However, whilst he discussed the positives of his work, he also reflected on the negatives; “It’s kind of a nightmare. Finding the right idea is 90% of the battle”.
“You have to go into worlds where it means something – it’s a weighty subject – but you’re revealing something that hasn’t been revealed before”.
The nature of his work often creates a “deep sense of anxiety”. A lighthearted anecdote on ‘maypole dancing’ proved an ideal metaphor.
“When I was 5 or 6 years old, I remember breaking out because I didn’t think I’d learn how to do Maypole dancing. I always thought it was amazing, but I had no idea how to do it, and it looked hard. I had difficulty sleeping”.
“That’s a sort of metaphor for something that abides in me in that I think I have to prove myself. Whatever I feel, which is bullied or weak, is trumped by not wanting to fail.”
Louis Theroux
At this point in the conversation, Louis shined a light on questions from the audience. Acknowledging both the serious philosophical questions, and the whimsical, jovial ones, he provided a delightful insight into the world of Louis Theroux.
“Have you been in a situation where you felt a moral obligation to save the person you were interviewing?”
“Yes – although it doesn’t happen often. It’s a tricky one isn’t it. There’s this sort of need to pay witness – I’m not there as a social worker”.
“There came a time when it seemed like a child was vulnerable, who was being looked after by a heroin-addicted father figure and mum. We monitored the situation but it’s not easy. It feels very very weird, and it’s awful when children are involved.
“What books have you got in your office nook?”
Alongside a number of novels, Louis was sure to mention one stellar piece of literature.
“Gotta Get Theroux This – plug, plug”
“How has your rap career progressed since your Weird Weekends episode? Can you show us some of your latest work?”
Whilst Louis didn’t have much recent work to display, he gave us a brief history of his relationship with rap, from his early interests to his alter ego King Lou-E, noting “I was a big fan of rap at Uni, I talk about my Queen Elizabeth rap in my book”.
He also shined a light on his newly discovered musical interests, “I do enjoy British resurgence rap – I like Dave, AJ Tracey, Giggs”.
He also gave us a brief performance of the ‘rap battle’ which featured in his documentary, which can be seen below:
With Louis’ Gotta Get Theroux This available in a brand new paperback form, it’s a new way to read, discover and explore the highs and lows of a major figure in British culture.
Recap and quotes taken from The Guardian’s public ‘In Conversation with Louis Theroux’ event.
Words by Tom Moorcroft