The creator of the hit HBO show The Wire claimed The Athletic published a false report about the origins of one of the show’s characters.

In the report, which went live Wednesday, The Athletic reporter Zak Keefer explained how the character known as Bird was based on an Indianapolis Colts fan named Antonio Barnes. In the show, Bird is described as a hitman who stands trial for killing a state’s witness. In real life, Barnes was a Baltimore drug dealer who was sentenced to life in prison when a witness was killed before testifying against a local kingpin. Barnes, like the character, also had the nickname “Bird” that dated back to his time on the football field as a child.

The only problem with the story is, according to The Wire creator David Simon, that’s not what their Bird is based on. Simon responded to a tweet from the publication — which has since been deleted — to set the record straight.

“‘Bird’ is in fact just a character, entirely fictional,” Simon said. “And the moniker itself was a simple shout-out by Ed Burns and myself to a Baltimore street legend whose adventures date to the 1970s.

“You should correct this. It is false.”

“Bird” is in fact just a character, entirely fictional. And the moniker itself was a simple shout-out by Ed Burns and myself to a Baltimore street legend whose adventures date to the 1970s.

You should correct this. It is false. https://t.co/HRexAuFrul

— David Simon (@AoDespair) January 3, 2024

As of Wednesday evening, The Athletic has not...

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