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What is it about this type of people that everyone likes them? We all know one, two or maybe even a handful. They may not be the funniest, most intriguing, or best looking, but they have an irresistible gravitational pull that is often simply inexplicable. Is it the fact that they are so flexible in social situations that wherever they are placed, they can seamlessly slip in? Do they have a sense of endearing familiarity that makes them feel like old friends? Or is it just their pleasant demeanor that radiates from within?
Regardless of its origin, this specific and rare attribute is a gift, and one that has seen journalist and documentarian, Louis Theroux reach the very top of his profession. Over a television career spanning 25 years, from Weird weekends to Miami mega prisonWhat makes Theroux such a skilled interviewer?
The disarmingly charming nerd
There are various techniques that the Brit uses to translate well both on screen, but more relevantly, to the theme of the respective show. Theroux is naturally awkward, stiff and stiff, especially socially inept for someone with a job that requires such sociability. Yet it is through this inherent awkwardness that he endears himself to those he interviews. His voice lacks conviction, and the soft tone that always makes him sound a little unsure of what he’s saying completely disarms him of any initial threat the interviewee may feel as if he’s exposing them and their beliefs.
This low-key approach lends itself perfectly to empowering the subject and allowing them to speak openly and freely without coercion. Louis Theroux’s nerdy glasses are another calming quality he has in his arsenal, and again helps massage and relax conversation. This in turn allows him to effectively get to the heart of the controversial issue being discussed without being provocative.
Theroux’s nonjudgmental approach
We rarely see Louis’ personal view of a situation. His interviews are unadulterated and untainted by individual bias; thus, his opinions on the subjects in question support his impartiality as a journalist. Subsequently, this non-judgmental approach facilitates a more open, less emotionally fueled debate.
As is often the case with interviews, the journalist’s, newspaper’s or broadcaster’s own narrative regularly tries to shape the viewer’s point of view into something similar to their own. However, Louis Theroux, with his strict objectivity, will never cloud the judgment of his viewers, allowing us to take our own opinion on the topic of conversation, while presenting his own arguments in a subtle, understated and often humorous way.
This further eases the unnatural situation for the interviewee and again allows them to speak without fear of judgement. Theroux asks his challenging questions in a quietly clever way that usually follows the interviewee’s contradictions in rhetoric and active hypocrisy, but even these questions are asked in a polite, non-threatening and open-minded way and are simply used to reveal more about the interviewee.
Jumping into the Deep End
Whether he’s jumping headfirst into the New Orleans rap scene and becoming the city’s first white, middle-class MC, trying his hand at acting on Broadway, struggling, rolling, and throwing himself into the world of pro- ketcha, or facing neo-Nazis and South African animal hunters, he never fails to fully immerse himself in the culture of those he documents.
His desire to develop a better, more insightful understanding of the different cultures he explores through a whole host of weird, wacky, and wonderful ways only adds to his personable, likeable personality. This is another method used by the documentarian who uses these techniques as an exercise to really initiate a more personal connection with the interviewees.
After all, interviewing is a fine balancing act, a craft that many interviewers will spend years harnessing and perfecting. The art of interviewing can be performed effectively using multiple styles. Yet Louis Theroux’s wholesome, calm and appeasing tactics are only as good as his natural being. The ball is never in his court; he does not intellectually align himself with his “opponent”, he simply observes and bears witness to their point of view.
There is a certain passivity in his harmless lanky exterior, soft voice and perpetually raised eyebrows. He manages to emerge as the keeper of the documentary’s chosen voice while exposing his true feelings to the audience without a strong, overbearing bias. His interviews are about seeming to hand over control to the subject, creating the illusion that they are behind the wheel; but the hidden secret is that Louis Theroux has always had his foot firmly on the pedals.
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