IN MY LIFE- CHEECH & CHONG

After the Sixers' disappointing loss to  Boston it was a welcome evening seeing the wacky Cheech & Chong at the Event Center in the SugarHouse Casino Saturday night. I felt like I had been transported 40 years ago back to the 70s, not only by Cheech & Chong and their drug-laced humor, but by the crowd around me. mostly middle-aged to senior couples, most dressing ultra-casual in jean s and t-shirts, beer in hand.

Chong's wife, Shelby, warmed up the audience with a 15-minute monologue, primarily about drugs, sex and life with Chong. She was pretty funny by herself. It was a nice surprise to see Mrs. Chong hang around to moderate a talk with the two comics when they came out, in a scripted question and answer session.

After the Q & A, the duo did a few of their routines, some never performed live before, as well as numerous solo skits. As the one comic changed costumes, the other did a funny routine to keep show going.

It was a crazy hour and twenty minutes of laughter and music. Most of the jokes i can't repeat here. The sweet smell of pot waffled thru the air. The pair still have tons of energy as they seamlessly went from one skit to the next. Most were classic routines, although there was talk of Trump which was new. One would think that the majority of the crowd may have been Trump supporters- so  the pair rang true when they stated Whether your'e a Trump supporter or not, it's only a f++king joke!"

They closed the night by doing "Born in East L.A., the classic 80s parody of Springsteens' "Born in the U.S.A."

All in all, it was a mindless, fun time, full of silly, often raunchy jokes. Good to see Cheech & Chong, healthy and back together again.

***************************************************************************

It was my first time at the Sugar House casino in Philly. Huge, sprawling place. No luck. For an early Saturday it wasn't too crowded but got busy after the show. I've seen nicer casinos and have seen worse. What struck me were the TV screens above the blackjack tables Now, in order to keep a player at the tables, a gambler can play an keep an eye on the Sixers' game.

Getting in and out of the place was nice, with the hotel's free Valet parking. Didn't take long to retrieve the car. Even though the Joker Poker machines weren't kind, it was a positive experience at Sugar House.