Mike Laframboise was pulled over a few times by police on his trek to the Eastern Passage in Nova Scotia and had his fair share of screaming fans pointing, staring in amazement and shooting photos as he drove his ’75 Chrysler New Yorker.
Formerly of Stratford, and also known as Mike Razberry, Laframboise has restored a few hunk of junk classic cars, which he mirrors after automobiles belonging to characters in the much-loved Canadian classic television series, Trailer Park Boys.
Season 13 wrapped this summer after a long series hiatus, and Laframboise has just returned to the area after spending a good chunk of time hanging around the set with the likes of Julien, Ricky, Bubbles, and a cast of zany characters at Sunnyvale Trailer Park.
Laframboise met the late actor John Dunsworth, who played the trailer park supervisor Mr. Leahy, at a standup show in London and they started a friendship that led to an invite out east several years ago.
While there, he met cast members and forged friendships.
He was invited out again this summer and drove to Nova Scotia. A mechanically-inclined, self-employed tow truck driver with an auto body license, Laframboise planned to show off his New Yorker but quickly proved to be a good person to have around.
“(They) ending up hiring me on as set mechanic for the season. I ended up working on Julian’s Cadillac, J Roc’s T’s-axi, the J Roc limo, as a lot of people know it by. Worked on the Green Bastard Truck, Bubble’s little green truck, also the golf cart. Pretty much everything that was there.”
Laframboise said it was an experience of a lifetime being around for filming and as part of the team. The award winning series has gathered a big following since the world was introduced to their chaotic life in the trailer park back in 2001.
Laframboise said he may or may not have snuck in as an extra at the end of it all. It will depend on the editing process. But he did say, having seen production first hand, it could be the best season yet.
