It’s often been said that “fame is a double-edged sword” and you need look no further than the story of Tommy Chong to see the truth in those words. In The I Chong: Meditations from the Joint, Tommy Chong tells an uplifting and shocking tale of imprisonment and government corruption. That’s because the word “joint” in the book's title isn’t referring to the marijuana cigarettes that Chong and his former comedy partner Cheech Marin made famous through their string of comedy films and albums. Rather, Chong is referring to the other, less enjoyable “joint”: the U.S. prison.

Chong served six months in prison for shipping glass water pipes, better known as bongs, across state lines, something that is apparently a no-no in our “land of the free.” While a normal person would have received probation, Chong was forced to serve time because of his celebrity and his pro-pot stance. It’s clear that the Bush Administration singled him out to make it look like they were doing something other than solving other countries' problems and tapping phones.

Still, even though Chong was basically being punished for his pro-pot stance and the movies he made mocking police, it seems his time in prison only made him stronger. The book is an enjoyable read and Chong’s sarcasm and realistic grasp of his situation is admirable. It also shows that Chong is far from the drug-addled hippie he portrayed in films such as Up in Smoke and Still Smoking.

Nevertheless, in reading The I Chong I couldn’t help but get a sinking feeling of despair about the state of our country. Besides detailing the deplorable conditions and situations found in the U.S. prison system Chong points out how easy it is for the post 9-11 government to make an example out of anyone at any time. Thank God we only have two more years of Bush’s destructive bullshit.