# What is extremely common in TV or movies but almost never happens in real life?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 6, 2021, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311 "2021-02-06T04:16:49Z")\
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**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3599 "2024-05-02T17:24:05Z")

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There are quite a few “real-life superheroes” who have tried to fight crime while wearing a silly costume. Apparently the police are generally not very receptive to their “help”.

> **[Real-life superhero](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real-life_superhero)**
>
> A real-life superhero (RLSH) is a person who dresses up in a superhero costume or mask in order to perform community service such as neighborhood watch, or in some cases vigilantism. 
> Early examples of this type of behavior are reported from the 1990s. One example is Mexico City's Superbarrio Gómez, who, in 1997, donned red tights and a red and yellow wrestler's mask in order to organize labor rallies, protest, and file petitions to prevent families from being evicted. A "real-life superhero com...

> **[List of real-life superheroes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_real-life_superheroes)**
>
> Real-life superheroes wear masks or otherwise disguise themselves in order to perform deeds ranging from community services to deterring crime.
> Some examples documented in the news media include:
> Real-life superheroes are notably prevalent in the USA compared to other countries, which may be attributed to the greater popularity of superhero comic books.
> There are several organized groups of real-life superheroes in the United States.
> RLSH Wiki - https://wiki.rlsh.net/wiki/Main\_Page

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