Lahey and Randy bring Trailer Park comedy to Fanshawe
Now that the “Trailer Park Boys” has grossed over $3 million on the big screen, for their feature-length debut The Trailer Park Boys: The Big Dirty, John Dunsworth, aka Mr. Lahey, no longer credits his fame as the world record holder for Internet Scrabble, or even acting alongside Kevin Spacey in The Shipping News.
While simultaneously eating a turkey sandwich and navigating his car through the fog along the Nova Scotia's Atlantic shoreline, Dunsworth took some time to talk on the phone about “The Trailer Park Boys” and his stand-up routine with cast mate Patrick Roach, who plays Lahey's side-kick Randy.
The pair will bring their trailer humour to Forwell Hall on Thursday, February 1, followed by a Q&A and Pub appearance at the Shack.
“To be part of the “Trailer Park Boys” goes way beyond my expectations,” said Dunsworth, who thought he would spend the rest of his life in St. Margaret's Bay, Nova Scotia making $30,000 a year.
Dunsworth, who was born in Nova Scotia and continues to call it home, has dedicated his life to strengthening the art of live theatre and acting on the East Coast. In 1970 he revived Halifax's waterfront by opening Pier One Theatre, the first and what some consider the most successful alternative theatre company in Halifax. For years Dunsworth was best known for his work as a Halifax-based casting director, working on films like Dolores Claiborne and Two If By Sea.
He was offered the role of First Mate in the 1997 blockbuster Titanic, but turned it down due to commitments associated with the “Trailer Park Boys.” Dunsworth bluntly said, “Fuck off, I'm busy," to Titanic first assistant director, Josh McLaglen.
“The Trailer Park Boys” began in 1998 as a short film, entitled One Last Shot, in which the character of Mr. Lahey was pint-sized at best. But since the television debut on Showcase in April 2001, Lahey has morphed into a Canadian symbol for lower class authority figures, while Julian, Ricky, and Bubbles have become likable criminals.
He believes the reason why “Trailer Park Boys” has survived six seasons and a record - grossing film, in a Canadian climate that is particularly harsh on home grown productions, is due to the show's unique self-awareness.
“A lot of stuff on TV is a derivative…what we are doing is copying ourselves,” Dunsworth said about the show, which is shot as a documentary that follows Julian and his hoodlum group of friends through their crisis-filled lives in Sunnyvale trailer park.
In 2004 the show filtered into the American market, via BBC America, and has since aired in the UK, Spain, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Israel, Australia and New Zealand.
“The Trailer Park Boys” is the brainchild of writer/director/producer Mike Clattenburg, who has also directed “This Hour has 22 Minutes” for CBC. “[Clattenburg] has a very distinct vision and it didn't come from sticking his head in the sand,” Dunsworth said. “He's taken the view of the world and stuck it into Sunnyvale… The show is about people who have small plans and can't even get them right.” The secret to “Trailer Park's” success is the underdog factor, which most people can relate. Everyone knows a guy like Ricky, who tries so hard but inevitably screws up, or even someone like Mr. Lahey, who uses his miniscule authority to push others around. This familiarity has obviously resonated with Canadians, which showed-up in droves all over the country to see the film based on the television series.
Trailer Park Boys: The Big Dirty is up for Best Motion Picture, Supporting Actor (Hugh Dillon) and Adapted Screenplay at the 2007 Genie Awards, which will air on (City TV) on February 13.
“Bullies are the worst people in the world and now I'm one of them,” said Dunsworth about how much his own personality clashes with that of Mr. Lahey's. It's not acting like a drunk, sexually confused trailer park supervisor that he finds challenging, but rather the demanding task of mastering Mr. Lahey's fast-paced dialogue that Dunsworth has the most trouble perfecting.
Roach's character, Randy, serves as Mr. Lahey's trusty assistant and sexual confidant on the show. Roach's character is best known for romping topless around Sunnyvale letting it all hangout in tight, form-fitting polyester pants, which only exaggerates his less-than-perfect physique.
The show implies Mr. Lahey and Randy have an on again, off again gay relationship, but Dunsworth said the characters are not recognized as pillars in the gay community, even though the two rode in the 2004 Halifax Gay Pride Parade. Instead, Dunsworth rhymed off a couple classic Trailer Park jokes to lighten the conversation.
“Randy thinks same sex is boring. Who would want to have the same sex all the time? He also thinks oral sex is just talking about sex,” Dunsworth said without skipping a beat.
The pair has been touring comedy clubs, festivals and colleges around the country for over a year and has built an act based on sexual innuendo, false-authority and weed. Their performance at Fanshawe in part of Snowjob 2007 festivities and tickets, For $5 for the Q & A $5 for the pub, $8 for both together are available at the Biz Booth.
“We're not that good at it to be honest,” Dunsworth said in a typical, negative Mr. Lahey-like voice.
While simultaneously eating a turkey sandwich and navigating his car through the fog along the Nova Scotia's Atlantic shoreline, Dunsworth took some time to talk on the phone about “The Trailer Park Boys” and his stand-up routine with cast mate Patrick Roach, who plays Lahey's side-kick Randy.
The pair will bring their trailer humour to Forwell Hall on Thursday, February 1, followed by a Q&A and Pub appearance at the Shack.
“To be part of the “Trailer Park Boys” goes way beyond my expectations,” said Dunsworth, who thought he would spend the rest of his life in St. Margaret's Bay, Nova Scotia making $30,000 a year.
Dunsworth, who was born in Nova Scotia and continues to call it home, has dedicated his life to strengthening the art of live theatre and acting on the East Coast. In 1970 he revived Halifax's waterfront by opening Pier One Theatre, the first and what some consider the most successful alternative theatre company in Halifax. For years Dunsworth was best known for his work as a Halifax-based casting director, working on films like Dolores Claiborne and Two If By Sea.
He was offered the role of First Mate in the 1997 blockbuster Titanic, but turned it down due to commitments associated with the “Trailer Park Boys.” Dunsworth bluntly said, “Fuck off, I'm busy," to Titanic first assistant director, Josh McLaglen.
“The Trailer Park Boys” began in 1998 as a short film, entitled One Last Shot, in which the character of Mr. Lahey was pint-sized at best. But since the television debut on Showcase in April 2001, Lahey has morphed into a Canadian symbol for lower class authority figures, while Julian, Ricky, and Bubbles have become likable criminals.
He believes the reason why “Trailer Park Boys” has survived six seasons and a record - grossing film, in a Canadian climate that is particularly harsh on home grown productions, is due to the show's unique self-awareness.
“A lot of stuff on TV is a derivative…what we are doing is copying ourselves,” Dunsworth said about the show, which is shot as a documentary that follows Julian and his hoodlum group of friends through their crisis-filled lives in Sunnyvale trailer park.
In 2004 the show filtered into the American market, via BBC America, and has since aired in the UK, Spain, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Israel, Australia and New Zealand.
“The Trailer Park Boys” is the brainchild of writer/director/producer Mike Clattenburg, who has also directed “This Hour has 22 Minutes” for CBC. “[Clattenburg] has a very distinct vision and it didn't come from sticking his head in the sand,” Dunsworth said. “He's taken the view of the world and stuck it into Sunnyvale… The show is about people who have small plans and can't even get them right.” The secret to “Trailer Park's” success is the underdog factor, which most people can relate. Everyone knows a guy like Ricky, who tries so hard but inevitably screws up, or even someone like Mr. Lahey, who uses his miniscule authority to push others around. This familiarity has obviously resonated with Canadians, which showed-up in droves all over the country to see the film based on the television series.
Trailer Park Boys: The Big Dirty is up for Best Motion Picture, Supporting Actor (Hugh Dillon) and Adapted Screenplay at the 2007 Genie Awards, which will air on (City TV) on February 13.
“Bullies are the worst people in the world and now I'm one of them,” said Dunsworth about how much his own personality clashes with that of Mr. Lahey's. It's not acting like a drunk, sexually confused trailer park supervisor that he finds challenging, but rather the demanding task of mastering Mr. Lahey's fast-paced dialogue that Dunsworth has the most trouble perfecting.
Roach's character, Randy, serves as Mr. Lahey's trusty assistant and sexual confidant on the show. Roach's character is best known for romping topless around Sunnyvale letting it all hangout in tight, form-fitting polyester pants, which only exaggerates his less-than-perfect physique.
The show implies Mr. Lahey and Randy have an on again, off again gay relationship, but Dunsworth said the characters are not recognized as pillars in the gay community, even though the two rode in the 2004 Halifax Gay Pride Parade. Instead, Dunsworth rhymed off a couple classic Trailer Park jokes to lighten the conversation.
“Randy thinks same sex is boring. Who would want to have the same sex all the time? He also thinks oral sex is just talking about sex,” Dunsworth said without skipping a beat.
The pair has been touring comedy clubs, festivals and colleges around the country for over a year and has built an act based on sexual innuendo, false-authority and weed. Their performance at Fanshawe in part of Snowjob 2007 festivities and tickets, For $5 for the Q & A $5 for the pub, $8 for both together are available at the Biz Booth.
“We're not that good at it to be honest,” Dunsworth said in a typical, negative Mr. Lahey-like voice.
