I really enjoyed this memoir, in which Cheech describes his journey from East LA hippie to Hollywood star in an amusing and honest way. Cheech's Pedro character, the quintessential Chicano stoner, is so embedded in pop culture that it's easy to confuse the man and the character. In reality, Cheech is more talented and more intelligent than he's let on, and his body of work after the heyday of Cheech and Chong is surprisingly vast. I pretty much devour anything written about the 60's and 70's, so I figured I'd prefer the first half of the book. Cheech's tales of Hollywood from the 80's up to the present I found equally entertaining. Highly recommended. Now I have to go dig out that 45 vinyl copy of Sister Mary Elephant....

There are a lot of fun stories but it still feels incomplete, largely because he wants to distance himself a bit from Tommy Chong. I also have the feeling that a different ghostwriter from the one Cheech had would have done a better job; they're talking to a mostly younger audience but much of it feels too didactic in attempting to comprehend just how Cheech's life and career played into the larger zeitgeist.

This book was extremely entertaining and a wonderful glimpse into the life of a man I’ve respected for all of mine

Cheech Is Not My Real Name...But Don't Call Me Chong 🍒🍒🍒
By Cheech Marin
2017

Cheech Marin. Comedian. Musician.Film and TV actor. Husband. Father. This memoir shares the basic events of his life. Cheech Is Not My Name Is The perfect title for this book. You will not find any intimate or personal details or events here. You will not get to know the real Cheech Marin.....

This memoir starts in his childhood, his father a cop,attending Catholic school, Valley College, and his friendship and work with Tommy Ching.These are some of the best stories in the book.

Cheech And Chong and their hippie stoner humor catapulted them into counterculture icons, and overwhelming popularity.
p.99
"Our comedy was based on observing this hippie revolution that was going on all around us. And as I said before, very few people were presenting it as a form of entertainment. "

Much of the novel centers on his friendships and falling out with Tommy Chong and Lou Adler.It seems to be the focus of the book.
p. 158
"As we moved along in show business in these early years,people always assumed that we (Tommy Chong) were best friends and had grown up together. That was how close our chemistry was."

The cohesiveness of the book starts to fail here, the end are stories of what a great friend he is, and that he lives to golf and collect Chicano art. This is the most he's willing to tell us. His humor and upbeat attitude carry this book. Good easy read.