From the bizarre to the ridiculous to the downright scary...

April 6, 2007 12:45 AM

Louis Theroux, the man that brought you The Most Hated Family in America, has more to offer from his BBC2 documentary series Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends: Gangsta Rap, UFOs and...Swingers. Some footage may not be safe for work, obviously.
posted by jne1813 (29 comments total)

Well screw me, those vid links just went to the directory. Sorry. Look for Louis in the top right. Again, my apologies.
posted by jne1813 at 12:47 AM on April 6, 2007

Oh, wow. I just sat here wondering why the name "Louis Theroux" was such a familiar name. I turned to my right, and what did I see on my bedside table? A book by him called "The Call Of The Weird". It was based on his documentarys, he went back and met up with some of the people he had interviewed about five years later. The brothel in Nevada chapter was the most interesting one, and there were some other interesting characters but the writing style was a bit...meh. I know he's a journalist or something, but the feel of it was too formal to hold my interest.
posted by liquorice at 1:02 AM on April 6, 2007

Also from Theroux on youtube, a segment from his Weird Weekends show on Survivalists. Part (1), (2), (3), 4), (5). If you search there are also segments from his show on Thai brides and the racist Tom Metzger.
posted by asterisk at 1:17 AM on April 6, 2007

Wah! The Thai Bride clips were creepy.
posted by liquorice at 1:33 AM on April 6, 2007

Ronny: "Yes, I have a thai woman and she doesn't get headaches, even when she had headaches"

Louis: "I slightly wish you hadn't said that"

Haha!
posted by liquorice at 1:35 AM on April 6, 2007

A more direct vid link.
posted by jne1813 at 1:40 AM on April 6, 2007 [1 favorite]

thanks for the tv-links. My Easter week-end is now officially over.
posted by Baud at 3:09 AM on April 6, 2007

"it's polite to not get any fluid on the mattress."
posted by eustacescrubb at 3:14 AM on April 6, 2007

The Thai Brides video is agonising to watch. Right now Theroux is walking into the hotel to meet Ronnie's wife and I am filled with a sense of impending horror... yet I cannot close the tab.

'I am not being mistreated...' Classic.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 5:01 AM on April 6, 2007

I've always loved him, ever since TV Nation. After the Westboro Baptist piece, I was just about to look for more. Thanks!
posted by unknowncommand at 5:06 AM on April 6, 2007

Theroux is walking into the hotel to meet Ronnie's wife

I just watched it. It is still hurting me.

On the other hand, I now dream of meeting Louis Theroux in female form.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 5:08 AM on April 6, 2007

You should watch the UFO one.

“Earth Protectorate.” LOL's like nothing else.
posted by Colloquial Collision at 5:51 AM on April 6, 2007

He's Paul Theroux's son if anyone didn't know.
posted by fire&wings at 6:22 AM on April 6, 2007

Check out the Jimmy Savile interviews, they're hilarious.

Especially this one.
posted by saraswati at 7:16 AM on April 6, 2007

I never really thought about it before but, when I heard what Cutie Pie had to say in the Gangsta-rap episode, there really is a lack of quality black adult entertainment. You go girl!
posted by digiFramph at 8:27 AM on April 6, 2007

I love the one on Demolition Derbies. Some real characters in that one.
posted by smackfu at 8:41 AM on April 6, 2007

I loved Weird Weekends and The Call of the Weird. I think this weekend exemplified Louis' ability to be silmultaneously self-depricating, mocking, curious and appreciative of his hosts.
posted by annaramma at 9:11 AM on April 6, 2007

FYI the season six finale of "The Gilmore Girls" on that link features CoCo, daughter of Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth. Unfortunately Gilmore Girls isn't on my DVR list, so I missed the Sonic Youth performance ... thanks!
posted by geoff. at 9:17 AM on April 6, 2007

I remember when he wrote for the Metro (Silicon Valley)! I think he's a fine writer, but I really like his interview persona. Somehow he makes totally embarrassing and/or cringeworthy moments a little more bearable. annaramma describes his style well, I think.
posted by oneirodynia at 9:33 AM on April 6, 2007

Nothing wrong with Survivalists. They seem wacky on video but they will have the last laugh. Of course being prepared (beyond duct taping your window shut DHS!!!!) is a bit different from being paranoid about the New World Order.
posted by evilelvis at 9:43 AM on April 6, 2007

I loved Thai Brides and Gambling in Vegas.

I don't know if this is true but according to this website, Lake Palmer (the guy who was very agitated and on lots of medication) didn't really marry her. She was already legally married.
posted by who squared at 11:00 AM on April 6, 2007

"We're doing a documentary on American grocery stores. They don't have ones this big in England."

Hilarious, if uncomfortable.
posted by jokeefe at 12:51 PM on April 6, 2007

Ewww. Ewwww. Ewwwwwwww. With all due respect, men can effortlessly creeeeeeeeeep me the Hell out sometimes.

No amount of showers I take will make me ever feel clean again after watching that.
posted by miss lynnster at 2:31 PM on April 6, 2007

No amount of showers I take will make me ever feel clean again after watching that.

And that's what turns some men on, your not showering :) Didn't you know ?
posted by elpapacito at 2:58 PM on April 6, 2007

Ewww. Ewwww. Ewwwwwwww.
posted by miss lynnster at 3:14 PM on April 6, 2007

In case you were wondering how Lake Palmer's adventure turned out, bless him.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 4:50 PM on April 6, 2007

Wow. That's so surprising. He seemed to approach his potential Thai brides with such clear headedness and a complete lack of desparation. He didn't seem creepy or like a potential sucker at all. /sarcasm

Poor Lake. Poor creepy, over-medicated, prone-to-rages Lake. He just wanted to be loved. Is that so wroooooong?
posted by miss lynnster at 5:18 PM on April 6, 2007

The Gangsta Rap one is great. Put me in mind of Westsiders by William Shaw, to my mind the best book on hip hop book that currently exists. Shaw was also British. Something about that foreigness makes people more likely to open up, perhaps?
posted by jcruelty at 5:58 PM on April 6, 2007

This is an absolutely awesome post - and really not a distraction that I need right now. His piece on survivalists is fantastic.
posted by Dasein at 7:03 PM on April 6, 2007