Both Cheech and Chong agree that much of their humor comes from watching other people in funny situations. "We're a good audience, shopping cart people can make us laugh for days." Putting together material is a lot like forming a band, says Cheech. "It's really a joy when you can find a good bass player."

They say they appreciate nearly anyone who has the guts to stand up and tell jokes. But they can't stand canned humor. "You know, you're watching a movie and you can tell: 500 feet to the joke, 250 feet to the joke, 100 feet to the joke, The Joke, You just passed the joke..."

They snap at stupid questions: "What's our message?" responds Cheech to one serious newsman. "The message is that there is no message. That generation has grown up. There's even less no message for them."

"Our audience? I think we cut across the counter-culture. We're over the counter."

"What doesn't the public know about us? Our background in art. Most people don't realize we are recognized experts in French Impressionism."

Someone points out that both Cheech and Chong like to sing and play a lot of music. "Are we a rock group?" Cheech chortles behind his huge mustache. "No, I like to think of us as spokesmen for an entire generation."

"How do we handle groupies?" Tommy Chong grins. "Like this--" He wraps his arms around an imaginary woman and squeezes while Cheech leans back in his chair and laughs.