Ronald Gladden is the original hero.
“ I still haven’t gotten used to that word,” he told me.
He’s the original subject of the TV series Jury Duty. It’s a singular, kind of miraculous series: Everyone was an actor except for Ronald, who had to weather their scripted lunacy when, as far as he knew, he was just trying to make sure justice happened.
It was Punk’d or Candid Camera for a new generation, specifically because there was nothing mean-spirited about it. Ronald rose to the occasion and showcased a gumption and earnestness that seemed, at the time, radical: Oh, people can still be…nice.
Imagine Ronald’s experience watching the second season of the series. Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat, and witnessing the only other person who shares his experience.
Anthony Norman responded to an ad for a temporary assistant at a hot sauce company as it was embarking on its annual retreat. It was a significant one: the owner was planning to step down and give the company to his hapless son during the work vacation.
Hijinks ensued—a botched proposal, a takeover of redheads, Sia—but Anthony was stalwart. In such a smart time, he felt a familial camaraderie with the fake employees of Rockin’ Grandma hot sauce. In the end, he pleaded “father to father” with the actor playing the president to save the company.
It was fascinating to debrief with Ronald both about his experience on Jury Duty, but also what it was like to watch Anthony on Company Retreat, going through an experience that he is literally the only person who could relate.
Watch the full interview here on the Obsessed by Kevin Fallon Substack.
