Post-Cheech & Chong, Marin is high on art

Sunday, Oct. 16, 2005 | 9:52 a.m.

Where: MGM Grand's Premier Ballroom.

When: 8 p.m. Oct. 28 (meet the artists).

Tickets: $20.

When: 8:30 p.m. Oct. 29 (award ceremony)

Information: 242-8811.

It's a long way from East L.A. to Broadway, but Cheech Marin has arrived.

The 59-year-old comedian, actor and writer now adds Broadway director to his long list of accomplishments since leaving his native East Los Angeles for the world of entertainment.

"Latinologues," a comedy about life in America by Rick Najera, debuted Thursday at the Helen Hayes Theatre. It has been popular around the country for several years, but Marin didn't come on board until he was hired to direct for Broadway.

Marin is best known for his comedic partnership with Tommy Chong, who recently was released from federal prison after serving nine months for distribution of drug paraphernalia (he owned a company that sold glass pipes commonly used by smokers of marijuana).

The duo worked together for 17 years in comedy clubs and movies, creating such classic films as 1978's "Up in Smoke."

After the team broke up almost 20 years ago, Marin continued acting in films ("Born in East L.A.") and television ("Nash Bridges").

And he developed a passion for collecting Chicano/Mexican-American art.

Marin's private collection, one of the largest of its kind in the world, is now on tour around the country as "Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge."

It is his interest in art that caught the attention of the creators of the first Fine Art Awards (ARTV) ceremony, which will be held in the MGM Grand's Premier Ballroom Oct. 28-29. Marin will host the public event.

The ARTV will honor artists working in categories that include oils, acrylics, watercolor, murals, glass, printmaking, sculpture, mixed media, drawing, new movement/media, public art installation and group project.

Marin, reached on Broadway earlier this week as he prepared for the opening of "Latinologues," discussed his interest in art (among other subjects) with the Sun.

Las Vegas Sun: What do you think of Tommy Chong's legal problems?

Cheech Marin: It was such a railroad job, such a political hatchet job.

Sun: Do you guys hang out?

CM: I see him every once in a while, but I'm on the road all the time.

Sun: Do you ever work together?

CM: Not really. We tried to get something going once, but it just didn't work out.

Sun: Why did the partnership end?

CM: We had come to the end of the Cheech and Chong Era -- 17 years, eight albums, six movies, thousands of live shows. We were just sick of each other.

Sun: You've had a remarkable career since you went your own way.

CM: It's amazing. I've just been lucky. I know a lot of people. Projects come up all they time. They keep hiring me. I tell them you can pay me more if you like.

Sun: Have you performed in Vegas before?

CM: Oh yeah. Tommy and I were opening for rock concerts in Vegas years ago. We played banquet room at the Flamingo.

We inaugurated the Aladdin's performing arts center. Back in '70 we did a 2:30 a.m. show three days a month -- a Thursday, Friday and Saturday. We worked with Gallagher, Lily Tomlin, a bunch of others.

Sun: Tell us about "Latinologues."

CM: It's a very good play, with four cast members and a number of inter-related stories. We're in the Helen Hayes Theatre, right in the middle of Broadway. I'm making my directorial debut in a play on Broadway.

Sun: You must feel honored.

CM: Mostly it pays more.

Sun: When did you become interested in art?

CM: I started collecting Chicano art 20 years ago -- I'm self-educated in art. I started collecting and the collection kept growing.

A couple of years ago I was looking for a way to send the collection on a tour around the country to share it with the people -- my theory is you couldn't love it or hate it unless you saw it.

Target stores stepped up. They became our benefactor. Now it's in the middle of a five-year, 15-venue tour that will end in June 2008. When this tour ends, we will start another one, an international tour. We already have five dates in Japan.

Sun: How important are the arts to you? Is it just a hobby, or does it go deeper than that?

CM: It's a very big part of my life. I travel extensively with the show -- we open a new one every three or four months.

I lecture on Chicano art all over the country. I sit on a number of museum boards. Interest in the art is getting bigger all the time.

Sun: Are you an artist yourself or just a collector?

CM: I'm a patron.

Sun: How did you become involved with the ARTV project?

CM: They heard I was involved in the arts and asked me if I would like to do this. I thought it would be great, plus I can bring my family and have them experience Vegas.

Jerry Fink can be reached at 259-4058 or jerry@lasvegassun.com.