Cool Stuff

By Hans Fink

Weed Man: The Remarkable Journey of Jimmy Divine

By John McCaslin

Venerable Washington D.C.-based political columnist John McCaslin strays from his typical lambasting of American politicians to relate an unlikely and riveting tale of adventure, fortune and marijuana smuggling. Reading like a true adventure on the high seas that’

ll keep the reader breezing through the pages for more, Weed Man relates the unlikely journey of Jimmy Moree (who later adapts the moniker Jimmy Divine), a man who does not drink and generally abhors drugs, and the coincidental set of circumstances that led him to becoming one of the biggest marijuana traffickers of the 1970s.

Moree’s travels span an unlikely array of locales, from the beaches of the Bahamas to Washington D.C. to the royal wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. Be it stowing significant stashes of cannabis in the crawlspace of a church during Easter services, or acting as a neighborhood watch whilst secretly trafficking the good herb, the absurdities of Moree’s escapades keep the reader engaged and entrenched. Perhaps most remarkable of all is the willingness with which Moree gave much of his ill-earned fortune away.

Already receiving rave reviews from Katie Couric and Tommy Chong alike, Weed Man promises a solid read from start to finish while shedding insight on a controversial topic. It’s enlightening entertainment no matter which side of the marijuana debate you are on.

Marijuana is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?

By Steve Fox, Paul Armentano and Mason Tvert

The basis of this book is fairly straightforward: It’s an objective compare-and-contrast of marijuana and alcohol. This examination takes into account the biological effects of the two substances, the social and legal differences between them and how they are portrayed and treated differently by the media and society in general.

We’re all familiar with the hypocrisy: Alcohol remains legal despite being far more dangerous than cannabis, which is generally frowned upon despite its benign nature. But Marijuana is Safer takes the rhetoric steps further by asking the obvious question of “why?”

Why would we punish adults for making the safer, rational choice of marijuana use over drinking, while encouraging a form of recreation known for inciting violence and causing an astonishing number of driving-related deaths and injuries?

Along with tackling that question, the book explains the history of cannabis prohibition, debunks popular anti-pot propaganda and provides talking points and detailed information for those who seek intelligent discussion on the controversy.

Mitch Hedberg

Do You Believe in Gosh?

(Comedy Central)

The late, great Mitch Hedberg endeared himself to the hearts of comedy fans with his unusual diction, absurd wordplay and gentle pothead demeanor. To some, he was another stoner comedian, though few of his jokes revolved around pot and had more to do with the absurdity of everyday situations and perceptions. Nonetheless, he once stated: “I used to do drugs. I still do, but I used to, too.”

Indeed, he died of an overdose of cocaine and heroin in 1995. Hedberg’s first posthumous release—Do You Believe in Gosh?—is, in spite of its unrefined nature, a flashback for comedy fans and a welcome voice from the past. Sadly, the material was never truly honed, and the collection is, for all intent and purposes, a rough draft. But there are telling moments, such as when new material bombs or Mitch gets heckled, when his routines show the honest, graceful and human side of the late comedian. This collection is more for the Mitch Hedberg fans who miss him than it is for your casual comedy listener. For those unfamiliar with Hedberg but are curious, start with the albums Mitch Altogether or Strategic Grill Locations. Should either of those do it for you, then pick this one up.