I sure love watching the show COPS. But the only thing I never can understand is why the suspects do not ever acknowledge the fact that they’re being filmed. I have never seen any suspect go, “get those cameras away from me” or “why are you filming me” or even, “hey, am I going to be on COPS?!” There’s never any acknowledgement of the cameraman at all.
Why is this?
They probably do. Then it gets edited out. That’s part of the magic of TV.
So if you ever find yourself getting arrested while a COPS camera crew is in tow, just keep talking to the camera about being on COPS and you’ll never have to worry about it being on TV.
If they’ve got a COPS camera crew with them, they likely won’t get all Rodney King on my ass. I’d welcome the sight – except, of course, for the fact that I’m dumb enough to be running away from or arguing with the police in the first place, meaning that I probably don’t have that much common sense.
Wouldn’t you need to sign a release anyway if you’re willing to appear on the show?
And - just why would they always edit that stuff out. I can see if it’s always boring and doesn’t make for good tv - but surely some criminals manage to say something witty and fun about it, don’t they? 
And by ‘criminals’ you mean ‘suspects’, of course.
Yes. This part has been mentioned before. You’ll notice a person’s face will be blurred out. Most likely that person did not sign.
I’ve seen a DVD called “Cops! Too Hot for TV” which has many out-takes from the show on it and many perps do acknowledge the cameras. One particular crack whore was so proud of her body art that she stripped to show the camera all of her tats.
BTW…there’s a discussion on the rules of appearing on TV (or not) going on in GQ.
Marxxx makes a good point on “expectation of privacy.” In some cases the person may not have to sign a release. ignorance fought.
“I’m gonna sue all y’all, damn mother[beep!]ing [beep!] the [beep!] for the [beep!] and [beep!], that be all up in my [beep!], [beep!]-ing [beep!] the [beeeeeeeeeep!], bitch!”
They don’t want to be charged with breaking the fourth wall.
[Rimshot]
Having watched way too much COPS myself, I have heard the suspects occasionally make remarks addressed to the camera/ TV audience discussing the lack of wisdom of getting into their situation. This was done in reaction to sort of a prompt from the law enforcement folks. They weren’t really obviously addressing the camera, but just generally invited to make some remarks about how whatever it was they did was pretty dumb in the vague general direction of the audience. Sorry I can’t be more specific. I think this was on the TV version, but it could possibly have been on a video.
Well, no point earning another charge of breaking and enter[sub]tain[/sub]ing.
Or just don’t sign the release waiver.
A lot of these scrotes, just like Earl, Randy, Joy et al., are pretty proud to be on Cops. Of course most sign the waiver.
“They’re all guilty. It’s just a question of what they’re guilty of.”
Stranger
Every now and again the editors will show us someone that acknowledges the camera. It usually goes as follows:
“Get that [CENSORED] camera outta my [CENSORED] face!” At which point, we of course zoom in on their ugly face.
The rumour is that the COPS crew quietly turns off the cameras when the pigs want to dish out some bootheel vengance. I have no difficulty believing this given that (a) the COPS people are clearly cop-lovers and (b) they’d never get cooperation from another wallow of pigs if they revealed what really happens on the street.
Aw, and you were just getting to be popular again.
I heard Larry King smokes crack during commercial breaks. Rumors are awesome!