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Part 7: Cheech Marin on Cheech & Chong Breaking Up, 'Born In East LA' Song, Movie Blowing Up
Part 5: Cheech Marin on Becoming Millionaire at 27, "Earache My Eye" Going #1
Part 1: Cheech Marin on Growing Up in LA, Being Class Clown, Smoking Weed 1st Time
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Cheech Marin of the comedy duo Cheech and Chong spoke about the success and challenges they experienced after their first film became a success in the late 70s. Cheech revealed that even though the film "Up in Smoke" had a small budget of around $800,000, the film was a box office hit, earning $104 million. Despite mixed reviews, the audience's response was positive, bolstering the duo's confidence in their work. Cheech recognized their film as one of the pioneers of the stoner movie genre despite only a small percentage of their material referencing marijuana use. Their success allowed them to explore this new genre, inspiring future films such as the well-loved "Friday" series. The shift from audio performances to film made them international stars, with offers for solo acting gigs. However, Cheech was resistant, preferring to keep the successful comedy duo intact. Eventually, creative differences led to the duo’s split, which lasted for 20 years.
