Trailer Park Boys is one of those hidden gems that you occasionally find on streaming services like Netflix or in YouTube compilations. What started out as a budget mockumentary became a worldwide comedy hit. The show is currently experiencing a resurgence, and in the years since it originally aired, it has inspired other comedies and spinoffs. There's even an animated version that continues from the original show. The show's main antagonist, Jim Lahey, was part of the reason Trailer Park Boys is so great. Played by Canadian actor John Dunsworth, the perpetually drunk and obsessed with fecal matter park supervisor was on every viewer's sh*t list.
When John Dunsworth passed away suddenly in 2017, we lost a unique and brilliant voice. Dartmouth, Halifax, and Sunnyvale Trailer Park will never be the same. Here are ten things you didn't know about everyone's favorite trailer park supervisor, Jim Lahey. And don't forget to have two sippy-poos.
He's Sarah's Dad
In the show, Lahey's daughter is Treena, who is played by Ellen Page. This was one of her first roles before she hit the big time with Juno and roles in the X-Men franchise. In real life, the actor Sarah Dunsworth, who plays Lucy's friend Sarah, actually is John Dunsworth's daughter. Her sister is also an actor. They're from the area originally, so those accents and expressions in the script or ad-libbed are 100% authentic East Coast Canadian.
Lived in Various Park Trailers, and Once a Car
Lahey's background in law enforcement was one reason he had the job as the trailer park supervisor, but another reason was because of his ex-wife, Barb. Her family owned the trailer park, and even after the divorce the couple kept an amicable relationship and Jim was able to keep his job. When things with alcohol, Randy and the Boys (Julian, Ricky, and Bubbles) go too far and Jim loses his job, he and Randy have to find other places to live. The list includes their own car in a vacant lot and Julain's grandmother's trailer. For a while, the three of them - Barb, Jim, and Randy - were living together in the supervisor's trailer.
He Has a Crush on Julian
It seems that everyone did at one point, so why should Jim get left out? Even Lucy, who spent most of her time in on and off-again relationship with Ricky, had her eye on Sunnyvale's "Patrick Swayze" at one point. Even before Jim comes out of the closet, he's always nicer to Julian than Ricky even when he's trying to get them arrested and thrown in jail.
On the first season of the show, Julian actually walks in on an intimate moment between Jim and Randy. In season three, Jim gets Julian to kiss him on the lips to hand over part of the park ownership.
"Death is a Sh*t Hawk."
The makers of the show have already been clear that they won't be recasting Lahey. The character belongs to John Dunsworth and him alone. Season 12 of Trailer Park Boys ended with a tribute to the actor but there were no confirmed details given about his passing or what would become of his character.
"Death is a Sh*t Hawk," an episode in the animated series, explains more about Lahey's passing on the show to coincide with the death of actor John Dunsworth. It's both sentimental and silly, involving liquor bottles, but it's a perfect farewell to the character of Jim Lahey.
Has a Pet Name for Randy
Viewers with sharp eyes and ears will already know this detail about Jim and Randy's relationship. We don't know where it came from or when Jim started using it, but he refers to his lover as "Bobandy" every so often and usually in a covert way. He says it more often when he's drunk. It sounds like an immature term of endearment, and it very well could be, since the two have a long-term romantic relationship. From the context in certain episodes, however, such as "A Man's Gotta Eat," it could also mean a prostitute that takes cheeseburgers in place of currency.
Misquotes a Lot
Like his fellow trailer park resident Ricky, Lahey also makes hilarious mistakes when repeating famous quotes or old sayings. Unlike Ricky, Lahey's euphemisms seem to have a theme. Tornados from Oz, hawks, puppets, machine guns, and much more end up entangled in his misquotes and sh*t sayings.
He is never corrected by his peers, since they don't know the quotes any better than he does, and they are often intimidated by his authority. The one exception to this rule is Julian, who Jim often defers to because of his attraction.
Sh*t Talk is a Real Thing
Like so many of the other grassroots Canadian expressions that give the show an authentic feeling, the slang that Jim Lahey is so fond of has its roots in real life. It's part of the slang that the local police of Dartmouth and Halifax actually use, although Jim Lahey's take on the lingo is satirical and has some hysterical inventions. There's even an actual online glossary of terms that Jim Lahey has used if you need a quick translation or an explanation of the context.
Drunk and On Drugs
Other television shows featuring the character of Jim Lahey include the Canadian skit comedy from 2011, The Drunk and On Drugs Happy Funtime Hour. The premise of this show, that it happens while the main characters are drunk and high on hallucinogenic drugs, is similar to the one that forms the basis for the animated series. This show starred a number of Canadian comedians and other creative stars, including Mike Smith, Amy Sedaris, Jay Baruchel and several actors from the Trailer Park Boys set. Both John Dunsworth and Pat Roach, who plays Randy, appear on the show.
In Booze He Trusts
There are functioning alcoholics like Julian, and then there are alcohol addicts like Ray. Jim is what is termed as a "career alcoholic" or an "evangelist for alcohol." It's not only a part of his identity, but it's also his job. He's more like a High Priest of alcohol, out and proud, as opposed to someone who tries to downplay their drinking or even keep it a secret.
Lahey tries to give up booze several times throughout the course of the show but always ends up suffering a setback, usually after he comes into contact with Julain, Bubbles or Ricky. After he falls off the wagon in Season 11, there's no getting back on it.
Rocked Out with Guns & Roses
Fandom travels far and wide in our age, and Axl Rose loves the Trailer Park Boys. So when they came to Halifax, Nova Scotia for a concert, they asked John Dunsworth, as Jim Lahey, to appear with them on stage. This was the final show of their Canadian tour in 2010, and to their surprise, the entire cast showed up backstage to accompany Lahey. This involved the whole crew, but it was Jim Lahey that appeared on stage with a bathrobe and drink in hand to introduce their appearance. There were other tie-ins with the show as a tribute to the GNR backstage antics, like the song Bubble's wrote, "Sweet Kitty of Mine."