trailer park boys talk new film, trump's canada threat, nhl playoffs and aliens
now playing in theatres, 'standing on the shoulders of kitties' finds bubbles hitting the road with billy bob thornton
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if you’re a fan of the trailer park boys, you already know that bubbles (played by mike smith) has a longstanding love of music.
since the mockumentary began in 2001, he’s been strumming a guitar in nova scotia’s fictional sunnyvale trailer park while helping his pals julian (john paul tremblay) and ricky (robb wells) in their various get-rich-quick hijinks, which has included no shortage of dope peddling and other low-key criminal activity.
with 16 seasons of their hit cancon show under their belt and three feature films, their latest big screen adventure,
trailer park boys presents: standing on the shoulders of kitties, finds bubbles getting to realize his lifelong ambition to front a band and hit the road as a support act for billy bob thornton and the boxmasters.
“i always dreamed about having a band and then i got a band,” bubbles tells postmedia in an interview. “i put an ad up at the local music store. twelve people showed up, and seven or eight of them were pure s***, so i was left with the rest.”
featuring bubbles, julian, ricky and randy (patrick roach), the spinoff is the first trailer park boys movie since 2014’s don’t legalize it.
bubbles says he was invited to join thornton after the oscar-winner saw a viral video of him performing live.
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“we played at a penitentiary and i accidentally caused a riot and it was up on the tiktok machine. that’s how billy’s guy saw it. that’s how we got offered the tour,” bubbles says.
in addition to thornton, the movie features appearances by rolling stones guitarist ronnie wood, the hobbit star martin freeman and guns n’ roses bassist duff mckagan.
speaking in character on a recent afternoon inside toronto’s horseshoe tavern, bubbles, julian, ricky and randy discussed their long-awaited return to movie theatres, donald trump’s recent threat to make canada the 51st u.s. state, and made their predictions for who’s winning the stanley cup this season.
bubbles, you’ve always dreamed about being onstage. what was it like to have this dream come true?
bubbles: it’s been unbelievable … i ended up on tour over in europe with billy bob thornton and playing at abbey road with ronnie wood. it’s like living in a dream, basically.
julian and ricky, bubbles gets himself in trouble while on tour and the two of you have to go over to europe and bail him out. so you’re like the superheroes of this story.
julian: we didn’t wear capes, but we definitely had special powers.
bubbles:
what superheroes do you know that are drunk and high?
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ricky:
high man
julian: and drunk man
bubbles:
well there you are.
the trailer park boys have been getting into shenanigans for almost 25 years.
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sun media
this isn’t just a movie. bubbles and the s***rockers also have a full-length album out right now called longhauler. tell me about that.
bubbles: it’s 13 songs. it came out last month and it’s the best of bubbles and the s***rockers. i figured i put out a best-of right away. it’s a real record with real songs. eddie kramer produced it; he worked with jimi hendrix and led zeppelin and rolling stones … two beatles songs … we recorded it at my studio, tabby road.
bubbles has released his first full-length studio album, ‘longhauler.’
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you guys have been around for almost 25 years why do people keep coming back?
ricky: i don’t know. it’s weird … but i think there’s a good message in there. we don’t need a lot to be happy. life can be simple and we look out for our family and friends. so i think there’s a lot of good things about people who live in a trailer park.
julian:
we do what we want, we’re not afraid to do what we want and if we end up in jail it’s not a big deal. i guess that’s where we differ from a lot of people because people are afraid of jail. but that’s just a part of life sometimes … we do what we want any old time. it’s a song.
robb wells, mike smith, and john paul tremblay of the trailer park boys in toronto.
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toronto sun
almost 25 years after you started this thing did you think you’d still be in the trailer park?
ricky:
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i did not. it was supposed to be six episodes and it turned into this.
julian:
we thought it was a miniseries and then it turned into 25 years later. i’m enjoying it. i think it’s a good time. lots of perks … we got free tickets to the leafs game last night and free booze.
ricky:
now you’re on fansonly.
bubbles: we’re on all the social medias now. instagram, grindr… all of them.
ricky you almost get into a fight with the hobbit’s martin freeman in standing on the shoulders of kitties. did you know you were about to throw hands with bilbo baggins?
bubbles: you threatened to shove a fork through his face, ricky.
ricky:
he was giving me the eye … lot of people said he started it.
julian: he doesn’t know how to fight.
there are a lot of celebrities in this film. do you guys get starstruck?
julian:
for me and ricky, if you’re a d***head we don’t like you.
ricky:
no one’s better than anyone else. the nice thing about those guys, they felt the same way. they weren’t dicks. they were awesome.
bubbles you pissed yourself when you met ronnie wood.
bubbles: i still piss myself.
julian:
you’re a groupie bubs … you’ve been stalking paul mccartney for 30 years … where you going monday?
bubbles: i’m going to see him in madrid.
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ricky: that’s stalking.
randy, how is it that you still haven’t been able to find a shirt that doesn’t give you an allergic reaction?
randy:
i’ve been to the dermatologist. i’ve been to a few and they still haven’t figured it out. my neck isn’t so bad, it’s by breasts that get really rashy. it does get hard in the canadian winter, but it’s ok. i do have a little bit of padding.
do you guys make any new year’s resolutions?
bubbles: my new year’s resolution is to never make another new year’s resolution for the rest of my life.
julian: basically retire real soon. it’s gotta happen next year.
ricky: i’m going to stop buying government weed, because i’m always disappointed.
randy: i’m going to make sure i don’t let burger coupons expire.
your 25th anniversary is coming up in 2026. how are you celebrating?
ricky: i should get married.
julian: i’ll try and stay out of jail.
donald trump wants to make canada the 51st state. what do you say to that?
bubbles: f*** that.
randy: we’ve got provinces don’t we?
ricky: he’s good at numbers.
julian: not happening.
mike smith as bubbles, robb wells as ricky, john paul tremblay as julian.
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do you believe in aliens?
bubbles: one billion percent.
julian: yes. i actually saw a craft about a month ago. flew right over my trailer.
ricky: i don’t believe in them.
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bubbles: you don’t believe in aliens? it’s mathematically impossible that there’s none.
ricky: i sort of agree, but i need to see one.
if you were being shipped off to a desert island, what album would you take with you?
bubbles: you better say longhauler.
julian:
i like iron maiden, but if you’re on an island maybe some bob marley.
ricky: the (tragically) hip’s fully completely or up to here.
randy: duran duran’s hungry like the wolf.
who’s winning the stanley cup?
bubbles: the edmonton oilers.
julian: the oilers.
ricky:
i think there’s a chance the cup could be coming back to canada this year. winnipeg is on fire. the oilers look good and the leafs might actually have a chance. they have some great goaltending and defence … it would be nice. it’s only been since 1993. like what the f***?
trailer park boys presents: standing on the shoulders of kitties is now playing in theatres.
mdaniell@postmedia.com
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