This Is What a Wiretapped Phone Call Sounds Like

October 6th, 2008

As a fan of the HBO series “The Wire,” I do love a good wiretapped call. But frankly, they sound a bit different on TV. When Marlo or a Barksdale talks on the phone — and that’s not very often, as “Wire” devotees know — the conversation is always either painfully vague or just a takeout food order.

But this wiretapped conversation — a very real one between former energy company executive Bill Allen and Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska — sounds like a lost N.W.A. outtake with Three’s Company-era Don Knotts sitting in for MC Ren. Some choice cuts:

“I don’t know what these fuckers are going to do!” [The "fuckers" here being prosecutors in a federal corruption probe.]

“I think about all this shit that’s going down about four hours a night.” [Editor's note: Word. Twenty more hours in a day when Ted just thinks about hot fries and "Wheel of Fortune."]

“No one can tell you you spent too much money!” (not profane, but still ruthless and totally kingpin-ish)

Further reading: “Senator Stevens Does More after 5 p.m. than a Rookie Senator Could in a Year” [campaign press release]