Turn Off the Camera
A Stock Phrase. Comes in three versions:
Something to Hide: The Corrupt Corporate Executive, rock star or other celebrity on a TV show is asked a rather uncomfortable question, and doesn't want to damn himself in front of thousands of witnesses armed with video recorders;
Have Some Decency: Rarer is when it's an offence to human decency - it's not something that should be filmed and used as entertainment.
Blocking The Fourth Wall: This covers all the other times, when the person just wants the camera crew to stop sticking a camera in his face.
In any case, the plea is the same: "Look, Turn Off the Camera". Very much Truth in Television.
Examples of Turn Off the Camera include:
Blocking the Fourth Wall
Film
- This is also used in Mockumentary Blair Witch-type movies, and the cameraman always has some feeble answer, like "People will want to know" or "It keeps me sane," to justify the inevitable payoff of his 1st-person death scene.
- In the fictional documentary "Under the Hood", part of the Watchmen movie universe, the Comedian says to get the camera out of his face, and the voiceover says he is unavailable for comment.
- Brock Lovett says it in Titanic, after failing to find the diamond in the safe at the beginning of the film.
Live-Action TV
- It was said by Bree in an episode of Desperate Housewives, after she tried decorating a croquembouche on a TV interview and failed miserably. Specifically, she said, "Turn off the damn camera."
- Appears in Reality Show outtakes when someone is upset. Probably after someone says, "I'm Not Here to Make Friends".
- Used on several occasions by Terrence in KateModern, and memorably by Rupert in "The Last Work".
- On Top Gear's Polar Special, Clarkson tells May to turn off the in-car camera just after they've hit a large ice block and are getting out to look at the damage, presumably to make room for a whole heckuva lot of profanity.
Video Games
- Grand Theft Auto IV does it in this cutscene.
Web Original
Western Animation
- Family Guy: Meg Griffin says it once she's had her fill of the family's reality show.
Real Life
- Paparazzi in general.
Something to Hide
Anime and Manga
- Said during Lucky Star by the in-universe director when "Lucky Channel" was airing only a shot of their destroyed set.
Live-Action TV
- 30 Rock: Liz Lemon and Tracy Jordan go through gymnastics trying to keep their feuding off Angie's reality show.
Real Life
- Used by the CEO of Little Chef when Heston Blumenthal confronted him about his 'nationwide' rollout of Heston's new menu... over three cafés.
Have Some Decency
Film
- In Die Hard 2, the reporter pushes the camera down when the McClanes reunite, partly to highlight that she is better than the guy from the first movie.
Live-Action TV
- Used in the Stargate SG-1 episode "Heroes" when Dr. Frasier dies.
Real Life
- Invoked by Terry Pratchett in a BBC documentary about his Alzheimer disease.