TALKIN' TRAILER TRASH

Boys Go From Selling Pizzas To Living The, Um, TV Show Dream

About seven years ago, during a slow period at their P.E.I. pizza shop
chain, Robb Wells and John Paul Tremblay decided to pass the time by
videotaping some comedy sketches they had created.

A few years later -- just one pizza shop left -- Wells, 31, and Tremblay,
34, are the stars of The Trailer Park Boys.

Heading into its third season the series about the ups and many downs of a
group of mostly lovable losers who inhabit a rundown trailer park is one of
Showcase's top 10 properties.

"We never dreamed this would happen," says Wells (a.k.a. Ricky), when
contacted at the Halifax home he shares with Tremblay. "We never even
thought a network would take this show."

"It's crazy. When we are out people are always coming up to me and calling
me Julian," says Tremblay, whose character holds onto a rum and coke like a
kid would a security blanket. "They see me with a beer and wonder where the
rum and coke is. By the end of the night I have a bunch of rum and cokes
lined up. I just give them to my friends."

With their show climbing up out of the cult ranks -- they count Canadian
rock bands Rush, Our Lady Peace and The Tragically Hip as fans, have done
live shows and snared wide-demographic buzz --we decided to get Julian and
Ricky to talk about their lives as the kings of the trailer park.

What are the issues that concern you guys?

"I'm always worried about going back to jail," says Ricky, who has been
locked up nine times. "I'm concerned about the legalization of marijuana.
If they legalize pot, I'm out of a job."

"Since that guy did that documentary (Michael Moore) it's not cool to have
guns," says Julian. "I mean, we don't want to kill anyone but it's not even
cool to go shoot targets."

Does crime pay?

"If you do it right, most definitely," says Julian. "You just have to be
careful who you are involved with."

Are you worried about the message you are sending out to today's youth?

"No, because deep down inside we are good guys," says Julian. "Sure,
sometimes we break the law and swear but we're good to the people we care
about."

"We're good people," says Ricky. "I think other people could learn from us
about how to treat other people and how to keep life simple."

What's the best thing about living in a trailer park?

"Every day is like camping," says Ricky. "It's one big party."

What's the worst thing?

"If you have a trailer park supervisor who is a dick, that sucks," says Julian.

If you were stranded in a trailer park, what is one CD you would like to have?

"Something about dope or something that would remind me of dope," says
Ricky. "Maybe some Bob Marley."

Are you part of the computer generation?

"Nah, it seems so complicated," says Ricky. "My daughter says I should
learn how to use one but I say: 'Can a computer fix a lawnmower?' No way."

Ricky, your style is quite unique. Where do you get your inspiration?

"I'm all about comfort and a cool shirt," says Ricky. "The tear-away track
pants are good for ventilation when it's hot and a cool shirt, well, that's
a cool shirt. I like to make a statement."

What's the deal with your pal Bubbles?

"His parents abandoned him in the park when he was five," says Julian. "He
was living under a trailer. Actually, the same thing happened to me. We
were both living under trailers so we started to hang out."

Speaking of characters from the park, why doesn't Randy ever wear a shirt?

"He stopped doing that in grade six or seven," says Ricky. "He's allergic
to cloth, or something."

What's a perfect trailer park day?

"It would be sunny, I'd have dope or I'd be able to get dope, a few drinks,
see my daughter," says Ricky.

"A fresh bottle of rum, make some toast," says Julian.

If you were Prime Minister of Canada what would be the first thing you
would do?

"Maybe I'd legalize dope because I wouldn't have time to grow it," says Ricky.

"I'd come down on hard drugs and legalize weed," says Julian.