Press Release: HIGH THERE stars to appear Saturday at San Bernardino Hempcon festival

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

‘Dave High’ and ‘Roland Jointz’ will bring attention to case of jailed cannabis activist Jon Peditto

HOLLYWOOD  (November 6) The directors and stars of the independent gonzo comedy film High There will make a special appearance Saturday at the Hempcon 2015 Finals Festival in San Bernardino, California.

Wayne Darwen and Henry Goren, AKA Dave High and Roland Jointz, will lead the High There Street team Saturday afternoon, giving away free limited edition BRINKvision High There DVDs, posing with fans, and bringing attention to the case of Jon Peditto, a New Jersey photographer facing a mandatory 10- to 20-year prison term for cultivating 17 marijuana plants.

"High There is a wild, experimental, raw comedy," executive producer Sam Peters said this morning. "But one of its main plots concerns the incarceration of Hawaii cannabis activist Roger Christie.  The publicity generated from the film helped lead to Christie's freedom.  We hope we can do the same in the case of Jon Peditto.

“Peditto is the victim of antiquated drug laws in the politically-corrupt state of New Jersey,” Peters said. “He rejected plea deals because he wants to challenge them. How can we allow this travesty of justice? If the man lived in Oregon or Colorado, he’d be getting an award from the Better Business Bureau."

The three-day cannabis-themed Hempcon opened today at the NOS Events Center in San Bernardino. It features live music, art, vendors, and carnival games.  Darwen and Goren are scheduled to arrive mid-afternoon Saturday, Nov. 7, and will make appearances at various locations at the festival.

The pair made international headlines in October when they appeared at the Las Vegas Hempfest with comedy legend Tommy Chong.  The ailing Chong was reported to have "passed the cannabis comedy torch" to Darwen, encouraging him to carry on the “smoking" comedy tradition pioneered decades ago by Chong and his partner, Cheech Marin.

The High There street team also loaned support last month to a rally of Falun Gong demonstrators in Santa Monica.

Filming of the High There sequel, Area 420, is scheduled to begin this month in Las Vegas.

Contributions to the John Peditto Defense Fund can be made at Fundrzr.com at

http://jonpedittodefensefund.com  or

https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/013kNd/ab/c5GMF2

FOR INTERVIEWS, REVIEWS, PRESS MATERIALS, REVIEWS

CONTACT: Sam Peters

The Alto Nido 1851 Ivar Hollywood 90028

goodstoryproductions@mac.com

SAM PETERS PUBLIC RELATIONS NY LA LV LN HK

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Press Release: Meeting of Tommy Chong and Wayne Darwen brings new attention to HIGH THERE film

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Comedy legend Tommy Chong and High There star Wayne Darwen in historic meeting at Las Vegas Hempfest, October 3, 2015.

Ailing comedy legend reportedly "passed the cannabis comedy torch" to the man who plays Dave High

HOLLYWOOD (October 9)  The meeting of High There star Wayne Darwen and comedy legend Tommy Chong at the 2015 Las Vegas Hempfest has brought renewed attention to the nonfiction gonzo comedy film that was described as reigniting "a film genre made popular decades ago by the likes of Cheech and Chong."

Darwen, who directed High There with co-star Henry Goren, was at the October 3rd event to promote his film.  Chong was receiving a lifetime achievement award from festival organizers.  The pair got together several times during the day-long event, but it was a conversation backstage that drew attention around the world.

The New York Post and PageSix.com reported that Chong "passed the cannabis torch" to Darwen, instructing him to carry on his work with "pot humor"

Richard Johnson wrote:

"Chong graciously chatted backstage with Wayne Darwen, director and star of the cult comedy film High There.

“'Chong told Wayne to carry on the work of getting laughs with pot humor and passed the cannabis torch to a new generation,' said my witness. 'There were tears.'”

A photograph of the pair went viral within hours of the meeting on websites including 420 Magazine.

Chong announced from the Hempfest stage that he will soon be undergoing surgery for a recurrence of the cancer he'd hoped would be cured with cannabis.

Darwen and Goren worked the event with the High There street team, giving away dozens of limited edition DVDs, posters and collectible postcards, while also doing several radio and television interviews.  Goren caused a stir when he appeared wearing a gas mask, a trademark of his High There alter ego Roland Jointz.  He received online attention this week after he produced a doctor's prescription for the apparatus, stating it would protect him from irritating marijuana smoke.

High There is a Sam Peters International Productions Unlimited and Good Story Productions presentation of a Rat Lung picture, distributed by BRINKvision on limited edition DVD and VOD.

The film has received many rave reviews from indie movie websites, including A Bucket of Corn, which called High There "a perfect film," and Movie & TV Series Geek ("A perfect example of a memorable and really good piece of filmed cinema"). It was columnist Mark Day in The Australian who first reported the Cheech and Chong comparison.

View or download the new High There trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP8sJ1yA__g

Find additional photos and information at hightherethemovie.blogspot.com.

SAM PETERS PUBLIC RELATIONS NY LA LV LN HK

FOR INTERVIEWS, REVIEWS, PRESS MATERIALS

CONTACT: Sam Peters

goodstoryproductions@mac.com

PR Inside

NY Post’s PageSix.com: Tommy Chong tells HIGH THERE star Wayne Darwen to carry on his work

“Chong told Wayne to carry on the work of getting laughs with pot humor 

and ‘passed the cannabis torch’ to a new generation,” said my witness. 

“There were tears.”

by Richard Johnson

October 7, 2015

Fans are praying for Tommy Chong, of “Cheech & Chong” fame, as he faces his latest battle with cancer.

The marijuana maven who created best-selling stoner comedy albums and eight movies with partner Cheech Marin could barely stand last weekend at the Las Vegas Hempfest, where he was given a lifetime achievement award.

Chong, 77, announced three years ago he’d been stricken with cancer. But a month later, he tweeted that a hemp oil treatment was working and that he was “99 percent cancer-free.”

Onstage Saturday, Chong said the cancer had come back “big” and that he was due for major surgery in the coming days.

“I was on the Southwest flight from LA with him,” said one source. “He looked pretty worn out. He was visibly weak and ill.”

Chong graciously chatted backstage with Wayne Darwen, director and star of the cult comedy film “High There.”

“Chong told Wayne to carry on the work of getting laughs with pot humor and ‘passed the cannabis torch’ to a new generation,” said my witness. “There were tears.”

Women loved Dave High at the Las Vegas Hempfest!

Men want to be him -- and women want to be with Dave High.  The latter was quite evident by their behaviour at the 2015 Las Vegas Hempfest!

Tommy Chong to Dave High: Passing the cannabis comedy torch

It was a touching moment at the Las Vegas Hempfest when comedy legend Tommy Chong passed the cannabis comedy torch to Wayne Darwen, director and star (as Dave High) of the gonzo nonfiction comedy High There.

One of Cheech and Chong’s classic routines is “Dave's Not Here."  The ailing Chong acknowledged that at the Hempfest, and on the cannabis comedy cinema scene, Dave is very much here.

Dave High.

High There "reignites a film genre made popular decades ago by the likes of Cheech and Chong.”

-- Mark Day, The Australian

“Because I got HIGH THERE!” Thanks to AFROMAN for sharing the spotlight!

Stoner music legend Afroman was a big hit at the Las Vegas Hempfest this weekend, and no bigger hit than he was with the High There team.

After posing for the media with his colleague Dave High, the Grammy-nominated musician carrid on with a copy of the High There DVD, spreading the cult movie to new audiences across the 420 nation!

HIGH THERE stars light up the Las Vegas Hempfest!

Henry Goren and Wayne Darwen, AKA Roland Jointz & Dave High, with comedy legend Tommy Chong at the 2015 Las Vegas Hempfest this weekend.  And Tommy wasn’t the only celeb rushing to get a photo with the High There team!

Afroman!

“Ganja Farmer” reggae star Marlon Asher!

Cali reggae star Ras Rebel!

Nuglife Radio host & cannabis activist Medicinal Mike!

Roland Jointz meets Phillip A. Bowl!