Cheech and Chong Magic Dust is a comedic term used to describe an imaginary substance that is often associated with the 1970s counterculture and the stoner comedy duo Cheech and Chong. Cheech and Chong, consisting of Richard "Cheech" Marin and Tommy Chong, became popular through their stand-up comedy routines and a series of successful films, such as "Up in Smoke" and "Nice Dreams," that celebrated cannabis culture. Magic Dust, as referenced in Cheech and Chong's comedy sketches and films, is a playful nod to the psychedelic and mind-altering experiences often associated with recreational drug use during that era. While Magic Dust does not refer to any actual substance, it is often used humorously to convey the feeling of being under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs. Cheech and Chong Magic Dust became emblematic of the counterculture movement's embrace of alternative lifestyles and the exploration of altered states of consciousness. It served as a lighthearted and satirical commentary on the popular drug culture of the time, using humor to challenge societal norms and provoke laughter.
King of The Road - Roger Miller - 1965
In Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong s hilarious 1971 sketch Santa Claus and His Old Lady, Cheech recounts the story of Santa Claus, the guy with the hairy jaws, to his friend. Just minutes outside of Atlanta, Gwinnett Center s 80-acre lakefront campus can accommodate a variety of events from concerts, performances, meetings, trade shows, conventions, banquets, and celebrations.
It served as a lighthearted and satirical commentary on the popular drug culture of the time, using humor to challenge societal norms and provoke laughter. In the context of Cheech and Chong's comedy routines and films, Magic Dust is just one example of the duo's ability to poke fun at societal stereotypes and taboos surrounding drug use. Their performances often featured exaggerated characters and scenarios that lampooned the drug culture of the era, while simultaneously appealing to their audience's love for irreverent humor and subversion.
Santa’s High Reindeer & Alice in Wonderland
If not for a fungus, Santa’s flying sleigh would be grounded. If that were the case, the only toys he could distribute would be to the elves who made them in the first place, which kind of spoils the whole surprise element.
The truth is that Mister Claus relies on Amanita muscaria, a mushroom which grows among pine and birch, to zip around the world on Christmas Eve.
Sometimes called the fly agaric or fly amanita because it has been used to kill flies, Amanita muscaria is a large, attractive mushroom. Its domed reddish cap is dotted with large white spots, making it one of the most recognizable toadstools or free-standing mushrooms in the world. It is the big polka-dotted mushroom of Alice in Wonderland, coloring books, and garden statuary.
Distributed throughout North America, Europe, and Asia from temperate latitudes into the far north, the mushroom is a symbiont of tree roots, taking a small amount of sugars from them, but vastly increasing their efficiency in absorbing nutrients and water. It has psychoactive properties, and has been consumed for thousands of years by winter-weary Laplanders as a pick-me-up and by Siberian shaman and other practitioners in healing rituals.
Amanita muscaria is also eaten by wild reindeer for – well, no one is sure. Comet, Cupid, and loads of other blitzed reindeer (or caribou as we know them here) have been seen lurching about after they’ve selectively browsed these mushrooms. Santa’s flying sleigh makes a lot more sense once you learn about this little reindeer game.
If the name Amanita rings a bell, it might be due to the fact that its close relative the death-cap, Amanita phalloides, may be the most poisonous mushroom in the world. The death-cap is native to Europe and Asia, but has been accidentally introduced with imported trees to a few locations in North America. The toxins in most species of dangerous fungi are destroyed by cooking, but not the death-cap. Just a portion of its cap, raw or cooked, is enough to devastate the liver and kidneys of an adult human, making the only “antidote” an organ transplant.
In addition to being psychoactive, our cheerfully colored fly agaric is noxious as well, leading to intense nausea in humans. The unpleasant side-effects can be mitigated by dehydration using gentle heat (intense heat will take all the fun out of the fly agaric by neutralizing its mind-altering properties). In Siberia and other regions, A. muscaria was often placed in stockings and hung near the fire to dry. In this way, the moderate heat would render them (mushrooms, not stockings) safe to use ceremonially or otherwise.
Stockings full of red-and-white mushrooms hung by the chimney with care sounds uncomfortably familiar. And yes, Father Christmas may wear a red-and-white outfit and may or may not surround himself with short, squat, mushroom-esque elves, but I was initially skeptical about a fungal connection with winter holiday traditions. However, a simple a web-image search for “mushroom Christmas decoration” turned up a bazillion (well, 30,800,000) pictures of Amanita muscaria tree ornaments, which made me a believer.
In Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong’s hilarious 1971 sketch “Santa Claus and His Old Lady,” Cheech recounts the story of Santa Claus, “the guy with the hairy jaws,” to his friend. Santa’s flying sleigh, according to Cheech, is fueled by “magic dust,” with “a little for the reindeer, a little for Santa, a little more for Santa, a little more for Santa…” Maybe in addition to the stuff Cheech and Chong liked to smoke, they also knew about fly agaric.
In the interest of public health, I want to caution against trying this fungus. For one thing, references indicate fly agaric mushrooms picked in summer can be 10 times more potent than those gathered in fall. A miscalculation could leave you sick for a week or more.
I am no scholar, but I do find it interesting that the more secular trappings of our modern Christmas have a connection to ancient winter traditions in Siberia. Amanita muscaria may help explain Santa’s unnatural jolliness and his magical flight, not to mention the choice of colors for his suit. Certainly, the millions of Christmas mushroom ornaments are overtly connected.
My advice for everyone is to avoid toxic fungi, as well as retail toxicity, and to aim for some old-fashioned cheer that does not depend on substances of one kind or other. The reindeer, of course, will make their own choices.
Photo: Amanita muscaria courtesy Wikimedia user Onderwijsgek.
My advice for everyone is to avoid toxic fungi, as well as retail toxicity, and to aim for some old-fashioned cheer that does not depend on substances of one kind or other. The reindeer, of course, will make their own choices.
While Magic Dust is a fictional concept, it continues to be a recognizable and amusing reference within the Cheech and Chong lexicon. The term serves as a nostalgic reminder of the duo's contributions to the comedy scene, as well as their role in popularizing marijuana culture in the 1970s and beyond. Whether through their comedy routines, films, or iconic catchphrases, Cheech and Chong continue to be celebrated as pioneers in the stoner comedy genre..
Reviews for "The Art of Mixing Magic: Cheech and Chong's Magic Dust Recipes"
1. Rebecca - 1/5
I was really disappointed with "Cheech and Chong: Magic Dust". As a fan of Cheech and Chong's previous movies, I was expecting something funny and entertaining, but this film fell flat. The jokes were stale, and the storyline was weak. It felt like the filmmakers were trying too hard to replicate the success of their previous movies, but it just didn't work. The whole movie felt forced and lacked the natural humor that Cheech and Chong are known for. I wouldn't recommend wasting your time on this one.
2. James - 2/5
Being a longtime fan of Cheech and Chong, I was excited to watch "Magic Dust". However, I found it to be underwhelming. The comedy was repetitive and relied too heavily on drug-related jokes, which got old quickly. The plot was disjointed, and the pacing was off. It seemed like the filmmakers were more focused on trying to shock the audience rather than creating genuinely funny moments. Overall, I was disappointed with "Magic Dust" and would suggest checking out Cheech and Chong's earlier films instead.
3. Sarah - 2/5
"Cheech and Chong: Magic Dust" was a letdown for me. The jokes were predictable, and the humor was lacking. It felt like the filmmakers were trying to cater to a younger audience, but in the process, they lost the charm and wit that made the original Cheech and Chong films so great. I found myself cringing at some of the forced humor and juvenile gags. If you're a die-hard Cheech and Chong fan, you might still find some enjoyment in this film, but overall, it was a miss for me.