How People Get Away With Breaking the Law on TV

The reality behind breaking the law on TV

Reality television participants don’t always stroll on the right side of the law, but, lucky for them, they’re not going to get arrested for breaking the law on tv if the police fail to show up before they leave. 

The reality show business sees the emerging marijuana industry as ripe for opportunity, and for some time now, moonshiners have been a TV staple. The relationship between the two is that each is illegal. However, that doesn’t stop marijuana farmers and moonshine brewers from bringing their exploits to TV audiences across the country. Despite the fact that they break the law weekly and on widely-viewed TV programs, these stars typically aren’t punished. 

Dramatization or good planning?

In an interview with Fox, moonshiners Tim and “Tickle” Smith noted that police would need to catch them in the act. However, by the time episodes air on TV, the moonshiners have already moved their operations to new sites. 

“You know, they watch me on TV Tuesday nights at 9, I’m still not sitting in the same spot at 10 o’clock when that show goes off,” Tickle explained. 

However, in a now-deleted interview, the moonshiners indicated that they don’t actually produce alcohol on the show, according to Starcasm.net. While there are occasions when the cameras catch some real moonshine being made, for the most part, depictions are dramatizations. The moonshiners have also claimed that they can’t say for certain one way or another whether the program really shows them making moonshine. 

There’s more to consider than broken laws

For reality TV participants whose shows are based on breaking the law, there’s more to worry about than the police, however. It is also important to think about reputation. The image of everyone involved in the show may be affected by the activity displayed. People may be labeled criminals, or at the very least, people live on the legal fringe merely by appearing on the show. It is important to consider how the program may alter the reputation of friends and family before signing any contracts.

If you’re set to star in a reality TV show that depicts illegal activities, and you’re uncertain about how that may affect you in legal terms, contact me, Anthony Caruso, at 201-806-3364, to discuss the matter further.

Otherwise, for more blog posts dealing with Reality TV, check out:

• Much like Regular TV, the Spinoff is a Reality TV Staple
• Adjusting To Life After Being On Reality TV
• Is Reality TV Crowdfunding the Future of the Industry?