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Cary Grant and Tommy Chong: Two Very Different Stars Who Didn’t Shrink in the Face of the Establishment

Just say no to the war on drugs and the morality police.

By Rich MonettiPublished 5 years ago 4 min read
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Photo by  RKO Radio Pictures

Cary Grant had no problem with the ambiguity that surrounded his sexuality, according to his daughter, Jennifer Grant. It simply made women want to prove the rumors wrong. That’s her story and I’m sticking with it.

In 1932, Cary Grant moved into what became known as the Bachelor Hall with Randolph Scott. The rumors obviously swirled as to sexuality of the two Hollywood icons, and evidence to this day is conclusive from both sides of the argument.

In other words, who knows, but what I find interesting is the famous pool scene in My Favorite Wife. Grant has just learned his recently rescued wife was not stranded alone on an island for five years, and just his luck, she was shacked up with Grant’s real life, highly virulent roommate.

Flexing his pipes as he’s readying to dismount from the diving board, Scott can’t escape the attention of the jealous and long lost husband. The set up leaves Cary Grant tugging at his signature tie and sweating under the collar. Yes, his wife has spent all that secluded time with this specimen, and Grant conveys horror to comedic perfection.

Of course, the opportunity to read between the lines seems abundantly intended. One might sweat in such a manner if the onlooker was attracted to the dressed down stud on the diving board, and the duo obviously embraced the implication.

Certainly aware of the rumors, how cool were they to snub their noses at their bosses. Seriously, what right did the suits or society have to make moral judgments on other people’s lives? And if they were actually gay, the display is flat out bravery to risk their very livelihoods when only whispers could kill a career.

Nonetheless, my Neanderthal narrative has Cary Grant as the ultimate dude to explain all this away. Suiting up in tuxedo form on a nightly basis, just picture Grant and Scott working in tandem or going solo. The ladies didn’t stand a chance. And if for some unfathomable reason the odds didn’t shake out, why not play the gay card.

I wish I had thought of this. Of course, I am a little lacking the Cary Grant department.

Yeah, and who isn’t, but with the evening’s festivities coming to an end the next morning, is Cary Grant supposed to stick around and cuddle? Come on. He gets back with Scott, they detail the specifics—embellishing if necessary—and ratchet it up on the scoreboard. Then it’s off to the mansion’s tennis courts and martinis by the pool.

How is that anything but extreme masculinity. This especially when the alternative is going shopping or being hounded into cleaning the garage by some encumbering starlet. Of course, feel free to stick with your own storyline of the coolest movie star whoever lived.

A nice dream would put Tommy Chong’s jailers in prison for a good long stretch.

Operation Pipe Dreams was a 2003 federal investigation targeting companies that sold drug paraphernalia over the internet. The initiative utilized over 2,000 law enforcement officials at a cost of $12 million to the taxpayers and the payoff was undeniable. The government rescued a generation from bong smoking lethargy via the arrest and the conviction of one Tommy Chong.

Yes, that's the Tommy Chong of Cheech and Chong. How many of my generation would have been saved had instructional videos like Up in Smoke and Nice Dreams been supplanted by fact-based productions such as Reefer Madness?

Think of all those laidback teenagers smoking a non-addictive substance that wreaked havoc on untold refrigerators. Worse yet, how about the mass indulgence coming at the expense of local beer distributors and the benevolent empires behind them.

Of course, Chong's emergence as a recurring role on That 70s Show obviously demanded action by the full force of the United States government. How could the feds possibly ignore his high profile ability to ensnare too many sedentary youth?

So the nine-month sentence in federal prison was appropriately more than any other first-time offenders charged in the sting. This messiah of marijuana probably even realizes himself how lightly he got off.

Unfortunately, Chong's long past and the history of this destructive drug could not save one Weldon Angelos from himself.

From The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander:

“Weldon Angelos will spend the rest of his life in prison for three marijuana sales. Angelos, a twenty four year old record producer, possessed a weapon which he did not use or threaten to use at the time of the sales. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the sentencing judge was obligated to impose a fifty five year mandatory minimum sentence. Upon doing so, the judge noted his reluctance to send the young man away for life for three marijuana sales. He said from the bench, “The Court believes that to sentence Mr. Angelos to prison for the rest of his life is unjust, cruel, and even irrational.”

Yes, that's America 's war on drugs at work.

So obviously it's not Tommy Chong that got off lightly. It's the corrupt and misguided politicians, law enforcement officials, and members of the judicial system that perpetuate this insane war.

Seeing some of them suited up behind bars—now, we’re talking about a nice dream. As such, I highly recommend The New Jim Crow. A detailed accounting of a drug enforcement policy that was largely bore out of the old Jim Crow and amounts to nothing short of a crime against humanity.

Please like my Movie Page on Facebook.

Author can be reached at [email protected].

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About the Creator

Rich Monetti

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