High 'Wire' act for premiere

HBO's hit show celebrates new season

By ADDIE MORFOOT

The Gotham preem of the fifth and final season of HBO's "The Wire" got off to a cold, late start Friday night.

Prior to the screening, chilly guests waited for their tickets in what seemed like a milelong line outside the Chelsea West Cinema.

Once inside, skein's creator and exec producer David Simon and HBO topper Carolyn Strauss addressed the audience.

"We must be really getting somewhere because Carolyn came to our premiere," Simon joked. "I feel like David Chase."

Simon went on to praise the network for keeping the show on the air even when "the numbers weren't there."

"Anywhere else this would have gone three episodes, but (at HBO) it went five seasons -- 60 hours."

Simon also thanked HBO's former head, Chris Albrecht. "Ultimately, the decision was his to do these last two seasons," he said.