“And All the Pieces Matter” The Wire’s Love Affair With Baltimore

ecently my photography 2007. “I’m not thinking about the Baltimore Police Chief, Ed Norris also job sent me to an inner-city general reader. My greatest fear is that appears on the show as a Homicide school in Baltimore. As my co- the people in the world I’m writing about named after himself. R workers and I drove through will read it and say, ‘Nah, there’s nothing The story lines also mirror real-life the streets, I realized much of the area there.’ The characters feel real and hu- Baltimore events. For instance, former looked familiar. I had never been in this man, which is why the show has received Mayor Kurt Schmoke’s infamous policy particular section of the city, but I had so much critical praise. of legalizing drugs was brought to life seen many of the streets – Calhoun, To anyone who has ever lived there, in the third season, when a renegade North Avenue, and Fulton. I recognized The Wire is Baltimore. As a Baltimore District Commander proposes a similar a Footlocker, a middle school and even Sun reporter on the crime-beat in the idea. Likewise, the rise of fictional City street corners. late 1980’s, Simon saw the devastation Council President Tommy Carcetti is not Why was I familiar with this area his city was going through. In 1988, too far removed from that of former when I had never ventured this way be- he followed Homicide detectives for a Baltimore Mayor (and current Maryland fore? I had seen these places on HBO’s year. The result was Homicide: A Year on Governor) Martin O’Malley. As Carcetti The Wire – a fictional show depicting the the Killing Streets, which brought national rises to power, City Council President inner-city drug-trade of Baltimore. Since attention to Baltimore’s crime-infested Narese Campbell – a fictionalized my job had taken me to West Baltimore streets. Besides gaining Simon critical ac- version of Baltimore’s current mayor, (where most of the show takes place) colades, his book became the inspiration Shelia Dixon, often derails him. I was in the center of Wire territory. I of the NBC show Homicide: Life on the Simon may have brought many of the recognized these places because they Street, also set in Baltimore. Homicide used city’s police cases to life, but he didn’t actually appear in The Wire. The Wire many of the cases presented in the book, forget his days at The Baltimore Sun either. brings accents, trends, and real-life cases but it was The Wire where Simon strived For the show’s fifth and final season, into his fictional Baltimore. Attention to use the city as a character. Simon directed his venom at the news- to detail towards its home city is what Simon incorporated local issues, paper industry. The Sun is represented. makes The Wire truly unique for a trends, and real-life personalities into Much of the plot revolves around television show. The Wire as well as local talents for incidents Simon faced such as reporters Authenticity is at the heart of The various cast members and production. fabricatng articles. The character of Gus Wire. “I’m the kind of person who, Former Homicide detective Jay Lands- Haynes, The Sun’s city desk editor, paral- when I’m writing, cares above all about man (who appears in Homicide) not only lels’ Simon’s former position. Simon whether the people I’m writing about plays district Commander Jay Mello, but also wrote an obituary for a drug-addict will recognize themselves,” creator David also has a character named after himself who would be be the inspiration for the Simon told the New Yorker in October played by Delaney Williams. Former troubled addict Bubbles. Fact Vs. Fiction: Many characters in The Wire are inspired by real-life Baltimore Officials. (L-R): Delaney Williams plays Jay Landsman, the real Jay Landman who appeared in Simon’s Homicide takes on the role of Srgt. Jay Mello; The rise of Baltimore Mayor Tommy Carcetti is similar to that of real-life former Mayor (and current MD governor Martin O’Malley; As city council president, Narese Campbell is a thorn in Carcetti’s side, a position that current Baltimore mayor Sheila Dixon once held.

Simon’s writing partner, Ed Burns, west Baltimore. Snoop is played by characterization of Baltimore, Simon also helped to bring The Wire’s Balti- Baltimore local ex-con Felicia Pearson, brings in local traits to further enliven more to life. Burns, who was a part of and T-shirts with her face on it are sold the show. Characters are often spot- Baltimore’s Police Department in the on the street corners. And even though ted drinking National Bohemian Beer 1980’s, brought his own experiences into she is now just acting a part, there is a beer once brewed in Baltimore. In the show. His detail on drug kingpin a sense among viewers that she has one scene, there is a joke about rezon- Melvin Williams led to his arrest – a case earned the right to do so. Just like the ing part the working class neighbor- that provided the plot for much of The creators of the show, she knows how hood of Locust Point to the slightly Wire’s first season. (Williams himself to bring authenticy to her role. Pearson, richer neighborhood of Federal Hill. would later appear on the show, playing like fellow local Robert F. Chew who In another scene, rival New York a deacon). After retiring from the Police plays Proposition Joe Stewart, speaks in drug-dealers are killed off when they force, Burns had a hand in inner-city such a thick Baltimore accent that could cannot name Baltimore Hip-hop artists. schools. His familiarity with the school only be achieved by a true native. During a self-destructive drinking binge, system was the basis for the show’s Another such popular character is Detective Jimmy McNulty is seen nurs- much lauded 4th season. This career stick-up man Omar. He is so popular ing his hangover at Sip N’ Bite, a diner change is loosely portrayed by the char- that Newsweek provided a tribute upon known as a post-drinking hangout. acter Roland Prezbulyski. Prezbulyski is his death, and President Obama even Simon loves adding these little jokes kicked out of the Police force, only to named himself a fan. His a character of saying, “there’s an extra kick for the end up teaching at an inner-city middle a strict moral code who never robs or locals. But here’s the other thing: these school. It is no accident then, given the kills anyone not involed in “the game” are faces you don’t see on television, the background of the creators, that The and while this is a factor in his popular- faces and voices of the real city.” Wire reads so authentically. These are ity it is not the sole one. He, like the Many critics have called The Wire the people who lived the stories they are rest of the beloved characters feels real best show on television for its ambi- telling and who know the people they and true to his surroundings. This is tion, characters and portrayal of a world are telling about. probably because he is again a blend often ignored. Using Baltimore as both “What’s interesting about The Wire is of many real stick-up men who once a setting and a character, Simon has a lot of fans are bright liberal intel- roamed the city streets- Shorty Boyd, created a new kind of vision – a show lectuals,” says Kevin Farrell, who used Donnie Andrews, Ferdinand Harvin, where fact and fiction collide without to teach English at Cardinal Gibbons in and Anthony Hollie. (Andrews appeard any hint of irony or pretense. Baltimore. “But it’s also inner city kids in a scene helping Omar in prison.) who see themselves.” This is evident As if real-life cases, politics, and by the popularity of Snoop, in real people weren’t enough sources for the

Former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke’s infamous policy of legalizing drugs was brought to life in “The Wire” when a renegade District Commander proposes a similar idea.