High Times

"High Times" is a New York City-based magazine. The publication strongly advocates the legalization of cannabis. For a brief period, it moved toward an overtly left-wing lifestyle magazine under publisher Richard Stratton, who hired John Mailer, Norman Mailer's youngest son, as executive editor. It has since returned to its earlier roots in the cannabis subculture. Recently, the magazine held the 20th Anniversary Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam and a documentary of the event was premiered at the World Marijuana Film Festival (WMFF) in California in 2008.

Origins

The magazine was founded in 1974 by Tom Forcade of the Underground Press Syndicate. [http://hightimes.com/ht/news/content.php?bid=1124&aid=10] "High Times" was originally modeled on "Playboy" magazine, except that rather than catering to consumers of recreational sex, it caters to consumers of recreational drugs. Each issue has a centerfold photo, not of a nude woman, but typically of a choice grade of cannabis plant. (Although for a brief period during the late 1970s and early '80s, they featured centerfolds dedicated to cocaine.) In 1988, Steven Hager was hired as editor-in-chief. He removed hard drugs from the magazine and began a campaign to encourage personal use and cultivation of cannabis. Hager also founded the Cannabis Cup (the Academy Awards of Marijuana) and the High Times Freedom Fighters (one of the original hemp legalization groups).

The Freedom Fighters began when Hager received an invitation to attend the annual Hash Bash in Ann Arbor, MI, in 1987. Once one of the country's largest annual legalization events, the Hash Bash, like all other counterculture rallies, was about to die out. Inspired by the art of the Merry Pranksters and Provo, and the historical information of Jack Herer's yet unpublished research, Hager created a band of psychedelic pirates that traveled the country in a psychedelic bus, creating major legalization events across the country, including the Boston Freedom Rally, which quickly became the largest political event in the country, drawing crowds of over 100,000 to Boston Common. In 1990, the magazine released a documentary, "Let Freedom Ring," detailing the activities of the group. The film starred Willie Nelson and was directed by Bob Brandel.

Eventually, the Freedom Fighters became targeted by law enforcement. The group's biggest supporter, Rodger Belknap of West Virginia, was jailed, while other members had their homes broken into and membership information removedFact|date=July 2008. After five years of providing free campgrounds and free food to activists attending major rallies, the Freedom Fighter mailing list was turned over to NORML at the annual Hash Bash conventionFact|date=July 2008.

Related Endeavors

Internet Podcasting

Produces regular video podcasts -- dubbed as the "High Times POTcast" -- that supplement stories from the monthly magazine. [http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=craigcoffey] [http://feeds.feedburner.com/HighTimesPotcast]

Recognition and Award Ceremonies

High Times sponsors seven different cannabis culture awards:
* The Cannabis Cup for marijuana strains and seeds
* The Stonys for movies and television (in Los Angeles)
* The Doobies for music (in Austin, Texas)
* The World Marijuana Film Festival (in Northern California)
* Freedom Fighter of the Month (and Year) (a spin-off from the High Times Freedom Fighters
* Counterculture Hall of Fame Award (in Amsterdam)
* STASH Awards [Significant Technological Advancements in Secretive Horticulture] for grow technology (September issues)
* Seed Bank Hall of Fame (October 2007)
* The World Stoner Games

Film Production

*Produced the 1989 documentary "Chef RA Escapes Babylon" directed by Scott Kennedy
*Produced the 1990 documentary "Let Freedom Ring," directed by Bob Brandel and featuring Willie Nelson, Gatewood Galbraith, Chef RA and the Soul Assassins
*Produced the 1995 documentary "8th Cannabis Cup," directed by Beth Lasch
*Produced the 1996 documentary "9th Cannabis Cup," starring John Trudell and Murphy's Law
*Produced the 2000 documentary "Grow Secrets of the Dutch Masters" directed by Steven Hager
* Co-produced the 2002 indie comedy "Potluck", featuring Frank Adonis, Theo Kogan, Jason Mewes and Tommy Chong and directed by Alison Thompson
* Produced the 2003 documentary "High Times Presents The Cannabis Cup" directed by Steven Hager [http://www.eztakes.com/store/movie/The-Cannabis-Cup-Movie-Download.jsp] , distributed by Koch Entertainment
*Produced the 2003 documentary "Ganja Gourmet" directed by David Bienenstock and starring Chef RA
*Produced the 2005 documentary "Jorge Cervantes Ultimate Grow DVD," directed by David Bienenstock
*Produced the 2008 documentary, "20th Cannabis Cup," directed by Guy Fiorita and featuring Red Man and the High Times staff

Music

*High Times Records has released one album, a compilation CD called "High Times Presents THC Vol. 1". The tracklisting is:1. Intro - Lord Sear

2. Bart Burnt - The High & Mighty

3. High Times - Black Moon/Starang Wondah/Sean Price/Top Dog

4. Something About Mary - Serial Rhyme Killers

5. Sweet Dreams - Intoxicated Demons

6. Roll Up - Shabaam Sahdeeq/Steele

7. Puff, Puff, Pass - HOM

8. Bomb Tree - Defari

9. Get You Head Right - Afu-Ra

10. Sticky Green - The Pharcyde

11. Big Green Buds - J-Ro/Phil Tha Agony/Chocolate Tye

12. My Favorite Ladies - MF Doom

13. Escape - Ripshop

14. Take A Hit - Lootpack

15. So High (G-13) - RZA/Timbo King

Book Publishing

* cite book
last = Bienenstock
first = Dave
title = The Official High Times Complete Potsmokers Handbook
publisher = Chronicle Books
date = 2008
isbn = 0811862054

last = Hager
first = Steven
authorlink = Steven Hager
coauthors =
title = Adventures in the Counterculture: From Hip Hop to High Times
publisher = High Times Books
date = 2002
isbn = 1893010147
* cite book
last = Krassner
first = Paul
authorlink = Paul Krassner
coauthors =
title = Psychedelic Trips for the Mind
publisher = High Times Press
date = 2001
isbn = 1893010074
* cite book
last = Eudaley
first = Chris
authorlink = Chris Eudaley
coauthors =
title = How to Be a Pot Star Like Me: What Every Marijuana Enthusiast Should Know
publisher = High Times Books
date = 2000
isbn = 1893010066
* cite book
last = Krassner
first = Paul
authorlink = Paul Krassner
coauthors = foreword by Harlan Ellison
title = Pot Stories for the Soul
publisher = High Times Press
date = 1999
isbn = 1893010023
* cite book
last = Gaskin
first = Stephen
authorlink = Stephen Gaskin
title = Cannabis Spirituality: Including 13 Guidelines for Sanity and Safety
publisher = High Times Press
date = 1998
isbn = 0964785862

In 2004 Annie Nocenti and Ruth Baldwin edited "The High Times Reader", a collection from past issues of "High Times", with an introduction by Paul Krassner. Writers included Al Aronowitz, George Barkin, Ann Louis Barsach, Chip Berlet, Steve Bloom, Michael Bloomfield, Victor Bockris, William S. Burroughs, Mark Christensen, Ed Dwyer, Bruce Eisner, David Enders, Thomas King Forcade, Andrew Kowl, Bruce Jay Friedman, Josh Alan Friedman, Kinky Friedman, Steven Hager, Debbie “Blondie” Harry, J. Hoberman, Mark Jacobson, David Katz, Paul Krassner, Dean Latimer, Carlo McCormick, Barry Miles, Cookie Mueller, Glenn O’Brien, Joey Ramone, Ron Rosenbaum, Jerry Rubin, Luc Sante, Larry “Ratso” Sloman, Terry Southern, Peter Stafford, Richard Stratton, Teun Voeten, Andy Warhol, Andrew Weil, Mike Wilmington, Robert Anton Wilson, and Frank Zappa.

Television

In 2007, Hager produced a reality TV show based around the High Times offices, titled "High Times Office." The show's 12 episodes culminated at the 20th Cannabis Cup, where Big Apple Seeds from Brooklyn, New York won a blind taste test against DNA Seeds that was judged by Robert Connell Clarke. It was later revealed in High Times that Doc and Dom, the owners of Big Apple Seeds, were actors, and their entry, Oookie Kabuki, was actually Nevil's Haze purchased in Amsterdam from a pot broker with a good nose for weed.

Writers

Other writers for "High Times" have included Chef Ra, Charles Bukowski, Truman Capote, A. Craig Copetas, Senior Cultivation Editor - Danny Danko, Nico Escondido, Samuel R. Delany, Stephen Gaskin, Peter Gorman, Steven Hager, James Horwitz, Dennis King, William Levy, Ed Rosenthal, Hunter S. Thompson, Valerie Vande Panne, Alan Cabal, Dr. Andrew Weil, and Andrew Kowl.

Celebrities

Over the years numerous celebrities have been interviewed by or appeared on the cover of "High Times".

hidden
headercss = background: #ccccff; font-size: 110%; width: 50%;
contentcss = text-align: center; font-size: 110%; width: 50%;
header = List of celebrities appearing in High Times
content =Al Gore
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Beenie Man
Bill Hicks
Bob Dylan
Bob Marley
B-Real of Cypress Hill
Busta Rhymes
Damian Marley
David Arquette
Eddie Bravo
George Carlin
Hank Williams III
Ice Cube
Insane Clown Posse
Jack Black
Jason Mraz
Jay & Silent Bob
Jenna Jameson
Jerry Garcia
John Garcia
Kottonmouth Kings
Marilyn Manson
Method Man
Mick Jagger
Milla Jovovich
Mobb Deep
Noam Chomsky
Ozzy Osbourne
Redman
Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty
Rob Van Dam
Sacha Baron Cohen aka Borat/Ali G/Bruno
Sean Paul
Snoop Dogg
Stephen Marley
Tenacious D
The Game
Tommy Chong
Twiztid
Willie Nelson
Woody Harrelson
Ying Yang Twins

References in pop culture

* "High Times" is featured in the song Mexican Wine by Fountains of Wayne. A pilot states that he got fired for reading the magazine, with background vocals saying "I was so high"
* "High Times" is also featured in the songs "Kings Blend", "Gone Git High", and a couple others by Kottonmouth Kings
* In the now defunct WCW, the tag team KroniK used a double chokeslam called the "High Times" as their team finishing move.
* In the movie Road Trip, Paulo Costanzo's character Rubin Carver went on to invent a highly-potent type of marijuana that is undetectable by drug tests and was named "High Times" Man of the Year.

The High Times Editorial staff has been parodied by the writers at CollegeHumor.com: http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1792449

Further reading

*Annie Nocenti and Ruth Baldwin, eds., "The High Times Reader," Thunder's Mouth, Nation Books, 2004 ISBN 1-56025-624-9.

References

External links

* [http://www.hightimes.com/ "High Times" magazine website]
* [http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=craigcoffey "High Times" video POTcast] via YouTube
* [http://www.youtube.com/user/templedragon420 High Times Productions videos] via YouTube
* [http://www.myspace.com/cannabis_cup Cannabis Cup myspace page]
* [http://www.myspace.com/stony_awards Stonys myspace page]
* [http://www.myspace.com/doobieawards Doobies myspace page]
* [http://www.myspace.com/marijuanafilmfestival WMFF myspace page]
* [http://www.myspace.com/stevenhager Hager's myspace page]
* [http://www.myspace.com/bobbyblack Bobby Black's myspace page]
* [http://www.myspace.com/dannydanko Senior Cultivation Editor Danny Danko's myspace page]
* [http://www.olyhempfest.com Official Olympia Hempfest Website]

ee also