By C. MacDonald

Drivers, joggers, bicyclists, surfers and beachgoers passing by Huntington Beach Pier yesterday were shocked to see huge cranes, trucks and even a police car in the middle of the long concrete structure. Upon further examination--by going onto the pier--many saw a headless male figure, sitting on the back of a motorcycle and a special ramp shooting up over a railing toward the ocean. Could it be? Is another world record jump about to be attempted? And what about the missing head?

It's another unbelievable stunt created by Rob McElhenney, the creator, executive producer and star of the hit FXX original comedy, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," which has been creating fans for more than a decade. The creative show, featuring characters named Mac, Dennis, Charlie, Dee, Frank (the legendary Danny DeVito) and others, follows misguided dreams, leading to blundered schemes from Paddy's Pub's bar owners.

This bizarre pier jump is not for an upcoming episode but a Virtual Reality Promo designed to attract additional viewers to the show. It may be shown at special conventions and other places to the amazement of spectators, who will wear virtual reality goggles and see exactly what's it's like to be on a motorcycle roaring off into the sky and into the Pacific Ocean. The head of the headless figure will be a special camera—actually 12 cameras in circumference, with four more on top and four on the bottom. It's a $750,000 stunt that has been more than 3 months in the planning.

"Mac (Rob McElhenney) decides he'll jump the cycle. He kidnaps someone and ties him to the back of the cycle, then it zooms off for a 165-foot run with really only the audience actually on it," explains John Brown, Location Manager, who actually grew up in Huntington Beach and worked at Maxwell's, which used to be near the front of the pier.

This unusual trick was designed by Marc Scizak, stunt coordinator, and Norb Phillips, the rigging coordinator. More than 40 people were working on the crew to set it up yesterday and today, with the filming expected on Wednesday, April 1st, when the full cast will be performing atop the pier before the big jump.

"Huntington Beach is an ideal place to shoot," said Brown, who previously worked on NBC's series, "Undercovers" here. "HB Film Commissioner Briton Saxon, and Michele Roesner with the city have really helped this dream become a reality. I want to bring more Hollywood to HB."

Yorgos Varagoulis, Key Assistant Location Manager, said its exciting working on such a great series with so many professionals on and off the set. "It's a creative group. You never know what they will come up with next."

Carol Walters, who happened by the shoot set-up, said she has never missed an episode of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." "They're all awesome and just hysterical!" Carol of Costa Mesa hopes she'll get to see the Virtual Reality Promo. "What will they think of next?"

To find out more about the show, Google, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."