D.C. based crime novelist George Pelecanos and actor/ radio host/ Backyard Band front man Anwan "Big G" Glover spoke earlier today at Busboys & Poets in Washington, D.C. about their work on HBO's acclaimed series The Wire.
Being a huge fan of the show I was excited to hear them both speak about their work on the show. Glover's being on-screen and Pelecanos' being off-screen as a writer and producer. The two men gave many details about what goes into making the series about politics, the school system, police, and criminals living in Baltimore.
There were many technical aspects discussed about how the show is produced and how the the writers come up with ideas... hotel, upstate New York, bar. But it was the characters they discussed which was really interesting. When Stringer Bell, a drug lord, was killed, one of his killers Omar was supposed to urinate on his dead body, but the writers liked the actor, Idris Elba, so much they decided to spare him that indignity. Also, Glover explained how his role as Slim Charles was only supposed to be one episode, but they liked him so much they made him a recurring character.
Pelecanos impressed me with his straight forward talk about his dislike for now-Governor of Maryland Martin O'Malley, who he said ruined Baltimore and didn't do anything for its citizens, but lock them up so he could get elected. O'Malley also tried to shut the show down several times, but was always reminded that the show brings $10 million a year to the city.
The talk was interesting and let me into the world of The Wire even more which I was grateful for.
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