Louis Theroux vs Westboro Baptists

[diond]

Cheers for that, again matey, but Websense blanked out your scanned pictures too. Luckily, I'm at home and have downloaded it and will send them back to work via email

 

[zoooo]

I do believe I want to marry Louis Theroux.

 

[stavros]

Louis' US-based documentaries have largely been a celebration of its diversity. Yes they expose their weirdness, but, prior to Sunday's show, they never judge it. The humour arises from a middle-class Englishman trying to integrate himself with all his gusto into communities which he wouldn't immediately appear to fit into, done with a subtle embarrassment. The laughs are usually at Louis, and almost always his subjects develop a sense of affection for him by the end of his stay.

I think the reasons he's largely worked in America are firstly because he has half-US citizenship, and secondly because it's the country we Brits are most exposed to culturally other than our own. There's also the language that helps.

 

[Guineveretoo]

I do believe I want to marry Louis Theroux.

Not sure he is either available or the marrying type

 

[mwgdrwg]

I watched it and just don't know what to say. Those poor children and the young girls will be so fucked up in the head. It was abuse, and horrific to watch.

The student lawyer was so nice I really wanted her to say that she had doubts or something. Louis was desperate for the same. Desperate for her to show something that would hint at the possibility that one day she would leave.

She had obviously rebelled as a child/teen, it's horrible to think what they did to her then.

 

[8ball]

She had obviously rebelled as a child/teen, it's horrible to think what they did to her then.

They hadn't necessarily done anything so terrible, maybe just the usual 'family' stuff - silent treatment, looks of 'disappointment' etc.

It sounds like they'd lost a few family members top adolescent rebellion already so I imagine they'd figured out that going medieval has limited usefulness.

 

[D'wards]

I felt genuinely sad when the boy got hit by the milksghake whing and was trying not to cry - brainwashing these kids is tantamount to child abuse. They are ensuring the children's futures are filled with hate and conflict.

Love to hear from the "lost" children

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Johnny the whole point in Theroux is that he focuses on the weirdest elements, quote from him (from Wiki);



He doesn't just do America anyway... And how can you possibly comment if you've never seen anything by him?

I was making a general comment about british documentaries concerning the US, and how it sounded like this one fit right into the mold.

 

[Balbi]

I was making a general comment about british documentaries concerning the US, and how it sounded like this one fit right into the mold.

Good for you. It's spelt 'mould' and you haven't seen it

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Ask yourself this: when was the last time you saw a british made documentary about the US that involved a positive topic, as opposed to a negative or just plain weird one?

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Good for you. It's spelt 'mould' and you haven't seen it

mold1 /moʊld/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[mohld] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun 1. a hollow form or matrix for giving a particular shape to something in a molten or plastic state.
2. the shape created or imparted to a thing by a mold.
3. something formed in or on a mold: a mold of jelly.
4. a frame on which something is formed or made.
5. shape or form.
6. a prototype, example, or precursor.
7. a distinctive nature, character, or type: a person of a simple mold.
8. Shipbuilding. a. a three-dimensional pattern used to shape a plate after it has been softened by heating.
b. a template for a frame.

9. Architecture. a. a molding.
b. a group of moldings.

–verb (used with object) 10. to work into a required shape or form; shape.
11. to shape or form in or on a mold.
12. Metallurgy. to form a mold of or from, in order to make a casting.
13. to produce by or as if by shaping material; form.
14. to have influence in determining or forming: to mold the character of a child.
15. to ornament with moldings.

 

[LDR]

Love to hear from the "lost" children

You can read about their views here. I warn you, it's not nice.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

In anycase, I suppose Johnny couldn't know he's Paul Theroux's son.

Which means, he is a...........

.... less accomplished son trying to live up to the reputation of his more talented father?

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

As it happens Johnny boy, we in Europe get bombarded every night of the week with programmes that depict the Seppoes as a bunch of swindling, self serving murderous corrupt cunts. It's called American TV. And our people are stupid enough to pay for it.

So never justify the Seppoes as having had 'bad press' they have been actively hawking this shit all over the world for years.

Well, I've watched Father Ted, Benny Hill, etc, but I don't actually believe that all britons are a bunch of drunken buffoons.

I realize that it's just tv, you see.

 

[mwgdrwg]

mold1 /moʊld/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[mohld] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun 1. a hollow form or matrix for giving a particular shape to something in a molten or plastic state.
2. the shape created or imparted to a thing by a mold.
3. something formed in or on a mold: a mold of jelly.
4. a frame on which something is formed or made.
5. shape or form.
6. a prototype, example, or precursor.
7. a distinctive nature, character, or type: a person of a simple mold.
8. Shipbuilding. a. a three-dimensional pattern used to shape a plate after it has been softened by heating.
b. a template for a frame.

9. Architecture. a. a molding.
b. a group of moldings.

–verb (used with object) 10. to work into a required shape or form; shape.
11. to shape or form in or on a mold.
12. Metallurgy. to form a mold of or from, in order to make a casting.
13. to produce by or as if by shaping material; form.
14. to have influence in determining or forming: to mold the character of a child.
15. to ornament with moldings.

Dictionary.com is American.

How lazy.

Hehe, I love how you've cut it just before this bit:

'Also, especially British, mould.'

 

[LDR]

Well, I've watched Father Ted, Benny Hill, etc, but I don't actually believe that all britons are a bunch of drunken buffoons.

Most of the ones I hang about with are.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Seriously, if you don't know Louis Theroux, you don't know what you are talking about .

My dig really isn't at Theroux. I can't do that, because I don't know his work. I only know that in this instance, he's chosen the god hates fags people as his subject.

My dig was at the endless appetite in britain for documentaries that show the americans to be deranged bible thumping hilbillies.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I
With 'Searching for Wrong Eyed Jesus' as other posters have pointed out, the view of America that is exported is as much a fantasy as anything else. At least these docus show the other side of America (it's dark heart) and the type of people who make and influence policy in the US...especially at the moment.

Wrong-Eyed wasn't a US export: it was a british-made documentary.

Yes, you get an endless diet of the 'dark side' of America, but little about any other side. This sort of thing has an insidious effect on your perception of how and why the US does things. It feeds your paranoid belief that the country is run by a bunch of snake handling baptist crazies bent on bringing fundamentalism and mcdonalds to every corner of the world.

 

[Dubversion]

but little about any other side.

that's bollocks, Johnny. US culture is very pervasive in the UK, and very little of it is of this kind of 'dark side' / critical variety.

 

[8ball]

My dig was at the endless appetite in britain for documentaries that show the americans to be deranged bible thumping hilbillies.

We have documentaries showing Americans as psychopathic warmongers too.

And corrupt oil magnates despoiling the environment.

And corporate monsters.

And we have documentaries about Americans who stand against other Americans who are all these things.

Louis Theroux has done plenty of documentaries about nutty British people too. It's what he does, finds the humanity behind the weird beliefs that create barriers between people.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Louis' US-based documentaries have largely been a celebration of its diversity. Yes they expose their weirdness, but, prior to Sunday's show, they never judge it. .

"In Weird Weekends (1998–2000), Louis followed marginal, mostly American subcultures like survivalists, gangsta rappers, Nazi Skinheads and porn stars, often by living among or close to the people involved."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Theroux#Documentaries

Nope, no judgement there: he just happened to happen upon these particular american subgroups, as opposed to anti poverty activists, conservationists, surfers, etc etc etc.

The man obviously knows his audience.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I think the reasons he's largely worked in America are firstly because he has half-US citizenship, and secondly because it's the country we Brits are most exposed to culturally other than our own. There's also the language that helps.

I think he does it because maybe there's a limited sense of humour in britain about your own marginal subgroups.

I recall one documentary I saw about rural britain and their attitudes toward gypsies; it ended with the farmers burning some caravans, without real concern for who was in them.

Actually you're right: that's not very funny.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Btw, don't get me wrong. I love documentaries about weird US or canadian groups of people. I feel the same way about survivalists, holy rollers and mormons, that you do.

The difference is that we know that this isn't all that there is; we get coverage of diverse aspects of NA culture; your exposure is heavy on the 'weird' side.

 

[Dubversion]

no it's not.

Trust me, I live here

 

[Calva dosser]

Pedantic, I know, but a) Father Ted was made and filmed in the Republic, and b)Benny Hill was tee total.(To my knowledge, piss artistry was never a part of his humour)

Johnny. Don't wriggle. The world picture of seppoe land is one of unrestricted criminality, violence and corruption. If I hit the zapper with my knob-end, I'd be on evens to see a load of Yanks shooting each other. I speak English, so I know it's 'TV'- (just I'm fast losing the ability to understand that bastardised shite the Yanks talk)

How do you really believe the rest of the (Non- Anglophone) world perceives Johnny Sep. Really?

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Dictionary.com is American.

How lazy.

Hehe, I love how you've cut it just before this bit:

'Also, especially British, mould.'

What's lazy about dictionary.com?

Also, the poster said I was incorrect in the use of the word: I wasn't. That's how we spell it.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

that's bollocks, Johnny. US culture is very pervasive in the UK, and very little of it is of this kind of 'dark side' / critical variety.

I'm talking about documentaries. This one documentary generated pages of excited babble about those weird americans.

How many docus that show positive aspects of the US have aired recently on BBC?

 

[D'wards]

Btw, don't get me wrong. I love documentaries about weird US or canadian groups of people. I feel the same way about survivalists, holy rollers and mormons, that you do.

The difference is that we know that this isn't all that there is; we get coverage of diverse aspects of NA culture; your exposure is heavy on the 'weird' side.

But to be fair, who wants to see a documentary about an average democrat voting 2.4 children family?

Give me Black Power, porn stars and Survivalists any day.

We get so many great sitcoms and dramas from the US - we know you have "normal" people too.

 

[Dubversion]

i think you misunderstand the nature of documentaries, Johnny.

How many documentaries period deal with positive things?

"here's a one-hour look at some happy people with fulfilled lives"

dumbass

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Louis Theroux has done plenty of documentaries about nutty British people too. It's what he does, finds the humanity behind the weird beliefs that create barriers between people.

I'll have to watch this one to see how he handles the humanity of the god hates fags people.