Tommy Chong as Leo Chingkwake was one of the funniest characters in That 70s show who consistently delivered some of the series’ most memorable quotes. Over the course of eight seasons, Chong transformed Leo from a one-note stoner character into an engaging, insightful father figure to Steven Hyde and, at times, an oddly poetic speaker of philosophical wisdom. Chong was perfectly cast as aging hippie Leo because, as one half of the cult comedy duo Cheech and Chong, he was already an integral part of 1970s pop culture.
Many of the best episodes of That 70s show featured Leo, and over the course of the series, Chong was upgraded from an occasional guest star to a major recurring character. As an essential contributor to many of That 70s show In the best recurring gags, Leo was often present while the gang engaged in recreational activities in Eric Forman’s basement. Although Leo may not have been part of the show’s main cast, Leo’s recurring presence was an important factor in That 70s show lasting appeal to this day.
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“You managed to bring a man of God to tears”
Season 4, Episode 12: “An Eric Forman Christmas”
The old hippie Leo Chingkwake was always quick to interject with witty one-liners after he caught the end of the gang’s misadventures. This was certainly the case in “An Eric Forman Christmas,” when Leo showed up after the gang tied up Pastor Dave after Eric’s plans to run the church’s Christmas parade went awry. Leo scolded the class, complaining that they “managed to bring a man of God to tears.”
However, when Pastor Dave explained, “I’m not crying”, Leo confounded viewers’ expectations by saying: “I’m talking about me, man.” Leo told the class that Eric was the only one in the group with a “fundamental moral core” And taught them a lesson about ruining their plans for a pleasant Christmas spectacle. As one of the few times Leo stood out as the lucid voice of reason, this was a hilarious and profound moment for his character.
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“Hey, where’s that guy and that other guy? And that girl? And that guy? And the other girl?
Season 4, Episode 24: “That 70s Musical”
As a sitcom that embraced the incredible power of music, it’s no surprise That 70s show there was a musical episode in season 4. With classic tracks from artists like Earth, Wind & Fire, The Turtles, and a memorable version of Steve Miller Band’s “The Joker,” this was one of the most memorable and creative episodes of the entire series. show. It also featured one of Leo’s funniest lines when he asked Fez where the rest of the class was when he arrived at the annual choral concert organized by the authoritarian music teacher Mr. Wilkinson, played by The Who’s Roger Daltrey.
When Leo asked Fez: “Where is that guy and the other guy?” he revealed that despite leaving with That 70s show gang on numerous occasions, he didn’t know anyone’s name. The idea that Leo thinks of Eric, Hyde, Donna, Kelso, and Jackie as just a random assortment of guys and girls was actually hilarious. Although Leo’s recreational habits meant he was often prone to forgetfulnessthis took things to a new level.
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“Hey, do you want to be my dad?”
Season 2, Episode 18: “Kitty and Eric’s Night Out”
Leo Chingkwake and Steven Hyde have always had a father-son type relationship, so it made sense that Hyde would go to him to discuss his relationship problems. While Hyde complained about his old girlfriend Patty leaving him for Fez, Leo excitedly announced that he had just had twins while playing a board game. The Game of Life. This led to Leo stating that the game was much better than real life because your children “share with him,” prompting Hyde to reveal that his parents also abandoned him, and Leo sentimentally adding, “and now we meet.”
This touching moment soon turned hilarious when the much older Leo asked, “Hey, do you want to be my father?” Like many of Leo’s best moments, it showed how close he was to getting to the real heart of the matter before highlighting his hopelessness and misunderstanding of the normal dynamics of a father-son relationship. Hyde, at first looking perplexed, just smiled and said, “Of course”, before continuing playing.
7
“I think I might have been in the Navy.”
Season 2, Episode 18: “Kitty and Eric’s Night Out”
After Leo and Hyde teamed up to play the Game of Life in the 2nd season of That ’70s Show, the end credits showed the duo involved in a game of Battleship. Although Leo was generally far from a wordsmith, he was shown to be very coherent and intelligent after Hyde attacked his ship. Here, Leo surprisingly declared: “You know, a well-maintained fleet is the backbone of any military structure, and with your floating arsenal depleted, your troops will likely suffer serious collateral damage..”
This unusual piece of highly detailed military terminology led Leo to realize that he may have forgotten much of his childhood. In shock, Leo said: “Wow, you know what, man??” before revealing, “I think I could have been in the Navy.” While it’s no secret that Leo certainly had a fascinating history before he was seen in That 70s showthe idea of Leo, having an esteemed naval career that taught him all about nautical warfare, added yet another intriguing layer to this mysterious man..
6
“What are you doing in Canada?”
Season 3, Episode 23: “Canadian Road Trip”
The class in That 70s show was always coming up with new and interesting ways to land in hot water, as seen in the Season 3 episode “Canadian Road Trip.” That’s when the gang, including Leo, took a trip to Canada to buy cheap beer, but Fez forgot his green card, raising questions about whether he was trying to enter the country illegally. As the gang was questioned by Canadian border control, Leo became hilariously unaware of the gravity of the situation.
When asked by Canadian rangers what he was doing in Canada, all he could think to answer was a mocking repetition of “What are you doing in Canada?” This lack of understanding, combined with a natural aversion to authority figures, meant that Leo was no help in the lawmen’s investigation. Happily, Fez managed to return to Wisconsin without being arrestedbut old hippie Leo certainly didn’t help his case.
5
“If you go back to work, you’re fired, man.”
Season 2, Episode 18: “Kitty and Eric’s Night Out”
The Season 2 episode “Kitty and Eric’s Night” featured some of Leo’s best moments as he and Hyde began to bond after they started working together at the Foto Hut. Although Hyde seemed to want to prove his enthusiasm for his new job by interrupting the board session early to get back to work, Leo showed he was not a typical boss when he said, “If you go back to work, you’re fired, man.” Leo’s determination to ensure that Hyde continued to relax at work proved that he was the perfect boss for someone as aloof as Hyde.
While this episode featured a lot of great Leo and Hyde moments which helped establish the father-son relationship, also included some hilarious mother-son moments between Kitty and Eric. This was the episode where Eric uncomfortably watched a censored version of Anne Hall with his mother, and they had to deal with all the uncomfortable sex scenes. Although this was one of Woody Allen’s best films, it had a lot of content and humor that would probably make any teenager squirm if he accidentally had to go through this with his own mother.
4
“Without Aquarius”
Season 8, Episode 11: “Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy”
After several seasons of sporadic appearances, Leo was once again upgraded to a recurring character in That 70s show Season 8. This happened because Leo and Hyde started working together again at the local record store, Grooves. The hilarious interactions between Leo and Hyde were some of the best parts of this season, although Hyde always knew when something wasn’t right with Leo. This prompted Hyde to tell him that he is “I’ve been acting strange” before asking: “Are you sober?”
To the question of your sobriety, Leo responded in a way that perfectly summed up the nature of his character when he said: “No, Aquarius.” Leo confusing sobriety with his star sign was the clearest answer to this question anyone could have asked. With the inability to truly understand what was being asked, it’s likely that Leo was enjoying himself before the audience saw him in this scene.
3
“I think the word you’re looking for is fried, man.”
Season 8, Episode 2: “Someone to Love”
After Leo invited his friends to hang out, smoke and play music at Steven Hyde’s Grooves record store, his young boss felt he had no choice but to fire him. Despite being close friends for years, Hyde bit the bullet and told Leo he was fired in the show’s signature circular segment. However, Leo didn’t seem to understand that Hyde was letting him go for not running the store responsibly and laughed when he told him: “I think the word you’re looking for is fried, man”, in reference to the use of illegal drugs that the program involves.
Although it only took Hyde a moment to decide that Leo could have his job back, this incident led to the introduction of Eric Forman’s replacement character, Randy. Instead of letting Leo go and hiring someone new, Randy was added to the Groove team, and the three of them worked there together. While Randy’s introduction may have been unpopular with viewers, Leo’s actions were essential in adding him to the That 70s show.
2
“Do you know why they call it beer?”
Season 3, Episode 23: “Canadian Road Trip”
When the gang enters That 70s show had the idea of traveling to Canada to buy beer, Leo was completely against it, believing that it would “mess with your mind.” Despite Leo’s love for other mind-altering substancesit was interesting to learn that he was so stern about his anti-alcohol beliefs. However, Leo was still interested in joining Eric, Hyde and Fez on their trip across Canada, as he “spent some time there during Vietnam.”
After the rest of the group bought the beer, Leo continued to explain that even though the beer “looks fun” and “all the cool kids do it,” this “takes you down a sad, lonely and confusing path.” With all this wisdom, Leo ended his argument with a final thought: “You know why they call it beer?” In response, Eric said: “No, why?“waiting for some more words of wisdom from Leo, only for him to respond,”I’m just curious, man”, revealing that Leo didn’t know either.
1
“I sat next to God once on the bus. He told me the meaning of life and then gave me a pretzel.”
Season 2, Episode 23: “Holy Shit!”
Some of the best quotes from That 70s show occurred when the gang was smoking weed and talking in a circle in Eric Forman’s basement. While they were often just the main guys during these scenes, Leo made a surprise appearance in Season 2. Feeling philosophical, the class began talking about religion and God, to which Hyde said: “God is dead, man; it was said in Time magazine.”
However, Leo stated that this could not be true because he “I sat next to God on the bus”, where he was told the meaning of life and given a pretzel. When the class understandably asked what the meaning of life was, Leo said: “Guess I should have written it down, but it was a good pretzel, man.” This mix of deep philosophical insight and stoner’s mindless obliviousness was part of what made Leo such a fan-favorite character in That 70s show as it leaned on Tommy Chong’s hilarious comedic talents.