Prostate
Male Anatomy
Prostate with seminal vesicles and seminal ducts, viewed from in front and above.
Latin	prostata
Gray's	subject #263 1251
Artery	internal pudendal artery, inferior vesical artery, and middle rectal artery
Vein	prostatic venous plexus, pudendal plexus, vesicle plexus, internal iliac vein
Nerve	inferior hypogastric plexus
Lymph	external iliac lymph nodes, internal iliac lymph nodes, sacral lymph nodes
Precursor	Endodermic evaginations of the urethra
MeSH	Prostate
Dorlands/Elsevier	Prostate

The prostate (from Greek προστάτης - prostates, literally "one who stands before", "protector", "guardian"^[1]) is a compound tubuloalveolar exocrine gland of the male reproductive system in most mammals.^[2][3]

In 2002, female paraurethral glands, or Skene's glands, were officially renamed the female prostate by the Federative International Committee on Anatomical Terminology.^[4]

The prostate differs considerably among species anatomically, chemically, and physiologically.

Function[link]

The function of the prostate is to secrete a slightly acidic fluid, milky or white in appearance,^[5] that usually constitutes 20–30% of the volume of the semen along with spermatozoa and seminal vesicle fluid^[6]. Semen is made alkaline overall with the secretions from the other contributing glands, including, at least, the seminal vesicle fluid . The alkalinity of semen helps neutralize the acidity of the vaginal tract, prolonging the lifespan of sperm. The alkalinization of semen is primarily accomplished through secretion from the seminal vesicles.^[7] The prostatic fluid is expelled in the first ejaculate fractions, together with most of the spermatozoa. In comparison with the few spermatozoa expelled together with mainly seminal vesicular fluid, those expelled in prostatic fluid have better motility, longer survival and better protection of the genetic material (DNA).

The prostate also contains some smooth muscles that help expel semen during ejaculation.

Secretions[link]

Prostatic secretions vary among species. They are generally composed of simple sugars and are often slightly acidic.

In human prostatic secretions, the protein content is less than 1% and includes proteolytic enzymes, prostatic acid phosphatase, beta-microseminoprotein, and prostate-specific antigen. The secretions also contain zinc with a concentration 500–1,000 times the concentration in blood.

Regulation[link]

To work properly, the prostate needs male hormones (testosterones), which are responsible for male sex characteristics.

The main male hormone is testosterone, which is produced mainly by the testicles. Some male hormones are produced in small amounts by the adrenal glands. However, it is dihydrotestosterone that regulates the prostate.

Development[link]

The prostatic part of the urethra develops from the pelvic (middle) part of the urogenital sinus (endodermal origin). Endodermal outgrowths arise from the prostatic part of the urethra and grow into the surrounding mesenchyme. The glandular epithelium of the prostate differentiates from these endodermal cells, and the associated mesenchyme differentiates into the dense stroma and the smooth muscle of the prostate.^[8] The prostate glands represent the modified wall of the proximal portion of the male urethra and arises by the 9th week of embryonic life in the development of the reproductive system. Condensation of mesenchyme, urethra and Wolffian ducts gives rise to the adult prostate gland, a composite organ made up of several glandular and non-glandular components tightly fused.

Female prostate gland[link]

The Skene's gland, also known as the paraurethral gland, found in females, is homologous to the prostate gland in males. However, anatomically, the uterus is in the same position as the prostate gland. In 2002 the Skene's gland was officially renamed to female prostate by the Federative International Committee on Anatomical Terminology.^[9]

The female prostate, like the male prostate, secretes PSA and levels of this antigen rise in the presence of carcinoma of the gland. The gland also expels fluid, like the male prostate, during orgasm.^[10]

Structure[link]

Micrograph of benign prostatic glands with corpora amylacea. H&E stain.

Urinary bladder (black butterfly-like shape) and hyperplastic prostate (BPH) visualized by Medical ultrasonography technique

A healthy human prostate is classically said to be slightly larger than a walnut. The mean weight of the "normal" prostate in adult males is about 11 grams, usually ranging between 7 and 16 grams.^[11] It surrounds the urethra just below the urinary bladder and can be felt during a rectal exam. It is the only exocrine organ located in the midline in humans and similar animals.

The secretory epithelium is mainly pseudostratified, comprising tall columnar cells and basal cells which are supported by a fibroelastic stroma containing randomly orientated smooth muscle bundles. The epithelium is highly variable and areas of low cuboidal or squamous epithelium are also present, with transitional epithelium in the distal regions of the longer ducts.^[12] Within the prostate, the urethra coming from the bladder is called the prostatic urethra and merges with the two ejaculatory ducts.

The prostate does not have a capsule, rather an integral fibromuscular band surrounds it.^[13] It is sheathed in the muscles of the pelvic floor, which contract during the ejaculatory process.

The prostate can be divided in two ways: by zone, or by lobe.^[14]

Zones[link]

The "zone" classification is more often used in pathology. The idea of "zones" was first proposed by McNeal in 1968. McNeal found that the relatively homogeneous cut surface of an adult prostate in no way resembled "lobes" and thus led to the description of "zones."^[15]

The prostate gland has four distinct glandular regions, two of which arise from different segments of the prostatic urethra:

Lobes[link]

Prostate with a large median lobe bulging upwards. A metal instrument is placed in the urethra which passes through the prostate. This specimen was almost 7 centimeters long with a volume of about 60 cubic centimetres on transrectal ultrasound and was removed during a Hryntschak procedure or transvesical prostatectomy (removal of the prostate through the bladder) for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

The "lobe" classification is more often used in anatomy.

Prostate disorders[link]

Prostatitis[link]

Micrograph showing an inflamed prostate gland, the histologic correlate of prostatitis. A normal non-inflamed prostatic gland is seen on the left of the image. H&E stain.

Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland. There are primarily four different forms of prostatitis, each with different causes and outcomes. Two relatively uncommon forms, acute prostatitis and chronic bacterial prostatitis, are treated with antibiotics (category I and II, respectively). Chronic non-bacterial prostatitis or male chronic pelvic pain syndrome (category III), which comprises about 95% of prostatitis diagnoses, is treated by a large variety of modalities including alpha blockers, phytotherapy, physical therapy, psychotherapy, antihistamines, anxiolytics, nerve modulators, surgery,^[19] and more.^[20] More recently, a combination of trigger point and psychological therapy has proved effective for category III prostatitis as well.^[21] Category IV prostatitis, relatively uncommon in the general population, is a type of leukocytosis.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia[link]

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) occurs in older men;^[22] the prostate often enlarges to the point where urination becomes difficult. Symptoms include needing to urinate often (frequency) or taking a while to get started (hesitancy). If the prostate grows too large, it may constrict the urethra and impede the flow of urine, making urination difficult and painful and, in extreme cases, completely impossible.

BPH can be treated with medication, a minimally invasive procedure or, in extreme cases, surgery that removes the prostate. Minimally invasive procedures include transurethral needle ablation of the prostate (TUNA) and transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT).^[23] These outpatient procedures may be followed by the insertion of a temporary prostatic stent, to allow normal voluntary urination, without exacerbating irritative symptoms.^[24]

The surgery most often used in such cases is called transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP or TUR). In TURP, an instrument is inserted through the urethra to remove prostate tissue that is pressing against the upper part of the urethra and restricting the flow of urine. TURP results in the removal of mostly transitional zone tissue in a patient with BPH. Older men often have corpora amylacea^[25] (amyloid), dense accumulations of calcified proteinaceous material, in the ducts of their prostates. The corpora amylacea may obstruct the lumens of the prostatic ducts, and may underlie some cases of BPH.

Urinary frequency due to bladder spasm, common in older men, may be confused with prostatic hyperplasia. Statistical observations suggest that a diet low in fat and red meat and high in protein and vegetables, as well as regular alcohol consumption, could protect against BPH.^[26]

Prostate cancer[link]

Micrograph showing normal prostatic glands and glands of prostate cancer (prostate adenocarcinoma) - right upper aspect of image. HPS stain. Prostate biopsy.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting older men in developed countries and a significant cause of death for elderly men (estimated by some specialists at 3%). Despite this, the American Cancer Society's position regarding early detection is "Research has not yet proven that the potential benefits of testing outweigh the harms of testing and treatment. The American Cancer Society believes that men should not be tested without learning about what we know and don’t know about the risks and possible benefits of testing and treatment. Starting at age 50, (45 if African American or brother or father suffered from condition before age 65) talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of testing so you can decide if testing is the right choice for you."^[27]

If checks are performed, they can be in the form of a physical rectal exam, measurement of prostate specific antigen (PSA) level in the blood, or checking for the presence of the protein Engrailed-2 (EN2) in the urine.

Co-researchers Hardev Pandha and Richard Morgan published their findings regarding checking for EN2 in urine in the 1 March 2011 issue of the journal Clinical Cancer Research.^[28] A laboratory test currently identifies EN2 in urine, and a home test kit is envisioned similar to a home pregnancy test strip. According to Morgan, "We are preparing several large studies in the UK and in the US and although the EN2 test is not yet available, several companies have expressed interest in taking it forward." ^[29]

Male sexual response[link]

During male ejaculation, sperm is transmitted from the ductus deferens into the male urethra via the ejaculatory ducts, which lie within the prostate gland.

Vasectomy and risk of prostate cancer[link]

In 1983, the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed a connection between vasectomy and an increased risk of prostate cancer. Reported studies of 48,000 and 29,000 men who had vasectomies showed 66 percent and 56 percent higher rates of prostate cancer, respectively. The risk increased with age and the number of years since the vasectomy was performed.

However, in March of the same year, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development held a conference cosponsored by the National Cancer Institute and others to review the available data and information on the link between prostate cancer and vasectomies. It was determined that an association between the two was very weak at best, and even if having a vasectomy increased one's risk, the risk was relatively small.

In 1997, the NCI held a conference with the prostate cancer Progressive Review Group (a committee of scientists, medical personnel, and others). Their final report, published in 1998 stated that evidence that vasectomies help to develop prostate cancer was weak at best.^[30]

Unclogging a prostate[link]

A surgeon can unclog a blocked prostate by inserting an artificial 'tube' called a stent. Stents can be temporary or permanent. They are inserted into the urethra. This is mostly done on an outpatient basis under local or spinal anesthesia and takes about 30 minutes.

Additional images[link]

Urinary bladder   Structure of the penis   Lobes of prostate   Zones of prostate   Prostate   Microscopic glands of the prostate   Male Anatomy   The deeper branches of the internal pudendal artery.   Lymphatics of the prostate.   Fundus of the bladder with the vesiculæ seminales.   Vesiculae seminales and ampullae of ductus deferentes, front view.   Vertical section of bladder, penis, and urethra.

See also[link]

	Book: Prostate
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

• Skene's gland
• Prostate massage
• Corpora amylacea

Glossary

References[link]

Sources[link]

The text of this article was originally taken from NIH Publication No. 02-4806, a public domain resource.^[31]

Notes[link]

External links[link]

• "What I need to know about prostate problems" by the US National Institutes of Health.

This article's references may not meet Wikipedia's guidelines for reliable sources. Please help by checking whether the references meet the criteria for reliable sources. (December 2011)

Karl Pilkington
Pilkington in 2008
Born	(1972-09-23) 23 September 1972 (age 39) Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, UK
Occupation	Television personality, actor, former Radio producer, podcast presenter, author, broadcaster
Partner	Suzanne Whiston

Karl Pilkington (born 23 September 1972) is an English television personality, actor, author, former radio producer. He gained prominence as the producer of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's radio program on XFM. He appeared on The Ricky Gervais Show, presented the Sky travel series An Idiot Abroad,^[1] and made his acting debut on Gervais' 2012 comedy-drama series Derek.

Early life and education[link]

Karl Pilkington was born and grew up in Trafford, Greater Manchester. He was educated at Ashton-on-Mersey School, receiving just one GCSE, an "E" in History.^[2][3] Pilkington only became aware of his GCSE results after Gervais and Merchant contacted the school after a conversation during their XFM show. Pilkington was surprised and upset at his results as he recalled sitting through several other GCSE exams, as well as sending in a "little clay man" for Art. A failure to register for the exams was offered as an explanation by Gervais and Merchant for his lack of other grades.^[4]

Career[link]

Early work[link]

Pilkington relocated to London to work with XFM as a producer and after several years he began work on The Ricky Gervais Show, broadcast on Saturday afternoons. Initially Pilkington was solely the program's producer. However, as Gervais and Merchant began to invite him to make the odd comment, Pilkington's persona came to light and his popularity increased. Pilkington was eventually included as a main element of the broadcasts, with large amounts of airtime often given over to his thoughts on various subjects, or various childhood stories. In December 2005, Pilkington stood in for two BBC 6 Music shows for Nemone, and co-presented the shows with Russell Brand.

Celebrity[link]

Pilkington's presence on The Ricky Gervais Show podcasts significantly increased his popularity. He has often been mentioned in interviews given by Gervais, and is often the butt of Gervais' practical jokes. After saying "I could eat a knob at night" on the podcast (in relation to I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! contestants eating a kangaroo penis), Gervais encouraged his listeners to sample the sound bite and mix it into dance songs for night clubs. The phrase spawned several dance music mixes, T-shirts and merchandise. Many of Pilkington's quotes have since gained publicity, particularly on the Internet. Reuters, commenting on this issue, described Pilkington as a "phenomenon" who had made "Internet history".^[5]

On 23 November 2010, while appearing live on Richard Bacon's Radio 5 Live afternoon show, Gervais surprised Pilkington with an on-air phone call. This led to a conversation where Pilkington, who claimed to have been interrupted while grouting his kitchen, said he had not yet been paid for his work on An Idiot Abroad and concluded the interview with an off-the-cuff link into the hourly news.^[6] Pilkington has worked independently of Gervais and Merchant on a number of projects. He appeared as a guest on the shows Flipside TV and The Culture Show,^[7] and appeared in several short films as part of the Channel 4 initiative "3 Minute Wonders".

Merchant and Gervais themselves have repeatedly denied claims that Pilkington's comic persona is their creation. In an on-air response to similar claims made by Chris Campling during a broadcast on XFM, Merchant stated that he would be "ashamed" if the radio show were scripted, adding, "If we had created Karl, I would not have squandered a character that good on this poxy radio station".^[8] Gervais concurred, pointing out that writing a single series' worth of half-hour episodes of shows such as The Office and Extras took the two up to a year. An interviewer for The Daily Telegraph concluded that Pilkington's persona is genuine.^[9]

Television and DVD[link]

In September 2010, Pilkington featured in a television series produced by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant called An Idiot Abroad on Sky1.^[10][11] The series documented a global adventure by Pilkington instigated by Gervais and Merchant in order to take Pilkington out of his comfort zone.^[12] The series consists of eight 45-minute episodes tracking Pilkington as he negotiates the Wonders of the World in an attempt to broaden his horizons. The series is accompanied by a book published by Canongate and co-written by Gervais and Merchant.^[13]

Series 2 of An Idiot Abroad debuted on 23 September 2011 on Sky1. The series involved Pilkington trying cross items off a list of ultimate things to do before you die.^[14] In June 2011, Pilkington won The Best Presenter Award for An Idiot Abroad at the Factual Entertainment Awards.^[15]

Pilkington appears in a twenty-minute interview on Gervais' live stand-up comedy DVD, Politics. The DVD of Gervais's film The Invention of Lying contains a short film called Meet Karl Pilkington, entirely devoted to documenting Pilkington's humiliating non-speaking caveman role in the DVD extra feature The Dawn of Lying. He was also invited to be an extra on the final episode of Extras. Pilkington has also performed voice-over work for such clients as One Stop Office Shop, FreeView, Vodafone, HMV, Sony PSP, W H Smith, Wickes, and Unilever. Pilkington made his acting debut on 12 April 2012 in the Channel 4 comedy-drama Derek, portraying caretaker and bus driver Dougie.^[16]

Filmography[link]

Television[link]

Film[link]

Audio[link]

Bibliography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Karl Pilkington

• Official website
• Karl Pilkington's Profile on Xfm.co.uk
• Karl Pilkington's An Idiot Abroad
• Pilkipedia, the only online encyclopaedia and community based around Karl Pilkington, Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais.

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).

Rick Simpson is an American set decorator. He won an Academy Award and was nominated for another in the category Best Art Direction.^[1]