The Trailer Park Boys’ Mike Smith says he’s quite a bit like Bubbles

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 23, 2003 By Steve Newton In Trailer Park Boys—Showcase TV’s low-budget mockumentary series about dope-smoking, foul-mouthed lowlifes inhabiting a rundown (is there any other kind?) trailer park—it’s the little things that make you laugh. Like Julian’s (John Paul Tremblay’s) ever-present glass of rum ’n’ Coke. Whether he’s hanging … Continue reading The Trailer Park Boys’ Mike Smith says he’s quite a bit like Bubbles

Brent Butt lauds the authenticity of Corner Gas…and Trailer Park Boys too

So Brent Butt called me up last week to chat about his upcoming film, Corner Gas: The Movie–which opens in select theatres December 3—and we got to talking about his TV series Corner Gas in relation to Trailer Park Boys, another Canadian TV sitcom that flaunts its Canuck-ness while garnering chuckles aplenty. There’s a little more swearing … Continue reading Brent Butt lauds the authenticity of Corner Gas…and Trailer Park Boys too

Shocking photo: Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys offered joint by Snoop Dogg!

BREAKING: through sources that will remain nameless, the Newt has managed to aquire a photo of evil L.A. gangsta rapper Snoop Dogg trying to corrupt innocent Canadian TV character “Bubbles” with what looks like a marijuana cigarette, or “joint” as the Yankee drug fiends like to call it. The shocking incident apparently occured at … Continue reading Shocking photo: Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys offered joint by Snoop Dogg!

That time I interviewed Bubbles from the Trailer Park Boys when he was still just 23-year-old Mike Smith of Sandbox

By Steve Newton Holy snappin’ arseholes, as my buddy Scotty Bad used to say back in Chilliwack. While searching through my old Georgia Straight interviews from 1996 just now I came across one that I did with Mike Smith of Sandbox. If the name Mike Smith rings a bell, it could be because he’s the … Continue reading That time I interviewed Bubbles from the Trailer Park Boys when he was still just 23-year-old Mike Smith of Sandbox

Trailer Park Boys take a crazed road trip to Chuckleville in Don’t Legalize It

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, APRIL 15, 2014 The first feature film to be spawned by Showcase TV’s low-budget Trailer Park Boys series, 2006’s Trailer Park Boys: The Movie, was freakin’ hilarious. The followup, 2009’s Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day, was possibly the funniest Canadian movie ever made. And now the white-trash shenanigans of petty Nova Scotia criminals … Continue reading Trailer Park Boys take a crazed road trip to Chuckleville in Don’t Legalize It

Trailer Park Boys director Mike Clattenburg revels in Canuck rock

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 4, 2006 Helix isn’t normally a band that comes to mind as one of Canada’s finest musical exports. But as director Mike Clattenburg proved in Trailer Park Boys: The Movie, its song “Heavy Metal Love” is the ideal backdrop for slow-mo footage of a skanky trailer-park chick descending from a … Continue reading Trailer Park Boys director Mike Clattenburg revels in Canuck rock

Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day could be the funniest Canadian movie ever made

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, SEPT. 23, 2009 By Steve Newton The last film I saw that made me laugh out loud numerous times was 2006’s Trailer Park Boys: The Movie. It was freakin’ hilarious. But the new Countdown to Liquor Day left the old ribs achin’ even more. It could be the funniest Canadian movie ever made. … Continue reading Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day could be the funniest Canadian movie ever made

The Trailer Park Boys: The Movie is freakin’ hilarious

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 4, 2006 By Steve Newton When the Trailer Park Boys debuted on the Showcase channel in 2001, I couldn’t get enough of it. A mockumentary-style series about the day-to-day exploits of three pot-loving trailer-trash buddies and their assorted idiot friends and rivals, it was a raucous, taboo-blasting gas. The sight … Continue reading The Trailer Park Boys: The Movie is freakin’ hilarious

The Trailer Park Boys are back in Countdown to Liquor Day

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, SEPT. 23, 2009 It’s hard to know which character from Trailer Park Boys is most favoured by fans. Some folks are particularly fond of Bubbles (Mike Smith), the kitty-loving, kindhearted weirdo with the outrageous eyeglasses. Others prefer Julian (John Paul Tremblay), the musclebound dreamer whose lips only leave his rum-and-Coke long enough to … Continue reading The Trailer Park Boys are back in Countdown to Liquor Day

Trailer Park Boys lovingly pelted with chocolates and coins at white-trash chucklefest in Richmond

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, JAN. 30, 2010 While we filed through the doors of the River Rock Show Theatre to see the Trailer Park Boys last night a dude in a CFOX t-shirt was handing everyone Hershey’s Kisses. He instructed us not to eat them, but hold onto them for an “important” part of the … Continue reading Trailer Park Boys lovingly pelted with chocolates and coins at white-trash chucklefest in Richmond

That time future Trailer Park Boy Mike Smith told me about his band Sandbox snubbing Bon Jovi

By Steve Newton Before he became famous for his role as googley-eyed goofball “Bubbles” on The Trailer Park Boys, Mike Smith was a member of Canadian ’90s alt-rock band Sandbox. One day back in March of 1996 I interviewed him in advance of a Sandbox show at a Vancouver bar called the Starfish Room. At … Continue reading That time future Trailer Park Boy Mike Smith told me about his band Sandbox snubbing Bon Jovi

Pimped-out La-Z-Boys, shotguns, and crackheads colour S.C.O.T.S.’ Plastic Seat Sweat

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 9, 1997 By Steve Newton Some rock musicians search high and low for inspiration, while others just find it cruising around with a tow-truck driver high on crack. That’s what happened with “40 Miles to Vegas”, one of the wildest tracks on the new Southern Culture on the … Continue reading Pimped-out La-Z-Boys, shotguns, and crackheads colour S.C.O.T.S.’ Plastic Seat Sweat

Led Zeppelin’s 20 best songs, from wicked to freakin’ awesome

By Steve Newton I realize millions of Zep fans might complain about “Stairway to Heaven” not being Number One, but they’ll get over it. 20. “Ten Years Gone” (Physical Graffiti, 1975) 19. “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” (Led Zeppelin, 1969) 18. “Celebration Day” (Led Zeppelin III, 1970) 17. “Achilles Last Stand” (Presence, 1976) 16. “In … Continue reading Led Zeppelin’s 20 best songs, from wicked to freakin’ awesome

That time Rickey Medlocke told me that the rebel flag was just a symbol of where Skynyrd came from

By Steve Newton Lynyrd Skynyrd doesn’t fly the rebel flag in concert anymore, from what I’ve heard. But back in 1997 they sure did. So when I interviewed guitarist Rickey Medlocke before a ’97 show in Vancouver I asked him if, from his Native American perspective, he found there to an intolerance among southern-rock fans … Continue reading That time Rickey Medlocke told me that the rebel flag was just a symbol of where Skynyrd came from

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s 20 best songs, from wicked to freakin’ awesome

By Steve Newton There might be a more impressive triple-threat musician–singer, songwriter, and guitarist–than John Fogerty. But I have no idea who it is. 20. “Long As I Can See the Light” (Cosmo’s Factory, 1970) 19. “Penthouse Pauper” (Bayou Country, 1969) 18. “Susie Q” (Creedence Clearwater Revival, 1968) 17. “Someday Never Comes” (Mardi Gras, 1971) … Continue reading Creedence Clearwater Revival’s 20 best songs, from wicked to freakin’ awesome

That time Joe Perry told me that Aerosmith’s best album, it’s Exile on Main Street, was yet to come

By Steve Newton I’ve interviewed Joe Perry four times so far, ’cause back when I was teenager in the ’70s, Aerosmith ruled. I went crazy for albums like Get Your Wings, Rocks, and Draw the Line. Our last chat was in September of 2010, which was long after I’d grown disenchanted with Aerosmith albums, which … Continue reading That time Joe Perry told me that Aerosmith’s best album, it’s Exile on Main Street, was yet to come

That time I took my nephew backstage for autographs on Mötley Crüe’s Theatre of Pain tour and naughty Nikki scribbled “do drugs”

bev davies photo By Steve Newton Way back in November of 1985 I took my nephew Jeff to see Mötley Crüe at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver. It was the second big concert of his 15-year life, the first being Iron Maiden the previous year. I took him to that one too, thinking the more … Continue reading That time I took my nephew backstage for autographs on Mötley Crüe’s Theatre of Pain tour and naughty Nikki scribbled “do drugs”

That time I asked Slash if he was having more fun with Slash’s Snakepit than he was with GN’R

By Steve Newton When I interviewed American guitar hero Slash in April of 1995 he was playing with his own band, Slash’s Snakepit, which originally included two of his Guns N’ Roses bandmates—drummer Matt Sorum and guitarist Gilby Clarke—as well as Alice in Chains bassist Mike Inez and former Jellyfish member Eric Dover on lead … Continue reading That time I asked Slash if he was having more fun with Slash’s Snakepit than he was with GN’R