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EXCLUSIVE: The world that provided fictional backdrop to such films as The Fighter and The Departed, will come to life in a new unscripted project at A&E executive produced by Departed star and The Fighter star/producer Mark Wahlberg. Tentatively titled Teamsters, the project, which has received a pilot order, features the Teamsters Local 25 in Boston. Wahlberg is executive producing with Stephen Levinson, Kevin Harrison and Bill Thompson. “A&E strives to remain ahead of the curve while delivering first-class auspices to our audience,” said Bob DeBitetto, President and General Manager, A&E and BIO Channel. “We’re so proud to collaborate with this group of producers and offer an authentic point of view from the unique characters this world provides.”
Teamsters – produced by Wahlberg’s Closest to the Hole, Levinson’s Leverage and Harrison’s Transition Prods — provide a first-hand glimpse of the legendary union in the most aggressive and territorial city in America: Boston. Here, the Teamsters Local 25 battle for the rights of their 11,000 members. “We believe A&E is the perfect venue to create a cutting-edge show that promises to be like nothing else on television,” Levinson said.
Thompson first started exploring the idea for a show about Teamsters after watching the dramatic events in Wisconsin last summer, when local union members invaded the statehouse to protest anti-union legislation. WME introduced him to Boston born-and-bred Wahlberg, who was instrumental in locking in Teamsters Local 25 in his hometown. Wahlberg has an extra personal connection to the project — his dad was a Teamster truck driver in Boston. Teamsters is envisioned as a reality franchise that would showcase unions in different cities, starting with Boston.
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How unique. A ‘realty’ show about mafia siblings making 400 grand a year for not working and union members making threats of not moving goods for their own greed. What’s next an Occupy show about how to survive without showering?
Come on, the reality is from from perception. Maybe the past still haunts these guys but from my experience and having worked with these guys a lot in the last few years they are far different than I ever expected. I’ve had great relationships since Day 1. This show will probably end up boring as hell
reality tv show about a union?
the financials only work if they can actually make the show NON-UNION.
this sounds like a car-crash (about guys who drive for a living).
Awesome!
A show about guys sleeping in pass vans and stake bed trucks!!!
I can’t believe this is real. Boston has always had one of the most corrupt Teamsters in the country. Why would anyone want to watch a bunch of thugs? Are we suppose to believe this is going to be balanced in its portrayal? Maybe it will end up being the Teamsters’ version of Houswives of Anytown USA. What’s next, Teamsters of Philadelphia? Atlanta? Uggggghh
“Why would anyone want to watch a bunch of thugs?”
The Sopranos? The Wire? Justified? Breaking Bad? Sons of Anarchy? Nothing ringing a bell?
Worked on a film in Boston. Hate to say it, but the Boston teamsters are pretty corrupt.
This show won’t be cheap when they are forced to hire all 11,000 to turn a lightbulb.
+1
The Fighter took place in Lowell, Massachusetts. 35 minutes north of Boston.
That’d be like saying “the world that provided the fictional backdrop to Rocky will come to life on Jersey Shore.”
Also, The Fighter was based on the life of Micky Ward. It’s not a fictional story.
Boston. Teamsters. TV show. Basically, another show about a buncha white guys produced by white guys. Enormously original and cutting edge.
Bad as it may be, it’ll still be better than anything on Bounce or BET.
So says the white boy….
would love to be part of this teamster show .i have been and still are a teamster for 14 years my brother was a teamster for 16 years my farther was a teamster for 29 years and his father was a teamster for 26 years ..so my family has over 85 years all in local 25.. myself and brother were let go when the job we worked at closed now i am at a part time job , and it is hard to make ends meet . thanks for your time.. can give you some good stuff
as long as they start every episode with “once upon a time and a half”…
If Wahlberg is gonna do a show about the blue collar Boston, it should star that man whose eye he gouged out.
I’m ready for my close up Mr. Wahlberg…
I was a member of local 25 with 17 years at the same job. My job was taken from me because of corporate greed and the assault on organized labor. Local 25 tried to save our jobs but the company would rather pay tens of millions of dollars to cease operations. The teamsters are the last line of defense for fair pay and workers’ rights.
Two words, Bonny Carnes is the man.
Bobby Carnes, damn IPhone
Then there is the relatively minor incident when the Sheraton Boston was building it’s huge addition as (I recall for 1,000 rooms) the job was initially non union. The teamsters poured concrete into all the lobby toilets. Job went union after that.
Did the Druge dittoheads all find out about this show at the same time?
Kudos to A&E for doing a reality show that isn’t schlock about baby beauty pageants and idiots from New Jersey. I remember when this sort of thing was called a “documentary” and was a respectable thing.
Juicy with conflict this is.
All youse gotta do, Marky Mark, is take a dramatic feature template. A little Matewan, a kiss of Last Exit to Brooklyn, a touch of Norma Rae for the ladies.
This is really potentially seminal work to re-spin all the anti-union hate. Captalize on it. With good casting. Working class heroes.
Oh, so Unions are the only corrupt ones in America? Come the f— on.
If the CEO’s can take home 800 times what a worker does, why can’t the unions get a little taste?
And the Teamsters throw great parties. Went to one of theirs at Tavern on the Green. They gave me a lapel pin and errythang.
I think that if they contact the members that recently took out Hoffas IBT Trade Show Director they would have all the info the need to make this show a good one, In these past 7 years local 82 was over ran by a bunch of wannabe thugs until a small group of solid guys took the fight on and was victory was theres these guys took out the all the officers made fools out of the IBT Lawyers Hoffa wrote more letters to these guys and oh boy he never shold have. If you contact these guys they can give the truth about being Teamster in Boston and they have more documents than the Federal Grand Jury that is investigating these crrupt bastards all the way up to President Hoffa , NMow they have the story you want to hear………… these guys have balls as big Sean O’brien ego
Obviously the people that have derogatory comments on here are ignorant and uneducated on the topic. I’m a proud member of Local 25, and what people don’t understand they mock or degrade. We secure workers rights and provide safe secure jobs for hard working men and women not only in Boston , but countrywide! Anyones misguided knowledge or half truths they claim to be correct knowledge should be the ones to be smart enough to sit down and talk with a teamster. Get educated on the facts that we protect the everyday man or woman and their rights in the work place. Don’t speak of which what you do not know.
The perception is that here are labor laws now (thanks to the past work of the Unions, and thank you) through OSHA that assure safe, secure jobs, both for Union and non-Union workers. What have the Unions needed to do lately on that front? The perception is that Union labor costs more than non-Union labor, thus driving up the cost of things. The perception is that different Union shops in the same area riot and fight over jobs. The perception is that Union thugs go to people’s workplaces and homes and threaten and intimidate them and their minor children unless they comply with Union demands and policy. The perception is that with card-check this will accelerate. The perception is that Unions believe that management should not have time to make their case before a vote to go or not to go Union is taken in their business. The perception is that Union members march and are in solidarity with Marxists, Communists, and Socialists. The perception is that municipalities are going bankrupt over Union pensions and wages and Unions have little or no interest in compromise. There is a perception that school districts have to go through such an onerous process in order to fire a teacher that they usually give up and instead place teachers in “rubber rooms”. The perception s that Unions believe that workers should pay for in order to punch a time clock and that their dues should go to Democrat politicians and rich Union bosses. Thank you, Unions, and job well done, for assuring people have a safe workplace and freedom from mistreatment from unscrupulous bosses, but the perception also is that your time is over.
You have a very sour outlook for someone that local25 just helped you by pulling your union out of the gutter. We are union brothers and sisters, no malice should be being flung between our now one union, it just helped you by getting the proper backing with by the book seniority laws…… Otherwise you would have scabs price gauging to get your work! Keep your trade shows. Nobody is out for your job. There is no reason for separation we are all one
Hah! Don’t hold your breath for a realistic portrayal of Union thugs. It’ll be glossed over, edited out and used to demonize the right.
My dad is local 25 and works his ass off for a living so it’s good to see this being made. My grandfather also was a teamster for 40 years. All of you can make negative comments but those part of the teamsters family know what a blessing it is and know it isn’t all corrupt.
The past reputations of local 25 members is a dark shadow of the hundreds of hard woring men and woman. all of you haters have no idea what you are talking about because if you knew any of these men and woman you would have a brighter more poesitive outlook on this matter my father is a local 25 member for over a decade and it makes me proud every time I get into his truck and see that sticker in the corner of his wind shield.this show is going to give you a better prespictive of the motion picture industry and I am very excited to see it.
Just wait until you start getting bad notes
they struggle over there with vision and direction –
ughh