Barbershoot

By Rachelle Bowden in News on Aug 23, 2005 10:22PM

How’s this for excellent?

Some dingbat walks into a South Side barbershop this morning around 8:30 and tries to stick up the joint with a handgun. Woe unto Thuggy McBadtiming, though, as the first chair is ocupado by an off-duty Chicago cop. While the not-so-smooth criminal is concerned with the back of the house, the police officer is able to retrieve his weapon, identify himself as a cop, and shoot the guy in the arm.

The guy, presumably with hot lead still throbbing in a bicep, still refuses an order to drop his gun. After Cop Shot #2, though, which missed, there is a surrender and then much rejoicing (we’d imagine). The offender is taken to the hospital, no one else in injured, and the CPD has a good day.

The obvious question: Did the cop get a free haircut?
The obvious follow-up: Did the barber finish the haircut? Or did Officer Johnny-on-the-Spot book the perp with half a ‘do?

And is this scenario going to find its way into Showtime’s new series based off the Barbershop movies? Chicagoist would give it the green light. The cop should be played by Delroy Lindo and the perp by Seann William Scott. And they should use real bullets.

Speaking of Barbershop, the Ice Cub movie was made in Chicago and was such a hit that it spawned a sequel (Barbershop II: Back in Business), a spin-off (Queen Latifah’s Beauty Shop), a series, and the ire of Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton (remember the controversy over Cedric the Entertainer’s rant about Rosa Parks? Funny shit, folks.).

But is the Barbershop series being filmed in Chicago? The answer: a predictable “hell no.” They film in Los Angeles, were the closest they get to winter as a frappuccino. Film it in Chicago, fellas, and you can be like Law & Order, with stories ripped from the headlines.

Thanks, Roland!