The Tommy Chong Roast (1989)

Instant Favorite.

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

A roast is where you make fun of the person being roasted. This is a bunch of comics getting up and doing their comedy club routine. Sure, there are a few jabs at Chong, but they aren't even funny. He should have gone on Howard Stern and got a proper roast.The little act by Bill Saluga is terrible, the guy comes out and does his ancient "you can call me Cheech, you can call me Chong..." blah blah blah which goes on too long and slowly dies and is pushed offstage.I think the reason this sucks so much is Hugh Hefner "produced" it. Leave the roasts to the professionals, Mr. Hefner. Let the Friar's do it next time. I mean, it is more of a Playboy thing, with a giant bunny logo right behind the podium (instead of a picture or caricature of Chong, for example).You can usually download this from a Peer-2-Peer site, don't bother buying it. I saw it on VHS, don't think they would bother releasing it on DVD.

I watched this earlier today and I had a hard time getting through it. First of all, Cheech Marin doesn't even make an appearance. They have some hack come out and do a bad impersonation of him halfway through the show.Surprisingly, Marsha Warfield (Roz from Night Court) was the highlight of the "roast". She addresses Tommy, and actually bases jokes around him and the stoner culture he helped create. Her delivery is raw and honest, and I wonder why she failed to have had more success as a comedienne.Jerry Seinfeld gets up and delivers a short off-topic stand up routine about movie theaters and obscure references that have nothing to do with Tommy Chong. Most of the other comics don't seem to have any clue about Cheech and Chong either. Some joke about just doing the roast for the money, and you soon realize they aren't joking. They just want their 10 minutes to spit out their bits and get airtime.I'm going to watch the more recent "Cheech & Chong Roasted" produced by TBS late last year in a hope to have some laughs. I say "hope" because it is hosted by Brad Garrett.

This roast is notable for three reasons. The first is the incredible number of drug references. Tommy Chong actually pretends to snort coke on the table while someone is speaking. At least I hope that he is pretending. Totally tasteless.Second is a very early appearance by Jerry Seinfield. He's not that good and out of his element, but it's nice to see him trying, anyway.Last, and most important, is a typically insane appearance by Dick Shawn, one of his last. It is the greatest non-stand up stand up I have ever seen. He doesn't tell a single joke and yet he wipes everyone else out. The man was pure genius and his part makes searching this out worth it.