Post: #1

After browsing the top documentaries thread here on RVF, I came across a number of Louis Theroux's pieces concerning gambling, porn, miami's mega prison, and the city addicted to crystal meth.

His work is falls under gonzo journalism which wikipedia describes as "a style of reporting where reporters involve themselves in the action to such a degree that they become central figures of their stories."

In the context of interacting with common people and non-celebrities, Theroux's naive curiousity is well suited. When he is more famous in relation to those interviewed, Theroux is comfortable and secure in his status. He comes across as earnest, but is also slightly patronising. His common method of introduction, "Hello, Louis Theroux from the BBC, pleased to meet you," is a classic beta move of relying on a job to convey status.

When dealing with stars or true alphas, however, that patronising tone is difficult to maintain. In these situations, he resorts to passive-aggressive behavior and negging. The alphas on the receiving end of Theroux's prodding display a great deal of grace and restraint in the face of his trolling.

As the father of gonzo journalism, Hunter S. Thompson immersed himself in his stories to shift from objective to subjective journalism. For his most famous work, he and his associates ingested a multitude of drugs and alcohol.

Theroux's version of gonzo is meek and attenuated by comparison. It's sufficient to glimpse the deep end, dip his foot in, beam proudly and exclaim, "I did it."

Louis wouldn't take a hit of meth during the documentary in Fresno. Fair play, it's addictive. On the other hand, have a look at the sparring session between he and Chris Eubank. The retired former world champion, a puncher with a good chin insists that Louis hit him with his cotton candy jabs. Even then, Theroux is tentative to throw a committed punch against a man able to take much more.

I've done a breakdown of this piece.
I'm not allowed to post links, so search youtube for:

"When Louis Theroux Met Chris Eubank Documentary"

Louis' contentions with Chris stem from Louis buying into
the feminist/white knight/women-are-the-prize mentality.
This docu is a stellar example of an beta vs alpha, and the beta's attempts at disparagement. Louis Theroux could be a proponent for egalitarianism. Not in the sense that he better himself, but that everyone else become Beta®.


Breakdown
~~~~~~~


1:33
[Limp wristed fighting stance]

3:12
"Thank you for giving Chris permission."
[Deferring to the woman, presuming her to be the boss]

8:51
"I don't know how she puts up with you.
It just seems to me Karron has quite a lot on her plate with four children."
[Feminist insistence on 50% division of house labor = man is the b!tch]

9:50
"What is she getting out of it?"
[Not being with a broke, no-status guy.
Opportunity to have 5 children without being on the dole/welfare]

13:14
"Is he always like this?"

13:44
[Speaking to secretary instead of Chris, as if he doesn't exist.]

15:03
Chris: "Hey"
Opener using airline terminal game.
Chris would have closed if cameras weren't present.
Louis: "Why did you say hello if you didn't know her?"
[Cos he can]

22:30
"So why do you wear them(jodhpurs)?"
[or, "Why don't you wear jeans and baggy performance fleece like me?"]

30:45
Louis gets amog'ed.

31:18
"Shouldn't you be playing with your kids?"

32:54
"Shouldn't we be helping?"

The following three quotes are reminiscent of a scene from the play Fences,
called "You Ain't Never Liked Me". This scene is also on youtube.

Quote:34:15
Karron: "Useless, as most male men are I'm afraid."
Chris: "I'm not a mommy I'm a daddy.
I go out and I work, and I earn money.
And that's my fifty percent."

36:25
"Let me tell you the good thing:
(Media outlets) and political correctness?
They are not running MY house.
I run my house."


37:22
"We have an old-fashioned relationship.
I can only do what my father did with me
and what my mother did with me."

40:41
"You mustn't quit, that's cowardice.
This is the vocation you've chose.
Stay there and take your beating if a beating is
what you're getting."


41:16
Louis: "Are you nervous now Chris?"
Chris: "I'm petrified man, I'm petrified."
L: "No, I was only joking."
C: "Well I'm being serious."
["Oh shit" look on Louis' face]

43:01
Trainer: "This is it, you're in a gym.
We're not playing hide and seek.
This is a proper man's game."

46:19
"I liked him best when he was just being himself."
["Be yoursellllllllf" -mom from the movie Just Friends]

46:26
[Physically siding with Mrs. Eubank]
Louis to Chris: "I was going easy on you"

47:33
Awkward hug/handshake/cheek kisses
combination with the Mrs.

Post: #2

Nice breakdown will watch that.

While Theroux does the beta thing he also has excellent frame control and doesn't back down easily. Many of his lines of questioning take serious balls. He uses his nonthreatening beta vibe to diffuse conflicts that could have come up if someone less soft had asked the same questions.

Post: #3

(04-11-2012 05:43 PM)Caligula Wrote:  Nice breakdown will watch that.

While Theroux does the beta thing he also has excellent frame control and doesn't back down easily. Many of his lines of questioning take serious balls. He uses his nonthreatening beta vibe to diffuse conflicts that could have come up if someone less soft had asked the same questions.

I'll have to watch that as well. You're right about Theroux, its an interesting way of doing it and I like how hes persistent in a non-creepy way without looking too much like a dick, not that that is bad in some situations. Interesting post.

Post: #4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv7dbQVnLbo
Is this the correct video/link?

Post: #5

Post: #6

Louis Theroux comes off as an obnoxious douchebag.
Chris Eubank comes off as too polite and sort of a pushover. He feels the need to justify himself and his decisions to Louis when he should just tell him to fuck off or words to that effect.