Television series creator David Simon's success lies in his ability to fully capture his characters-drug dealers do more than deal drugs and police officers do more than lock people up. They have lives, flaws and the same redeeming qualities that connect us all. The creator of “The Wire” sat down with Salon's D. Watkins to discuss how he's bringing the same sensibility and humanity to his latest series, HBO's “The Deuce," starring James Franco and Maggie Gyllenhaal, that chronicles the dawn of the legal pornographic film industry in 1970s New York City.
Simon describes on "Salon Talks" how he builds humanity into characters that many people would otherwise overlook. "I found this through journalism, long before I was doing anything on television," Simon told SalonTV. "You would go someplace and you would think, well I have all of these preconceived notions of how people are going to be, and then you start hanging out and there’s a sense of humor, a wit, there’s a vernacular that you wouldn’t have learned if you tried to imagine it."
"And too many writers try to imagine it," he added. "You gotta hear it first, you gotta enjoy it on human terms and you gotta learn the cadence of people’s lives.” Simon also weighs in on corruption in Washington, mass shootings, gun control reform, and how he brings cities like Baltimore and New York to life on-screen.
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About “Salon Talks”
Hosted by Salon journalists, “Salon Talks” episodes offer a fresh take on the long-form interview format, and a much-needed break from the partisan political talking heads that have come to dominate the genre. “Salon Talks” is a destination for information through conversation. Viewers can expect discussions with A-list actors, artists, authors, thinkers, and newsmakers as we explore the full range of the human condition. The show streams live on Facebook and Twitter and each episode is published in full on Salon.com.
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About Salon TV
SalonTV is Salon.com’s premiere video offering, including three shows, “Salon Talks,” “Salon Stage,” and “Salon Now,” as well as original series created by Salon.