Q&A: Louis Theroux
Exploring the underbelly
of the TV nation
By J.R. Taylor
Louis Theroux describes his work
with the BBC as "human safaris." His hour-long documentaries are also
warm-hearted looks into the coldest heart of human obsession.
As host of
"Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends," the gangly journalist gets friendly with white
supremacists and infomercial pitchmen. UFO fanatics, porn stars and Black
Nationalists all get a chance to present their most human attributes. This is
due to Theroux's impressive ability to get past any sense of snide superiority.
Instead, he treats his subjects with a rare sense of dignity.
Theroux may be
familiar to some Americans from his stint on Michael Moore's acclaimed "TV
Nation." Now, Theroux follows his old employer to cable's Bravo network. "Weird
Weekends" airs on Fridays at 8:00 p.m. EST.
ROUZE: Is there a polite way
to ask if being geeky works to your advantage?
Louis Theroux: I'll take
that as polite enough. I've been called "geeky," "nerdy," "shaggy".... I'm
pretty used to that. I should add that I never really thought of myself as
"geeky" before I went on television.
ROUZE: Nowadays, just being polite
makes a journalist seem geeky.
Theroux: Well, I'm certainly
non-threatening. It helps that I'm naturally curious and genuinely interested in
what these people have to say. Being British, I think, helps. My father's
American, and I have a U.S. passport, but people assume I'm a total ignoramus
about the culture. It makes them more inclined to speak to me. They think that
I'm sort of a clean slate for their views.
ROUZE: Were you ever worried
that you'd end up rehashing all the usual hipster topics?
Theroux: A lot
of the topics felt familiar. But, having said that, I never felt that I had seen
too much of them. Since I'm still curious about porn stars and militia men, it
seemed to me that viewers would be, as well. I can never figure out what's new
and what's not. In England, I got flack for my episode about actors
off-Broadway. They thought that seemed too familiar, then my documentary on
wrestling-which I thought was old hat-got a wonderful reception.
ROUZE:
Are you worried about how these documentaries will play in
America?
Theroux: I was living in America when these were filmed. I
regarded America as my audience. Occasionally, someone will think that my intent
is to make fun of Americans. But really, it's not about laughing at the Yanks.
I've always been aware that people in America might be thinking, "What right
does this blimey have to jump on us?"
ROUZE: The only episode where you
never seem to connect with anyone is when you're interviewing UFO fanatics in
the desert.
Theroux: I totally agree, though I enjoy that episode. In
each show, there should be one person with whom I identify. I'm supposed to get
past their beliefs and lifestyles. I didn't do that in the UFO documentary. The
original idea was to even go into a UFO cult. I was in touch with the Heaven's
Gate people at the start, and then they all killed themselves. I tried another
cult, but was thrown out. I suppose the problem was the nature of my belief
system.
ROUZE: But you won me over when you stripped completely naked
while auditioning to become a porn star. Theroux: I remember thinking that I
wouldn't, but then I did. I'm half-shy and half-exhibitionist. It was a little
nerve-wracking. But once my clothes were off, I felt fantastic. I recommend it
to everyone.
ROUZE: Speaking of clothes, there's another reason that
you're believable as a normal guy. In the initial documentaries, you're wearing
some really ugly shirts. You can see the point in the show when someone starts
dressing you.
Theroux: In all seriousness, I wasn't making much money
during the first run of the series. I always felt like they should be buying me
a wardrobe. I had done "TV Nation" in America, and they gave me a wardrobe. I
was making shit money with the BBC at the time, so you'd think they could make
sure I would look good on camera. So I wore certain clothes as a kind of
protest.
end.