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High Times

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For other uses, see High Time.
Cover image of High Times' premiere issue, Summer 1974.

High Times is a New York-based monthly magazine founded in 1974 by Tom Forcade. The publication is devoted to, and advocates the legalization of, marijuana. It is the largest cannabis-related magazine in the world. In 2008 High Times launched a digital edition of the magazine and in early 2010 began publishing the quarterly Medical Marijuana News & Reviews.

High Times has long been considered the publication of record for the counterculture. Past contributors include Charles Bukowski, William S. Burroughs, Truman Capote, Hunter S. Thompson and Andy Warhol.


Origins

File:Tom forcade painting.jpg
Painting of High Times founder Tom Forçade

The magazine was founded in 1974 by Tom Forcade of the Underground Press Syndicate.[1] High Times was originally meant to be a joke, "a one-shot lampoon of Playboy, substituting dope for sex," however, the magazine found an audience and, in November 2009, celebrated its 35th anniversary.[2] Like Playboy each issue contains a centerfold photo, but instead of a nude woman, High Times typically features a choice grade of cannabis plant. In addition to high-quality photography, High Times featured cutting-edge journalism covering a wide range of topics including politics, activism, drugs, sex, music and film. Tom Forçade’s previous attempts to reach a wide counterculture audience by creating a network of underground papers had failed. Yet, through High Times, Forçade was able to get his message to the masses without relying on mainstream media.[3] In 1988, Steven Hager was hired as editor-in-chief. He began a campaign to encourage personal use and cultivation of cannabis. Hager also founded the High Times Cannabis Cup (the Academy Awards of Marijuana) and the High Times Freedom Fighters (one of the original hemp legalization groups).

The Freedom Fighters began when Hager received an invitation to attend the annual Hash Bash in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1987. Once one of the country's largest annual legalization events, the Hash Bash, like all other counterculture rallies, was about to die out. Inspired by the art of the Merry Pranksters and Provo, and the historical information of Jack Herer's yet unpublished research, Hager created a band of activists that traveled the country in a psychedelic bus, creating major legalization events across the country, including the Boston Freedom Rally, which quickly became the largest political event in the country, drawing crowds of over 100,000 to Boston Common. In 1990, the magazine released a documentary, Let Freedom Ring, detailing the activities of the group. The film starred Willie Nelson and was directed by Bob Brandel.

Eventually, the Freedom Fighters became targeted by law enforcement. The group's biggest supporter, Rodger Belknap of West Virginia, was jailed, while other members had their homes broken into and membership information removed.[citation needed] After five years of providing free campgrounds and free food to activists attending major rallies, the Freedom Fighter mailing list was turned over to NORML at the annual Hash Bash convention.[citation needed]

Current Staff

The current High Times staff includes Executive Editor Dan Skye, Senior Editors David Bienenstock, Bobby Black, and Chris Simunek, Managing Editor Natasha Lewin, Senior Cultivation Editor Danny Danko, Cultivation Editor Nico Escondido, Art Director Frank Max and Creative Director Steven Hager.

Events

High Times sponsors numerous cannabis-related events:

  • The High Times Cannabis Cup is the world’s preeminent marijuana festival. Founded in 1987 by Steven Hager, the High Times Cannabis Cup takes place each November in Amsterdam. The event allows judges from around the world to sample and vote for their favorite marijuana strains, seeds and hash. The High Times Cannabis Cup also includes live music, comedy and an expo for marijuana-related products.
  • The High Times Stony Awards celebrate the best stoner movies and television shows. The event began in New York in 2002 and moved to Los Angeles in 2007. Previous hosts include Jim Breuer, Redman and Tommy Chong.
  • The High Times Doobie Awards are held in Austin, Texas each spring at the same time as South by Southwest (SXSW). The Doobies celebrate the best marijuana music and the event features live performances and an awards ceremony.
  • The High Times World Marijuana Film Festival (in California)
  • The High TImes World Stoner Games
  • The Miss High Times Pageant (held in New York City on April 20)

Recognition and award ceremonies

Film Production

  • Produced the 1978 documentary D.O.A., directed by Lech Kowalski
  • Produced the 1989 documentary Chef RA Escapes Babylon directed by Scott Kennedy
  • Produced the 1990 documentary Let Freedom Ring, starring Willie Nelson, Gatewood Galbraith, Chef RA and the Soul Assassins, directed by Bob Brandel
  • Produced the 1995 documentary 8th Cannabis Cup, starring the Cannabis Cup Band, directed by Beth Lasch
  • Produced the 1996 documentary 9th Cannabis Cup, starring John Trudell and Murphy's Law, directed by John Viet
  • Produced the 1999 documentary 11th Cannabis Cup, starring John Sinclair and the Blues Scholars, directed by Steven Hager
  • Produced the 2000 documentary Grow Secrets of the Dutch Masters directed by Steven Hager
  • Co-produced the 2002 indie comedy Potluck, featuring Frank Adonis, Theo Kogan, Jason Mewes and Tommy Chong and directed by Alison Thompson
  • Produced the 2003 documentary High Times Presents The Cannabis Cup directed by Steven Hager [1], distributed by Koch Entertainment
  • Produced the 2003 documentary Ganja Gourmet directed by David Bienenstock and starring Chef RA
  • Produced the 2005 documentary Jorge Cervantes Ultimate Grow DVD, directed by David Bienenstock
  • Produced the 2008 documentary, Miss High Times Swimsuit Video, directed by Nick Krasnic
  • Produced the 2008 documentary, 20th Cannabis Cup, directed by Guy Fiorita and featuring Red Man and the High Times staff

Music

High Times Records has released one album, a compilation CD called High Times Presents THC Vol. 1. The tracklisting is:

  1. Intro – Lord Sear
  2. Bart Burnt – The High & Mighty
  3. High Times – Black Moon/Starang Wondah/Sean Price/Top Dog
  4. Something About Mary – Serial Rhyme Killers
  5. Sweet Dreams – Intoxicated Demons
  6. Roll Up – Shabaam Sahdeeq/Steele
  7. Puff, Puff, Pass – HOM
  8. Bomb Tree – Defari
  9. Get You Head Right – Afu-Ra
  10. Sticky Green – The Pharcyde
  11. Big Green Buds – J-Ro/Phil Tha Agony/Chocolate Tye
  12. My Favorite Ladies – MF Doom
  13. Escape – Ripshop
  14. Take A Hit – Lootpack
  15. So High (G-13) – RZA/Timbo King

Book Publishing

  • Bienenstock, David (2008). The Official High Times Pot Smoker's Handbook. High Times Books. ISBN 978-0811862059. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  • Hager, Steven (2002). Adventures in the Counterculture: From Hip Hop to High Times. High Times Books. ISBN 1893010147. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  • Krassner, Paul (2001). Psychedelic Trips for the Mind. High Times Books/ editor: Steven Hager. ISBN 1893010074. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  • Eudaley, Chris (2000). How to Be a Pot Star Like Me: What Every Marijuana Enthusiast Should Know. High Times Books. ISBN 1893010066. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  • Krassner, Paul (1999). Pot Stories for the Soul. High Times Books/ editor: Steven Hager. ISBN 1893010023. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  • Gaskin, Stephen (1998). Cannabis Spirituality: Including 13 Guidelines for Sanity and Safety. High Times Books/ editor Steven Hager. ISBN 0964785862.
  • The High Times Encyclopedia of Recreational Drugs. Stonehill Pub Co. 1978. ISBN 0883730820. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

In 2004 Annie Nocenti and Ruth Baldwin edited The High Times Reader, a collection from past issues of High Times, with an introduction by Paul Krassner. Writers included Al Aronowitz, George Barkin, Ann Louis Barsach, Chip Berlet, Steve Bloom, Michael Bloomfield, Victor Bockris, William S. Burroughs, Mark Christensen, Ed Dwyer, Bruce Eisner, David Enders, Thomas King Forcade, Andrew Kowl, Bruce Jay Friedman, Josh Alan Friedman, Kinky Friedman, Steven Hager, Debbie “Blondie” Harry, J. Hoberman, Mark Jacobson, David Katz, Paul Krassner, Dean Latimer, Carlo McCormick, Barry Miles, Cookie Mueller, Glenn O’Brien, Joey Ramone, Ron Rosenbaum, Jerry Rubin, Luc Sante, Larry “Ratso” Sloman, Terry Southern, Peter Stafford, Richard Stratton, Teun Voeten, Andy Warhol, Andrew Weil, Mike Wilmington, Robert Anton Wilson, and Frank Zappa.

Television

In 2007, Hager produced a reality TV show based around the High Times offices, titled High Times Office. The show's 12 episodes culminated at the 20th Cannabis Cup, where Big Apple Seeds from Brooklyn, New York won a blind taste test against DNA Seeds that was judged by Robert Connell Clarke. It was later revealed in High Times that Doc and Dom, the owners of Big Apple Seeds, were actors, and their entry, Oookie Kabuki, was actually Nevil's Haze purchased in Amsterdam from a pot broker with a good nose for weed.

Writers

Other writers for High Times have included Chef Ra, Charles Bukowski, Truman Capote, A. Craig Copetas, Senior Cultivation Editor Danny Danko, Nico Escondido, Samuel R. Delany, Michael Foldes, Stephen Gaskin, Peter Gorman, Steven Hager, James Horwitz, Dennis King, William Levy, Ed Rosenthal, Hunter S. Thompson, Peter Tosh, Valerie Vande Panne, Alan Cabal, Dr. Andrew Weil, and Andrew Kowl.

Celebrities

Over the years numerous celebrities have been interviewed by or appeared on the cover of High Times.

List of celebrities appearing in High Times:

References in pop culture

  • High Times is featured in the song "Mexican Wine" by Fountains of Wayne. A pilot states that he got fired for reading the magazine, with background vocals saying "I was so high".
  • High Times is also featured in the songs "Kings Blend", "Gone Git High", and a couple others by Kottonmouth Kings.
  • The song "High Times" by Hip Hop Rap group Cypress Hill contains the lyric, "We got the High Times cover shows you how to roll a blunt".
  • In the now defunct WCW, the tag team KroniK used a double chokeslam called the High Times as their team finishing move.
  • In the movie Road Trip, Paulo Costanzo's character Rubin Carver went on to invent a highly-potent type of marijuana that is undetectable by drug tests and was named "High Times" Man of the Year.
  • In the movie Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, the two main characters are attempting to get to Amsterdam where one character's girlfriend is modeling to be in High Times Magazine.
  • In the film Superhero Movie, the main character is seen on the cover of High Times.
  • On the television show The Simpsons, Homer is seen reading a magazine called Pie Times.
  • The High Times editorial staff has been parodied by the writers at CollegeHumor.com.[5]
  • In the movie Next Friday Ice Cube is rolling a joint with High Times on his lap.
  • In the Canadian TV series Trailer Park Boys , Ricky points out that Sebastian Bach was on the cover of High Times at an autograph signing as a fan is getting Bach to sign the issue of the magazine.
  • High Times is referenced in the song "Wiid" by MC Chris.
  • In an episode of Oz, the main character mentions that, while Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, he would not be proud of modern magazines such as High Times.

Notes

  1. ^ Danko, Danny. "Norml Founder Retires - Exhale Stage Left". hightimes.com, January 6, 2005. Accessed 11 September 2009.
  2. ^ Krassner, Paul. "Tom Forçade: Prisoner of Romance". hightimes.com, October 1, 2009.
  3. ^ Stroup, Keith. "Here’s to HIGH TIMES!". October 9, 2009.
  4. ^ Significant Technological Advancements in Secretive Horticulture
  5. ^ http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1792449

Further reading

  • Annie Nocenti and Ruth Baldwin, eds., The High Times Reader, Thunder's Mouth, Nation Books, 2004 ISBN 1-56025-624-9.
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