Proposition Joe
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| Joseph Stewart | |
|---|---|
 |
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| First appearance | "Game Day" (episode 1.09) |
| Last appearance | "Transitions" (episode 5.04) |
| Cause/reason | Murdered by Chris Partlow, order of Marlo Stanfield |
| Created by | David Simon |
| Portrayed by | Robert F. Chew |
| Information | |
| Nickname(s) | Proposition Joe |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | 50s (Deceased) |
| Date of death | 2008 |
| Occupation | Drug kingpin/Appliance Store Operator |
| Relatives | Melvin "Cheese" Wagstaff (nephew), Drack (nephew), Randy Wagstaff (great-nephew) |
Joseph "Proposition Joe" Stewart is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire played by actor Robert F. Chew. Chew also serves as acting coach for the child actors on the show. The character is an Eastside drug kingpin who formed the lucrative New Day Co-Op with Stringer Bell. Stewart preferred a peaceful solution to business disputes when possible. Through the Co-Op he supplied much of Baltimore with heroin brought into the city by The Greeks. Stewart was a portly and amiable presence, but was often a match in wits for rival drug lords Avon Barksdale and Marlo Stanfield and was able to manipulate most situations to his advantage. His nickname stemmed from his trademark phrase "I've got a proposition for you," going back to his days on the school yard selling test answers. Stewart was murdered by Chris Partlow on the order of Stanfield. Stewart was betrayed by his nephew Cheese. Stanfield assumed Stewart's position as chair of the Co-Op and his connection to The Greeks following the murder.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Season one
Stewart first appears at an annual basketball game, the Eastside druglords' team versus the Westside druglords. Stewart plays on Avon Barksdale's pride, goading him into doubling their wager on the outcome, then bringing in a ringer at the last minute to win the game. That same day, he is visited by stick-up-man Omar Little, who gives Stewart some of the Barksdale Organization's stolen narcotics in exchange for Barksdale's pager number. Omar uses the information in an unsuccessful attempt on Barksdale's life but Stewart's role in Omar's attack is never revealed to Barksdale. Stewart later serves as a neutral go-between, organizing a meeting between Barksdale's business partner Stringer Bell and Omar to discuss a truce.
[edit] Season two
In season two, Stewart's role is expanded, and it is revealed that Stewart relies on the Greek's smuggling ring to bring his drug shipments into the Baltimore ports. Stewart accommodates Nick Sobotka at the request of Sergei "Serge" Malatov to resolve a dispute over a bad drug deal between Ziggy Sobotka and Stewart's nephew and lieutenant Melvin "Cheese" Wagstaff. Stewart helps the Sobotka's reclaim money that Cheese stole out of respect to Malatov.
Stewart's heroin supply is more pure than any in Baltimore, but Stewart lacks good territory to market it. Due to Avon Barksdale's arrest, the Barksdale Organization is cut off from their drug suppliers and are forced to sell weaker heroin. Stewart offers Stringer Bell his product in exchange for the right to deal drugs in some of the Barksdale controlled towers. Barksdale vehemently rejects the idea, but Bell secretly agrees and Cheese moves his crew in. Barksdale is unaware of Bell's move and brings in Brother Mouzone, to protect the towers and Cheese is wounded. Stewart fears Mouzone's reputation and knows it would be a mistake to attack him directly. Stewart comes up with the idea of manipulating Omar Little into attacking Mouzone. Stewart sets up a meeting between Bell and Omar, and Omar is tricked into shooting Mouzone. This elaborate deception drives Mouzone back to New York and forces Barksdale to grudgingly agree to the alliance with Stewart.
[edit] Season three
Stewart insulates himself against police investigation by maintaining a strict policy of only meeting face to face. His nephew "Drack" is targeted as a potential inroad for an investigation by Lieutenant Cedric Daniels' major crimes unit, due to his propensity to talk business over the phone. Daniels' unit arrests Stewart's lieutenant Lavelle Mann in an undercover bust operation, hoping that Drack would be promoted to replace him. However Stewart chooses someone more reliable, thwarting the unit's efforts inadvertently. Daniels tips his hand when he arrests Cheese, believing that he had him on tape discussing a murder. Cheese realizes that the tape is of him talking about shooting his pet dog, and the police are forced to release him. He reports the incident to Stewart who is thus forewarned about the investigation, and passes the information on to Stringer Bell. The unit moves their investigation away from Stewart and onto the more violent Kintell Williamson when they fail to make further progress.
Joe extends the sharing of his supply to many other drug dealers in Baltimore, forming the New Day Co-Op with Bell, Ricardo "Fat-Face Rick" Hendrix and Kintell Williamson, among others. He supplies all of these drug dealers with his package, and they receive a discount for the bulk buying; they also agree to avoid bringing unnecessary police attention by limiting violence. Because of this, Williamson stops killing people, and the police begin investigating a brewing turf war between Avon Barksdale and up-and-coming Marlo Stanfield.
Stewart and the rest of the Co-Op object to the police attention the war creates, as it interferes with their business. Stewart meets with Stanfield's advisor Vinson to try to negotiate a settlement, but Stanfield is unwilling to back out of the war, believing that Barksdale is weak. Stewart gives Bell an ultimatum - end the war or he will be thrown out of the Co-Op. The ultimatum is defused when Bell is murdered, and Barksdale is arrested, leaving Stewart with complete control of the Co-Op.[1]
[edit] Season four
Stewart recruits former Barksdale Organization soldier Slim Charles to supply the independent dealers that have arisen to replace the Barksdale organization in Western Baltimore. However, problems arise; Marlo Stanfield has taken control of much of the Barksdales' prime territory, and the New York drug organizations are taking over territory in Eastern Baltimore. The Co-Op votes to negotiate with Stanfield and recruit him to strike back against the New York drug dealers.
Stewart contacts Stanfield, who turns down his first offer. Stewart manipulates Omar Little again, inducing him to rob a card game which Stanfield attends, by pretending that he wanted to make amends for his involvement in the Stringer Bell / Brother Mouzone incident. After Omar robs the card game, Stewart offers Stanfield another meeting and claims he could protect him against such surprises in the future. Stewart also explains that he has contacts within Baltimore City police department and courts. Stewart routinely shares information about police activity with other Co-Op members. Although much of his information is actually public record Stewart is also aware of the case against Kintell Williamson that was suspended and inconclusive. Stanfield agrees to work with the Co-Op. With Stanfield's help, the New York dealers are driven out of Baltimore. Stewart also offers Stanfield advice on how to deal with a police surveillance camera, discovers the identity of the unit investigating Stanfield and tries to encourage Stanfield's transition into being less violent and more business-minded.
Stanfield frames Omar for murder and plans to have him killed while in prison. Omar escapes the charges and plots revenge on Stanfield. Omar forces Stewart (at gunpoint) to agree to betray Stanfield, but Omar ultimately double-crosses Stewart and steals an entire Co-Op shipment as it is delivered. The Co-Op decides that Stewart should cover the expense of replacing it, and Stewart threatens to cut them off from his supplier, forcing them to back down. Omar returns to sell the shipment back to Stewart for 20 cents on the dollar; Stewart, ever the opportunist, informs the Co-Op that the price is 30 cents on the dollar, effectively negating his out of pocket loss.
Stanfield is perturbed by the robbery and suspects that Cheese, who was responsible for collecting the shipment, was involved. To protect his nephew Stewart is forced to reveal his suppliers identity and arrange for Stanfield to meet with Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos. At the end of the season Stewart and the rest of the New Day Co-Op resume business as usual, but have put a bounty on Omar's head.[2]
[edit] Season five
The fifth season opens over a year later. Stewart's advice has allowed Marlo Stanfield to successfully avoid prosecution despite an ongoing major case unit investigation. Stewart finds that he is losing territory in the redevelopment and gentrification of Eastern Baltimore and proposes a division of new territory in Baltimore County to compensate the East side drug dealers. Stanfield objects and then sows the seed of dissent in Stewart's organization by suggesting that Stewart should allow Stewart's lieutenants to manage the new territory. The other Co-Op members outvote Stanfield and Stewart assigns Cheese to develop the new territory.[3][4]
Stanfield approaches Stewart for assistance with money laundering and obtaining literally clean bills. Stewart claims that he is happy to help and puts Stanfield in touch with several of his contacts. Stewart uses a pastor with charitable organizations abroad to launder money - he makes "donations" to the charity and then receives 90% of his funds back as cashier's cheques. Stewart instructs Stanfield in how to do the same and introduces him to the pastor. Stewart privately finds the uphill struggle of "civilizing" Stanfield trying. Stanfield is concerned about having his money in foreign banks and Stewart helps him to obtain a passport to vist the bank. Stanfield also requests clean bills from Stewart and is accommodated. Stewart is unaware that Stanfield is using the money to pay tribute to The Greek and is plotting to usurp his supply connection. Stanfield also hopes to get revenge on the now retired Omar Little while Stewart is happy to have escaped further involvement. Stanfield offers a bounty on anyone connected to Omar but Stewart does not reveal Omar's connection to Butchie. However, Cheese betrays Stewart for the reward and Stanfield has his enforcers murder Butchie.[5][6]
Stewart fears reprisal from Omar and decides to leave town. He arranges for Slim Charles to watch Cheese closely as he suspects his betrayal. Stewart arranges flowers for Butchie's funeral both as a gesture to his friend and to signal to Omar his innocence in the murder. Cheese has created a feud with Co-Op kingpin Hungry Man over the new county territory and Stewart publicly reprimands his nephew. Stanfield gets the agreement of The Greek that he will consider him an insurance policy if Stewart is unable to continue to handle their supply. Stanfield then seizes on Cheese's feud with Hungry Man to convince him to betray Stewart. Cheese gives Stewart up as he is packing to leave town. Stanfield corners Stewart in his home. Stewart guesses that Cheese betrayed him. Stanfield rejects Stewart's final proposition of disappearing quietly. Stanfield has Chris Partlow shoot Stewart while he watches.[7]
[edit] Production
[edit] Origins
Actor Robert F. Chew appeared in David Simon's previous series Homicide: Life on the Street, in the three part episode "Blood Ties", playing Wilkie Collins, a drug kingpin who hates violence; he provides the police with key information about what drug dealer was shooting at them so that they will not interfere with his business. He and his wife are subsequently murdered for his betrayal; his young son witnesses, and helps the police arrest Wilkie's murderer.
[edit] References
- ^ Org Chart - The Street. HBO (2004). Retrieved on 2006-07-25.
- ^ Character profile - Proposition Joe Stewart. HBO (2004). Retrieved on 2006-08-05.
- ^ "More with Less". Joe Chappelle, Writ. David Simon (story and teleplay), Ed Burns (story). The Wire. HBO. 2008-01-06. No. 1, season 5.
- ^ The Wire episode guide - episode 51 More with Less. HBO (2008). Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
- ^ "Not for Attribution". Scott and Joy Kecken, Writ. Chris Collins (story and teleplay), David Simon (story). The Wire. HBO. 2008-01-20. No. 3, season 5.
- ^ The Wire episode guide - episode 53 Not for Attribution. HBO (2008). Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
- ^ "Transitions". Dan Attias, Writ. Ed Burns (story and teleplay), David Simon (story). The Wire. HBO. 2008-01-27. No. 4, season 5.
