Lighten Up, David Simon

Last week, while speaking to some cast members from “The Wire” in front of the Justice Department, Attorney General Eric Holder praised the acclaimed HBO series and jokingly asked that creator David Simon make a sixth season of the show. It’s a story that I didn’t cover, because I don’t consider lighthearted off-the-cuff remarks to be news — not when there are exciting new YouTube videos of dogs that I need to review.

But David Simon, being David Simon, responded in his usual self-serious manner:

“The Attorney-General’s kind remarks are noted and appreciated,” he wrote. “I’ve spoken to [“Wire” co-creator] Ed Burns and we are prepared to go to work on season six of The Wire if the Department of Justice is equally ready to reconsider and address its continuing prosecution of our misguided, destructive and dehumanising drug prohibition.”

Simon further claimed that the government’s current anti-drug policies are “nothing more or less than a war on our underclass”. [Digital Spy]

Oy. I mean, yes, drug laws are unfairly severe, and they disproportionately punish and imprison the poor. It’s a very serious matter, and at a certain level I’m impressed with Simon’s integrity and dedication to his beliefs. On the other hand: Dude. It was just an off-hand compliment to your TV show. Let’s not kid ourselves about some magical utopia where drugs are legal and “The Wire” runs in perpetuity and my girlfriend is a bisexual lingerie model, okay?

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