Wade on Birmingham

Heads and tales: Here we are now, entertain us

By

The First 48 - A&EHomicide, life on the street: A&E’s reality doc “The First 48” airs at 8 tonight with a look at Birmingham’s finest on the job. Mayor Kincaid had nixed the idea back in 2007, but Mayor Langford gave it the OK. Will Birmingham, with its mixed bag of media images and Top 10 crime rate, fare well or poorly?

From the show site:

In Birmingham, join Lieutenant Praytor, Sergeant Noblitt, Detectives Williams, Anderson, Bristow, McCurdy, Morrow, Cotton, Jacobs, Tanks, Lucas and Torrence as they:

  • Investigate the murder of a victim found in the bed of his burnt out pick-up truck.
  • Trace the final route of a young man racing away from his killer after being shot in his car.
  • Discover the truth behind the murder of a man gunned down while driving home from work.
  • Crack open the story behind a shooting and car crash that leaves a young man dead at the wheel.

Saddest reality of all? “The experience has been the same for other detectives. Residents and witnesses who usually wouldn’t give them the time of day were talkative for the cameras. Criminals even confided to detectives that they watched the show. ‘It actually helped us,’ said senior detective Jody Jacobs. ‘The people liked to be on camera.’ ”

For those without cable (like us!), you should be able to watch online or buy from iTunes once the vids are posted. [See more in our special report, Crime Watch.]

• Birmingham homicide detectives to be part of new season of A&E show ‘First 48’ [Birmingham News]

[Don’t forget: “Survivor” recaps starting next Thursday featuring our two Alabama contestants: survivor.wadeonbirmingham.com.]

Movie magic: Airing at 7 tonight on WABM-68 is “Honeydripper,” a 2007 John Sayles film starring Danny Glover and Keb Mo’ set and shot in Alabama. Despite some past success with luring Hollywood productions to the state, our pal Chuck and Black and White laments the number of films that got away, including Lifetime’s Natalee Holloway flick. The stars that fell on Alabama are landing elsewhere.
• Honeydripper [Amazon.com]

Gotta give us what we need: Seriously? Chuck D at Miles College?! Damn. 7 p.m. Wednesday, free admission. In honor of the Public Enemy frontman: “Most of my heroes don’t appear on no stamps / Sample a look back you look and find / Nothing but rednecks for 400 years if you check / Don’t worry be happy / Was a number one jam / Damn if I say it you can slap me right here.”
• Chuck D at Miles College [Black and White]

• • •

More headlines | send us your news tips.

Leave a Yip

Subscribe without commenting