Dead Drop: May 17

EYES ON DISGUISE: Former CIA chief of disguise, Jonna Mendez, has given a fascinating critique of Hollywood’s hits and misses when it comes to changing identity.  In a 27-minute video on Wired.com Mendez shows brief clips from TV shows and motion pictures and explains which ones come close to proper tradecraft – and which ones blew it.  Who knew “Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles” would do so well in demonstrating quick change. Mendez says: “…the bigger the crowd, the more forgiving they are if you want to change your clothes in public.” She also reveals that masks made from the head of actor Rex Harrison were used on multiple real-world operations. Mendez, in case you didn’t know, is the co-author (along with her late husband Tony Mendez) of The Moscow Rules: The Secret CIA Tactics That Helped America Win the Cold War. The book will be published on May 21.  Look for a review of it in The Cipher Brief that same day.

SWEARING OFF WHISKEY:  We’ve told you in the past about the ABC TV series “Whiskey Cavalier” a so-called ‘dramedy’ about an FBI agent named “Will Chase” (code named “Whiskey Cavalier” who works with a hard-hearted CIA officer “Frankie Trowbridge” who also has a code name: “Fiery Tribune.”  Before the show aired, we said the concept sounded absurd to us – and it turns out the viewing public might agree.  Or maybe that is the “non-viewing public.” In any case, ABC announced this week that they are cancelling the show after one season.  Media accounts say it was one of the network’s lowest rated programs. ‘The Enemy Within’ an NBC series about a good-hearted male FBI agent and a female imprisoned former CIA officer which was slightly less absurd than “WC” was – at last report – still in limbo about the possibility of a second season.