I don't really see it as phoney. As I mentioned, I have sometimes seen microphones in their entirety in the area that is blacked out in the final version. I saw as story on this over a decade ago. Even though the film was shot in "tv" aspect ratio, the artistic vision was in the taped off "widescreen" area, which is why the director would sometimes miss things in the top and bottom areas like mics - and con-trails in westerns.
That said, I noticed it in My Bodyguard because the tops of peoples heads were cut off in the letterboxed version. It looks like it was filmed for tv aspect ratio.
My Bodyguard with Matt Dillon or The Bodyguard with Costner?