Really? I don't understand similes and metaphors? "two Mexican comedians, who acted like apes" .. the simile here is that you are equating Mexicans to apes. In other words, even the casual onlooker will feel you are bringing racist undertones to a topic where it wasn't needed. Perhaps it is that you consider the Hippie counter-culture as "ape-ish", which is your right, of course, but you never said that. Perhaps you were intending to use "ape" to mean "to mimic" but your sentence clearly doesn't imply that, either. In fact, you clearly stated that the two comedians behaved in an ape-like manner as they pretended to be American. Furthermore, both Tommy Chong and Cheech Marin ARE American. Cheech Marin was born in the United States. Sure, he is of Mexican descent but he is an American. Yes, Tommy Chong was born in Canada but he is a naturalized US citizen. That makes him Canadian-American. He is Scot-Irish and Chinese descent. Which part of that heritage is Mexican? Or did you just assume? As I stated previously, perhaps you should attempt looking at things you have limited to zero knowledge about with a more open mind. I mean, as an English speaker attempting to help non-English speakers, that is your responsibility.

Ahh, you are one of "those" people. I should have known when you referred to someone with darker skin as "ape". Carry on. And for the record, I wasn't ranting and raving.

Like "apes". Whoa. Care to recant that? Cheech and Chong were comedic gold. They were each brilliant in their own right. To say the basement stank like their movies is completely missing the point. First off, many people enjoy their movies (myself included.) In fact, I think classifying the humor as "Mexicans liked to laugh at Americans" misses the entire premise. Secondly, the common theme in virtually every movie they made was the pursuit of marijuana, "the ultimate high" and free love. It was more a commentary on the counter-culture of America than anything else. Perhaps a little bit of an open mind and an attempt at understanding things you obviously know nothing about are in order. In Cheech and Chong's movies, the entire plot was based off of their problems assimilating into normal society because the characters they portrayed were based on the Hippie movement of the late 1960's. In as much, marijuana was a big part of the Hippie counter-culture of America. To answer the original question, the mother is saying "Uncle Stu and Dad are smoking marijuana in the basement." It is nothing more than a Pop Culture reference and perhaps a way for the writers of the movie you watched to pay respect to two of the best comedians of their time.

You obviously have a problem with understanding similes & metaphors!

Each is entitled to their own opinion on Italki Ya Li Shan Da!!!! There is no need to rant & rave.