Do you think that society's attitude toward pot is very different now than it was during the Cheech and Chong era?
Well, America got hijacked by the Bush administration. What happened over the last say eight years is America got complacent and lazy with Clinton. Clinton had everything going for him, the economy. And although we were being attacked by terrorists around the world, Clinton was responding properly and he wasn't overreacting.

When the Bush administration hijacked the election, in other words, they really stole the election in Florida through the Supreme Court. And John Roberts, by the way, was sent by the administration to brief everybody on how to present the case to the Supreme Court because he had been a clerk for Chief Justice Rehnquist. It turned out that Florida had voted more votes for Gore than Bush, Gore really should have been the president, but the Republican party hijacked the presidency and then they hijacked it again with the second election. And as a result, America's been thrown into this criminal case, where these criminals run rampant – the Blackwater people, the privatization of everything including prisons. The Republicans just went absolutely crazy with greed.

And what happens in this world, especially this universe is the universe is perfect and there's such a thing called karma. For every action, there's a reaction. For every evil deed, there's a price to pay and we're watching that come about now because there's nothing to do but sit back and watch.

The world now, everybody is getting so enlightened. Like in the past eight years, just the Internet, cell phones and all this technology that's come up, it's forced the administration to come clean because if they lie, they get caught right away. And so, we're watching a very interesting phenomenon right now.

The people really have taken over the government, in as much as YouTube, MySpace and the computer world. And this next election is going to be a revelation because again, everybody's soul is bared. You can't hide anymore. Bush and the boys can't hide. And they'll take their billions or trillions and go quietly into the sunset and they'll be in court for the rest of their lives after that. It's going to be fun.

With all of this information circulating now, why don't you think we haven't seen protests like there were during the 60s and 70s?
No, no, when I got busted, you see, they wanted protests. The administration, they're geared for protests. In fact, they want protests so they can put their [riot control personnel] in there to make it look even worse, like they did in the ‘68 protest. That was the worst thing that happened. If you remember the ‘68 elected Nixon. So it's the worst possible scenario for freedom and for people.

No, our approach is the proper one. And it's funny because they forced us into this approach. That's why marijuana or pot is so important to our culture because it forces us to sit back and do nothing and that's what you have to do with this world. You acknowledge the creator when you sit back and admire his work rather than to jump in and try to fuck it up. You can't fix the universe. You can only fix your own attitude toward the universe.

We realize it either accidentally or on purpose – pot is a peaceful, mellowing agent that's useful for MS because the problem see with MS and Parkinson's disease is that there's too much stimulation going on in the body. That adrenaline – there's too much of it in the body of the people who have this stuff, like Michael J. Fox. So, when you smoke pot, it lowers the dopamine levels and it lowers the excitement levels and that's what the American people really, really need, especially the Republicans, you know?

The other thing I would do if I was elected president, I would put schools all over the country showing people how to smoke pot because so many people don't know how to smoke pot.

Changing gears a bit, what comedians impress you? Who would you pay money to see?
Jim Carrey, probably to me, is one of the few guys who will make me laugh until I cry. Steve Martin is also in that category. When Steve is being funny, there is no one funnier than Steve.

I would pay money – you mean the local guys that are out there? I don't know their names because I'm on the road the same time they are. So I hear a lot of good things about them. Chris Rock, David Chappelle. All those guys, they impress me. There's so many. I like every comic, to tell you the truth. Because, it's an honest way to make a living.

What does it take to be a successful stand-up comedian? And what words of advice would you have for someone thinking of giving it a shot?
It's like being a movie actor or being a racecar driver. If you're going to do it, nothing can stop you. But if you're not going to make it, nothing can help you. So, a lot of people have tried it, but they've fallen because it's not them. If it's you, you're going to do it regardless. You don't listen to anybody and that's the way it is.

The reason I did it is because I found out that I'm not that good of a guitar player because I wasn't interested enough to really learn and go through all the stuff that guitar players have to go through. But comedy was so instant – when you get that laugh on stage, there's a power surge that goes through you that's unequal to anything. And when you die on stage, it's the same thing. It's a very honest way to make a living.

But my advice to anybody is don't rush it. Just take your time. No matter how good you are, and this is, a lot of comics will tell you this; you can't call yourself a comedian until you've been doing it on the road for at least 10 years. So it's time and energy, that's what it takes.

What do you think you would have ended up doing for a living if you never got into comedy?
Oh, probably working at Starbucks. (Laughs.) I have no education. I'm telling you. I dropped out of high school, I tried to get my high school diploma in jail and I failed algebra. I'm not very good in that area. And I'm not a good business man. I can sweep floors; I'm really good at that. That's what I did when I was in jail. So if I wasn't a comic, I'd probably be sweeping floors somewhere right now.

How often do you get recognized in public and how do these encounters with fans go?
Very sweet encounters. I'm approachable. First of all, the character I played Leo, he's very approachable. I've never really been "the star," you know – Steve Martin, Jim Carrey, so I've never had that burden of being the star. I've always been a half of a team – Cheech and Chong, Tommy and Shelby, City Works. I was always a member of a group.

And in that way, when they recognize you, that means that they sincerely see you for who you are and I love my encounters. And I get recognized probably every day.

Have you ever wished that you were the star?
No. I've always been the guy – I'm a director. I'm writing a book now about the Cheech and Chong story and I've realized that my natural thing would be to direct, I'm a pretty good director of Cheech and Chong, for sure, and I used to direct the band, when I had a band I was kind of the director. But I would take suggestion from everybody, I wasn't a megalomaniac.

I'm like the guy on a basketball team that was like fourth string who became a coach because he sat on the bench throughout his whole career and he figured out the game from the bench. Pat Riley of the Lakers was like that. He was never a star but he was a good coach because he sat and watched the game, learned the game from watching it.

Do you see yourself doing more directing in the future?
Yeah, I write and direct my wife now. I'm watching her come up. She's passed the 10-year mark and she's really funny now. And it's so exciting because I can write her things now that she will understand, you know? So I'm still directing, still writing and still having a good time.

Tell us something most people don't know about you.
I think most people think I smoke more dope than I do.

How often do you do it?
Maybe once or twice a week. And that's on a good week. I've gone years without pot. I'm not a pothead. I think that's a big misconception because of the movies. I'll go work out in a gym sooner than I'll go smoke pot. That's more important to me than smoking pot.

Interviewed by Joel Murphy, December 2007.