From officiating a wedding on the back of a rollback truck during a North Carolina snow flurry to being jumped by a hollering, naked man, upset that his car is being repossessed, Ron Shirley’s life seems to be quite a bit more colorful than that of your average towman.

Shirley is president of Lizard Lick Towing and Recovery, an operation co-piloted by his wife, Amy, company vice president, who, quite colorfully in her own right, is also a licensed Mortician, former world champion power-lifter, and pregnant with the couple’s fourth child.

The story of the Shirleys of Lizard Lick was first told in the June 2010 issue (page 11) of Footnotes, where we introduced them as the newly christened stars of their own cable TV reality show, “All Worked Up.” Since then, the Shirleys, along with their drivers and staff, have become the recurring stars of that cable show, now in its third season on truTV.

According to Ron, the response to Lizard Lick Towing and its down-home mix of grit and wisdom has been overwhelming. “Most people are happier than dead pigs in sunshine,” he said of the show’s fan base. The fan line (1- 919-365-9921) gets more than 300 calls a week when the show is running. “They want to say, ‘Hey,’ or ask us to wish one of their family members a happy birthday,” Shirley said.

Busted & Bleedin’

When fan requests come in, the crew of Lizard Lick Towing is happy to oblige. “We’re still busting our humps, and you know what? If me or Amy saying something to you or your child makes your week, then far be it from us not to do it, man.” Some callers are Sick or are parents of ill children. “It would be a crime not to call that person and say, ‘How are you doing, sweetie?’ or ‘How you doing, Bo?’ Add three minutes of sunshine to a life of rain.”

Shirley has his own special way with words. And now fans can get more of his unique take on language in his first book “Lizard Tales: Wit and Wisdom of Ron Shirley,” published by EME Press and available at most major online book retailers.

Chapter One is titled, “This is a dog eat dog world…so don’t come around wearing no Milk-Bone underwear” and begins the series of short stories that detail Shirley’s life growing up. “It will have you rolling like an old spare tire down a steep hill,” he said. “It’s all comical stories. I take you from my childhood to now.”

Cookin’& Preachin’

Fans will get to see another side of Shirley in the book “Lizard Tales.” “On TV you see Repo Ron. If you talk to me, or want to come get married, you see Reverend Ron. And now I want to show people Writer Ron.” A collection of Shirley’s poetry is coming out in March, and a Lizard Lick cookbook is already available, he said. Previews of all three are available at RonShirley Books.com.

Shirley’s ministry has also gained attention following the success of “All Worked Up.” An ordained minister, he runs the North Carolina chapter of the Dirt Church, a ministry without walls. He speaks often to civic and youth groups, he said. “People ask, ‘How can you be a repo agent and an evangelist?’ But I’m an evangelist. You never hear me cuss. You’ll never see me assault people. You’ll never see me start a confrontation. That’s all because of my beliefs.”

Beyond the increased exposure for his ministry, Shirley said the show hasn’t meant much to the bottom line of Lizard Lick Towing. “It doesn’t really have an adverse or beneficial effect,” he said. “We’ve lost some accounts. We’ve yanked some accounts.”

Yeas & Nays

One change is clear, though. He sees more people “acting out.” “The more we film, the more people see us on TV, the crazier people want to act,” he said. “People run out naked. Always a guy, never a girl. The last thing I want is some guy who’s been skinny dipping with a snapping turtle to put his manhood all over the Ronster.”

The only negative feedback from the show comes from other towers, Shirley Said. “They say, ‘That’s not how it is.

You’re not a real company. You’re an embarrassment to the industry.’” To them, Shirley replies: “Know us before you judge us. Come meet us. Come talk to us. You’ll really change your mind. And a lot of good comes from this — there’s a lot of people we’re able to help through public speaking engagements and outreach to youth.”

It’s apparent that the naysayers won’t slow Ron Shirley and his Lizard Lick crew down. He recently suffered two torn tendons in his ankle from a scuffle during a repossession. And his right-hand repossession agent, Bobby Brantley, suffered 18 stitches after another altercation. “Looked like he Had a nice fight with Freddy Krueger in a phone booth when they got done with him,” Shirley said. But they’re both fine and back at work.

Ron Shirley then added what, for him, is undoubtedly not the last word: “Daddy always told me: Courage is getting thrown off and getting back on the saddle, even when you know you’re going to get thrown off again. We just jump back in and ride that Horse ‘til we know we’re going to break him or he’s going to throw us again. That’s our journey. We ain’t got time to stop right now.”

TruTV is available on cable, DirectTV, or The Dish Network. All Worked Up, season three, is on truTV Mondays at 10 p.m., and Lizard Lick, Mondays at 11 p. m. (starts Feb. 7). For more information, see www.LizardLickTowing.com and www.RonShirleyBooks.com