Some funny bits, and a real effort to tell a balanced story.

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. ( )

CHEECH IS NOT MY REAL NAME by Cheech Marin is a wonderfully entertaining memoir of a man who played a Mexican stoner and became famous doing it, but really is a intelligent and fascinating individual that is proud of his life and recognizes he is blessed to have what he has.
As a fan, it was hard to see past Cheech Marin's days with Tommy Chong as Cheech & Chong to identify Cheech as more than that character. But having read his book and being reminded of his expansive acting career, he is so much more than just 1/2 half of deadbeat stoners Cheech and Chong. He tells of his unusual childhood and growing up, including a stint surviving in the cold north of Canada. He has some great stories about starting out in the comedy world in the 1970's, from people he met, to places he went, to things he saw. The way he tells stories is great, describing the situation and building up to the climax of the story, then dropping a deadpan side comment that is so on point, it takes a minute before you start laughing. He walks a tightrope in describing his relationship with Tommy Chong, which mirrored how their relationship was. He talks that on stage in particular, they were amazing together and clicked perfectly, while offstage they were like brothers, cool one minute, passionately disagreeing the next. It's clear, though, Cheech has a fondness and respect for Chong. He recognizes that neither of them would have been successful without the other.
Cheech & Chong fan or not, Cheech's memoir, CHEECH IS NOT MY REAL NAME, will leave you smiling and wanting to someday meet Cheech so you can hear more stories.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing, Cheech Marin, and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! ( )