Maxine Sneed Tommy Chong Said His First Wife Is a Saint

Publish date: 2024-05-17

Many people have wondered where Maxine Sneed is these days. She previously married an internationally renowned comedian, with whom she raised two children who are now working in the entertainment industry.

Maxine Sneed may have parted ways with her ex-husband, famous Hollywood funnyman and actor Tommy Chong, a while back, but she continues to show him a remarkable spirit of generosity and grace.

Tommy has had his fair share of ups and downs in life, family, and career. Despite this, he remains incredibly grateful for Maxine's help during difficult times.

Tommy Chong attends Kash Hovey And Friends At Film Fest LA At LA Live 2022 on November 19, 2022, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

Tommy Chong, who was born Thomas B. Kin Chong in May 1938, is an American-Canadian with many talents. He is a prolific actor, comedian, writer, musician, and activist, among other things.

He gained fame for his work on the 1980s comedy show, "Cheech & Chong," in which he starred with Cheech Marin. Their work has had a lasting impact on popular culture, making Chong a household name.

Maxine was Tommy's ex-wife, with whom he raised two children: daughters Rae Dawn Chong, born in 1961, and Robbi Chong, whom the former couple welcomed in 1965.

Tommy Chong Said Maxine Sneed Called Him after Their Breakup to Say She's Ready for Marriage

In the 1960s, Tommy and Maxine started dating, but regrettably, when Tommy changed his career to become a truck driver, Maxine broke up with him. Her interest in him dwindled, and their relationship faded.

Even though he was still in love with Maxine, he dated another girl named Gail and eventually proposed to her. However, his affection for Gail was not on par with his feelings when he dated Maxine.

He felt no spark with Gail and realized he was too young to commit to marriage. Consequently, he called off his engagement with Gail, who seemed to be okay with their split.

Although they had an amicable split, Gail became pregnant with Tommy's child, Rae Dawn, who lived with her mother during the first month of her life. As Tommy slowly embraced fatherhood, fate smiled upon him.

Maxine called, expressing her readiness to marry him. Despite enjoying his time as a single man, Tommy was thrilled that Maxine reached out to him, as he had always wanted to marry her.

Tommy Chong speaks onstage during a conversation with Cheech and Chong at Saban Theatre on August 13, 2022, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images

Maxine Sneed Had No Problem Finding a Job

Tommy returned to Calgary, and it was there that he and Maxine ultimately tied the knot on the latter's birthday, September 23, 1961. Tommy's daughter from Gail attended the wedding. Shortly after their marriage, they moved to Vancouver.

Maxine quickly found a job as a secretary in a large firm, while Tommy landed a salesman position at a family-owned bakery that made assorted sweets in addition to fresh-baked bread. On May 28, 1963, the couple welcomed their daughter, Robbi.

After their daughter was born, the couple relocated to a different house. After that, Tommy recognized their family's next-door neighbor, Shelby, as the woman he had met at a previous dance party.

Shelby Chong and Tommy Chong attend Film Fest Los Angeles held at Regal LA Live on November 19, 2022, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

Tommy's family and Shelby's family grew close. It also led Tommy and Shelby to commence a secret affair involving drug use. While Tommy and Shelby tried to break off their affair, Shelby became pregnant with their child.

Eventually, Maxine and Tommy went their separate ways, and Maxine and their daughters relocated to Detroit. They relished their time there because they felt safe living in the Black community.

Following Maxine and Tommy's divorce in 1974, little is known about her.

However, Maxine and her kids would soon return to Los Angeles and live at her brother's house, and she found a job in the city. Tommy moved to L.A. with his fellow comedian Cheech to pursue a career in comedy, which was unamusing to Shelby.

The two comedians decided to stay with Maxine and her daughters for a while, but things grew tense when Maxine didn't understand why Tommy wanted to be a comedian.

Given the situation in Tommy and Maxine's place, Cheech eventually decided to leave and stay in another friend's house due to the tension in the former couple's household.

Tommy Chong and Cheech Marin speak at the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on August 28, 2022, in Newark, New Jersey. | Source: Getty Images

Maxine Sneed Supported Tommy Chong Even after They Broke Up

Maxine ended her relationship with Tommy and asked him to leave her house one morning. Surprisingly, Tommy never felt upset but instead felt a sense of relief. He was glad to be free from the burden of lies and guilt.

Despite their breakup, Maxine and Tommy remain friends to this day. Tommy appreciated Maxine's kindness, as she even gave him money when he was broke so he could provide for himself and for Shelby.

Maxine went out of her way to support him in his career by lending him her car. On another occasion, when Shelby was hospitalized, Maxine looked after Tommy and Shelby's daughter Precious. Tommy added:

"Maxine really was, and still is, a saint. She is the most decent, beautiful woman I have had the privilege of being married to."

Following Maxine and Tommy's divorce in 1974, little is known about her. On some occasions, Maxine meets with Tommy at family gatherings and different events. Meanwhile, Rae Dawn and Robbi both pursued careers in entertainment.

Rae became famous for her performance in several films, such as Jean-Jacques Annaud's drama "Quest for Fire" and Steven Spielberg's "The Color Purple."

ncG1vNJzZmimlazAb63MqKSapZFjsLC5jm1namplaXqurdeipZ5lo6OyprCMraampalisKm7zaBkrJmZmXqptdJmnaKqo6l7qcDMpQ%3D%3D