Famous for being half of the marijuana-loving hippie comedy duo "Cheech and Chong," Richard "Cheech" Marin is one of the highest achieving Latinos in Hollywood — and he has no plans to slow down.
In the '70s and '80s, Cheech and Chong made audiences laugh with their films and stand-up routines.
"We didn’t take ourselves too seriously," Marin said. "We really were just two stoner hippies, you know, that were just trying to look for a joint."
Although the two enjoyed an immense amount of success together for 17 years, Marin eventually made the difficult decision to break up the duo and set off for a successful acting career on his own.
On this episode of "LA Stories with Giselle Fernandez," Marin opens up about that painful split — and his eventual reunion with Tommy Chong. He also talks to Fernandez about his journey to success.
Growing up in Los Angeles, Marin didn’t plan on becoming an actor or comedian. Instead, he wanted to become a potter. As a kid, he discovered Chicano art by checking out all the art books at the library — and his love and pride for Chicano culture grew from there.
"I was never comfortable with being called a Mexican because I wasn't Mexican," he said. "And when I heard Chicano — yeah, that's what I am. I'm a Chicano."
Today, Marin owns one of the most extensive collections of Chicano art in the U.S., which is now housed in the newly opened Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture at the Riverside Art Museum.
It’s considered the first ever Chicano art museum, and for Marin, this is a dream come true — a chance to celebrate Chicano art and make it accessible for everyone.
“We hope that this building and this collection and this participation of the community will be a beacon for everybody else around the country to finally redefine inclusion,” he said at its opening. “Now it is going to be embodied in a place that they come to.”
Watch "LA Stories with Giselle Fernandez" at 9 p.m. every Monday on Spectrum New