A/k/a Tommy Chong

Infobox Film
name = a/k/a Tommy Chong


caption = Theatrical release poster.
imdb_id = 0478090
director = Josh Gilbert
writer = Josh Gilbert
Steve Hager
starring = Tommy Chong
Eric Schlosser
Lou Adler
Bill Maher
Jay Leno
Cheech Marin
distributor = Blue Chief Entertainment
producer = Josh Gilbert
released = June 14, 2006
runtime = 78 min.
language = English

"a/k/a Tommy Chong" is a documentary film that chronicles a Drug Enforcement Administration raid on comedian Tommy Chong's house and his subsequent jail sentence for trafficking in illegal drug paraphernalia. He was sentenced to 9 months in federal prison.

"a/k/a Tommy Chong" was written and directed by Josh Gilbert, a friend of Chong. It was shown at film festivals in 2005 and had its general release on June 14, 2006 at the Film Forum in New York City.

DEA agents raided Chong's Pacific Palisades, California home on the morning of February 24, 2003. The raid was part of "Operation Pipe Dreams" and "Operation Headhunter," which resulted in raids on 100 homes and businesses nationwide that day and indictments of 55 individuals.

The movie features cameos by Bill Maher and Jay Leno, who express support for Chong and outrage over federal handling of the incident. Eric Schlosser, author of "Reefer Madness: Sex, Drugs, and Cheap Labor in the American Black Market", provides historical and political perspective for the audience.

ynopsis

a/k/a Tommy Chong is a film depicting comedy legend Tommy Chong of Cheech and Chong and his legal problems with The Department of Justice. Filmmaker Josh Gilbert follows the tale of Chong as he becomes a primary target in a government sting, code named "Operation Pipe Dreams."

In May 2008 federal agents raided the owner of the distribution rights to this DVD, [http://urineluck.com Spectrum Labs] .

Spectrum Labs' attorney Jennifer Kinsley [http://news.nky.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20080508/NEWS0103/805080348 stated she was not surprised] that the northern Kentucky business raid was orchestrated by U.S. federal agents in Pittsburgh, PA. The documentary is critical of the allegedly abusive prosecution of Chong by the U.S. federal government, spearheaded by the Pittsburgh-based U.S. attorney for western Pennsylvania, [http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/paw/bio.html Mary Beth Buchanan.]

References

* [http://movies2.nytimes.com/2006/06/14/movies/14chon.html Dargis, Manohla. (2006, June 14). "A Big Name P.O.W. in the War on Drugs". The New York Times, p. B5]
* [http://www.stumpedmagazine.com/articles/tommy-chong.html Freeman, Zach. (2008, April 20). "An Interview With Tommy Chong". Stumped? magazine]

External links

* [http://www.myspace.com/akatommychong Official MySpace.com Page]
* [http://www.independentfilm.com/festivals/videogalleryfest/josh-gilbert-aka-tommy-chong.shtml Watch Director Josh Gilbert on independentfilm.com at the Miami Film Festival]