Pot users share high times online

Dave Warden self-medicates on L.A. pot show "The Weed Report." (Credit: YouTube.com)

By the time we began the interview, Bong Rip had absorbed quite a bit of THC.

I’d been watching the 30-year-old host of “BongTV,” a live Internet show that features Mr. Rip traveling around the Southland in his ’88 Rolls Royce limo, rapping with guests and friends — and smoking more pot than I thought was possible. On screen, he’d made short work of four big joints, demonstrated repeatedly and convincingly why his name is Bong Rip and otherwise had not gone three minutes without a quick lung full from his glass pipe.

I was surprised he could maintain consciousness, let alone speak. But this is what he does every day — live, on the Internet — from 4:20 p.m. to 4:20 a.m.

“It’s like a virtual party, right in your computer,” he told me with impressive coherence. “I have over 100 people watching that I take with me in my limousine — they don’t make a mess, they don’t cause any trouble and they don’t smoke my weed.”

“BongTV” has a small but dedicated following — Bong Rip calls them the Stoner Army. People watch the show on multi-way video chat services Stickam.com and UserPlane.com. Because it’s live, viewers get to chat, joke and toke with Bong Rip in real time. But a warning to those easily offended: This show exists only because there are no ratings on the Internet.

Die-hard fans are awarded ranks by Gen. Rip for being loyal, reading about marijuana legalization and helping him advertise his show around the Web. You can ascend from private to captain, be named senator or governor (OK, those two are not military ranks, but, geez, don’t kill Bong’s buzz!), and if you really impress him, he’ll make you a major.

Whenever Bong decides it’s time to light up, he calls out “420 in the chat room if you’re smoking!” Within moments, dozens of viewers have eagerly chimed in. “420!” they type — and they’re not just posturing — among the 10 or 20 viewers that are running their own webcams, a healthy number can be seen reaching for an implement and joining right in.

Once a largely invisible subculture, the pot community has harnessed online video and social networking to “come out of the grow closet” and into the open. Not to be left out of the Web 2.0 movement, like-minded users (that’s “users” in both senses) are taking advantage of the Internet to connect and socialize semi-anonymously, and from a distance.

“These are people who are really looking for a venue to express how much they love it, or love growing it or just like having it around,” said Dave Warden, who hosts “The Weed Report,” an online video magazine on which Warden visits Los Angeles dispensaries, glass galleries and his own home, reviewing oddly named strains of cannabis along the way. The snappily edited show is entertaining and even contains some pretty funny sketches by Warden, who was formerly the Gadget Guy on the DIY Network’s “Lawn Care Workshop” and has several Hollywood directing and producing credits to his name.

“The Weed Report” routinely scores tens of thousands of views on YouTube and other sites and even has its own bong-making company as a sponsor. The show’s modest success spurred Warden to create a kind of pot video social network, in which aficionados from several countries have uploaded 125 pot-related videos of various levels of sophistication (read: Most are nothing more interesting than people getting high).

Many of the videos on theweedreport.com come from Canada, where the legal climate is considerably more relaxed. “If there was a marijuana video war, the Canadians would be winning,” Warden said. Warden pointed to online pot-smoking shows like “Chronic604” (where a bunch of guys smoke in different places), “Baked in BC” (where a bunch of pretty girls do) and Pot TV, the leading online cannabis network.

Bong Rip of Bong TV Live. (Image courtesy Bong Rip)

Pot TV is a large repository of videos, including serial shows, pot documentaries and snippets of “real” TV segments on legalization and politics. The site is run by Greg “Marijuana Man” Williams and produced by Mark Emery, the publisher of Canada’s Cannabis Culture magazine and one of the pot world’s most celebrated and notorious figures. Emery, Williams and colleague Michelle Rainey were arrested in 2005 on drug trafficking and money laundering charges related to their online seed-selling business. The case has become a rallying point in the pot world since the trio was arrested in Canada for allegedly breaking U.S. law. They’re awaiting extradition hearings.

Williams, who hosts “The Grow Show” on Pot TV, agreed that the Web has been a watershed for pot culture. “The revolution may not be televised,” he quipped, “but it is alive and kicking on YouTube.

“People do this because they know what they are doing is not really going to hurt them or anyone who might follow their lead. If you have a law that needs constant enforcement and it is openly defied, it is a pretty good indication that the people do not want that law.”

Speaking of laws, one might wonder how illegal it is to post videos of oneself smoking pot — with or without a California prescription, which Warden and Bong Rip say they have.

Well, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Los Angeles Police Department agree that, barring obviously felonious activity like dealing or possession of large amounts, this kind of stuff is small potatoes.

“If it’s just a person smoking marijuana in a residential-looking environment, there’s really no law violation there,” said LAPD Sgt. Kevin Kurzhals of the narcotics division. “We legally couldn’t just break down the door and do anything.”

Special Agent Sarah Pullen of the DEA offered a similar statement. “The DEA’s focus is to pursue those traffickers that have the biggest impact. We typically don’t go after that level of user.”

So it appears that our pot video stars are safe for now, which is a good thing for Bong Rip, who seems almost more addicted to broadcasting himself to the Stoner Army than he is to any banned substance. As my interview with Bong concluded, he offered me an unexpected bonus.

“What’s your first name again, man?”

“David ..... ”

“Dave, you are now officially a major in the Stoner Army as recognized by Bong Rip and the Stoner Army worldwide.”

Major Dave ..... I could get used to that.

Times staff writer Charlie Amter contributed to this report.

Comments

[gamdopa]

dude!

[Zilla]

Join our community: http://www.weedcollege.com

[case]

sweeet!

[jah]

digg site for marijuana

www.smokedown.com

[Alan Shore]

Some day we will look back at the "drug war" and realise it was such a waste of time and energy. Freedom is the issue!

[mAJORVyeBrator]

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY DAVE

[Jacob Grossi]

Grass is a sacrament, it's kind of a shame it's gotten so expoited through some of its users.

Jacob
http://www.ConcertPosterArt.com
"Over 4000 Original Concert Posters, Flyers and Vintage Ads"

[Super Doobie]

Smoke on!

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and The All American High!

http://superdoobie.com

[budz]

niiice, I'ma have to look into this and post the link @ www.budzsack.com

maybe I can be major budz ehehe

[MAJORChill]

its just mother nature...maaaaaaaan

[P-Dub]

Great story! We publish Australia's only cannabis magazine (StickyPoint Magazine), we love to see the boundaries being pushed all over the globe. Too many people around the world love this plant in a variety of ways for it just to be ignored or outlawed. Power to the people!

[Free Xbox 360 Premium]

Wow that's crazy.

[Major_Show]

Every body, Bong tv is not only a place for stoner's but a place for every one who wants to find some live comedy. Every Body come check out Bong TV and the Stoner Army

[bud]

An informative, well written article. Your editor should give you a raise.

[Mr. 420 weed]

Remember! The most in important reason for all of us being on www.BongTvLive.com is so that we can educate and help other that need marijuana for medical use! People like Bong Rip and Montel Williams can and will be the leaders in fighting against law makers in changing minds about marijuana use for medical use. And making marijuana a class B drug and not a class A drug! People like us in the Stoner Army wil be there to help them along the way! One the other thing to remember God made marijuana, man made booze!

[erichansa]

This just in: the internet is being used for pornography.

[bonzo420]

Legalize!

[sircoffaluss]

The Power Of " The Bong Rip", Is moving freedom hard into the future with everything to gain,Nothing can stop "The Stoner Army". StonerFi..

[sircoffaluss]

The power of "The Bong Rip",is moving freedom into the future hard, with everthing to gain.Nothing can stop "The Stoner Army". StonerFi.

[Korrozion]

Bong is my idol....I will fallow this man into the gates of sober hell. He is changing the pot culture underground . Get ready America this mufucka is bringin kush to every door step..
LEGALIZE!!!! www.bongtvlive.com <<< JOIN THE 420 STONER ARMY >> and tell them that bastard Korrozion sent ya too... PEACE AND POT

[John]

Bong is a very sick person that does way more than promote pot.He gets his pets high and shows porn in his chat rooms.Bong as you call him raids rooms with the help of his stoner army.It is not legal to get your animals high or smoke pot while driving a motor vehicle.I been watching this man for a long time now and he is a crazy sick person. I am sadden to see this man in the paper like this.

[MajorDenny]

I LOVE BONG!!! AND MY STONER ARMY FAMILY!!! Happy Anniversary everyone!!!! N god bless for 9/11 as well. Love n Peace!!
xxoo

[420 guy]

I really want to be a major in the stoner army, I guess I'll have to live with just being a local chronic character on my blog and from time to time on the local radio station.

[PotheadFromQuahog]

BONG RIP FOR PRESIDENT!! GREEN PARTY!!!

[{Capt]

Yoooo Bong TV is awesome . it give me no excuss to be "bored" I live in NY and Bong is always 3 hours behind me in cali smoking the bessst Buddss and theres tons of hotties to look at as well . Im glad i found the Stoner Army .Smoke Weed Every Day.

[sGt DirtyCrotch]

One of the better reads in along time, its about time we are heard, other in simple protest
Bong Rip is the leader of the Stoner Army and there are more of us then there are of you

We will be heard and in the end with dedication and persistance

WE WILL LEAGALIZE

" United We Stand, Stoned We Will Fall"

I do encourage everyone to come by and atleast take a peek at BongTV
you can come for the bong, and worse comes to worse stay for the boobie!

[Jaylike Birds]

Hi!

P-Dub--> I remember my first online pot experience, was in Australia. I was an American in Nimbin, looking for some pot, and i went to the 'pot bar' (forgot the name). "Um, er, is this a place where i can get a medium size bag of, um, smokable herbs?" "Smokable what? You want some pot, then? Some martijuana perhaps? Here, smoke on our 420 webcam!" and he cranks this camera around to me and hands me a pipe filled with (some very nice) herb before i knew what was happening. I took a bunch of rips, joked around for a while, and went on my merry way. Whoops! Forgot the bag! No worries, he about threw a fat sack at me as i walked back in. That was, oh, October 2002 i think. Good times!

[fhgrfgd]

woooooooooooo bong tv!!!

[dggraphics]

"If you have a law that needs constant enforcement and it is openly defied, it is a pretty good indication that the people do not want that law.”

Never a truer statement.

Power to the people.