Trish sworn in as Muncie, Indiana Police Officer
Courtesy The Star Press / By Nick Werner
MUNCIE -- No doubt Muncie's newest police recruits know what time their first roll call is.
And in case the celebrity cops from Armed & Famous forget, they could probably hunt down footage of Muncie Police Chief Joe Winkle repeating it three times to get it perfect for the cameras.
"Roll call is at 6 o'clock (p.m.)," Winkle told them. "Do not be late."
Winkle and Mayor Muncie Dan Canan swore in Erik Estrada, Jack Osbourne, Trish Stratus, Wee Man and La Toya Jackson in what was undoubtedly the most orchestrated event ever to happen in the city hall auditorium.
Armed & Famous is a a reality show for CBS being filmed in Muncie that follows the celebrities as they enforce the laws as reserve officers with the city's police department. The network has yet to announce when it will air.
A standing-room-only crowd of 200-some police officers, city employees and some from the general public jockeyed for space with about six cameras and dozens in the production crew.
Before entering the auditorium, every person had to sign a waiver agreeing to appear on film and then have their photograph taken.
As the ceremony began, a producer coaxed the crowd into cheering loudly for the cameras in several ovations, giving the event the feel of a high school pep rally.
"Someone told me that they cheer louder than that in New Castle," he said.
Then a pair of drummers from Ball State and what appeared to be a high school JROTC color guard each repeated their performance for three or four takes.
After the celebrities were sworn in, they each thanked Muncie.
Their exit from the ceremony was delayed by the fact that Winkle's last line -- the one about roll call -- was interrupted by audience applause.
The second take was followed by total silence, which was also unacceptable.
"Welcome to TV," Julie Link of Forman Productions told the crowd. "Sometimes, we have to retake."
The monotony of the event, however, was broken up by the antics of celebrities that drew laughter on several occasions.
At one point Erik Estrada joked with the crowd that no one would recognize him on the street because he would not be wearing his toupee. He then peeled up the back inch of his hairpiece and wiggled it.
"I've seen that 30 times, and it keeps getting better," Sgt. Rick Eber said.
Estrada fan John Wargo stood in the back and said the ceremony lasted longer than he thought it would.
"There was more hype to it," he said.
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