John (jon) n. Slang: the anonymous male customer of a prostitute (as in ‘John Doe’)
TV (tē’vē’) n. Short for television (as in the medium in which Johns often find themselves when busted with a prostitute)
Since 1996 Oklahoma’s own Video Vigilante®, Brian Bates, has been using his video camera to document the graphic realities of street prostitution, expose the perpetrators and dispel the myths that further the abuse.
JohnTV.com achieves this goal by lifting the veil of anonymity that empowers the ‘Johns.’
You can follow JohnTV on YouTube, FaceBook, Twitter and TwitPic.
in 2009 Brian Bates was awarded an Emmy for his efforts.
Check out this overview of Brian Bates the Video Vigilante …
18. November 2009 at 5:00 pm
Great job. it’s about time someone showed these pervs that the world is not their play ground. Public places are for the public not for smut.
20. November 2009 at 6:28 am
Its realli a great job eventhough it involve some risk. But i am really apprciating Brian for the courage and loyality to the public.
Ofcorse the prostitution is to be averted fromthe socity as it ruins the family,culture even the health.
Her in Dubai , a lot of harlots are working in public without any hesitation fromthe authority. Dear brian your acts should be a model for all the person who desire to clean the public fromthis kind of rubbish things
Despit to any religion, the prostituition is unhealthy,and illegal.
i support you with all means and wishing you a great victory in your endeavour.
Best Regards
22. November 2009 at 4:52 pm
Great job Brian, I have so much respect for you.
Thanks for helping us keep this country safe.
22. November 2009 at 6:11 pm
Brian, congratulations for the excellent work you are doing! I only wish that your efforts didn’t come with such high personal risk. I have heard people say things like, “But what can only one person do?”. I say that you have proven how much good can come from the actions of ONE person! I also wish (selfishly!) that you lived in PA! It sickened me to walk my daughter to school in order to shield her from the prostitutes who would “stroll” the block that the school was on. I used to wonder why these girls and women would be out there when school was getting ready to begin and when school was letting out until I picked my head up, looked around and started to pay attention. It seems that some of the fathers who would be picking up their children were also picking up a “quickie” beforehand. I don’t know why I was so shocked but I was and I still am! These prostitutes carry a lot of baggage; their violent pimps, their drugs, their dealers and their diseases. I would often wonder what the wives of these “johns” would think if they saw what their husbands were doing (or WHO they were doing!). I am a physically handicapped woman who would be no match for the prostitutes, johns, pimps,and/or dealers should they try to come at me but I wish that I were able to go out there with a camera and continue on with Brian’s work. Bravo, Brian! Here’s a thought….why don’t you travel the country giving lectures and explain the work you do. Maybe you could motivate some more private citizens into action!
3. December 2009 at 10:23 am
I love what your doing 2 try n improve your community. There should b more people like u n this crazy world. Thanx Brian
14. December 2009 at 9:40 am
Great work man….. !! well down…. Some times this things jest like a funny show…!!
20. December 2009 at 3:47 pm
Well Done!!! Watching you now on MSNBC and I wish you continued success and safety. God Bless and watch over you.
20. December 2009 at 3:49 pm
I think it’s ashame that you can catch them and the cops can’t. Kudos to you. I used to go in and bust drug deals going on,and the cops didn’t have a clue where they were either. Hummmm, could it be they don’t want to do their jobs?
20. December 2009 at 4:20 pm
BUT FOR A UPDATE MY MOTHER FELL IN LOVE WITH A MAN WHO MADE HER GET CLEAN SHE JOINED THE RESERVES AND WORKS FOR A BANK SHE HAS A FOUR BEDROOM HOUSE WITH MY BROTHER AND SISTER LEFT IN THE HOUSE 2 CARS SHE IS VERY WELL TOGETHER BUT IT TOOK A MAN WHO TREATED MY MOTHER LIKE A PERSON THAT SHE FINALLY CHANGED FOR GOOD SO GOD BLESS AND TAKE A STAND ON MAKING YOUR COMMUNITY ACTUALLY A BETTER PLACE. CUZ ARRESTING PEOPLE COME ON YOU KNOW YOU SAW THEY SAME PROSTITUES RIGHT BACK OUT THERE AND THE JOHN IS A JOHN HE IS ALWAYS GONNA PAY
22. December 2009 at 2:59 am
Good job sir. I saw your programe on TV today on AXN, from there i found your website and run toward my computer to view the site. Believe me sir you taken a good step to prevent such things in future. I am from india, 24yrs old male. thank you
9. January 2010 at 1:00 pm
hey brian ….. u shouldnt open the doors of the people….
19. January 2010 at 9:37 pm
I watched your interview with Yvonne, what has happened to her since then?
20. January 2010 at 9:02 am
She started a beauty salon called “A Brand New You.” However, since then I have not spoken to her in a couple of years.
20. January 2010 at 12:24 pm
Awesome.. was just flipping channels and caught the tell end of your story… I think it’s great what your doing.. keep it up ….
20. January 2010 at 4:38 pm
It funny but at the same time someone is going smoke this fool. One day
21. January 2010 at 12:37 pm
Hi John
I saw you on Maury Show on January 20, 2010 and my husband has been cheating on me every since we move here and its time out for him. I need you to get picture of him and that person for me. That way when I go to court I will have proof that he is cheating on me. And then I would have proof to get the Alimony that I need to help support myself with. Please help!
24. January 2010 at 11:52 am
What I want to know is what happens when someone gets violent with you? I’m sure lots of these people are very docile and timid when they are caught, but have you ever had anyone get violent? I’d be worried that some pimp might “pop a cap” on me or follow me after I leave the scene. Do you have some sort of back up plan for this eventuality?
Also, not that I disagree with what you’re doing here, I just want to know what gives you the right to take the law into your own hands? I commend you, I just think that you are playing with fire here, and I’m interested to hear about the stories we don’t see.
24. January 2010 at 4:22 pm
Several people have tried to get violent over the years. It just so happens nothing bad has ever come of it. I’m armed and I keep a level head, when it happens I deal with it. As for my ‘right’ – its the same rights people are entitled under the law to exercise any time they please. You apparently exercise your right to be a pacifist and I exercise my right not to tolerate the criminal presence in our neighborhoods.
30. January 2010 at 12:18 pm
You are a man strong and courageous (because you are trying to eliminate this manner Aldahirp your own)
You are a man you can do something governments can not accomplish the World
We were pleased what we have seen
Your brother: Abdullatif Al Anzi
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
A thousand thanks
8. February 2010 at 11:25 pm
ps thanks for getting that nasty crap off the streetZ.
14. February 2010 at 10:16 pm
THAT WAS NOT KOOL.I CANT IMGINE MY DAUGHTER GROWING UP TP SEE THAT.THAT IS AND WAS SICK NASTY!WHO KNOWS U CAN BE HAVING SEX WITH A GUY WHO HAVE AID`S OR ANTTHING ELSE!
16. February 2010 at 8:17 pm
not only its great that you are doing this, it is interesting to watch, i would like to personally thank you for getting scum like that off the streets.
7. March 2010 at 7:53 am
Brian, Dont you believe in second chances? A couple of these guys seemed genuinely sorry for what they did. Why do you have to ruin their lives. Give a guy a second chance to redeem himself and THEN call his wife and post his video on your site. Your judge jury and executioner, thats bullshit!! People like you who take the high road ALWAYS fall the hardest. Try a little mercy now and then King Brian it wont kill you!
7. March 2010 at 8:49 am
Give me a break. These men know exactly what they are doing and what the consequences can be. Your reply just goes to show how you have far more compassion for the sexual deviant and victimizing Johns over the real victims – the community, the families living in the area, the businesses and the prostitutes themselves. Odds of a John being caught by me are very low and by the time I catch them they’ve been doing this for a long time. You don’t know anymore about these men then I do. If nothing else, think of their wives and family. I have talked to dozens of wives and not a single one has EVER expressed that they wished I’d given their husband a second chance.
7. March 2010 at 5:40 pm
The federal government prescribed two actions that have led to an explosion of the kind of crime John TV observes.
The first is the brainless condemnation of illegal immigrants. Here, the illegal immigrant, who cannot obtain legal status falls prey to abusers who make use of the federal stance on illegals. For example, there is a cottage industry of “employment agencies” that advertise for pretty young women to come and get work in typical female lines of work: such as maids, nannies and home health aids. Once the illegal pays a high fee and surrenders all manner of personally identifying paperwork, the trap is sprung and the “owner” announces that the woman will be engaged in prostitution.
If the illegal announces that she will go to the FBI, the “owner” gins up a harassing recording of another woman’s voice threatening to kill the “owner” and the illegal ends up in the adjournment part of the local criminal court house. There, a prosecutor will keep her case on the calendar for nearly two years and the exposure of the illegal will cause her eventual deportation and separation from loved ones and children.
While prostituting herself, the illegal will earn next to nothing and live under fear of exposure while she services chiefs of police, lawyers, doctors and government officials all connected to the “owner” and his “employment agency”.
The second is the total de-emphasis of ordinary state crimes for federally subsidized crimes. Today, a man will easily get arrested for allegations of domestic violence because of the VAWA matching fund. In the same manner, fathers who pay child support causes the payment of matching funds to the state from the federal treasury.
This means that prostitution is not even on the cop’s radar. Arrests for prostitution cause no federal matching funds to flow to the state and in fact, allowing prostitution to flourish leads to divorces and separations that further fuel the domestic violence and divorce industry. The state pays for CSSA, CAPTA, ASFA, VAWA and for local appellate division psychologists who cross-refer each other business during divorces.
That’s why prostitution is spreading like wild fire and men and their pick ups are posing in front of your cameras with their pants down for you to photograph them.
Don’t you think you need a cape and a black automobile with a red siren and a flame shooting out the back? It’s out of control now for a long time.
11. March 2010 at 12:22 pm
Nice job!!! People like u keep this country clean. Continue this.
4. April 2010 at 2:53 pm
hey…. brian u r doing a great job.
basically u r on the amission to save the world.
it’s risky bt u r doing it honestly, well done.
stay safe.
God will help u….
6. April 2010 at 2:55 pm
Serious john! U think your going to stop the oldest profession….NOOOO! but I give you credit for trying to scare straight these people. Some word of advise just b carefull, these girls and their pimps all heavy drug users and are not alwyas in thier right sense’s and then their’s always that one mans life and marriage you destroyed, who probaly has nothing more to live for now. Dude keep up the good work but watch your back. If your doing this alone, I suggest you have someone who is armed and watching your back.
9. April 2010 at 1:22 pm
Hello Brian,
herzlichen Glückwunsch congratulation, people like you is what we really need, in this world. You are doing an great job !!!!!!!
All the best
Theo
25. April 2010 at 8:00 am
i happy to know that there is some like u trying to make the world a better place go ahead do what u do man god bless u
28. April 2010 at 12:37 pm
I am having a problem,There is a solid waste supervisor that is committing adultery while on city time.Everyday he is at his baby moma’s house fooling around and getting drunk while on city time.This man has been in trouble for this same act before.He has been in trouble for drinking tha he had to have a breath machine in his own automobile before it will start and he continues to drive a city truck.Question…I thought that the state of Oklahoma was broke because we are laying off police and social workers and he can go and lay up, so what can be done about this??????????
15. May 2010 at 7:55 am
Hi Brian,
Dude, you are one courageous son of a gun. God bless you man. It’s men like you who make me proud to be an American. You are doing what not even the cops will do. Why? Why does it take a civilian who has so much to lose to do the job of the police? They claim they are here to serve…and protect. When? After you’re murdered?
I’d like to hear your comments on this theory I have if you’d like. I believe in cops WALKED the beat, not drove, not bicycled, but walked, got to know the neighborhoods up close, spoke with citizens, even had lunch with them, I’d bet crime would drop significantly. I’ll bet many young thugs would change their ways. And then men like you can go back to living a simple, peaceful life without having to be on guard all the time.
What do you think?
And if you do respond, could you do so to my email address?
Anyway, God bless you and your family. May God grant you protection, continued courage, and continued success.
16. May 2010 at 7:22 am
Hi, I live in Australia and have just seen a segment about you and what you do. I think what you do is great… get these people off the streets!!! Keep up the good work..
24. May 2010 at 12:46 pm
“John” as in the letter they are going to get when their wives see these videos. HAHA.
22. June 2010 at 6:49 am
I really like this idea of catching these guys on video and photographs. The area that I moved into is infested with drugs and prostitution. The company my ol man works for asked us to move into a building across from their construction site so that we can also be security. But anyway I didn’t realize how bad it is in the area. I’ve had to chase away hookers from the lot beside us because it is supposed to used for parking for the workers. But I am going to start taking photos, video or whatever it takes to detour this trash from happening. I phoned the police today to see what I can do and they didn’t really have any answers for me except for that with the legal system doesn’t work when it comes to dealing with stuff like this. It’s seems that even the papers and television are worried about the legal issues involving lawsuits that could be brought upon them if they themselves show footage of johns and prostitutes. Maybe a facebook group can be created for this very thing? People can display video and images for people to see. Women can see if their husbands have been picking up the hookers in the area. What does everyone think about that?
22. June 2010 at 7:30 am
I created a facebook group page called “Get these hookers and johns out of my neighborhood!” so that it can be used as a deterrence for this kind of activity. Hopefully it works!