'Super Troopers' star from Minn. reflects on film's legacy ahead of sequel

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - Bauhaus Brew Labs in Northeast Minneapolis is usually hopping with hops, but Wednesday night there was a movie on tap. 

The brewery hosted a viewing party for "Beerfest,” bringing the cast of "Super Troopers" back together ahead of their upcoming film "Super Troopers 2." 

"Super Troopers" was a comedy about a group of Vermont State police officers who enjoy pulling pranks on the people they pull over. At Wednesday's party, Super Troopers Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, and Minneapolis’ very own Erik Stolhanske mixed and mingled with fans. 

“This is a place my wife and I come out and throw bags and have a pilsner every once in a while,” Stolhanske said. “So to come back in the hometown and get to share this with everybody—it’s just an incredible feeling.” 

Now the gang is up to old Shenanigans in “Super Troopers 2.” Broken Lizard Comedy Troupe raised nearly $5 million through crowdfunding to create the film. 

“We are a sketch comedy group so we didn’t want to make a sequel right after,” Stolhanske said. “I wanted to try new characters—Beerfest, Club Dread, The Slammin Salmon. Then we felt the time is right to grow mustaches again, to put the Ray Bans back on and become cops again.” 

Stolhanske grew up in Hopkins and still spends most of his time in Minnesota. 

One of his cousins graduated from the State Trooper Academy in Minnesota several years ago. He told Stolhanske that the film doesn’t quite accurately portray what it’s like to be a state trooper. 

“I think [State Patrol tells the recruits], ‘don’t do anything in this movie—here’s the movie of what not to do,’” he said.

He also said it was fun for the entire cast to get back behind the wheel for a new movie. And when it comes to another ride along with their unique brand of humor, Stolhanske says the time is “meow.” 

“A lot of cops go to it,” he said. “It comes out on 4/20, so there’s that crowd that goes to it. We like to think we’re bringing everyone together in a country where it’s diverse—a lot of different views. We like to think we bring both sides together just for laughs.” 

"Super Troopers 2" opens in theaters nationwide April 20.