Phila. Mayor hosts screening for "The Wire"
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - March 11, 2008 The mayor hosted a screening of the final episode at City Hall
on Sunday that was attended by about 100 people. The crime drama
chronicles life in Baltimore, where politicians, police and
residents struggle to address poverty and violence.
The story is much the same in Philadelphia, 90 miles to the
north. Nutter praised the series for showing big-city problems
realistically.
"I've learned a great deal," Nutter said. "It gives a lot of
insight into a lot of different people."
Wendell Pierce, who plays Detective William "Bunk" Moreland,
said he thought the show made viewers think about people they would
not interact with in their ordinary lives.
"You'll never be able to cross a corner and see corner boys and
see them just as thugs," Pierce said. "There was humanity in
them. You'll never be able to look at the kids the same way."
The most popular actor with the City Hall crowd was Michael K.
Williams, who played Omar Little, an armed robber who is careful to
stick up only drug dealers and other criminals because they will
not complain to police.
"Omar! Omar!" some of the fans shouted at Williams, who showed
up for the screening wearing a Boy Scout shirt.
"I've been traveling a lot. This is what I had clean,"
Williams explained.