Louis Theroux, last night.

[AIT76]

A report from the local paper, detailing David Silva's crimes and sentencing.

http://mantecabulletin-com.townnews-staging.com/articles/2007/02/07/ceres/news/news02.txt

 

[Frutos]

Very interesting and watchable programme, as Theroux's usually are.

As someone else has commented, I was surprised at how articulate and well-spoken the people interviewed seemed to be by comparison to the traditional perception of a prison inmate.

 

[Les Biehn]

I used to work in the same building as Louis. We used to cross on the stairs or bumped into each other getting the post most days. Seemed like a nice chap, always said hello.

 

[Trufflehound]

As someone else has commented, I was surprised at how articulate and well-spoken the people interviewed seemed to be by comparison to the traditional perception of a prison inmate.

If you're locked up alone in a cell 23 hours a day for 584 years, you would have plenty of time to catch up on your reading...

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I used to work in the same building as Louis. We used to cross on the stairs or bumped into each other getting the post most days. Seemed like a nice chap, always said hello.

You should never name drop, Les. Elton John told me that.

 

[Trufflehound]

You should never name drop, Les. Elton John told me that.

You should never drop anything (or at least, stoop to pick it up) when Elton John's around. you never know what might happen.


George Michael told me that.

 

[captainmorganrum]

I used to work in the same building as Louis. We used to cross on the stairs or bumped into each other getting the post most days. Seemed like a nice chap, always said hello.

I read that as "We used to cross on the stairs or bumped into each other getting the porn most days."

 

[Captain Haddock]

Very interesting and watchable programme, as Theroux's usually are.

As someone else has commented, I was surprised at how articulate and well-spoken the people interviewed seemed to be by comparison to the traditional perception of a prison inmate.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Not one of Theroux's better programmes, he asked some pretty lame questions.

Have to say that I personally didn't think Silva came across as mentally ill at all. You can't condone his crime's but I thought he was surprisingly reflective and articulate about his history and his prison sentence. What a waste of a life. The paedophile who was taking the bible group on the other hand justifying his actions by blaming 'satan' just made my skin crawl.

On the whole the tragic thing was how articulate almost all the of the prisoner's interviewed (except the tatooed WASPS) were, from the jewish fruit to Silva and even Playboy at the end in his exercise pen seemed pretty intelligent and insightful (although he'd somehow seemed thick as pigshite in the first interview outside his cell!).

 

[Spider]

Was a very watchable programme, and fascinating to see some of the inmates and how they come across. However, I'm not sure if I really rate Theroux's style of documentary making. He obviously doesn't try to hard to make a point, rather he lets the footage and interviews speak for themselves (this was also really obvious in the Most Hated Family in America doc). Whilst this is very interesting to watch, I always come out of the programmes with a slight feeling of "what was the point?". He could of used the material he had to make a really interesting documentary with a message, but instead it didn't really say very much other than prove that some inmates take it all very well and others don't.

Like I said, I enjoyed it, but it wasn't as memorable as it should have been.

 

[JBizzleBeard]

Does anyone remember seeing the wrestling one he did a few years back? That was funny as fook!

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I quite like the way Theroux documentaries allow you make up your own mind without being force fed a conclusion and I do think he is a good 'host'. He doesn't say much more than is needed and lets the specimen do the talking, whilst being extremely careful not to come across as being biased and condemning the subject. With such controversial figures/organisations such as The West Baptist Church, they could very easily have shut up shop and refused to talk, whereas he gained their trust and coerced them gently into talking plainly and simply. I think it is a particular skill that Louis has mastered and I always enjoy his programmes.

 

[Frutos]

Does anyone remember seeing the wrestling one he did a few years back? That was funny as fook!

I do remember that one, and if I remember rightly, most of the amusement stemmed from the fact that Louis was totally ignorant and naive about what wrestling involves and managed to inadvertantly offend a fair few of the people he spoke to because of his naivety.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

It was interesting how open and willing to talk on camera most of the prisoners were.

Even the married father of two who was enjoying a bit of prison love with the very camp Jewish guy. Only the sex offenders were (surprise) not keen to discuss their crimes, having the front to blame Satan for taking over their minds.

I was also surprised to see the likes of "Debra" strolling around quite freely. I'd always thought life would be rather more difficult for anyone as openly feminine as (s)he was, especially surrounded 24/7 by approximately 1000 tonnes of heavily tattooed beefcake (see yard time).

 

[magoo]

It was interesting how open and willing to talk on camera most of the prisoners were.

Even the married father of two who was enjoying a bit of prison love with the very camp Jewish guy. Only the sex offenders were (surprise) not keen to discuss their crimes, having the front to blame Satan for taking over their minds.

I was also surprised to see the likes of "Debra" strolling around quite freely. I'd always thought life would be rather more difficult for anyone as openly feminine as (s)he was, especially surrounded 24/7 by approximately 1000 tonnes of heavily tattooed beefcake (see yard time).

It seems that if you are openly gay and effeminate you are less likely to be harassed as you would be if you tried to keep your homosexuality hidden and they find out. The men are less likely to 'hit' someone they percieve to be a girl. but they are probably more likely to be bum raped i suppose.

 

[tedebear]

I quite like the way Theroux documentaries allow you make up your own mind without being force fed a conclusion and I do think he is a good 'host'. He doesn't say much more than is needed and lets the specimen do the talking, whilst being extremely careful not to come across as being biased and condemning the subject. With such controversial figures/organisations such as The West Baptist Church, they could very easily have shut up shop and refused to talk, whereas he gained their trust and coerced them gently into talking plainly and simply. I think it is a particular skill that Louis has mastered and I always enjoy his programmes.

I agree and thats a very apt summation - I do think however that he could drop in a more deep and meaningful question everynow and then. Sometimes he comes across as a bit of a limp lettuce...I do appreciate how hard it might be to ask "probing" questions of some of these types, but it his portrayal of San Quentin was far from the truth sadly. Maybe he wasn't permitted to ask or show any more - but that place is NOT as laid back as it looks.

 

[tedebear]

Was a very watchable programme, and fascinating to see some of the inmates and how they come across. However, I'm not sure if I really rate Theroux's style of documentary making. He obviously doesn't try to hard to make a point, rather he lets the footage and interviews speak for themselves (this was also really obvious in the Most Hated Family in America doc). Whilst this is very interesting to watch, I always come out of the programmes with a slight feeling of "what was the point?". He could of used the material he had to make a really interesting documentary with a message, but instead it didn't really say very much other than prove that some inmates take it all very well and others don't.

Like I said, I enjoyed it, but it wasn't as memorable as it should have been.

Exactly what I was trying to say - although far more succintly.

 

[JBizzleBeard]

I do remember that one, and if I remember rightly, most of the amusement stemmed from the fact that Louis was totally ignorant and naive about what wrestling involves and managed to inadvertantly offend a fair few of the people he spoke to because of his naivety.

Yea thats right, and then he was training with some wrestling 'camp' and they pushed him so far that he threw his ring up!! Classy.

 

[Stat Brother]

It's now being used as an i-player trailer.
The bit they are playing goes something like this :-


Con - Things that get you excited might not get me going.
Lou - True but things I enjoy won't put me behind bars for 500+ years

Class.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

I do remember that one, and if I remember rightly, most of the amusement stemmed from the fact that Louis was totally ignorant and naive about what wrestling involves and managed to inadvertantly offend a fair few of the people he spoke to because of his naivety.

I think you're missing the entire point of LT. He isn't naive and doesn't do anything inadvertently, he is just good at what he does i.e. appearing that way to the less intelligent people who are his subjects on the show, which makes them open up to this apparently naive geek. It's telling that he chooses 'easy' subject matter i.e. Americans, who on the whole don't understand irony or sarcasm and as such he gets away with it. Over here, apart from Christine Hamilton and her husband, he just wouldn't get away with it.