High Times
From Includipedia, the inclusionist encyclopedia
High Times is a New York City-based magazine. The publication strongly advocates the legalization of cannabis. For a brief period, it moved toward an overtly left-wing lifestyle magazine under publisher Richard Stratton, who hired John Mailer, Norman Mailer's youngest son, as Executive Editor. It has since returned to its earlier roots in the cannabis subculture. Recently, the magazine created an "un-reality" TV show based around the adventures of some of the staff. The show (High Times TV) was launched on YouTube, and heavily promoted through myspace.com.
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[edit] Origins
The magazine was founded in 1974 by Tom Forcade of the Underground Press Syndicate.[1] High Times was originally modeled on Playboy magazine, except that rather than catering to consumers of recreational sex, it caters to consumers of recreational drugs. Each issue has a centerfold photo, not of a nude woman, but typically of a choice grade of cannabis plant. (Although for a brief period during the late 1970s and early '80s, they featured centerfolds dedicated to cocaine.) In 1988, Steven Hager was hired as editor-in-chief. He removed hard drugs from the magazine and began a campaign to encourage personal use cultivation of cannabis. Hager also founded the Cannabis Cup (the Academy Awards of Marijuana) and The Freedom Fighters (one of the original hemp legalization groups).
[edit] Related Endeavors
[edit] Internet Podcasting
Produces regular video podcasts -- dubbed as the High Times POTcast -- that supplement stories from the monthly magazine.[2] [3]
[edit] Recognition and Award Ceremonies
High Times sponsors seven different cannabis culture awards:
- The Cannabis Cup for marijuana strains and seeds
- The Stonys for movies and television
- The Doobies for music
- The World Marijuana Film Festival (In Ibiza)
- Freedom Fighter of the Month (and Year)
- Counterculture Hall of Fame Award (in Amsterdam)
- S.T.A.S.H. Awards[1] for grow technology (September issues)
- Seed Bank Hall of Fame (October 2007)
[edit] Film Production
- Produced the 2002 indie comedy Potluck, featuring Frank Adonis, Theo Kogan, Jason Mewes and Tommy Chong
- Produced the 2003 documentary High Times Presents The Cannabis Cup [4], distributed by Koch Entertainment
[edit] 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
[edit] Book Publishing
- Hager, Steven (2002). Adventures in the Counterculture: From Hip Hop to High Times. High Times Books. ISBN 1893010147.
- Krassner, Paul (2001). Psychedelic Trips for the Mind. High Times Press. ISBN 1893010074.
- Eudaley, Chris (2000). How to Be a Pot Star Like Me: What Every Marijuana Enthusiast Should Know. High Times Books. ISBN 1893010066.
- Krassner, Paul; foreword by Harlan Ellison (1999). Pot Stories for the Soul. High Times Press. ISBN 1893010023.
- Gaskin, Stephen (1998). Cannabis Spirituality: Including 13 Guidelines for Sanity and Safety. High Times Press. ISBN 0964785862.
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, 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.
[edit] Television
In 2007, Hager began work on a reality TV show based around the High Times offices.
[edit] Writers
Other writers for High Times have included Chef Ra, Charles Bukowski, Truman Capote, A. Craig Copetas, Samuel R. Delany, Stephen Gaskin, Peter Gorman, Steven Hager, James Horwitz, Dennis King, William Levy, Ed Rosenthal, Hunter S. Thompson and Valerie Vande Panne.
[edit] Celebrities
Over the years numerous celebrities have been interviewed by or appeared on the cover of High Times.
[edit] 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"
The High Times Editorial staff has been parodied by the writers at CollegeHumor.com: http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1792449
[edit] Further reading
- Annie Nocenti and Ruth Baldwin, eds., The High Times Reader, Thunder's Mouth, Nation Books, 2004 ISBN 1-56025-624-9.
[edit] References
- ^ Significant Technological Advancements in Secretive Horticulture
[edit] External links
- High Times magazine website
- High Times video POTcast via YouTube
[edit] See also
| Cannabis resources |
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