Keeping the Streets Safe

I only have time for a brief update today. I’ve spoken many times about my efforts to get the Richard & Judy Safe Street initiative up and running, so it’s a real pleasure that we’ve got the original Equalizer on the show tonight. That’s right. Mr. Edward Woodward’s coming in for a chat. I’m a big fan of the man’s work. He’s my second favourite vigilante after the late great Charles Bronson.

I don’t know many times I’ve watched Death Wish, Death Wish II, and (the greatest of them all), Death Wish 3, but I do know that I'm in a minority when I say it’s the best trilogy in cinema history. Michael Winner directed all three and I think it’s a shame that he’s moved into making adverts for accident insurance instead of sticking with what he knows best, the business of taking an eye for an eye. Calm down dear! It’s only an snub nosed Beretta. Judy takes the opposite view of the films and claims they’re irresponsible and encourage people to take the law into their own hands. It’s why our own Safe Street plans have failed to get her blessing. She sees it as a kind of neighbourhood watch and I see it as gangs of our viewers armed with sticks with large nails in them.

Some vigilante facts for you. Charles Bronson wasn’t originally cast in Death Wish. The role went to Sammy Davis Jnr, who dropped out of the project at the last minute when Winner cut all the song and dance numbers from the script. Death Wish may have helped bring the issue of vigilantism into the public arena but it also helped promote moustaches during the 1970. Bronson became the spokesman for the American Moustache Club and often travelled the world encouraging men to develop their facial hair.