All young writers dream of the day when they'll finally snag their first television job. A starry-eyed youth with perpetual pen in hand, I was no different. A Saved By the Bell episode... A Beverly Hills, 90210 cliffhanger... Hell, I'd have even settled for a slimy stint on Nickelodeon's You Can't Do That on Television! (Hey, if it was good enough for Alanis' starting gig, then it would surely do Mikey Anthony good!)
Well, my TV cherry wasn't broken by the Bell or in Bev Hills. Nope, my tele-virginity was taken by a little Country Music Television reality show (Yes, reality shows have writers, believe it or not!) called Trick My Truck. What is Trick My Truck, you ask me? Think Pimp My Ride gone trailer. Really trailer. Cracked-out on internet-purchased Oxycontin trailer. For those of you that have yet to Trick with me, you're in luck. I just happen to have a little premiere preview for you...
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Episode #207
by MiCHaeL aNTHoNY
SCENE I – SEGUE INTO FAMILY INTRODUCTION
TRICK MY TRUCK NARRATOR (V.O.)
When the going gets tough, a real trucker gets trucking.
And Jim Bob Earlson is built real-trucker tough.
Without batting an eye, this father of six has put his dreams
on the back burner to put food on the dinner table. For
this overworked Dad, life is a highway, and he’s been
trucking it all night long.
SCENE II – INTRODUCTION OF FAMILY & WIFE [CANDI]
B-ROLL of Jim Bob driving. Interior. Exterior.
CANDI (V.O.)
You’ll never find a more selfless man than my husband,
Jim Bob. He’s the kind of guy that would give
you the flannel shirt off of his back and the work-boots
off his feet. No questions asked.
B-ROLL of Jim Bob caring for his truck: filling it with gas, cleaning the interior and exterior, tending to problems underneath the hood.
CANDI (V.O.)
When our oldest daughter, Annie-May, got sick,
it was my job to care for her. My boss said it wouldn’t be a
problem. As a dancer, I can always make my own hours,
and the club is always open late. But after using up all
my vacation time, I was fired. This left Jim Bob as the
sole provider for me, our 6 children, and his 6 kids from
a previous marriage.
B-ROLL of Candi sharing a KFC dinner with the family; there is an empty place setting at the head of the dinner table. Intercut with B-ROLL of Jim Bob on the road; he eats dinner alone in his truck cabin, staring at a picture of his family with longing eyes.
CANDI (V.O.)
Despite what Hollywood might have you thinking,
raising children by the dozen does not get any cheaper.
So, Matthew has been forced to take every trucking gig
he can get. Last year alone, Jim Bob missed
Christmas, Thanksgiving, and our family vacation to the
Monster Truck yard. Working is all he does anymore.
He sees his rig more than he sees his flesh and blood.
After all of Jim Bob’s hard work, I would really like to give
him his very own monster of a truck to say thank you.
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Well, after reading that, I think you'd agree that my 2008 Emmy win is pretty much inevitable. So, I'd like to thank all of the little people...
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