Louis Theroux - Weird Weekends [Archive] - Page 3

AmazingTate

09-12-2008, 19:54

I stayed in Joburg and Capetown for a couple of weeks each and I never saw anything as bad as Louis showed. Joburg was eye opening in that you had the glittering highrise luxury of the Sandton area and then virtually right next to it you had the expanses of township shacks made out of carrier bags and whatever. In Capetown the two types of area did not seem to come together so closely. I didn't see any of the ghetto stuff like the hijacked buildings so either this is a new thing or its restricted to areas that as a tourist you simply would not go to. He obviously set out to find the bad stuff I'd say.

The nearest I came to anything remotely like that was in Pretoria (next to Joburg) where every parking meter had a human "manager" and you had to give the parking money to that person instead of putting it in the meter. If the parking warden would come around then they would put enough of the money in the meter for you, if he didn't they would keep it.

Around Cape Town I did used to get asked a few times if I had any work for the day to give people, I must have looked like a local. You would see people standing at certain recognised "come here to get daily workers" points each morning but several times they just came up to me in the street and asked for work.

South African lady here.

You get the things that were shown in most places in South Africa, the hijacked buildings more so in the rougher areas - Hillbrow probably being one of the worst, but you get them everywhere. Bad stuff happens in the good areas as well!

I think it's a culture shock for people who haven't seen or experienced the bad things on offer in South Africa and in all fairness what Louis showed is just a small fraction.

rbullivant

10-12-2008, 06:54

What a great episode, a really interesting story that I wasn;t aware of. I'm not going near the World Cup! I was watching an old episode on Dave about South Africa and felt that this was more in the true Louis style.

Would like to see him come back in a series format with more light heartedness, he has done it with the plastic surgery, etc.

R

d.boyd1uk

10-12-2008, 11:09

Great episode, it really is nice to see how lucky we are over here, cos johanssberg looked like hell on earth. Would like him to film in this country.

Yetiboy

14-12-2008, 13:59

Just watched the Johannesburg ep, it was head and shoulders above the previous weeks. I have never seen The Wire yet I felt I could have written the Philly ep. Nothing in it really surprised, shocked, or taught me anything. And as everyone pointed out, some of the questions were ridiculous :

'he tried to flush the drugs'
'flush them?.......in the toilet???????'

no louis in the goddamn microwave.

less stupid questions this week and just a way more informative show. pretty terrifying in parts also.

Saber

15-12-2008, 16:52

Darn, missed this on the tv, and seem to have missed it on iplayer too :(

The Bear

15-12-2008, 20:27

GProject

15-12-2008, 22:59

Should probably mention that the Gambling episode of the 'new' Louis documentaries is being repeated on BBC2 right now.

Yetiboy

17-12-2008, 03:10

Today I watched the Off-Off Broadway which was on Dave. The woman on there called Nicole Greenwood was really cute. I looked her up on IMDb and she's been in an episode of Pushing Daisies and Monk. Made the big time after all!

http://uk.imdb.com/media/rm111055872/nm1283144

that's a great episode, very very funny. you could tell she loved louis. kinda amazed she was only 19 in that episode, i pegged her for mid twenties.

snowball

17-12-2008, 05:36

that's a great episode, very very funny. you could tell she loved louis. kinda amazed she was only 19 in that episode, i pegged her for mid twenties.

is this the episode about the broadway actors??? And are you talking about the woman 'agent' who takes him round to the auditions and who laughs her head off (all be it a bit falsely) at the end after Loui's comic audition?

GProject

17-12-2008, 23:35

Noticed this new release when browsing around at Amazon:

Louis Theroux: The Strange and the Dangerous (http://www.thedvdforums.com/affiliatelink.php?localaffiliateid=8&url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001ARYYQ8/thedvdforums-21)

Apparently contains five of the new documentaries: 'Most Hated Family In America', 'Gambling In Las Vegas', 'Under The Knife', 'Behind Bars' and 'African Hunting Holiday'. There are some in-vision commentaries too - demonstrated by the video on the Amazon page.

The Bear

18-12-2008, 10:50

Philc

19-12-2008, 11:56

bazkeane82

19-12-2008, 15:57

Watched this again last night and was still gobsmacked as to just how stupid the folks of Westboro church really are. Sad moment when the lad gets a drink launched at him. I'm amazed that they have not been shot at really.

When they took the plane to protest against the funeral I thought it would be funny to see what the family's reaction would be if Louis told them the pilot was gay.

Philc

19-12-2008, 16:28

:lol:

KennyVader

13-04-2009, 20:03

The beeb have been trailing the next Louis installment the last few days.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00k3ms6

Louis has gained access to Coalinga Mental Hospital in California, which houses more than 500 of the most disturbed criminals in America, convicted paedophiles. Most have already served lengthy prison sentences, but have been deemed unsafe for release. Instead they have been sent here for an indefinite time. Spending time with those undergoing treatment, Louis wrestles with whether he can ever allow himself to believe men whose whole history is defined by deception and deceit.

Next Sunday 19 at 21.00.

The Bear

13-04-2009, 20:19

Sounds another interesting one.

rbullivant

14-04-2009, 09:54

Should be good I think, although in all honesty I do miss Louis visiting wacky people. he's going a bit serious for my liking

R

Andrew WK

14-04-2009, 13:11

Have to agree with you there. Although I find 99% of his shows brilliant (the Philadelphia one a recent exception), watching the old Weird Weekends does make you wish he would do some more light-hearted things.

I assume as he's getting older he wants to be taken more seriously as a journalist (in the old series he used to introduce himself as a 'presenter from BBC2' now he introduces himself as a journalist) but I don't think it's ever going to happen.

Either way, I love the guy and will watch with interest, though won't be expecting too many laughs!

Cockeye

14-04-2009, 17:03

Cheers for the heads up! Sky+ set.

Andrew WK

17-04-2009, 13:01

THEY have karaoke nights, put on plays, and on their birthday are thrown a party with cake, ice-cream and gifts.

Unbelievably, this is the Coalinga Hospital in California — which houses some of the US state’s most dangerous PAEDOPHILES.

Since Jessica’s Law was passed in America in 2005, paedophiles who have come to the end of jail terms can be deemed mentally ill and put up in Coalinga indefinitely.

And because it is a hospital, not a prison, the patients, who have committed revolting acts against children including rape and molestation, have human rights and are treated in luxury — at a cost of £134,000 a year PER PATIENT.

Although the official aim of the hospital is to rehabilitate offenders, 70 per cent of them refuse to co-operate with the in-house therapy classes. The hospital holds 800 patients and just 13 have been released back into the community.

Those that stay spend their days at the £268million centre playing ping-pong or watching DVDs, and they even stage Coalinga Idol contests based on Simon Cowell’s talent show American Idol.

Brit Louis Theroux, who has two sons under four, is the first filmmaker ever to go inside.

He reveals that workers there do not even believe the paedophiles can be “cured” and that the vile sex beasts are even allowed PORN.

In his documentary Louis Theroux: A Place For Paedophiles, to be shown on BBC2 on Sunday at 9pm, he says: “Coalinga is the weirdest place I’ve ever been to. I can’t quite believe it exists. In America this is the latest way of getting a handle on sex offenders.

“If therapy was really being embraced by a lot of the patients it would seem workable.

“But there wasn’t a lot of therapy going on as far as I could see.

“Because so many of them refuse to engage, it means Coalinga is basically a very expensive, luxury warehouse to keep these people off the streets for the rest of their lives. Most will never be released.”

The shiny new building looks more like a shopping mall than a mental hospital for dangerous and violent predators.

Patients can borrow DVDs, put up any posters they like by their beds and take part in workshops with gleaming new equipment.

They are politely spoken to by therapists who call them “Mr” followed by their surname, there is a barber and they regularly get together to throw parties.

Louis says he was shown a state-of-the-art dental facility — with a dentist doing nothing as there wasn’t enough work for him.

Louis says: “In America they don’t have the NHS and many people can’t afford dentists. But these sex offenders are being given the best treatment there is.”

Another time Louis watched a group of patients round a piano rehearsing the theme tune from kids’ show The Addams Family for a Halloween party.

Louis, 38, says: “It was very, very odd to watch child molesters singing a song with lyrics about being spooky and kooky and putting up macabre Halloween imagery.

“You assume the people who run this place know what they are doing, but you do question it.”

In the documentary Louis points out that one offender has a poster on his wall of a painting of a baby-faced male ballerina in what could be construed as a homo-erotic pose.
The offender voluntarily removes the poster — but Louis discovers it is not against hospital rules for patients to have pornography by their beds if they want to.

He says: “Because it’s a hospital and not a prison they have to be treated in a certain way or they would cry foul of human rights laws. So they actually have quite a lot of freedom.”

Louis remains unconvinced that therapy is even a valid solution.

He says: “If someone is that damaged and ingrained in predatory paedophilic behaviour, is talking enough to change their behaviour?

“At times I’d think someone was quite sincere. But you have to remember these people are groomers. They have to come across as plausible not only to the children, but to their parents.

“Sometimes I caught myself thinking, ‘This guy seems OK, maybe he’s done enough therapy and become a reformed character’, but it’s so hard to really know.

“All the therapists bar one admitted to grappling with that problem, and to being occasionally overwhelmed by a sense of futility.”

Amazingly, despite the emphasis on therapy, Louis was told by workers at the hospital that they don’t even believe paedophiles CAN be “cured”.

The film-maker says: “It’s quite a controversial thing but several of the therapists said to me that paedophiles are born and not made... so you can no more cure them of being a paedophile than you can cure a person of being homosexual or heterosexual.

“The best you can do is to curb their behaviour. And some of the paedophiles I met said the same thing — that they will always have the urges they have, but that they are learning not to act on them.”

During the film Louis met one man, Mr Lamb, who molested around 50 young boys. He volunteered to be castrated to curb his sexual impulses.

Louis says: “This man had his testicles removed, which is not part of the programme at the hospital, it’s something he volunteered to do. He says it has worked for him and since filming he has, I understand, been released.

“Should there perhaps be more of an emphasis on castration of paedophiles?”

Louis found meeting the paedophiles uncomfortable and difficult. He says: “I was curious to know what the crimes were but when I heard the gruesome details, I’d think, ‘I don’t want to hear any more’.”

After his experiences at Coalinga, Louis remains unconvinced that the Americans have provided a solution to the problem of what to do with sex offenders.

He says: “The British system is that when an offender finishes his sentence, he is released on the sex offenders’ register. If he then puts a foot wrong he is hauled back to prison. It’s a lot cheaper than a system like Coalinga — and a little bit more realistic.”

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/article2381264.ece

rbullivant

17-04-2009, 18:29

I heard a bit of him talking on Radio 5, should be interesting.

To be perfectly honest once you've served your sentence you're no longer in prison, so really they should be allowed their basic human rights.

Can't imagine many people getting out to be honest, would you want to be the one who signs the certificate that they are no longer any danger to children?

Also i imagine it costs about the same to keep them in prison

R

Cockeye

17-04-2009, 18:51

I heard a bit of him talking on Radio 5, should be interesting.

To be perfectly honest once the VILE scum have served their sentence they're no longer in prison, so really they should be allowed their basic human rights.

Can't imagine many people getting out to be honest, would you want to be the one who signs the certificate that they are no longer any DANGER to children?

Also i imagine it costs about the same to keep them in PRISON!

Fixed for you ;)

17-04-2009, 19:16

You really can't help yourself can you...

GProject

18-04-2009, 23:07

Thank goodness for this thread - has just reminded me to set the SKY+!

How many more of these programmes are left now? We must be nearing the end of the ten (I think?) he is doing.

LouBarlow

19-04-2009, 07:10

You really can't help yourself can you...

Indeed. If there was one thread, or topic, he should avoid, it would be this one.

LouBarlow

19-04-2009, 21:07

Brilliant doc - one of his best for a while.

Also, I discovered it's pretty easy spotting a paedo. Facial-hair = child molester.

/goes and shaves.

SIMON ADEBISI

19-04-2009, 21:10

Post 522. I actually wanted to climb behind the couch reading it :nuts:

LouBarlow

19-04-2009, 21:12

We also played the 'If a director was a paedo who would he be' and we came up with George Romero, George Lucas and Wes Craven :lol:

dunkrag

19-04-2009, 21:13

Yeah, thought this was a great doc. Fascinating place.

To be honest the american minds that came up with the concept of that place are probably more ****** up than half the people housed there. :cuckoo:

What was that cock ring test all about? :help: Crazy.

SIMON ADEBISI

19-04-2009, 21:13

What about the dude who made Jeepers Creepers ;)

****** off i missed this but was watching Omar on SVU :D

rumbletum

19-04-2009, 21:16

Seems I'm in the minority, not very impressed with this one, didn't really hold my interest at all

LouBarlow

19-04-2009, 21:18

I should state for the record, our choices were based on facial-hair, and general similarity alone. If you put any of those guys in there, it wouldn't have looked out of place.

If you had an idea in your head, of what a nonce looked like, then most of those appearing on screen conformed to it.

The Bear

19-04-2009, 22:31

I felt sorry for the bloke who got annoyed at the woman, she does sound incredibly condescending and overly analytical all the time. I think I'd get annoyed with her after a while too. I didn't like the way he was made to feel guilty and ashamed just for that. He seemed to convey his feelings in a perfectly non-threatening way IMO, and she seemed to take issue with being told on camera she wasn't wanted.

They do seem to over-analyse every aspect of their lives in that place too, even though their disorder is only really confined to their sexuality.

Oh and director paedos (ignoring facial hair) - Woody Allen and Larry Clark would be top of the list, not to mention Roman Polanski for the obvious reasons! How about Peter Jackson for a choice of one with facial hair?

GProject

19-04-2009, 23:26

I felt sorry for the bloke who got annoyed at the woman, she does sound incredibly condescending and overly analytical all the time. I think I'd get annoyed with her after a while too.
As stereotypes go, the professionals were as bad as the 'individuals': "I'm feeling a lot of intimidating energy on this side of the room - do you want to check out for a minute? Take a couple of deep breaths?". Yeah, great, ruin a hard line of questions just when it was getting interesting.

Actually, while slightly uncomfortable and unfocused, the documentary did make some interesting points about the nature of the grey area that Coalinga occupies between prison and freedom. Louis asked some tough stuff too, some of it I didn't really want answered. However, did he really need to get the guy at the end to say what his crimes were on camera? We'd heard enough from other people at that point to get an idea of what he'd probably done.

TonyG

20-04-2009, 07:50

Not one of his best, but still an interesting show. Creepiest moment for me was watching them sing The Addams Family song. "They're all together Ooky..." ... Yup! couldn't sum it up any better.

charlie angel

20-04-2009, 07:56

As stereotypes go, the professionals were as bad as the 'individuals': "I'm feeling a lot of intimidating energy on this side of the room - do you want to check out for a minute? Take a couple of deep breaths?". Yeah, great, ruin a hard line of questions just when it was getting interesting.

Absolutely - her little peptalk to the bloke after he'd apologised was equally patronising.

However, did he really need to get the guy at the end to say what his crimes were on camera? We'd heard enough from other people at that point to get an idea of what he'd probably done.

The Mrs & I commented on this too - it became a bit rubber-necky at that point.

Overall, fascinating stuff though - a few times in Louis' latest shows I've been annoyed at his line of questioning, but I felt it was a bit sharper in this show.

douglasb

20-04-2009, 08:16

Maybe we could have a DVDF 'Paedo'-alike photo comp? Winner gets some kind of inappropriate prize, like a big box of Haribo.

Space Duck

20-04-2009, 09:39

Or an Elastic band to make your own DIY Sex Pest Arousal checker...

Evil Badoshix

20-04-2009, 09:58

:lol: at the guy who was in for date rape, then proceeded to offer Louis a glass of what looked like home made punch. :lol:

Island Swing

20-04-2009, 10:12

Balls missed this, any repeats?

MrHat001

20-04-2009, 10:58

Despite the horrible things that some of the 'inmates' have done I can't help but feel that when a guy serves his time, undergoes years of therapy and voluntarily removes his balls you've got to belive he's comitted to trying to get better.

Gorky

20-04-2009, 12:00

Balls missed this, any repeats?

It's on iPlayer

Island Swing

20-04-2009, 13:51

It's on iPlayer

duh of course I keep forgetting about that

Panavision

20-04-2009, 14:33

I was bored and switched it off. I much prefer the "weird weekends" of old.

GProject

20-04-2009, 23:05

:lol: at the guy who was in for date rape, then proceeded to offer Louis a glass of what looked like home made punch. :lol:
Haha! Didn't make that connection last night!

Kevb

21-04-2009, 00:05

Think this was the weakest show he has ever done. Always came back to the same question time and time again "Your crimes were terrible weren't they ? ". All he seemed to be interested in was their crimes. Would have been more interesting questioning the people in power who where "wharehousing" them there. The analyst who said that he was a fan of the greatful dead seemed to be very opinionated and was interesting to listen to.

What ever controversy there was to the subject of the facility it was skirted round for the sake of tales of hideous crimes.

mamboboy

21-04-2009, 02:51

Agreed with the above. Poorest out of the lot for me.
The episode sounded like it could be great, but I think there's only so far they can go with the inmates 'opinions', or their side of the argument - because no matter what the paedophiles said, hardly any viewer is going to believe, or trust them. But they did at least TRY a slight 'counter argument' by making the psychiatrist or whatever she was look a little patronising, callous and stubborn.
I think it was a bad idea deciding to stick within those complex walls...they should have ventured out or at least done some research on the ones that HAD been released and homed in order to see if there is any point in releasing them at all!

They could have easily fitted this one into a thirty minute episode in my opinion - it was probably the first Theroux documentary that made me wonder when it would end.

rbullivant

21-04-2009, 08:09

I thought it dragged a little, most of the inmates had done the same thing so continuously going around asking people seemed tedious - also its clearly part of their programme to have to admit their crimes so they all would have to tell Louis.

That female clinician I thought was a nasty piece of work, I couldn't work out what that guy had said but simply having an opinion is going to mean they never get out.

I also didn't really agree with the place either. I'm not against them locking people up for life but this decision should be taken when they're sentenced not upon leaving prison. Also if they feel these people have mental illness surely they should be sent straight there rather than serving a sentence first and then getting the treatment they need.

R

Sam

21-04-2009, 11:29

That's what OH and I said. It struck us as rather odd that it was a case of "You're a criminal you're going to jail" until they'd served their sentence when it became "you're mentally ill we're sectioning you indefinitely"

Sandeep C.

21-04-2009, 22:32

Agree with the above - wasn't that great, and dragged a lot. A real shame, because his previous ones were excellent. I don't quite understand the need to have all the inmates describe explicitly what they had done, it did seem a tad repetitive.

richie-t

22-04-2009, 12:01

i thought it was good. and as someone said above, cant help but think if that guy chops off his own nuts, hes gotta be trying at least.

on the whole though, if they've butt raped a kid in the past, nobody will want them anywhere near them and trusting a convincted paedo is a non starter.

KennyVader

27-07-2009, 19:38

I know people like to know when the next one is, well I just saw a trailer for it, trouble is the BBC don't seem to know when it'd going to be on yet but should be some time between 8 and 14 August.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/tv/2009/wk32/7day.shtml

Louis Theroux visits Central Valley, California – home to some of the most impoverished rural towns in America, where crystal-meth addiction is among the most prolific in the USA.

In Fresno, Louis finds a community ravaged by this cheap and highly addictive drug. It is hard to find anyone whose life hasn't been touched by this drug in one way or another.

As he infiltrates the town, Louis comes face to face with meth abuse as addicts invite him into their homes. He becomes surrounded by the madness of daily addiction and the meth-addled confusion which is breaking this society apart.

mamboboy

27-07-2009, 21:57

Hopefully it's better than the last - which was pretty poor for a journalist of his calibre IMO. It desperately needed some counter arguments, i.e. interviews with the people effected on the outside world by the people who were locked up - and why they should never be released. It all seemed a little one sided and never really went anywhere.

pythons

28-07-2009, 00:04

Andrew WK

28-07-2009, 12:52

Will look forward to this, though had hoped the next one would be a more light hearted effort.

the_daddy

28-07-2009, 15:33

Cheers for heads up.

Neil Smalley

28-07-2009, 15:39

re: Meth addicts.. I'm sure it's a topic that needs to be brought to light and more focus given on it, but I'm not sure if the serious subjects are best suited to Louis's style. He may well want to get away from investigating lunatic fringes, but IMHO that is where and what he is best at doing.

Nicky Ray

28-07-2009, 16:27

d.boyd1uk

28-07-2009, 17:34

Must see TV IMO, great, thanks for the heads up!

jroadley

09-08-2009, 08:03

Just a reminder that the next one is on tonight on BBC2 @ 9pm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8190120.stm

The Bear

09-08-2009, 12:18

Cheers for the heads up.

rbullivant

09-08-2009, 18:26

I note that in the Sunday Times that Louis' name no longer appears in the title of his programmes, is this an attempt to take his celebrity out of the programmes and present them as more serious. Although these recent programmes are interesting, I never really feel he really cuts down to the complex subject matter.

R

Space Duck

09-08-2009, 20:09

Singing meth heads!! WOOO!!!

mamboboy

09-08-2009, 21:05

Well, another mediocre one. He seemed to barely touch the surface of the epidemic and the interest level gradually deteriorated in the second half once he started reinterviewing the same people.
I think the problem with these 'illegal' ones (i.e. gangs, drugs) is that he is only ever going to touch the surface with them. Interviewing the cooks & dealers and people at the heart of it would have made it a lot more interesting, but it's obvious they wouldn't ever happen.
I wish he'd go back to covering the weird & wonderful things... :(

rbullivant

10-08-2009, 05:40

Todd Tomorrow

10-08-2009, 10:12

Interesting episode, having lived in America a while I'm quite aware how bad it can be (knew a few meth labs in my area). I think the problem is that he never really goes that far with his questioning. How did the couple afford $700 a week for all those years, never really got into it in any real way. When the cops said they wouldn;t be calling CPS because there was food in the fridge, there was never any follow up questions.

He does the hard hitting topics, meets dangerous people and then seems afraid to ask them any questions that might offend.

R

I don't agree. I think it's quite amazing to what degree Theroux gets people to open up about what basically are criminal activities. We heard that that at times the woman resorted to prostitution and most of the heavy users also manufactured and sold meth (which we've been told is easy to do), so that's enough of an answer for me. Making people admit that basically they chose their addiction over their children, which all had been taken into care, is about as tough a question as you can ask.

The surprising thing for me was how articulate and self aware these people were. Most came across as intelligent and rather likable people who were stuck in a trap.

I've been to Fresno a couple of times and it is a very depressing place, a total dump.

TonyG

10-08-2009, 10:21

It was watchable, but far from his best work. I had to chuckle at that guy, Karl as he kept reminding me of George W. Bush.

MrC

10-08-2009, 10:26

I've been to Fresno a couple of times and it is a very depressing place, a total dump.

We stopped there on a 3 week fly-drive holiday in 96, had no idea about the place, purely to break the journey between Yosemite and Death Valley. We thought it was weird that the hotel had security locks on EVERY door and then got asked for ID in a restaurant (I was 30 at the time!!)

Later on in our trip, when people had asked where we had been and we mentioned we stopped in Fresno, the look of horror on their faces was priceless.

jroadley

10-08-2009, 10:40

As with anything like this - it was the kids effected by their parents actions that got me the most.

martinb

10-08-2009, 12:35

I think Louis is too wet a blanket for these kind of documentaries, when the addicts started smoking up he looked very uncomfortable and started asking stupid questions about whether the gear was stolen. a bunch of meth addicts turn up with shiny dvd players, what are the odds eh?

pythons

11-08-2009, 23:37

He does the hard hitting topics, meets dangerous people and then seems afraid to ask them any questions that might offend.

I'm inclined to agree, I feel like he does his best work in the more quirky situations rather than some of the more recent darker subject areas.

Mark

moonvisage

12-09-2009, 15:20

The U.F.O hunting was brilliant,absolutely hilarious in places.The guy sitting in his chair,saying '' This Is Central Control... This Is Central Control! '' had me in stitches.

rumbletum

12-04-2010, 21:02

Heads Up: Louis Theroux: America's Medicated Kids on this Sunday at 9:00pm BBC2

GlennSh

12-04-2010, 22:11

thanks for that :thumbs:

The Bear

13-04-2010, 06:36

Yeah cheers for the heads up.

charlie angel

13-04-2010, 10:03

Heads Up: Louis Theroux: America's Medicated Kids on this Sunday at 9:00pm BBC2

Thanks for the heads up :thumbs:

VurtHed

13-04-2010, 12:37

Cheers rumbletum! :thumbs:

More info from the BBC Press Office (http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/tv/2010/wk16/sun.shtml#sun_medicated).

charlie angel

19-04-2010, 08:28

I was left a little unsatisfied with the latest episode - I can't help but feel that nothing was really explored; I understand that the slant was that these kids are being medicated too much/too early - I think I'd like to have seen Louis grill the doctors a bit more.

GlennSh

19-04-2010, 09:01

damn missed it!

The Bear

19-04-2010, 10:08

Yeah I thought it was tame. He didn't push the parents or the doctors very hard.

Dear Mr Echo

19-04-2010, 11:28

Theroux isn't really reknowned for pushing any of his subjects though is he? I think the way he does things he gets more from people with his very gentle "I-wonder-if-perhaps..." and "some-people-might-say..." style of questioning than if he waded in demanding that people justify themselves. Having said that I don't think he ever really gets under the skin of his subjects and I wasn't expecting this to be any different.

ian turner

19-04-2010, 11:41

Yeah I thought it was tame. He didn't push the parents or the doctors very hard.

Since the parents were generally on medication too (hell even the dog was on medication) pushing them might have been counter productive.
Aside from which had he tried his old style sending them up with seemingly naive questions technique then quite possibly the doctors would have seen right through that (or put him on medication). It was a more serious documentary compared to say Louis meets the White Supremacists.

gjkendall

24-04-2010, 08:18

I do prefer the odd subject matter that he used to cover....the last few have been interesting but not very probing.

Saying that, the medicated kids one was mental. I am no expert, but most of the kids shown were acting like normal kids...it amazed me that parents and especially the doctors thought differently.

The Bear

24-04-2010, 10:39

I did think that they should just send SuperNanny over there to sort them out.

beaky

24-04-2010, 17:39

It's the only LT I have turned off partway through because I have been bored.

I had to :lol: at the medicated family. Even the dog. Yes you can medicate dogs (I trained in the what and why) but it's last resort and short term. It is generally used on very extreme cases to break a cycle so a new behaviour can be taught. Mind you, the rest of the family were so neurotic, the poor dog wasn't going to be anything but in that environment.

BlueDwarf

09-10-2010, 18:12

New Theroux on tomorrow:
"Law and Disorder in Lagos"

Sunday, 10/10/10, 9pm BBC2
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vcwfw

BBC website article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11500370

gjkendall

11-10-2010, 06:58

Enjoyable enough, but he seemed well out of his depth!

TheCookieMonster

11-10-2010, 08:44

Very average episode. His abilities seem wasted on these documentaries, he really needs to go back to his strengths such as the weird weekends or celeb documentaries..

pythons

03-02-2011, 11:22

There is a Louis Theroux report, The Ultra Zionists on BBC2 this evening at 9pm.

I was just reading about it on the BBC News site:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12347050

Mark

The Bear

03-02-2011, 14:01

I saw the trail for it last night. To be honest it looks dull. Why can't he go back to interviewing nutters?

daboy3000

03-02-2011, 15:10

I saw the trail for it last night. To be honest it looks dull. Why can't he go back to interviewing nutters?

You would think there are enough nutters out there to make plenty of shows.

ian turner

03-02-2011, 17:36

Possibly because he doesn't want to be stuck as Louis who interviews nutters just to humour the lowest common denominator audience :oh-hum:
I just wonder if he's prepared to handle the wild and rabid accusations of anti semitism that will pour forth after the showing from the extremist online element. :suspect:

Saber

03-02-2011, 18:12

Louis is better with light hearted/comedy situations, not this serious stuff. I haven't really liked any of his output over the past few years.

Saber

31-03-2011, 21:40

Louis is revisiting the Westboro Baptist Chuch on Sunday, should be good and possibly back to how he used to be.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0107zhy

mamboboy

31-03-2011, 22:51

Should be a good un :thumbs:

VurtHed

31-03-2011, 23:21

Thanks for the heads up! I saw the end of the trailer and decided it was a repeat of the first one. Even though I didn't remember the clip, I assumed it was my memory, as they surely wouldn't have him back, would they? :thinking: Weird!

rbullivant

01-04-2011, 12:44

From his BBC article it sounds like there is a lot more visiting ex members.

Can't remember the episode really well, but as its LT I imagine he just walked around a bit, going hmmmm a lot and not asking any probing or searching questions. So imagine its one of the better portrayals of the family.

I don't think they're embaressed by their views, or think they're wrong in any way, so having a jouranlist come who just lets them say what they want is probably what they're looking for

R

ian turner

01-04-2011, 13:02

Louis was on the One show and apparently his last visit was responsible for a number of members leaving :thumbs: They showed a clip where one of the members had a banner up proclaiming that "Louis is going to hell" as he is one of the enemy. They don't like him but they fancy their chances I reckon.

stu_69

01-04-2011, 14:03

I remember the last one vaguely and there was one of the daughters whom he became friendly with and she seemed to be waning in her support. It was quite sad to see what these people do to their children never mind the crap where they protest at funerals. Hopefully that girl is one of the ones who left.

scoobyood

01-04-2011, 18:19

Megan Phelps is on twitter...

http://twitter.com/#!/meganphelps

So you can send your thoughts on the family directly to them as you watch this on tv :lol:

VurtHed

01-04-2011, 18:55

In Louis' words...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12919646

Some have asked why the Phelpses allowed us back in having seen the first film. They were in their own weird way fans, seeing our original effort as (I think) basically fair - and more importantly regarding it as part of their destiny to have their message widely heard and then rejected.

For the broad mass of humanity to go to hell, they must have first been exposed to the gospel and failed to heed it. Our programme had been seen by millions around the world. In my own way, I had a part in the divine plan.

anguk

02-04-2011, 00:15

Even better her mother Shirley is also on twitter:
http://twitter.com/DearShirley

mamboboy

03-04-2011, 20:55

Lady Gaga covers :lol:

KennyVader

03-04-2011, 20:57

yeah was just going to say myself that I like their Gaga ripoff!

SIMON ADEBISI

03-04-2011, 20:58

Pack of ****in freaks. Got genuinely angry watching this.

Philc

03-04-2011, 21:00

Who's the Bitch? The Baby?

No the Woman

:lol:

These guys are honestly crackpop *******. Thank god we don't have the First Amendment in this country, there is no other country out there I can think of that would allow this sort of behaviour or cult.

Sneeka

03-04-2011, 21:02

hmm.. Lady Gaga covers, Ozzy covers, Queen covers. I guess now we know what Fred Phelps likes to listen to :D

charlie angel

03-04-2011, 21:09

scoobyood

03-04-2011, 21:10

Why is it that cults attract attractive women? .... ponders on how to start a cult :thinking:

mamboboy

03-04-2011, 21:29

The 'family' are so bizarre it almost feels like a set up - even more freaky that they believe this crap though.

I lulzed at the lads who were holding up a counter protest sign saying 'Tits or GTFO' :lol:

Need a screen capture of that :lol:

As for my views on the family, yes I think they are bat**** crazy (regarding their beliefs), but they definitely are not stupid.
As Louis mentioned at one point the elders are all lawyers, including Shirley Phelps. They make their money firstly from media attention (by being offensive) and secondly from filing lawsuits.

They recently taunted 'Anonymous' to try and hack them (which they succeeded in, live on air :lol:)

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OZJwSjor4hM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

This taunt resulted thousands of people launching DDOS attacks on their website - and you can bet your bottom dollar the whole thing was just a ruse so they can gather every IP involved and will now attempt to sue them all :brickwall

SIMON ADEBISI

03-04-2011, 21:49

That Chinese bloke from San Fran. Talk about self loathing.

Scarface_Joker

03-04-2011, 22:21

They may be absolutely, positively nuts but some human traits are universal: the young boy is a Star Wars fan as evidenced by the Lego TIE-Fighter in the background during his interview with Louis! :D

NicolaUK

03-04-2011, 22:27

I thought it was rubbish, it added little new to the story and I would have preferred Louis to have found a new subject to make a film about.

redmosquito

03-04-2011, 22:58

Don't agree.

Thought it was interesting to see how they are being deserted, especially by the younger females of the group and how this is basically destroying them from within, they can say what they want and be as cold as they want about it up front but the hurt this has caused is evident in their faces.

Plus the Chinese guy alone was worth the hour, what's up with him :lol:

Saber

03-04-2011, 23:24

The Chinese chap was quite unusual wasn't he? I wish Louis had interviewed him further, of all the ways to have conflicts with your sexuality, trying to sort it through the WBC is odd. He is not making life easy for himself is he?

utero

04-04-2011, 06:27

For people who really loathe gays, open sexuality etc they sure do love their Lady Gaga

dunkrag

04-04-2011, 06:58

lol at some of these signs.. :D

http://laughingsquid.com/san-franciscos-answer-to-westboro-baptist-church/
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-3o-best-anti-westboro-baptist-church-protest-s

Long interview with Libby Phelps thanks to Kevin Smith here: http://smodcast.com/plusone/plusone/plusone15.html

and video Q&A here:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lR1JZbCC8sY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

MrHat001

04-04-2011, 17:41

I'm sorry but when I saw the Anon signs I just lost it:

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/1711/westbroanon.jpg (http://img508.imageshack.us/i/westbroanon.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

rbullivant

05-04-2011, 07:07

Failed to see the point of the documentary, it was the same as before. People leaving the WBC is nothing new, I recall in the last one he asked the leader how many children he had because the majority of them had left the church and he didn't acknowledge them.

Once again it shows why they're happy to have him around filming them, they're not the least bit ashamed of their views so having someone film them doing what they do isn't going to embaress and humiliate them. Its probably good publicity for the church

George vader

05-04-2011, 07:33

"I was promised dounuts"
LOL

ajr90

05-04-2011, 08:26

They make their money firstly from media attention (by being offensive) and secondly from filing lawsuits.

I've heard this said before, but I've yet to see anyone actually find any court records that prove this. If they made money from filing lawsuits, then the resulting lawsuits would be on file (tautological, I know), but no-one (as far as I'm aware) has yet been able to find any record of such lawsuits, let alone lawsuits which have made them megabucks.

Deano

05-04-2011, 09:15

Went from hating them in the last doc to feeling sorry for them in this one, so either I've grown or they've got more depressing. I mean they're doing song parodies for christ's sake (literally...) they're like a rubbish, racist Mitch Benn.

That said, would like to have seen more depth. Would have been better if Louis had done what he'd said he was trying to do and, accepting that their beliefs are different, explored why the feel the need to whip up such a media frenzy and picket and all that stuff.

It's not like they actually wanted people to join the Church, or so it seemed, as they were basically rejecting that one guy and seemed to have contempt for most people. Before I thought all the media stuff was a "wake up and join us or you're doomed" - in other words, it was essentially justifiable as a nice and helpful gesture IF you buy in to their bat**** crazy logic. That by picketing, they were helping to save people, in their minds.

Now they seemed to have moved on to just creating misery and revelling in it, which I can't understand on any level.

Sneeka

05-04-2011, 17:14

I've heard this said before, but I've yet to see anyone actually find any court records that prove this. If they made money from filing lawsuits, then the resulting lawsuits would be on file (tautological, I know), but no-one (as far as I'm aware) has yet been able to find any record of such lawsuits, let alone lawsuits which have made them megabucks.
Libby and the other guy that left confirm this on KS's smodcast. They just study hard and get well paid jobs because of it.

Bigsby

06-04-2011, 06:49

Libby and the other guy that left confirm this on KS's smodcast. They just study hard and get well paid jobs because of it.

One of the guys in the documentary said he worked in corrections for 20 years,

Presumably the members all work (some of the girls said they were nurses) then pay a percentage of their income to the church.

I remember when I was in Texas friends told me that if you wanted to be in the church you had to give 10% of whatever your income was.

hookbeak

06-04-2011, 07:23

i don't understand how some of the women were nurses, when they believed that all illness or accidents were good as "god willed them".

if god wanted then ill/injured how do you go about helping heal them without compromising your beliefs ?

Richie

06-04-2011, 07:54

^Coz they're ****** in the head innit!

platty

06-04-2011, 08:08

right at the very end where they all seemed to be slumped at their desks :?:, got me thinking this looks like another Waco waiting to happen :oh-hum: :cuckoo:

Saber

06-04-2011, 08:10

Why didn't Louie ask if they ever get sick?

Roberto

06-04-2011, 09:44

hookbeak

06-04-2011, 13:10

rbullivant

06-04-2011, 13:19

Surely when one of them dies, the whole thing'll just fall apart?

platty

06-04-2011, 13:30

Surely when one of them dies, the whole thing'll just fall apart?

especially the old guy , Fred phelps isnt it ?

Hernster

06-04-2011, 14:01

LouBarlow

06-04-2011, 14:21

Damn that 18 year old photography fan cult member was hot. What a waste.

Saber

06-04-2011, 15:37

How are they ever going to get married and carry on the crazy if they don't let anyone new in.

Sneeka

06-04-2011, 17:49

Surely when one of them dies, the whole thing'll just fall apart?

They'll just think up some other mad explanation to fit with those circumstances ("God had a greater plan for him"). This is religion after all ;)

Bigsby

07-04-2011, 06:39

Damn that 18 year old photography fan cult member was hot. What a waste.

Funny how they had a load of chaperones there so Louis couldn't ask his sleazy questions about "urges" like he did the time before.

andybhoy

07-04-2011, 10:56

Is this getting repeated? Can't see it on tvlistings. Don't want to sit on the pc watching it online (though I might if I have to).

Roberto

07-04-2011, 11:14

If you have a ps3 hooked up to the TV you can use iplayer on that as well

Hood

07-04-2011, 11:19

Funny how they had a load of chaperones there so Louis couldn't ask his sleazy questions about "urges" like he did the time before.

Why is it sleazy to ask those questions? I watched the original programme and I don't recall anything sleazy about his line of questioning. Part of why he manages to get the responses he does is because his approach is so completely nice.

Bigsby

07-04-2011, 11:52

Why is it sleazy to ask those questions? I watched the original programme and I don't recall anything sleazy about his line of questioning. Part of why he manages to get the responses he does is because his approach is so completely nice.

40 year old guy asking teenage religious girl about sex when she is alone with him in her bedroom doesn't look great IMO (yes I know there was a film crew etc).

rustybin

07-04-2011, 11:57

40 year old guy asking teenage religious girl about sex when she is alone with him in her bedroom doesn't look great IMO (yes I know there was a film crew etc).

TBH, it would have been the first thing on my mind too.

JimDriver2

07-04-2011, 16:52

I think the film crew is exactly why it was legitimate, and to be fair a good line of questioning, particularly because it will be how Westboro finally comes to an end, thankfully.

Seemed to me they were being quite tactful about why the other two girls left, but basically it was because they wanted boy friends and it was pretty clear that they weren't going to be getting any in the church, and therefore wouldn't be getting any ever.

The parents have imposed a legalistic moral code on their children that lacks any solid basis and it will crack under pressure with ease from the typical desires of young people. Basically they'll be forced to make the choice of staying in the church, be a spinster and get abuse constantly or leave and get married. All they've got to fall back on is illogical rhetoric.

Best thing to do with WBC would be for everyone to just ignore them. Eventually they'll get fed up and stop if people stop feeding them with counter protests. They're cranks who can't engage in logical debate and are surviving on the thrill of challenge. Combine people ignoring them with the obvious war of attrition against teenage desires and they'll be done in under 10 years.

rbullivant

19-05-2011, 19:00

On again this Sunday, something about a prison in Miami

VurtHed

19-05-2011, 19:27

Miami Mega-Jail

2 parter
Part 1 - Sunday 22nd May, 9pm BBC2

BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011k0xx):

In the first episode of this two-part series, Louis spends time in one of the most notorious sections of Miami County Jail: the fifth and sixth floor of 'Main Jail', where many of the most volatile inmates are incarcerated.

Held in large cage-like dwellings for up to 24 men, the inmates have developed a strange and violent jail culture. The men - who remain in the cells almost all the time and may only leave for yard time twice a week - live under the sway of a gladiatorial code. They fight each other for food, for status, and often just to pass the endless hours of confinement. Trips to the infirmary are a frequent occurrence as inmates are viciously attacked and beaten, but the guards say they are powerless to end the abuse.

Trailer:

<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ho0IMuODRvo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

SIMON ADEBISI

19-05-2011, 19:30

Cheers for the heads up :thumbs:

LouBarlow

19-05-2011, 19:38

Seriously how many programs can he do on prisons already?

SIMON ADEBISI

19-05-2011, 19:41

3. Including this one.

Not exactly a lot.

LouBarlow

19-05-2011, 19:45

3. Including this one.

Not exactly a lot.

And they've all been in the last year or so. I've been rewatching his old shows and they were so much more entertaining. I dont think he has it in him to carry on these 100% serious documentaries.

It's not just the tone. He rarely seems to get close to any of his subjects any more and the show suffers a lot because of it.

SIMON ADEBISI

19-05-2011, 19:48

3 yrs ;)

I agree though, the newer shows arent a patch on the older stuff. The one about neo nazis in California was his last excellent one. Truly scary.

LouBarlow

19-05-2011, 21:21

3 yrs ;)

I agree though, the newer shows arent a patch on the older stuff. The one about neo nazis in California was his last excellent one. Truly scary.

He's always watchable of course. I just think he has lost that cheeky chappy crafty little part of his personality, that let him get close to his subjects, despite them being despicable people otherwise.

LouBarlow

22-05-2011, 21:10

Well that was fascinating. With all the ego on show, the scariest inmate by far was the little speccy Asian dude. What a psycho.

SIMON ADEBISI

22-05-2011, 21:13

Not on here till 10.30.

Thought id missed it for a second.

TonyG

22-05-2011, 21:19

Definitely the most interesting one he's did for ages. That college-educated short-arse's story just got creepier/more bizarre/fascinating as we learned more about his situation.

goof

22-05-2011, 21:25

**** going to the slammer in the states.

Didn't even see a PS2 in there :D

SIMON ADEBISI

22-05-2011, 23:11

That little bloke was creepy. Had a serial killer vibe.

Good tv.

Did laugh when the bloke asked Louie if he was "a real *****?".

Loved his nonplussed look and "what do you think" answer.

Space Duck

23-05-2011, 00:17

Listy

23-05-2011, 01:05

The inmates made me angry and the woman talking about new folks goimg in and when the door closes... She knew exactly what went on.

Although the irony that they all make each other suffer is awesome... Human roghts laws would tie prison guards hands but they beat and rape each other, bwa haha... Was there even a tv in that prison?

Each cell had a small LCD TV on the wall opposite the door?! Nowt like re-runs of Judge Judy and Oprah to brighten your day after you've been bummed and beaten to a pulp :thumbs:

Saber

23-05-2011, 03:44

grounded_dreams

23-05-2011, 07:06

Article (http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2008/05/friends-charged.html) regarding Nianthony Martinez (http://www.whosarrested.com/florida/miami-dade-county/miami/tgkcc/122704-nianthony-martinez) imprisonment

Royle

23-05-2011, 13:22

Wow depressing stuff but very entertaining. For some reason I'm drawn to watching anything to do with prisons, probably stems back to my enjoyment of the HBO series OZ on TV (which this place seemed scarily similar to).

Some of those prisoners made the drug dealers in The Wire seem quite pleasant :eek:

rbullivant

23-05-2011, 16:36

So was he arrested for murder or attempted?

Really thought this was interesting. Not sure why some of them seemed to like it, seemed a really depressing place.

Not a fan of prisoners rights, but it seems like they just closed the doors and left them to it.

Saber

23-05-2011, 18:32

Some may like it because it is the only place where they can have some kind of authority, out on the streets they are nobody but in their cell they can be top dog.

luffk

23-05-2011, 18:34

Interesting stuff. Seems jails over there are something entirely different from prisions. Have to agree with others than the college educated Asian lad just looked very unhinged and downright creepy. Looks like the sort of persion who if you say one wrong to him he'd flip out and go crazy.

Big A

23-05-2011, 19:36

rbullivant

23-05-2011, 19:53

Didn't seem to explain why certain people are moved up there either, the general consensus from the guards was that you'd get a good beating.

Were people sent up there as a punishment?

wen

23-05-2011, 20:12

you can even ask Louis Theroux a question on that first link :D

:lol:, I even went back and had another look!! You swine.:help:

zantarous

23-05-2011, 21:14

What hell, I am all for punishing people that deserve it but that is just horrendous. If you treat people like animals then they start acting like it. and to keep people who had not even had trial yet locked up in that way...

Shocking that there are places like that in the civilised world.

ed_mcl

24-05-2011, 03:28

The guy with the glasses seemed alright to me, I'd rather be in there with someone who kept to himself than the others. I was expecting to see him with some bruises each time but he seemed to be sliding by.

He did at the start, but then he became chilling as Louis pressed him more, even more so when he explained he knew the details of his attempted murder charge.

rbullivant

24-05-2011, 07:47

Do they knock the time you spend in remand off your actual sentence in the USA? I think they do because if I recall Louise Woodward got time already served for killing that baby.

I don't think American prisons are actually all that nice either.

So that guy will get no light UK sentence, he'll be going away for 30 years or something like that. He has admitted the charge, has nothing to hope for but a weak insanity plea that won't wash. Like he says, witnesses move away or forget what really happened. Maybe the DA gets sick of waiting and offers to cut a deal.

When you know you face a long sentence, why not wait ten years to come to trial, it'll knock ten years off his eventual sentence

douglasb

26-05-2011, 09:51

US Prison-philes should check out Crack House that ran on More 4 on Monday night. Just a really sobre look at how people find themselves in jail and the families they leave behind.

Not sure their True Stories strand gets the credit it should. It's a bit hidden away but they're among the best docs currently airing.

rbullivant

29-05-2011, 17:27

Second part tonight at 9pm

29-05-2011, 17:48

Well that was fascinating. With all the ego on show, the scariest inmate by far was the little speccy Asian dude. What a psycho. I thought he looked a lot like our very own JV. Freak!

LouBarlow

29-05-2011, 17:56

:lol:

SIMON ADEBISI

29-05-2011, 18:06

Oh man, nail on the head :lol:

KennyVader

29-05-2011, 20:18

The boot camp head shaving guards weren't very good at it! I guess they deliberately left some of them with random tufts of hair to humiliate them further.

SIMON ADEBISI

29-05-2011, 20:28

:D at the blokes surprise appearance.

rbullivant

30-05-2011, 08:18

Not sure what a second part added to the story, Miami jails still not very nice

LouBarlow

30-05-2011, 08:33

Me neither. I thought this one dragged a bit.

Maximus

30-05-2011, 16:10

Learn some lines and make your bed correctly for a few months and you are back on the street :|

rbullivant

30-05-2011, 18:29

Learn some lines and make your bed correctly for a few months and you are back on the street :|

Better than our country anyway.

Just really not sure what they were thinking making it a two parter. The first part was engrossing and interesting and the second part was far too similar.

Would have worked better as a 90 minuter

KennyVader

30-10-2011, 20:32

Well didn't know this was on tonight but so far Louis has found a proper nutjob, with his gorgeous but deadly bear and tiger collection!

30-10-2011, 20:53

I think its time Louis gave up.Go back to the Weird Weekends or pack it in.What a waste of an hour and the worst Ive seen.

internetuser

30-10-2011, 21:02

Louis was good / interesting 10 years ago

Now it's just trying to hard to be intreating / different.

TonyG

30-10-2011, 21:40

I enjoyed it. Some of the one-liners from the animal-owning freaks were priceless & were almost David Brent in quality, my fave being the line comparing a person born crippled & in a wheel-chair would be happier than having the ability to walk. :lol:

HenryKrinkle

31-10-2011, 12:27

So this guy had a 'private' collection of animals consisting of 170+ Tigers... ...WTF is going on in that ridiculous country??? That bald guy was a real numpty, he said he had absolutely no respect for his wife who was standing right next to him as he only respected animals! It's a shame as, people like him you are just willing the Tiger/Lion/Bear to rip the tosser to shreds, but it would no doubt result in them all being put down :(

...it's just a massive ego thing really isn't it!

VurtHed

26-03-2012, 12:16

From LT on the twitters:New docs by Me coming soon. A two-parter entitled Extreme Love. Part 1, April 16; part 2, April 23. It's a bit of a departure.On BBC2, 9pm. I meant to say that. #MyNewDocsWonder why it's a 'departure'?

pythons

26-03-2012, 15:17

There doesn't seem to be much information online about the new episodes. :shrug:

R-T-C

26-03-2012, 15:41

Would be a departure if by extreme love they didn't just mean weird fetish lovers who will show Louis what they do while he stands there and looks rather befuddled (cf. the swingers episode of his original TV series).

rbullivant

26-03-2012, 18:54

Married to kids or animals?

Hex

26-03-2012, 19:39

From the post on his blog it sounds like another look at the LA porn scene, doesn't mention it being a two parter or confirm the title there though.

http://louistheroux.com/blog/

Roberto

26-03-2012, 20:03

LA Porn? That meanstream these days.

rbullivant

27-03-2012, 07:49

Not much of a departure then, I'd have thought a look at polygamists or something

VurtHed

02-04-2012, 20:17

Not porn, autism:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2012/16/Louis-Theroux-Autism.html

Louis Theroux - Extreme Love: Autism
Ep 1/2
Monday 16 April
9.00-10.00pm
BBC TWO

In America nearly one child in a hundred is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder - a brain disorder characterised by an inability to socialise and communicate. Louis travels to DLC Warren in New Jersey, one of the most innovative autism schools of its kind, to find out how specialised intervention can help both the children and the families who care for them.

He meets Joey, whose mother Carol is finding it increasingly hard to cope with some of the more challenging aspects of his disorder. In between the ever more explosive tantrums, Louis discovers a cheeky and charming 13-year-old, but there are tough decisions ahead about his future in the family home.

Nicky is 19. After making good progress at DLC Warren he is about to leave, but the prospect of change leads to increasing anxiety and erratic behaviour. Surrounded by a loving family who say they wouldn't have him any other way, he shows Louis his novel Dragonula and invites him to share his first day at his new school.

20-year-old Brian is severely autistic and his behaviour - setting fire to the house and attacking his mother - has led to the difficult decision of placing him in residential care. Louis meets a mother whose love for her son has been tested to its limits and finds out how the school is preparing him for an adult life.Less sensational & more 'worthy' is the departure, I guess. Sounds interesting.