I had the opportunity to interview Cheech Marin, the actor/comedian best known as half of Cheech & Chong. He’s the brand ambassador for Tres Papalote, a new mezcal from Riviera Imports; the spirit’s launch party was May 18 at Black Barn in New York.

Cheech is one of those people that you would think would probably be pretty cool if you met him in person, and the real Cheech did not disappoint. He’s super laid back (of course), smart and funny. His wife Natasha—a Russian-born classical pianist—was great, too.

We talked a lot about mezcal, naturally, but it was a wide-ranging conversation covering such topics as his friendship with John Paul DeJoria, founder of Patron tequila and Paul Mitchell haircare products (“I knew him when he was at Redken”); the new Coachella classic rock event (“I wonder who’s going on first—Dylan or the Stones?”) and his memoir coming out next year (“it’s called Cheech Is Not Really My Name…But Don’t Call Me Chong”).

We also discussed Cheech’s Private Stash—that’s the name of his pot line, which is coming out in a few weeks, and marijuana legislation. I noted that some lawmakers fear that pot is a gateway to harder drugs, and he laughed. Weed, he said, “is a gateway to a nap.”

Here’s the Cheers interview with Cheech.