No shit. I was walking through the Dulles airport yesterday getting to the shuttle to my gate and I saw David Simon walking towards the same shuttle. I said, "Are you David Simon?" he said yes, and I said " The Wire is the best show in the history of TV." He said thanks, I'm glad you liked it. I said, "Well, it has a deeper meaning to me, as a fellow Baltimoron," he gives a little laugh.
We ended up sitting next to each other on the shuttle and chatting for however long it took. He talked to me about casting The Wire ("there are so many massively talented black actors out there that don't get work"), his new show ("I'll get to piss off another city") and Fruity Rudy in Gen Kill ("we read every single hispanic guy that was in that kind of condition, and even thought about dropping the character a bit because it doesn't read well, but eventually, some people you just can't make up and Rudy is one of them) about the Marines at the Emmys ("I didn't go, but they went and wore their dress blues and had a blast") about whether Hamsterdam was based on any kind of reality (he was heading to Amsterdam "[chuckles] nah, about the closest I knew of was a guy who would say 'business hours are 4-8'").
This man is the Mencken of our time. If you haven't watched The Corner, The Wire, or Generation Kill, you absolutely need to. When I said the Wire was the best show ever on television, I wasn't bs'ing. It really is. It might be the best narrative fiction ever put to film. Seriously, just take a look at the Directors and especially the Writers involved.
I wish I would have had the chance to ask him if the 5 seasons were really based on the Greek tragedy archetype and all sorts of other things, but was damn happy to have met him.
I have actually said, out loud to friends that David Simon is one of the people I would really like to meet (I would have preferred a couple of hours over drinks, but 5 minutes will do) and lo and behold, I got to meet him.
Also on the list, Arsene Wenger. I'm heading to the Emirites in a couple of weeks, so who knows?
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4 comments:
awesome
Emirates? What's the occasion? Hope not Arsenal v Birmingham... Anyway, it would be really nice to hook up while you're here if you have the time...
Tin
Tin-
Yep, I'm heading to Arsenal vs. Brum.
My buddy Peter Liem is meeting me for the game.
Shoot me an email with your contact info and maybe we can get together.
I have dinner and brunch plans Saturday and Sunday and leave Sunday afternoon.
You from Bmore?? Sheeeeeeit.
Grew up in NW. Well, Pikesville technically speaking. My only Wire experience was meeting Mayor Schmoke (no longer mayor at that time) at a Bar Mitzvah party - "Please, call me Kurt." Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor and all-star lacrosse player at City College! Remember his cameo in the Wire? Good stuff.
If you still head to Baltimore from time to time and our schedules permit, we should link up.
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