Bobby Taylor, Chong opened a Vancouver nightclub in 1963 called the Blue Balls, formerly the Alma Theatre. They brought in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, which had never been to Vancouver before. Although Little Daddy & The Bachelors built up a small following, things soured when they went with Chong's suggestion and had themselves billed as "Four Niggers and a Chink".^[8] (or, bowing to pressure, "Four N's and a C") before taking on the moniker Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers.^[8]

In 1965, the Vancouvers signed with Gordy Records (a subsidiary of Detroit, Michigan's Motown Records) and recorded its debut album, an eponymous release, and their debut single, the Tommy Chong co-composition "Does Your Mama Know About Me," peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[8] While on tour in Chicago for a short time, the band followed opening act The Jackson 5. Chong later referred to the young Michael Jackson as a "cute little guy".^[9] After the band released two further singles, Tommy Chong and Wes Henderson were fired by Clark and Motown producer Johnny Bristol for missing a gig to apply for Green cards.^[10] The group broke up shortly afterwards, when Chong attempted to have the Vancouvers' contract halved, so that he, Taylor, and Henderson would constitute the group, while other members would simply be regarded as sidemen and session artists.

Cheech & Chong[link]

This section requires expansion.

Tommy Chong directed four of their films, while co-writing and starring in all seven with Cheech Marin.

Later career[link]

Chong speaking in San Francisco in 2008.

Cheech & Chong, while a very successful comedy act, experienced creative differences and split in 1985. This was devastating to Chong. To him, Cheech Marin was "closer than a wife. The only thing we didn't do was have sex." Of their split, he says, "It was like a death in the family. I don't know if I'll ever get over it".^{[citation needed]} Chong was a recurring character and later a regular character as the hippie "Leo" during the second, third, fourth, seventh, and eighth seasons of That '70s Show. He also played a role as a hippie in Dharma and Greg.

In a 2001 episode of That '70s Show, "Canadian Road Trip", Chong gave tribute to his home country by joining in a spirited rendition of O Canada along with the teenage cast and two Canadian border patrol guards (Joe Flaherty and Dave Thomas).

Chong was originally going to voice the character of Shenzi the hyena in the Disney film The Lion King, which would have had him performing once more with Cheech Marin, who voiced Banzai. (The Shenzi character was later changed to be female, and voiced instead by Whoopi Goldberg.)

In September 2005 a/k/a Tommy Chong premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. The documentary, produced, written and directed by Josh Gilbert, chronicles Chong's comedic and personal history, and his prosecution by the Justice Department. The project features interviews with Cheech Marin, Bill Maher, George Thorogood, Peter Coyote, Lou Adler, Eric Schlosser and Jay Leno.

In 2011 he appeared in an ironic role as a Judge in an episode of Franklin & Bash, who took an extremely strict position on a marijuana holder.

Personal life[link]

Chong was married to his first wife, Maxine Sneed, from 1960 until their divorce in 1970, with whom he had two daughters, Robbi and Rae Dawn. He married his second wife Shelby Fiddis in 1975. He has three children with her, sons Paris and Gilbran, and a daughter, Precious Chong. He is also the adoptive father of actor Marcus Chong.

Robbi, Rae Dawn, Marcus and Precious have pursued careers in acting. In the late 1980s, Chong became a naturalized citizen of the United States.

Chong is a marijuana activist and is a supporter of marijuana legalization and medical use of marijuana.^[5] He is a regular contributor to Cannabis Culture Magazine and sits on the NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) advisory board. Politically, Chong even belonged to the Libertarian Party for a time.

Legal troubles[link]

[edit] US vs. Chong

In 2003, Chong was targeted by two American investigations code-named Operation Pipe Dreams and Operation Headhunter, which sought out businesses selling drug paraphernalia, mostly bongs. Operation Pipe Dream was run from Pittsburgh. US Attorney for Western Pennsylvania, Mary Beth Buchanan oversaw the case. The estimated cost of Operation Pipe Dream was over $12 million and included the resources of 2,000 law enforcement officers.^[11]

Chong was charged for his part in financing and promoting Chong Glass/Nice Dreams, a company started by his son Paris. Chong’s case never went to trial; instead Chong accepted a plea agreement with the United States Attorney for Western Pennsylvania's Office in which he admitted to distributing 7,500 bongs and water pipes on the Internet through Nice Dreams, a family company that was named for one of his movies. Chong agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute drug paraphernalia in exchange for non-prosecution of his wife, Shelby, and his son, Paris. Chong fully cooperated with the government and was the first of the Operation Pipe Dreams defendants to plead guilty.^[11]

At Chong’s sentencing, Assistant U.S. Attorney for Western Pennsylvania, Mary McKeen Houghton stated in her sentencing arguments that Tommy Chong "used his public image to promote this crime" and marketed his products to children.^[12] U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan also was present at the sentencing in Pittsburgh and released a statement to the press stating, "there are consequences for violating the law, even if the violator is a well-known entertainer like Thomas Chong."^[11]

While Chong argued for community service and home detention at his sentencing, the district judge, Arthur J. Schwab, denied his requests and sentenced him to 9 months in federal prison, a fine of $20,000, forfeiture of $103,514, and the loss of all merchandise seized during the raid of his business.^[12] Chong served his sentence at the Taft Correctional Institution from October 8, 2003 to July 7, 2004.

The entire episode was chronicled in a/k/a Tommy Chong, the 2006, award-winning documentary by Josh Gilbert. The documentary premiered theatrically at the New York Film Forum in New York City, in 2006.

Controversy[link]

While government officials denied that Chong was treated any differently from the other defendants, many felt that he was made an example of by the government. The San Francisco Chronicle reported Chong's publicist Brandie Knight as saying the Chong family was shocked by the raid. "We've done everything the right way, and the government is saying there is no right way," Knight said. Soon afterwards, civil rights advocates started the Free Tommy Chong! movement that called for his release. The controversy over Chong’s prosecution centered on the rationale behind focusing on Tommy as opposed to his son, Paris, the disparity in sentences that Tommy Chong received compared to other defendants, and the tactics that the DEA used in carrying out the investigation.^[11]

Paris, Tommy’s son, had started Nice Dreams in 1999. At the time of the allegations in the indictment, Paris was the CEO of the company that was the center of the investigation. Paris was never charged with a crime in relation to the investigation. When asked why the government had focused on Tommy as opposed to the company’s CEO, Paris, US Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan responded that “Tommy Chong was the more responsible corporate officer because he financed and marketed the product.”^[11]

Of the 55 people targeted in the investigation, Chong was the only one without previous convictions who received jail time.^[11] When questioned on the disparity between sentences/fines that the other 54 individuals received compared to Chong, US Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan stated, "He (Tommy Chong) wasn't the biggest supplier. He was a relatively new player, but he had the ability to market products like no other."^[13]

In investigating the operations of Nice Dreams, federal agents posed as head-shop owners from Pittsburgh’s suburban Beaver County and pled with Paris to sell them his pipes through the mail to a fictitious shop in suburban Beaver Falls. Paris had set in place a company prohibition against selling to Pittsburgh or anywhere in Western Pennsylvania.^[11] The prohibition was put in place in response to the successful federal prosecution of Akhil Kumar Mishra and his wife, Rajeshwari, whose two head shops sold drug paraphernalia in the city’s downtown.^[11] To date, it is unclear how the prohibition was broken and there exist differing accounts as to who broke the company policy which resulted in the action that brought about the ability of the US Attorney to argue that jurisdiction for the crime rests in Pittsburgh opposed to California, the base of operations for Nice Dreams.^[11] Tommy Chong has stated publicly that it was a Federal Agent posing as an employee of his son's company who accepted and processed the order that resulted in the prosecution.

Aftermath[link]

Since his release, Chong has been an avid critic of the case that has been brought against him. In December 2004, Chong was to appear in an off-Broadway show entitled The Marijuana-Logues, a parody of Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues. His legal concerns, including members of the audiences smoking marijuana, ultimately caused him to cancel the show.^[14] In 2006, Chong wrote a book about his experiences in jail and his interest in meditation, called The I Chong: Meditations from the Joint (ISBN 1-4169-1554-0).

In 2010, Chong appeared at a Democratic Party fundraiser in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where the United States Attorney who prosecuted him, Mary Beth Buchanan, was running for the United States House of Representatives as a Republican.^[15]

Seizure of a/k/a Tommy Chong DVDs[link]

On May 7, 2008, federal agents raided Spectrum Labs in an investigation related to Spectrum Labs’ "detoxification" products. The raid, one of nine during the day, was part of Operation True Test, an investigation being led by the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Mary Beth Buchanan. The investigation targeted companies that sell so-called "masking products" that are supposed to help drug-users pass employer drug tests. There is, however, no federal law barring such products; they are regulated on a state-by-state basis. Of the nine search warrants issued, none were for businesses within Buchanan's district.^[16]

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, in executing their search warrant, the federal agents seized 8,000-10,000 copies of the yet-to-be released documentary, a/k/a Tommy Chong.^[17] It has yet to be determined why the DVDs were seized during the raid. Furthermore, Chong has stated he has not been charged with any crime. In a statement released to the press, Chong stated "[The seizure of the DVDs is] a way to punish the distributor financially. There's no way to get the DVDs back until the investigation is over." Chong also stated that he has no ownership of the film, a/k/a Tommy Chong.

In retraction of its original story, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette stated, "8,000 to 10,000 copies of a Tommy Chong documentary were not seized in the raid. Instead, an "undisclosed number of DVD was taken". The government is not required to disclose why the DVDs were taken as the raid was part of "an ongoing investigation". This story as originally published May 11, 2008 was amended."^[16]

Reuniting with Cheech[link]

Tommy Chong in Toronto, 2008

Chong has appeared with his long-time comedy partner, Cheech Marin, in a South Park episode called Cherokee Hair Tampons, where they played fictional versions of themselves pretending to be Cherokee herbalists. In mid-2008, Cheech & Chong reunited and started touring. The tour is called "Light Up America and Canada" and "The Felimony Tour," which references the expenses both have recently incurred – Chong's losses related to his conviction for his involvement in his son's water pipe business, and Cheech's recent divorce and subsequent alimony payments. In October 2008, they appeared on The Opie and Anthony Show, The Howard Stern Show and The Ron and Fez Show on SIRIUS/XM Satellite Radio. On March 1, 2010, they hosted WWE Raw in Oklahoma City.

Filmography[link]

TV Series[link]

• PLAYBOY Comedy Roast for Tommy Chong (1986)
• Miami Vice (1986) - T.R. 'Jumbo' Collins
• The George Carlin Show (1994) - Unknown
• Nash Bridges (1997) - Barry Chen
• Sliders (1997) - Van Elsinger
• That 70s Show (1999–2002), (2005–2006) - Leo
• Dharma & Greg (1999) - Carl
• South Park (2000) - Chief Running Pinto
• George Lopez (2007) - Mr. Gutierez
• Code Monkeys (2008) - Laird Boone
• Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld (Fox News Channel) - Himself
• MADtv (2009) - Himself
• Tosh.0 (2009) - Himself
• WWE Raw (2010) - Himself (Guest Host)
• The Simpsons (2011) - Himself
• Franklin and Bash (2011) - Judge Tommy Harper

Voices[link]

• FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992) - Root
• Scarface: The World Is Yours (2006) - pedestrian
• Code Monkeys (2008) - Laird Boony
• Hoodwinked 2: Hood vs. Evil (2011) - Stone
• Cheech & Chong's Animated Movie (2012)

Movies[link]

• Up in Smoke (1978)... Anthony 'Man' Stoner
• Cheech & Chong's Next Movie (1980)... Chong
• Nice Dreams (1981)... Chong
• It Came from Hollywood (1982)... Himself
• Things Are Tough All Over (1982)... Chong/Prince Habib
• Still Smokin' (1983)... Chong
• Yellowbeard (1983)... El Nebuloso
• Cheech & Chong's The Corsican Brothers (1984)... Corsican Brother
• Get Out of My Room (1985)... The Man
• After Hours (1985)... Pepe (as Chong)
• Tripwire (1990)... Merle Shine
• Far Out Man (1990)... Far Out Man
• The Spirit of '76 (1990)... Stoner
• Life After Sex (1992)... awkward naked guy
• FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992)... Root
• National Lampoon's Senior Trip (1995)... Red
• McHale's Navy (1997)... Armando/Ernesto
• Half Baked (1998)... Squirrel Master
• The Wash (2001)... Dee's Connection
• Best Buds (2003)... Tommy Chong/Carlos
• Secret Agent 420 (2005)... QP
• Evil Bong (2006)... Jimbo Leary
• American Drug War: The Last White Hope (2007)... Himself
• The Union: The Business Behind Getting High (2007)... Himself
• Chinaman's Chance (2008)... Deputy Tom
• a/k/a Tommy Chong (2008 DVD Release)... Himself
• Cheech & Chong's Hey Watch This (Documentary film about their 2008–09 reunion tour) (2010)... Himself
• Up in Smoke 2 (TBA)... Anthony 'Man' Stoner

References[link]

External links[link]

• Tommy Chong at the Internet Movie Database
• Chong's Bongs Gone Wrong A Newsweek article by Brian Braiker about Tommy Chong's various legal problems
• HoboTrashcan's One on One with Tommy Chong An in-depth interview about politics, Cheech and Chong and Tommy's wife and kids
• An Interview With Tommy Chong A Stumped? magazine article by Zach Freeman
• Video interview with Tommy Chong on 'Connected Life'
• Donald E. Wilkes, Jr., "Pot Pope Imprisoned." Published in Flagpole Magazine, p. 31 (December 20, 2006).