By Chris Snellgrove | Published
Business it was the last show from the Golden Age of Star Trek, and it was very different from the series that had come before it. This new show wasn't afraid to be weird and dirty, which is why it had a smoking Vulcan woman in a catsuit and a constant excuse for actors to strip and kiss each other (seriously, every scene in the D-Con room looks like vintage Cinemax skin). Its characters are also very rough around the edges, which is why characters like Trip Tucker have less believable flaws compared to more polished characters like Commander Riker or Captain Picard.
In BusinessThe journey runs into some crazy twists, including being tied up and stripped while chasing a tail on an alien sex planet. However, as it turns out, some of the characters' on-screen adventures may have been inspired by the actor's drunkenness. While filming the very first episode BusinessTrip Tucker actor Connor Trinneer crashed the Paramount party, ransacked the bar, and stole four bottles of liquor from the bar. The next day, he was worried about losing his job when he got what every drunk dreads: an unexpected phone call from his boss!
The Sexiest, Sweatiest Star Trek Series
Opened BusinessConnor Trinneer plays Trip Tucker, a friendly engineering executive. With his southern drawl and positive attitude, Trip is one of the warmest members of the entire group. But he remained rough around the edges, often clashing with the Vulcan T'Pol as part of their “they will, they won't” dynamic. He also likes parties, which sometimes gets him into trouble. At one point, she becomes pregnant after meeting an unknown stranger. On one occasion, he and Reed were so obsessed with Risa that they followed two alien women into the club's basement; “girls” transform into men, arresting and robbing Starfleet officers.
Trinneer was always good at bringing his character's actions to life. Another possible reason for this is that the actor has had a few drunken incidents over the years. The most famous of these happened during the recording of “Broken Bow,” its first episode Star Trek: The Enterprise. The night before some important scenes were scheduled to be filmed, Trinneer had a party on the Paramount lot. The party had nothing to do with Trek; instead, it was a party to recruit would-be advertisers from other countries. No matter who the party was for, Trinneer was there and found out that it has one thing that all boozehounds love: free booze!
No Party, Party of One
In Season 1 specials Business Blu-rays, Connor Trinneer revealed that he not only crashed this group, but also took advantage of the free hooch. When he was sufficiently drunk, he decided to keep the party going in a brave way. That is, he sneaked behind the bar and stole four bottles of alcohol, and brought them all home! It was a real steal, too: he wasn't just an invited guest, either there is no you are allowed to carry alcohol behind the bar. But he wasn't too worried at the time. After all, what's the worst that could happen?
The next day, the worst he did it happened: Trinneer got a call from Rick Berman. Now, Berman was not just an officer. He was the executive producer overseeing the entire franchise and, effectively, the man behind all things Star Trek. For the actor, this was like getting a call from his boss's boss' boss. As many of us would do in his position, Trinneer thought he was in trouble and thought he was about to be fired. It is understandable that he was full of regret because he knew he was going to lose the acting that changed his life due to the crime of drunkenness at work.
That Face When Your Boss Calls
Well, as it turns out, Rick Berman knew absolutely nothing about Connor Trinneer's hijinks the night before. The big producer used to call the actor with his news Business character. The character's real name was Charles Tucker, but he was originally going by the nickname “Spike.” When Berman called Trinneer, he just wanted to know that the producers had decided that the character's nickname would be “Journey” instead.
Help flooded Trinneer when he learned the reason for Berman's call. He had run away! Not only did he crash the party and get wasted for free, but he came home with a lot more alcohol. Given that he kept his cool and kept his job, he even had reason to pour himself a glass of joy. Of course, you could say that Rick Berman got his revenge: years later, he killed Trinneer's character for no real reason, a decision that the Enterprise fandom mourns to this day.
