Thomas Eugene Robbins (born July 22, 1932) is an American novelist. His most notable works are "seriocomedies" (also known as " comedy drama "). Tom Robbins has lived in La Conner, Washington since 1970, where he has written nine books. His 1976 novel Even Cowgirls Get the Blues was adapted into the 1993 film version by Gus Van Sant . His latest work, published in 2014, is Tibetan Peach Pie , which is a self-declared "un-memoir".
62-648: Robbins was born on July 22, 1932, in Blowing Rock, North Carolina , to George Thomas Robbins and Katherine Belle Robinson. Both of his grandfathers were Baptist preachers. The Robbins family resided in Blowing Rock before moving to Warsaw , Virginia , when the author was still a young boy. In adulthood, Robbins has described his young self as a " hillbilly ". Robbins attended Warsaw High School (class of 1949) and Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia , where he won
124-667: A Richmond psychic and palm reader who once lived in Richmond's South Side, was fictionalized in Robbins' Even Cowgirls Get the Blues . In 2016 Richmond artists Noah Scalin and Thea Duskin recreated her bedroom as an installation in the art gallery at Chop Suey Books in Carytown in Richmond. The novel Even Cowgirls Get the Blues was adapted into a movie in 1993 by Gus Van Sant and stars Uma Thurman , Lorraine Bracco , and Keanu Reeves . Robbins
186-433: A book on Northwest art. Instead Robbins told Nichols he wanted to write a novel and pitched the idea of what was to become Another Roadside Attraction . In 1967, Robbins moved to South Bend, Washington , where he wrote his first novel. In 1970, Robbins moved to La Conner, Washington , and it was at his home on Second Street that he subsequently authored nine books (although, in the late 1990s, he spent two years living on
248-456: A haven for well-to-do tourists, the residents of Blowing Rock had their village incorporated into a town on March 11, 1889. The town's first mayor was "Uncle" Joe Clarke, and the town initially had a population of about 300. As word traveled to other parts of the South about the merits of Blowing Rock, more visitors began to arrive, first camping out, and later taking rooms at boarding houses such as
310-478: A household in the town was $ 54,271, and the median income for a family was $ 66,979. Males had a median income of $ 45,417 compared to $ 27,361 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 34,294. About 2.9% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line , including 16.1% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over. The town of Blowing Rock takes its name from an unusual rock formation which juts over 1,500 feet (460 m) above
372-403: A mysterious Irish philosopher, the past and the present collide when the characters come together and discover the unexpected path to life-everlasting. The book was first published in 1984 by Bantam Books and later reprinted by Random House . A powerful and chiseled 8th-century king named Alobar narrowly escapes regicide at the hands of his own subjects, from a custom of killing the leader at
434-490: A mysterious group known as "The Bandaloop Doctors," who are masters of immortality. The two set off to the caves of the Bandaloop to learn immortalist practices. Through the remaining vibrations of the now empty caves, the lovers begin a daily practice of controlled breathing, regular fasting, frequent sex, and bathing in extremely hot water. Alobar and Kudra, successful in their practices and never aging, find they are constantly on
496-534: A mysterious man with the helmet of swarming bees, Bingo Pajama, a symbolic figure in the story. In Paris , Claude and Marcel LeFever of the LeFever Parfumarie are not concerned with the small perfume house in New Orleans, but rather their new scent and its synthetic base. Claude has been charged with keeping an eye on Marcel's stability. Though the "creative nose" of the company, his latest ideas on evolution of
558-400: A new consciousness have got his uncle, the owner, Luc Lefever, more than a bit unsettled. It is revealed that Luc has placed Marcel's lover V'lu as a secret agent to send them information about Perfumerie Devalier. In Ancient India, a heinous widow commits suttee , a ritual of self-immolation. Alobar consoles a young girl, Kudra, who was horrified at the sight of the woman attempting to escape
620-461: A tourist destination for visitors from all over the United States. Due to the town's well-to-do, out-of-state summertime residents, Blowing Rock has restaurants, hotels, golf courses, and other attractions. A recent priority for Blowing Rock's residents has been to preserve and protect the town's historic structures and maintaining the small-town charm and scenery that has attracted so many people for
682-533: A way as to convince otherwise rational people that they're factual. So, I guess I come by my narrative inclinations naturally. Over the course of his writing career, Robbins has given readings on four continents, in addition to the performances that he has delivered at festivals from Seattle to San Miguel de Allende . Robbins also read at Bumbershoot in 2014. In 1997, Robbins won the Bumbershoot Golden Umbrella Award for Lifetime Achievement in
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#1732848607633744-597: Is American writer Tom Robbins ' fourth novel and was listed on the New York Times Best Seller list in 1985. The book follows two interweaving storylines, one in Ancient Eurasia and one in the present day. The story connects dueling perfumers in Seattle , Paris and New Orleans to a bottle of incomparable perfume created by two unlikely but defiant lovers of the past who seek immortality . Orchestrated by
806-651: Is a town in Watauga and Caldwell counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina . The population was 1,397 at the 2021 census. The Caldwell County portion of Blowing Rock is part of the Hickory – Lenoir – Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area , while the Watauga County portion is part of the Boone Micropolitan Statistical Area . Before 1752, when Bishop August Gottlieb Spangenberg of
868-431: Is devoted to one sentence, which gets marked on and expanded upon in every possible direction until he is satisfied. Then, and only then, does he add a period". When Robbins was asked to explain his "gift" for storytelling in 2002, he replied: I'm descended from a long line of preachers and policemen. Now, it's common knowledge that cops are congenital liars, and evangelists spend their lives telling fantastic tales in such
930-523: Is fictional but it was used as a draw for the attraction. In the 1980s, a billboard in Wilkesboro for Blowing Rock showed two Indians holding hands, one standing on the rock and one "floating". Today "The Blowing Rock" is a tourist attraction and is known for its superb views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains . Another tourist attraction in Blowing Rock is the Tweetsie Railroad theme park , which
992-579: Is friends with Gus Van Sant , and performed the voice-over narration in Van Sant's film adaptation of Even Cowgirls Get the Blues . He has been friends with directors Robert Altman and Alan Rudolph , as well, and has had small speaking parts in five feature films. Robbins has written eight novels since 1971. He has also written numerous short stories and essays, mostly collected in the volume Wild Ducks Flying Backward , and one novella, B Is for Beer . Blowing Rock, North Carolina Blowing Rock
1054-547: Is home to the only operational narrow-gauge railroad in North Carolina. Tweetsie Railroad operates a variety of narrow-gauge railroad equipment, including East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad Locomotive No. 12 , a steam locomotive built for the original ET&WNC Railroad in 1915. Visitors to Tweetsie can ride the train for 3 miles (5 km) and enjoy the mountain scenery; the park also contains traditional amusement-park rides and attractions. Other attractions in
1116-474: Is moderate; thunderstorms are occasional and rarely severe. The biggest 24-hour temperature change recorded in North Carolina was recorded at Blowing Rock on 1 January 1979, yielding a temperature range of 63 degrees, from -8 °F to 55 °F. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 1,376 people, 619 households, and 357 families residing in the town. As of the census of 2000, there were 1,418 people, 663 households, and 387 families residing in
1178-519: Is named "Bandaloop", with the owners using the book as the primary inspiration for the design of the business; a similar restaurant existed in the Federal Hill neighborhood of Baltimore , US, between 1988 and 2003. Menu items at the Baltimore eating establishment were named after characters and events in the book, while the suspension from the ceiling of a fully decorated, upside-down Christmas tree during
1240-1025: Is owned by Adams Publishing Group and is a sister publication of the Watauga Democrat in Boone . Blowing Rock News is a digital-only news publication focused on Blowing Rock and its surrounding communities. Most services are available either in Blowing Rock or in Boone, approximately 8 miles (13 km) away. The town is served by U.S. Highways 221 and 321 as well as the Blue Ridge Parkway . US 221 leads southwest 18 miles (29 km) to Linville and 53 miles (85 km) to Marion . US 321 leads southeast 21 miles (34 km) to Lenoir and 37 miles (60 km) to Hickory . The two highways together lead north to Boone. For other transportation facilities, consult Boone, North Carolina and Watauga County, North Carolina . Jitterbug Perfume Jitterbug Perfume
1302-637: The Moravian Church visited the Blowing Rock , the windy cliffs of the area were home to the Cherokee and the Catawba Native American tribes. After the mid-18th century, when hardy Scots-Irish pioneers began to settle in the region, the mountain passes from southern Virginia into Kentucky attracted many colonists, farmers, hunters, and trappers who continued south to the mountains of North Carolina. The first family to settle in Blowing Rock were
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#17328486076331364-645: The New York Filmmakers' Cinematheque [ de ] . In the mid-sixties, as a member of the Seattle Arts scene, Robbins reviewed art for several publications in Seattle, wrote essays for museum catalogs, organized gallery exhibits, and was the self-described ringleader in a "boisterous neo-Dada gang of guerilla artists, the Shazam Society". Robbins has defended, in print, Indian mystic Osho , although he
1426-625: The Swinomish Indian reservation ). In the 1980s and early 1990s, Robbins regularly published articles and essays in Esquire magazine, and also contributed to Playboy , The New York Times , and GQ . When Robbins began writing Jitterbug Perfume in 1982, he made a contract with editor Alan Rinzler . As he had a large following, he had the leverage to stipulate a contract with Rinzler where they would accompany Robbins on three holiday trips to resorts Robbins would choose where he could discuss
1488-609: The Blowing Rock area include the elegant and historic Green Park Inn, Mystery Hill where visitors can experience optical illusions that make objects suspended in mid air appear to take more force to move one direction than the other - Mystery Hill is also home to the Moon and Irene Mullins Arrowhead Collection with over 52,000 arrowheads on display, the Blowing Rock Country Club, and the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum. On
1550-674: The Church of the Epiphany as a seasonal, mission church in Blowing Rock. Blowing Rock is located in southern Watauga County in the Blue Ridge Mountains . The southernmost portion of the town, including the actual Blowing Rock cliff, is located in Caldwell County. The town is located on the crest of the Blue Ridge. Most of the town lies just north of the crest, with waters draining north to
1612-512: The Confederate Army often sent them to Blowing Rock, which became a local refuge from the fighting. After the Civil War many of these veterans would join their families and remain in the Blowing Rock area. At the same time, summer residents began to come up from the nearby city of Lenoir to enjoy the cool fresh air and magnificent mountain views. Seeing the potential of their village to become
1674-661: The Greenes, who were established by the mid-19th century on a site that would become the Green Park Hotel property. Other early settlers in Blowing Rock included the Hayes, Coffey, Bolick, Estes and Storie families. During the American Civil War the mountains of North Carolina often witnessed fierce guerrilla warfare between groups of pro- Confederate and pro- Union fighters. To keep their families safe, men leaving for service in
1736-585: The Hayes and Martin houses on Main Street. Eventually there were more visitors than the existing boarding houses could handle, and so many homes were turned into hotels. The first hotel in Blowing Rock was the Watauga Hotel, built in 1884; the hotel added cottages in 1888. The Green Park Hotel opened in 1891, followed eight years later by the Blowing Rock Hotel. Walter Alexander, a prominent local resident, touted
1798-460: The Johns River gorge. Due to the rock's shape and size, wind currents from the gorge often blow vertically, causing light objects to float upwards into the sky. Blowing Rock is the site of Glen Burney Falls and Glen Marie Falls. The Blowing Rock area was once fought over by the Cherokee and Catawba Native American tribes. According to legend, two lovers - one from each tribe - were walking near
1860-552: The Laureate Dinner of Seattle's Rainier Club that has also recognized other local figures, such as Charles Johnson, Stephen Wadsworth, Timothy Egan and August Wilson ; and he sits on the board of directors of The Greater Seattle Bureau of Fearless Ideas (formerly 826 Seattle), "a nonprofit writing and tutoring center dedicated to helping youth, ages six to 18, improve their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write." Madame Zoe,
1922-849: The Middle Fork of the New River and thence to the Ohio River valley, while to the south of the ridgecrest, waters flow via the Johns River to the Catawba River valley and eventually to the Atlantic Ocean in South Carolina . According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 3.1 square miles (7.9 km ), of which 3.0 square miles (7.7 km ) of the area is land, and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km ), or 1.49% of
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1984-743: The Park and Lighting of the Town festivities, including a Holiday Parade; the Symphony by the Lake at Chetola Resort; and the Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show which has been a tradition for 84 years. It is the longest continuously run horse show in the United States. The show features some of the best horse riders in the Eastern United States. The Blowing Rocket newspaper covers Blowing Rock. The newspaper
2046-566: The Senior Essay Medal. The following year he enrolled at Washington and Lee University to major in journalism, leaving at the end of his sophomore year after being disciplined by his fraternity for bad behavior and failing to earn a letter in basketball. In 1953, he enlisted in the Air Force after receiving his draft notice, spending a year as a meteorologist in Korea , followed by two years in
2108-714: The Special Weather Intelligence unit of the Strategic Air Command in Nebraska . He was discharged in 1957 and returned to Richmond, Virginia , where his poetry readings at the Rhinoceros Coffee House led to a reputation among the local bohemian scene. In late 1957, Robbins enrolled at Richmond Professional Institute (RPI), a school of art, drama, and music, which later became Virginia Commonwealth University . He served as an editor and columnist for
2170-535: The arts that is presented annually by the Bumbershoot arts festival in Seattle. In 2000, Robbins was named one of the 100 Best Writers of the 20th Century by Writer's Digest magazine, while the legendary Italian critic Fernanda Pivano called Robbins "the most dangerous writer in the world". In October 2012, Robbins received the 2012 Literary Lifetime Achievement Award from the Library of Virginia. In 2015, Robbins
2232-552: The bottle when V'lu and Madame Devalier return. Together, they learn the secret of the mysterious beets, the perfume and the story of Alobar and Kudra. In Paris, the story makes a final stop in another dimension, led by Kudra, discovering the way to immortality. The main message is summarized in the words spoken in Alobar's 8th century Bohemian dialect Erleichda, loosely translated as "lighten up". A restaurant in Kennebunkport, Maine ,
2294-420: The clean air and healthy environment of Blowing Rock; in 1922 he opened his own hotel, called Mayview Manor. As the tourist economy became Blowing Rock's main industry in the late 19th century, the town was forced to adapt to meeting the needs of tourists. The need for cleaner and better streets (most streets then were simply dirt tracks) led to the paving of the town's streets and highways. Another issue involved
2356-578: The college newspaper, Proscript , from 1958 to 1959. He also worked nights on the sports desk of the daily Richmond Times-Dispatch . After graduating with honors from RPI in 1959 and indulging in some hitchhiking, Robbins joined the staff of the Times-Dispatch as a copy editor. In 1962, Robbins moved to Seattle to seek an M.A. at the Far East Institute of the University of Washington . During
2418-403: The course of about two years. Michael Dare described Robbins' writing style in the following manner: "When he starts a novel, it works like this. First he writes a sentence. Then he rewrites it again and again, examining each word, making sure of its perfection, finely honing each phrase until it reverberates with the subtle texture of the infinite. Sometimes it takes hours. Sometimes an entire day
2480-471: The east and south. Daytime temperatures in the summer infrequently rise above 80 °F (27 °C). Temperatures in the winter are much colder and harsher than what would be expected in a southern state, being more similar to southern coastal New England. Daytime highs can frequently fall into the 20s or lower. Snow, sleet, and freezing rain are all common in the winter months. Springtime and Autumn in Blowing Rock are both cool and generally pleasant. Rainfall
2542-407: The first sign of aging. After fleeing, no longer a king but only a man, he travels through Eurasia , on a newfound quest for the secret to longevity. Eventually he stumbles upon the stamping grounds of the pungent goat-god Pan , who is slowly losing his godly powers as the world turns toward Christianity . Pan encourages Alobar to continue East in search of the masters of immortality. Meanwhile, in
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2604-466: The flames of the funeral pyre. Years later, the girl, now a young woman, arrives at a lamasery where Alobar has taken residence for two decades. The two fall in love, and as with most of Robbins' couples, their mutual libido is enormous, and their love quite like something out of a comedic fairy tale. Kudra reveals that she recently escaped suttee herself, and the two find a common bond in their defiance of death. Alobar tells Kudra about his encounter with
2666-600: The holiday season also garnered attention. A book store located at 709 West Smith Street in Orlando, Florida from 1991 to 1995 was named Alobar Books, after the main character in the book. Project Bandaloop , a multi-dimensional dance company founded in 1991 by Amelia Rudolph, was named after the Bandaloop from Jitterbug Perfume . A hostel in Kathmandu is named Alobar1000 after the book's character, inspired by his extensive travel and pursuit of immortality. A stage production
2728-634: The last 150 years. In addition to the Green Park Inn, the Bollinger-Hartley House , East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad Locomotive No. 12 , Gragg House , Green Park Historic District , Randall Memorial Building, Former , Vardell Family Cottages Historic District , Westglow , and Moses Cone's Flat Top Manor are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church (Boone, NC) , operates
2790-518: The murder of Bingo Pajama. Later, Priscilla's relationship with Wiggs Dannyboy is put on hold by a tragedy at the Last Laugh Foundation. But Dannyboy relays the good news that Marcel Lefever and his good friend, the thousand-year old Alobar, will be coming to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, and that he will arrive shortly thereafter. Alobar, Marcel, and Priscilla all convene for Mardi Gras, where they encounter Pan one final time. Priscilla recovers
2852-461: The mysterious deliveries of beets she keeps receiving at her apartment. In New Orleans , Priscilla's stepmother, Madame Devalier, a once successful perfumer, is also working to recreate the same fragrance as Priscilla. Madame D's protégé V'lu urges her to attempt to formulate a scent that will compete with their historic competition in Paris. The two have their hands on premium Jamaican jasmine supplied by
2914-605: The nearby Blue Ridge Parkway is Moses Cone Memorial Park, which offers scenic views of the surrounding mountains. The park contains the Moses Cone Manor and Estate, and features two large lakes surrounded by forests and trails. These trails wind for miles, and were once carriage trails for the Cone family. Adjacent to the park is the Blowing Rock Equestrian Preserve, where visitors can board their horses convenient to
2976-457: The need to build fences to keep farm animals from wandering into town and disturbing visitors - at the time most farms in the area were not fenced. In 1896 the town passed an ordinance which required local farmers to fence in their livestock. The introduction of the automobile and improved roads early in the 20th century further eased the journey to Blowing Rock, and visitors began to arrive from as far away as Florida . Today Blowing Rock remains
3038-640: The next five years in Seattle (minus a year spent in New York City researching a book on Jackson Pollock ) he worked for the Seattle Times as an art critic. In 1965, he wrote a column on the arts for Seattle Magazine as well as occasionally for Art in America and Artforum . Also during this time, he hosted a weekly alternative radio show, Notes from the Underground , at non-commercial KRAB-FM , Seattle. It
3100-534: The perfume formula with Pan using pungent sugar beets as a base and they voyage to the New World. Alobar ultimately loses not only the love of his life, but the precious bottle of sweetly scented perfume. In the present, the ancient bottle of perfume is stolen by V'lu while Priscilla is attending a dinner with Wiggs Dannyboy at the Last Laugh Foundation. Priscilla goes to New Orleans to retrieve it, but misses Madame Devalier and V'lu. The pair are in hiding after witnessing
3162-453: The population. There were 663 households, of which 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 persons and the average family size was 2.59. The population consists of The median age was 51 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.4 males. The median income for
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#17328486076333224-434: The present day, Priscilla, a part-time waitress and amateur perfumer , is stalled in re-creating the fragrance from the last remaining drops of a three-hundred-year-old perfume bottle in her possession. She rejects the sexual advances of her co-worker Ricki. She begins an affair with an eccentric Irish philosopher, Wiggs Dannyboy, who runs a clinic for immortality research called the Last Laugh Foundation. She attempts to ignore
3286-427: The rocks when the man received a notice to report to his village and go into battle. When his lover urged him to stay with her, he became so distraught that he threw himself off the blowing rock into the gorge. The woman prayed to the Great Spirit to return her lover, and the Spirit complied by sending a gust of wind which blew the man back up the cliff and landed him safely on the blowing rock itself. This story of course
3348-466: The run, moving around Europe to avoid the threat of violence against them for their heathen practices. After several hundred years, they have settled and opened a perfume shop in 17th century Paris. When a group of monks threaten their lives, they try to create a perfume to take "stinky Pan" to the New World with them. When time runs out, they attempt a sort of new transcendental meditation and become separated into different astral planes . Alobar completes
3410-439: The total area, is water. The climate in the area can be described as warm-summer humid continental ( Dfb ), or highland subtropical climate ( Cfb ) depending on the isotherm used; Köppen Climate Classification . This results in an unusual climate compared to the rest of North Carolina; the town's elevation of 3,500 to 3,600 feet (1,100 to 1,100 m) above sea level results in cooler summer temperatures than lowland areas to
3472-416: The town. The population density was 477.9 inhabitants per square mile (184.5/km ). There were 1,524 housing units at an average density of 513.6 units per square mile (198.3 units/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 97.95% White , 0.35% African American , 0.21% Native American , 0.35% Asian , 0.07% from other races , and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.63% of
3534-432: The trails; there are 25 miles (40 km) of riding and carriage trails in the park. Annual festivals and events in Blowing Rock include the "Art in the Park" festival, a monthly summertime (May-Oct) event in downtown Blowing Rock where artists set up booths to sell their work to tourists; the Fourth of July festival and parade; Blowing Rock Winterfest in November; the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival in April; Christmas in
3596-609: The work-in-progress novel, which Rinzler later discovered was Jitterbug Perfume . Alan Rinzler later wrote this on the topic of editing for Robbins: Tom would read out loud from his work in progress, and I would comment. Just a few pages at a time. He was a real southern gentleman, and welcomed intellectual discourse about his theme, characters, and intentions, from the inside. He took the process of conception, research, trial and error, moving things around, changing voices and pitch very seriously, wrote slowly and carefully, revised constantly, developing, refining and evolving this novel over
3658-529: Was a friend of Terence McKenna , whose influence appears evident in a couple of his books. A main character (Larry Diamond) in Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas advocates a theory similar to those of McKenna, involving the history and cultural influences of psychedelic plants. Robbins also spent time with Timothy Leary and the author has said that one of the protagonists in Jitterbug Perfume (Wiggs Dannyboy) exhibited certain characteristics of Leary's personality; Robbins has acknowledged using LSD with Leary. He
3720-437: Was awarded the Willamette Writers ' Lifetime Achievement Award and received the award at the Gala Awards Event at the Willamette Writers Conference on August 8, 2015. On September 2, 2023, a "King for a Day" gala and parade was held in Robbins's honor in his home city of La Conner, Washington. The event also raised money for a children's art program at the local library. During his brief stint in New York in 1965 Robbins joined
3782-430: Was in 1967, while writing a review of the rock band The Doors , that Robbins says he found his literary voice. While working on his first novel, Robbins worked the weekend copy desk of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer . Robbins would remain in Seattle, on and off, for the following forty years. In 1966, Robbins was contacted and then met with Doubleday 's West Coast Editor, Luthor Nichols, who asked Robbins about writing
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#17328486076333844-469: Was never a follower. Robbins spent three weeks at ceremonial sites in Mexico and Central America with mythologist Joseph Campbell , and studied mythology in Greece and Sicily with the poet Robert Bly . Robbins also traveled to Timbuktu . As of 2013, Robbins is a member of the Marijuana Policy Project 's advisory board, alongside numerous other notable figures such as Jack Black , Ani DiFranco , Tommy Chong , and Jello Biafra ; he has been honoured at
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