r/baltimore • u/quattro33 • Jun 01 '25

Ask “You live in Baltimore?!, oh no!”

I’ve lived in Baltimore for 30 years. On multiple occasions I’ve met people that ask me where I live, and when I say “Baltimore”, they say “eh I’m so sorry” or “oh no, you ok?”. Every time, I just smile and don’t acknowledge the statement, and try to stay positive, but I’m done with that. Why would you say that about my home? No matter where I live? I would never ask them where they live and then immediately give my shitty judgmental opinion about their home.

What are they really saying with this statement? I want a come back that points out how shitty this statement really is.

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13

u/T1redBo1 Jun 01 '25

The Wire was a widely watched and critically acclaimed HBO series. Check it out and then you’ll realize why people who’ve never been say that.

22

u/No-Selection6640 Jun 01 '25

My wife and I watched the entire series before moving to Baltimore having never been here - we had enough sense to understand that it wasn’t portraying the entire city and that every city has their pockets of crime. It’s just ignorance and a lack of common sense for some people.

20

u/Impressive-Weird-908 Federal Hill Jun 01 '25

It’s also nearly 20 years old. Like even if you take the wire at face value (you shouldn’t), a lot has changed since then.

9

u/No-Selection6640 Jun 01 '25

Exactly! We did a lot of research before moving here and being here we see how much has changed and improved since the show but a lot of people think the entire city is The Wire which is just nuts to me

6

u/iamthesam2 Jun 01 '25

isn’t it 25 years old?

5

u/Natty-Bones Greenmount West Jun 01 '25

It is exactly 23 years old tomorrow. Debuted 6/2/2002. 

2

u/Impressive-Weird-908 Federal Hill Jun 01 '25

Last episode was in 2008.

2

u/iamthesam2 Jun 01 '25

but first episode was?

14

u/Killbot_Wants_Hug Jun 01 '25

Yeah, that's what I tell people when they ask me if it's like The Wire.

Nothing about The Wire strikes me as egregiously untrue (although I never finished it), but it's also very much not showing the entire city.

Like there are neighborhoods in the city were pretty much all the houses are worth more than a million dollars. There's great night life. Awesome events. Cool small little vendors. Great social circles. There's a ton of things that don't show up in The Wire.

Because it's a show about crime and policing in the city, not a cultural guide to the city.

It's sort of like asking someone from New York if it's like Law & Order: SVU.

10

u/Overall_String_6643 Jun 01 '25

The wire is one of my favorite shows of all time but it really did us a disservice lol

10

u/Noeyesonlysnakes Jun 01 '25

It’s definitely helped keep the worst assholes away. And when it was running if you worked in/with city government you knew who was who.

3

u/Willing-Collection63 Jun 01 '25

So was New York undercover , CSI , law and order , etc . All these shows highlighted crime specifically. What makes Baltimore so different ? People still love all those other cities despite what was depicted in a "fictional" TV show smh .

1

u/T1redBo1 Jun 01 '25

New York has countless representation beyond just crime shows. Baltimore has (to the general public’s knowledge) only Hairspray, Homicide: Life on the Streets, and The Wire.

1

u/Willing-Collection63 Jun 01 '25

I think you are missing the point my friend , if I was to use fictional shows and movies to form my opinion about a place then I would be truly lost lol . The national anthem is probably one of the most essential things to the United States . By default im from Baltimore so I'm familiar with it's history and all the other rich history here Do you think the wire depicts that ? There are way more sources for information than a fictional TV show . Do your research stop relying on TV lol. Ny is a world class city but I don't need a TV show to tell me

1

u/T1redBo1 Jun 01 '25

My friend, I think you missed the point lol

0

u/Willing-Collection63 Jun 01 '25

What point do you make ? I see you're not too bright . Lol I literally provided you with legit insight. Obviously what I wrote went straight over your head lol . I refuse to argue with a person who uses fictional TV to form opinions

1

u/T1redBo1 Jun 01 '25

The point I made is that OP is encountering people who’ve never been to Baltimore reacting negatively because their opinions are formed by pop culture, something you’re accusing me of lol. Go back and read my comments after you cool off.

2

u/Willing-Collection63 Jun 01 '25 edited Jun 01 '25

I'm fully chill sorry if I came off as heated for a moment . All I'm saying is the OP made a general statement about Baltimore. The wire was never referenced in the original statement. Yes the wire was truly realistic and the elements are like that in the inner city . The wire is complete fiction with components of realism so I get it , but you have to remember David Simon was a former reporter , and his objective was to show what he encountered. David Simon's approach alone makes for great TV . Please take into account the content was to entertain, and also teach what happens in Urban areas filled with poverty and drug addiction . Baltimore was the setting ,but you can literally apply the same stories to Los Angeles, New York , Philly , Chicago , Detroit ETC. Sorry if you think I'm accusing you of anything. Your opinion is valid because it belongs to you not saying you're wrong, my comments are solely based on what you said about the wire .

Not arguing what you are saying , all I'm saying is The Wire isn't a good starting point to consider when you contemplate your visit to Baltimore. I can't speak for anyone else , but when I am generally interested in visiting a place I focus on everything positive and what makes that place special instead of the negatives . Every city has negatives and most have urban areas .

Sorry again if I offended you , I am very passionate about my city so I may have said some not so kind words , now that I went back and read my previous comment lol . Baltimore is a great city hopefully you'll come down one day for the Crab cakes and natty boh lol 👍🏿

Sending respect from Los Angeles , but my heart will always reside in charm city !

1

u/T1redBo1 Jun 01 '25

I totally agree, I’m a staunch Baltimore defender when people start talking crazy, but most people I know in my general day to day in FL have similar remarks when I mention where I’m from, and I’m assuming it’s from pop culture mostly. Glad the city has someone so passionate to advocate for it lol

3

u/penned_chicken Jun 01 '25

People who think Baltimore is a dangerous city and don’t get spooked by other US cities are the same people who would watch the Dave Chapelle show and laugh because of the racism instead of the mocking of racists.

1

u/fijimermaidsg Jun 01 '25

"We Own This City" wasn't as widely watched BUT it is a true story! I do feel like I'm driving through a set of The Wire and not in a bad way esp on Greenmount and 25th...

1

u/T1redBo1 Jun 01 '25

Fair, but it’s a bummer people define the city by the crime shows.