Louis Theroux's Response To Jimmy Saville Criticism

[@mondop5270]

Louis is an extremely intelligent guy. His naive angle of interacting with his doco subjects is perfect for getting them to feel in control rather than being grilled or taken advantage of etc... the dudes far from naive, stupid or out of touch.

[@jabthejedi]

The issue is, if he is not naive on any level, then he must have known a little more about Jimmy than he makes out.

[@James-C-Callan]

Sounded a bit stupid here tho, grasping

[@MR.PRESIDENTOFFICIAL]

@@jabthejedi exactly he knew for sure, common UK people heard the rumours so of course a journo knew

[@jabthejedi]

@@tiger6218 And he got really defensive when one of them suggested that he was 'groomed' himself.

[@cazzawazzadingdong5139]

I've wondered for almost ten years now with little quirks i've noticed in Louis. Could he potentially have high IQ autism? Below are some traits I've picked up over the years and many he aluded to in this short 10 minute interview. Awkwardness in social situations/ interactions Asking dIrect questions (that some would consider rude) Abstract/dry sense of humor Overuse of direct sarcasm (however, I've heard Louis ask a number of times "are you joking?"(or similar) He seriously couldn't tell when others were joking or being sarcastic sometimes) Viewed as insincere or narcisistic from others Use of abstract words not often used in general conversation Very articulate /however an overuse of words in instances. (too many words) Inflexable with his routines/work (even after children he couldn't see the problem with him not adjusting his life to accomidate his kids) Tone of voice (less expressive- monotone to a certain extent- little variation) Detail orientated and observant (trait of any good journalist) Works from a range of pre scripted lines/ questions (trait of any good journalist) Eye contact -this could be nervousness with this topic (tries to make eye contact, only manages a split second then flits to elsewhere in the room - also accompanied with some excessive blinking) Highly intelligent I see tons of his behaviour in my 19 year old autistic daughter. Her eye patterns are identical to Louis's in this interview - she masks "trying" to make eye contact but is clearly uncomfortable and blinks a lot. I'm not saying he is or isn't.. I'm just putting out my own personal opinion from living with a highly intelligent autistic person.

[@Nigelrudyardmusic]

Being insulted by Jimmy Savile is a badge of honour. The man was scum. Louis did more than the rest of the BBC, at least calling him into question.

[@frontenac5083]

* Savile

[@bensmith5288]

Jimmy was ok

[@I7275-p2d]

@@bensmith5288you made a spelling mistake. There’s no ‘o’ and ‘k’ in the word ‘pervert’.

[@aak5297]

😊😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😅😅😅​@@bensmith5288

[@freddiemedley5580]

Sir Jim was not scum, he was a thug who was used to getting everything he wanted. He saw himself on the level of the Kray twins and Sutcliffe (He was friends with them and often hung out with them at there mental hospital). Sir Jim started his career as a thuggish dj who was more than happy to brutally punish anyone who didn’t pay to get in. He also had the cops under his payroll, so no one could touch him then just like his idols the Krause twins. Another thing, Sir Jim was a suspect for the Yorkshire Ripper, body’s were found outside his flats and a mould of his teeth were made to compare them to victims body parts. Also Sir Jim pretty much instantly became friends with Sutclife after they caught him, before he had even been tried. So it’s very possible Sir Jim fixed it for Sutclife to get away with it for as long as he did

[@dnakatomiuk]

And Johnny Rotten tried to tell everyone about Saville and no one listened

[@Madonnalitta1]

They all knew.

[@johneichholz1116]

Mr. Rotten knew about Saville in the 70s !

[@davidbolger2000AD]

I *REALLY WISHED* Johnny could've used the money he made from PIL Records and Royalties he was getting from Sex Pistols and Never Mind The Bollocks to anonymously seek out a Hitman to take out Savile!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm willing to bet *HE, ROTTEN EVEN REGRETS NOT DOING THAT,* because you could definitely see when he was being interviewed on Piers Morgans Life Stories and enquired about the infamous interview regarding Savile he says "I'm very very bitter that Savile and the likes of them were allowed to continue." you could definitely tell he was being genuine and honest and he well and truly was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And he's right after all because *THE BIGGEST TRAGEDY I THINK REGARDING SAVILE* is that he *LITERALLY DIED CLEARLY KNOWING HE WOULD NEVER EVER BE LOCKED UP BEHIND BARS ON A LIFE OR EVEN BETTER DEATH SENTENCE AND/OR PUTTING A PEN TO THE SEX OFFENDERS REGISTER AND ALSO GIVEN A STATE REGIONAL FUNERAL HE CLEARLY NEVER DESERVED AS WELL AS BURIED IN A NOW UNMARKED GRAVE INSIDE A GOLD COFFIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT RIGHT THERE IS THE TRUEST MOST SEVEREST LACK AND MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE I THINK I'VE EVER SEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

[@adrinathegreat3095]

How did he try to do that? He briefly mentioned something on an unheard radio broadcast years ago, and to my knowledge never mentioned it in any radio or TV magazine interview, never mentioned it during one of his many concerts.. Basically what he said about savile back in an early radio interview was not much different than he said about any other TV celebrity during his early day's 😊

[@sbakernyc5761]

They couldn't listen. Was cut from the original broadcast smh... so infuriating and dreadfully sad

[@Demongdn]

“Insincerity - you’re speciality” - Saville was projecting, he’s a narcissist- that’s what they do

[@cazzawazzadingdong5139]

@@rp8164 You may be onto something with the mask but perhaps for the wrong reason. Louis is a highly intelligent man but emotional intelligence isn't the same as iQ. “My director said that in a couple of the interviews, it wasn’t completely clear which of us had the autism. It was like I was sort of on the spectrum as well. Arguably, there’s an emotional side of life that I’m not always completely plugged into.” -Louis Theroux From my personal opinion having a highly intelligent autistic daughter. It's like a big shiny beakon of quirks and behaviours and Louis displays most, if not all of them.

[@frontenac5083]

* Savile

[@frontenac5083]

Wow, you can't spell.

[@Gogs126]

Ah, I just commented the same thing above. Glad others can see it too, it's a hallmark of NPD. Accusing you of exactly what they're doing, knowing it will really upset you because it's so far from the truth,

[@Demongdn]

@@Gogs126 anyone who has lived with someone with NPD can spot this a mile off. Unless you have lived it, you will look too deeply into it. They constantly project, it’s their weak spot, they’re not that intelligent, we give them far too much credence, they are child like. They give the game away constantly.

[@Athena-vs4cv]

Louis seems deeply troubled by Savile's remark. To be described as inauthentic by a person who has been revealed as one of the most prolific abusers and deceivers in recent history must be awful. Also, it was a deliberately cruel remark, given that everybody knows that Louis' "friendly observer" persona is obviously to some extent a facade - not in a bad way but simply to get the job done, as he accepts here. Savile knew that and used it to try to discredit him. Personally, I thank Louis for bringing the public as close to seeing the truth as anyone did during Savile's lifetime. His original Savile doc exposed Savile as the calculating and vicious man he was, even if the abuse allegations didn't come out at that point. When I watched the interview scenes in The Reckoning, I felt like I watching Louis' doc at times, which is a testament to how good both productions were. On a separate note, I can see how Louis' career could damage his personal relationships. It seems like it must be nearly all-consuming.

[@georgiana6598]

Yeah, brain damage.

[@Gogs126]

It seems like Louis hasn't got experience of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, which Savile probably had. He is really bothered by that comment which was deliberately delivered to hit a nerve, exactly because it's probably the furthest thing from the truth. This is exactly what people with NPD do.

[@junbh2]

​@@Gogs126If other people who know Louis well say it then it's possible there's a bit of truth in it. And that Saville jumped on it because he perceived it was a weakness. It doesn't mean Louis is a bad person.

[@redlady935]

Savile was EXTREMELY clever. He knocked down at anyone who attempted to expose him and LT did ask him on camera about the allegations

[@frontenac5083]

* Savile

[@A4RON123]

@@frontenac5083Saville*

[@FungeHucker]

​@@A4RON123*Noncey-man

[@Jimthehumanoid]

@@A4RON123 nope. only one L

[@zaz214]

Sevile**

[@1972hermanoben]

An exceptional exchange here - an object lesson in allowing your interviewee the room they need to range as far and as deep as they’re going to with their answer. Riveting.

[@noradosmith]

Yes. The silence is perfect. It lets Louis make his point as succinctly as he needs to.

[@MrJordandurrant]

To echo the other pro-Louis comments : the man's ability to be non-reactive, calm and polite in the face of things that would anger, frighten, frustrate most people is incredible. His ability to step outside of the situation and then chose his words, comments and actions in such a way that he doesn't interfere with or deliberately or accidentally re-direct the interviewee is a real talent that the vast majority of top tier journalists and interviewers lack. Yet, at the same time - he has proved on many occasions that he can put people on the spot, ask the hard questions - and they are already so disarmed, that the answers are always far more telling. I wish there was more from Louis. Also, my girlfriend really fancies him and I'm kind of ok with it. The Pedro Pascal crush she has, not so much. But Louis is ok.

[@wulfgold]

Yeah, Louis' ability to continually accept money from an organisation that consistently tried to cover up child abuse really is admirable?

[@alexmousley7213]

Magaret Thatcher? The Royal Familly? Multiple charities? The NHS? @@wulfgold

[@wulfgold]

@@alexmousley7213 and you wonder why the inquiry went nowhere...

[@amybradley2571]

She’s got good taste 👌

[@wulfgold]

absolutely.

[@andymurray3516]

You have such a great skill at interviewing. It's even more pronounced when interviewing an interviewer like Louis Theroux.

[@markpoland5748]

The greatest trick that Louis ever pulled was convincing interviewees that he was naive. That's genius on another level hats off, Louis I've seen all your interviews there could be a film in there, sorry I just think your style is amazing the approach then the strike, like a pit viper always on point but always showing you could see there point as I said genius.

[@silverkitty2503]

I don't think he tried to convince them he was naïve ...i think he tried to use a put on sense of awkwardness to surf the waves of any emotional turbulence ..but what he did was try to convince them he was square ..which is not naive ...that he was straight ..non exotic .from a boring background.which if you ever read his bio is completely not him he worked as a journalist for christs sake! But basically he used people's preconceptions of him against them....he used what he truly is too ..NAIVE ... because that is his archtype ..no one stays naive forever ...but we all start off that way ... the kid in us is still naive.

[@markpoland5748]

@@silverkitty2503 amen to that. The worst thing about being talked about is not being talked about, I know by the way you talk on screen you know what I mean, and by the way as u a Thurman said in pulp fiction don't be a square, Louis is no square but that's the magic behind the curtains like in the wizard of oz, feally liked speaking with you, stay safe and may you and yours have a beautiful life, seeeeeyaaahhhh..

[@silverkitty2503]

@@markpoland5748 You too you seem like you would be an interesting person to know.

[@markpoland5748]

@@silverkitty2503 Thanks silver kitty.. X

[@hunterluxton5976]

​@@markpoland5748 not quite. Does that logic apply to the likes of Garry Glitter?

[@timhall3575]

Loved Michael Moores TV Nation when it first aired and Louis was one of the main reasons. I met him just prior to Weird Weekends going out as i was chaperoning a singer songwriter around Soho/West End doing PR - seemed to be that Louis was also doing the PR circuit that day (BBC, GLR, Virgin Radio etc) - he was lovely. I invited him to a small gig the artist I was working with that night was doing at the long gone 12 Bar Club in Denmark St. Him and his team turned up! He was great. A good egg.

[@timhall3575]

the lovely Kristin Hersh, back when she was on the 4AD label (the label I worked for) - she was doing promo for her album Strange Angels @@eightiesmusic1984

[@netto6681]

Wow - I’ve pretty much seen everything Theroux’s done, including when he’s been the interview subject, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen anything get to him.

[@thesmithersy]

Its one of those "I should have known" or "I had my suspicions and I should have done something and I didn't" feelings.

[@happinesstan]

@@thesmithersy Didn't even casually discuss it with anybody. yeah, right. The reason his show was so highly anticipated was the expectation of a gotcha. He knew this and you can't tell me he didn't. He's cut from the same cloth as Andrew Neill, and we saw how he exploited the situation. Later on he tries to point the finger at the British public. Theroux will no doubt do the same, in time.

[@jacob4690]

What got to him exactly? Hes explaining something

[@zxbc1]

@@jacob4690 Nothing got to him. It's sensational and trash editing to drum up drama where there isn't any. Louis gave a very detailed and nuanced answer to a difficult (and somewhat unreasonable) question, and showed that he is as thoughtful and respectful as he's always been. Channel is trash.

[@markpoland5748]

Louis is the the epotimy of a nice guy and a tough mind, Louis is one of if not the best ever documentary maker and interviewer, respect to Louis,

[@anthonysteel6877]

Epitome

[@markpoland5748]

@@anthonysteel6877 why don't you host a spelling bee,

[@anthonysteel6877]

@@markpoland5748 Now now.

[@markpoland5748]

@@anthonysteel6877 Antony what did I do wrong..

[@markpoland5748]

@Fiona Power Thank you Fiona.

[@rorychivers8769]

How is it possible for anyone to look Louis Theroux directly in the eye, a man who intently, laboriously, almost visibly considers every single thing that is said to him with equal weight, no matter how shocking or insignificant it may be, to the point that you can quite literally see his thought process playing out in real time with no filter, and then call the man 'insincere'....

[@oddunb6190]

Being he’s always acting

[@rorychivers8769]

@@oddunb6190 I assume you meant to say "meaning he's always acting", that being the case I would respond by asking the question "to what end?" Is the act merely a means to an end to make people lower their guard and say what they really think? Is it even possible to achieve that, if someone suspects you are trying to mislead them in any way?

[@oddunb6190]

@@rorychivers8769 Vast sums of money and worldwide adulation

[@Shatter84]

Because he plays aloof and naive so well. I can easily see how one would come to that conclusion.

[@JacquiLee78Aussie]

well sais, the man is utter brilliance, what a beautiful child like soul

[@maxilopez1596]

I don't for a second believe what saville was getting up to wasn't common knowledge in the BBC

[@paulgeddert6125]

there is no way, over that period of time people within the BBC did not know the type of thing he was up to. It's just not realistic to think no one knew.

[@funkytransport]

no shit sherlock, just figured it out?

[@funkytransport]

all the big brains out today.... @@paulgeddert6125

[@s3any1977]

I like Louis Theroux. He's a very self aware man.

[@markpoland5748]

That's proper mate Louis is a wolf in sheep's clothing.

[@silverkitty2503]

I don't think so ..i think he is aware of how people perceive him ..not who he is

[@theastral1909]

Oh…he’s AWARE all right…

[@Glitch_sa_Mhaitris]

The whole BBC knew what Savile was but they wouldn't touch him because he has the blood of Alastair Crowley running through him, he had direct links to the Royal Family and even all the Members of Parliament. Jimmy Savile was a high ranking freemason that practiced Thelema Laws which involved luciferian Sacrifices and blackmailing the highest ranking people in power. Louis Mountbatten introduced him to the Royal Family, Prince Philip and then Prince Charles. They all knew because they were all participating in heinous acts of murder against people, mainly Children. Savile was also indeed the other Yorkshire Ripper, three bodies found next to his flat in Leeds and his overfriendly relationship with Peter Sutcliffe in Broadmoor. It gets darker, Savile also had links to the Moors Murders, he once said that he is the myra Hindley Story. He also had links to Fred and Rose West, Ian Huntley and Ian Watkins from the LostProphets. He was a serial killer, child sexual murderer and psychopath whose bloodline ran the whole of Britain and God knows where else.

[@slightlyokok]

He seems to carry anxiety from his saville encounter. Probably can’t comprehend being near that monster and not pushing against him harder. Possibly his only documentary subject that terrified him.

[@cmpc724]

I’ve seen him admit just that in interviews. That he feels like he could’ve pushed harder and uncovered something. He feels guilty about it. Although I think he’s getting better and forgiving himself - not that I think he’s got anything to feel guilty about.

[@Madonnalitta1]

​@@cmpc724 of course he does. He knew. The whole business knew. They went along to get along. Vipers all.

[@alexmousley7213]

Louis does say in one of his books how he had to square actually liking Saville when he spent time with him and then the mass of abuses came out- so Louis read every single witness/victim statement as he felt he owed Saville's victims that. Saville was a master manipulator/narcisist and psychopath who worked himself into the circles of the most powerful people. I cannot imagine having spent time with Saville then the allegations are irrefutably proven by the weight of evidence would be anything but traumatic.

[@HkFinn83]

He invited Saville to stay at his home for a weekend, after the documentary had been filmed. It’s very weird.

[@alexmousley7213]

@HkFinn83 I'm not sure how easy it would be, but try asking Louis about that. Louis has interviewed many people that are questionable, from neo Nazis to the Hamiltons, he usually gets close enough to them for them to drop their guard. Unfortunately Saville played Louis like he played everyone.

[@Joe-vb4pg]

Louis pretends to act dumb which lure people in to being very open, breaks down their barriers. Then he can hit them with hard truths

[@maeshellewest-davies7904]

love Louis's sense of humour.

[@benstevinson764]

Louis is a highly intelligent and intellectual Individual!!!

[@pinkdiamonds9137]

This is so weird; I once briefly dated a BBC producer when I was living in London and he told me he was a huge fan of Louis until he met him at BBC functions. He said very similar things Jimmy Savile and his ex wife said; he said he was cold, smug and very insincere like there was no real depth to him. I took it with a grain of salt at the time but I can kind of see it now

[@Chief_Brody]

Yes, I can see that

[@grayhalf1854]

I think the more intellectual you are, the more you will tend to use that intellect to deconstruct an interaction in real time and engage on a more abstracted level. So whereas the other person may be speaking from a more 'in the moment' emotionality (which would typically be viewed as completely authentic), you'll be understanding the interaction from a more meta plane where it's less about what is actually being said and more about how those things fit into the model of the interaction that you have in your own head. A more male trait I think and I can see how it could be frustrating for the other party and be perceived as insincere. The more any behaviour is routed through thought and trades emotional immediacy for intellectual understanding the more the risk is there that you won't be taken to be authentic, and could even be seen as manipulative. Louis doesn't seem to have these problems though, people do seem to like and warm to him.

[@FungeHucker]

How very authentic of you.

[@ClipSalad]

Another thing that added to Savile’s weird factor was the fact that he couldn’t tell the difference between a badge and a medallion.

[@anarchistleek9097]

That's the only weird thing about the man 😂

[@fl3162]

Savile knew that the game was up well before he died and that’s why he played the fool in all the interviews. People just thought he was eccentric.

[@kallivino8346]

Auchhhh! That insincerity quote hit a nerve for Louie. Always kinda wondered at that empathy and understanding of, for example,neo nazis or gang leaders was real.

[@charlottebowes7666]

My mum worked at the BBC secretariat in the 1970’s and all the women warned her about Jimmy Saville. She met him and all were polite, but afterwards she said she didn’t like him and never met him again. When Jim’ll Fix It used to come on she used to say, ‘yuk!’ and leave the room… My mum was very pretty, slim and red headed back then, so even at the age of around 8 I did wonder why he wasn’t nicer to my mum. After that I saw Top of the Pops and seeing him touch girls, I realised. I remember looking straight at the screen in fury, setting my jaw and my face darkened… I knew.

[@1Thedairy]

When Jimmy Saville used to come to Stoke Mandeville all the nurses would warn us to be careful. Everyone knew but nobody said anything for fear of not being believed. It would never happen today

[@charlottebowes7666]

@@1Thedairy I don’t believe that. They’re just hiding and I like seeking. It’s funny to scare them when I find them…it’s always made me laugh 😎

[@TedBarton91]

@@1Thedairy😂 you honestly believe that?

[@hugolindum7728]

My sister in law worked for the bbc radio 1 as a researcher in the 80s and she’s heard rumours about Jimmy too, but nothing more than Jimmy being a groper.

[@charlottebowes7666]

@@TedBarton91 Yeah look how many pedos have turned up in the last 8 months that you didn’t know about and now you do. You should never say never mate 😎

[@The1Floyd]

Saville was smart, he saw through Lois in a second. That's how people like Saville get away with it

[@joanneadair9227]

I love Louis. I don't know if he's sincere or not, but he's a bloody good journo.

[@lebumjames1373]

He's very entertaining and fascinating on a surface level but let's not kid ourselves here. Actual investigative journalists are either dead, or have to vigilantly move indefinitely as their life is in danger 24/7. (Ie. Michael Hastings, Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, Whitney Webb etc).

[@joanneadair9227]

@lebumjames1373 I wouldn't put Louis in a category with Assange or Sniwden. Theroux has some integrity.

[@cmc6040]

​​@@joanneadair9227Snowden has integrity. He's been let down by his government. The man gave up his life to expose horrific abuses by government.

[@Robert-vw3od]

I think it’s ridiculous to give Louis Theroux stick he asked Jimmy Savile questions and it was the first time we publicly saw a face to Jimmy Savile where people could have realised and he could’ve been caught.

[@eldictator1]

Exactly. The first and only person to open the dialogue and at the time o had no idea until he raised it

[@alexbelotti1603]

Louis knew

[@dannytoots6635]

He’s not giving Louis stick?

[@ddbb6618]

Great vid, seemed to end abruptly though

[@tompope6522]

Calling somone insincere is horrible. It's a vague, nebulous way of saying someone is a liar in some way but the lack of specificity means that it's very hard to know precisely what they mean and therefore how to explain oneself. It's rather similar to the way people sling inults like 'racist' about. It's a cheap way of doing a lot of harm and forgetting that the other person is a messy human being and may have a perspective to be understood or some pain that needs to be empathised with. A little forgiveness goes a long way - and we must forgive even those that call us insincere! Louis is a great interviewer and documentary maker. He seems to admit that this involves a degree of manipulation at times and perhaps the dark art of manipulation is something that can leak into private life- just a wild and unfounded speculation on may part. Intelligent people frequently have multiple sides to their character and can be sophisticated deceivers, which can be equally frustrating for them as it is to others. It must be difficult being the ex-partner of someone who is so widely loved though. I'm sure we can all relate to how messy home life can be, and we all do things we're not proud of. Great place to take the interview though! That cut deep.

[@Stargazer3131]

Its interesting how Louis diverted the conversation about his ex seamlessly into talking about Jimmy Savile!🤔🤫

[@MrPotsy81]

And changing the subject when uncomfortable was Savile's thing. Interesting....

[@barrybark3995]

he defo knows more about savile but fills the interview with guff in case he reveals something new

[@timothydraper3687]

You should offer to help the police.

[@Retrobeemer]

@@timothydraper3687 But then they'd be left with no crimes to solve!

[@barrybark3995]

@@hithere981i read that he met up with him,went round his house a few other times in addition to the interviews

[@richardpowers9110]

I think Louis is amazing! Thanks for the clip 😃

[@mamaduck9370]

I'm quite prepared to allow Mr Theroux to convince me of his sincerity.

[@happinesstan]

Give him half a chance and he'll convince you that nobody would have ever suspected Saville.

[@doughyanddeanssecondcousin5085]

Love Louis ,so smart ,interview technique is far superior than most

[@jimmytongdragon]

Louis is the Lt. Columbo of journalism

[@reprovoa2408]

exactly

[@Pneumanon]

7:00 I think the Nietzsche quote you're looking for is, "Jerry, just remember... It's not a lie if you believe it".

[@THEremiXFACTOR]

😆

[@dielaughing73]

Can't Stand Ya!

[@pippipster6767]

‘Sincerity is everything. If you can fake that, you've got it made.’

[@jameshurley4337]

Steven has real skill as an interviewer.

[@marklimbrick]

Louis tried to carry out a professional assignment with a psychopath. JS was a machine with only one purpose and only one tool. Poor Louis has a style akin to wiggling out cockney pickled whelks. JS just treated him like a toy. To even consider ideas like 'friends' is like expecting a vending machine to have favourite customers.

[@happinesstan]

Bollocks. His show was just the same as Andrew Neill's 'This is your life', five years earlier. An exploitation of the public appetite. Only he didn't deliver. In fact he might have re-enforced/begun the narrative of "Hey, he fooled the entire UK public, so you can't expect me to be any different", that Neill has since pushed.

[@rehanasvideos]

Brilliant assessment 😂

[@philmcchrystal1670]

Do great journalists and interviewers have to have narcissistic tendencies?

[@Madonnalitta1]

Of course, they believe themselves the abitars of truth. Not that they get to the truth these days.

[@theastral1909]

@@davea1752 Complete misunderstanding of NPD there, I’m afraid.

[@Bounty_Hunter84]

Love all his work. And I know were he is coming from it happens. He is the best in the Business.

[@iainholmes2735]

Louis made some brilliant docus in the late 90s. Loved the Weird Weekends programmes.

[@lucythruthelookinglass4340]

Yes they were excellent! I miss those dearly.

[@themekfrommars]

I'm not sure that Saville's comment about insincerity is being interpreted correctly. I believe that he was projecting the shame of his his own insincerity on to Louis. Maybe his ex-wife was doing this as well.

[@RealmsOfThePossible]

I like Louis but it is interesting to note that what he did with the Hamilton's with his true but not true tactic is the exact same thing Saville used to do. A brazen lie or the veiled truth, they both walk that grey area.

[@therealjag]

Can tell by his body language and voice that he finds it very uncomfortable to open up emotionally. It's served him well in his career but can see how it has affected his relationships and his ability to actually be empathetic and connect with people on a deeper level

[@illyias]

Bringing up statements made by his ex-wife is also pretty fucking wild though, I think anyone would necessarily become somewhat defensive here. There's untold emotional baggage here.

[@vladimirimp]

"I'm glad you brought that up". I love Louis.

[@morchangstudios]

He wasn’t asking Louie to get inside the mind of jimmy saville- here Louie is ironically avoiding his own insincerity !

[@shivo4659]

Louis isn't insincere. He remains calm and non reactive to whatever he's being faced with which puts his subjects at ease, and means they open up more. His work is genius

[@superpantman]

no offence but I'm sure his wife knew him better than you and his work as a journalist doesn't encapsulate him as a person. I'm not saying he is or isn't insincere, i'm just saying you can't call it by seeing some of his documentaries and pretending you know the guy.

[@jaybazza248]

weak response, 100% guilty. Saville was an open secret and Louis 100% knew

[@TheBroz]

Ok captain hindsight

[@richierottweiler923]

This seems to be a case of Louis not at his best. His interviews and documentaries are exemplary, but here, he doesn’t seem at his articulate coherent fully prepared best

[@AnthonyWhitewwfilms]

I’ve always been confused on my feelings for LT. His shows are very enjoyable, entertaining... but a part of me always feels he is totally bullshitting and taken advantage of all his subjects just for his own gain.

[@jonharrison9222]

Do you know how interviewing works, yes or no?

[@AnthonyWhitewwfilms]

@@jonharrison9222 Can you smell your own farts?

[@discodave4500]

Projecting hard

[@krisbest6405]

Louis is just so involved in humanity ,l respect his uniqueness.

[@Jasperroodog]

Louis was aware of the allegations against Saville and didn’t challenge him as he was more bothered about the interview than challenging the subject

[@shangc2781]

There's probably a legal level attached to it. A) Saville probably had it stipulated that he wouldn't do the interview if questions like that came up B) If Theroux made those accusations without hard evidence he could get sued for slander. At that point I'm not sure how many of Saville's victims were public It's a hard question about where doing the interview and giving Saville a platform was the right call. But it probably a minefield to navigate

[@col.231]

I like and admire the person and his work. Louis Theroux is just a kind and caring person 💯👍

[@cacwgm]

He's overthinking this. Jimmy Saville was an expert manipulator, and had an unerring instinct for people's weak spots - and the cruelty to use it. Theroux is a brilliant depth interviewer of the marginal, weird, dangerous and criminal - because he can do the wide-eyed 'just tell me' so convincingly, without showing revulsion or judgement.

[@JW-qf2fx]

Yeh agree.. and Louis uses awkwardness and a soft inquisitive and almost naive angle to get good interview content, Saville was a master of causing misdirection and confusion and never often answering questions properly, or with historic catchphrases etc that had secondary meanings that werent initially apparent. Louis could tell he was dealing with something different but no one could guess of just HOW different, over 60+ years it would extend!!

[@jonathaneffemey944]

Thanks for posting.

[@maltesetony9030]

Savile-bashing has become a big thing in the UK.

[@owenrees7544]

"It's not a lie.........if you believe it" George Louis Costanza

[@nomojo1110]

Similar to Bruce Dickinson's attitude. A grown man performing in front of a subjectively absurd stage-set, singing about ancient Egypt and the like. "You have to believe in it, otherwise you can't put on a convincing show for the fans." That's badly worded, but you get the gist.

[@Chief_Brody]

lol never thought I'd see a nod to Iron Maiden in these comments.

[@bokoub7824]

Louis knew, Saville got the better of him

[@antmac2545]

Its always interesting see a protagonists get called out . I liked Lois but after he became very big i thought he lost his edge, and his style started to feel contrived . If he was so good etc etc surely he must have been aware of his behaviour. He got away with it Scott free to be honest.

[@SG_1fan]

Sometimes to move up the ladder of journalistic entertainment, I'm sure there are times you have to give up some editorial control

[@jonathankerrsmith]

How the BBC let Saville get away with it for so long is beyond me

[@andrewodonnell7126]

Louis is so interesting. I’ve never heard him interviewed about about his personal life and he’s just as interesting talking about himself

[@ursulageorgeson7086]

It's far from being an honourable trade, but he's fucking good at his job.

[@Ghrijdnghtji]

Talking and saying nothing, they were right.

[@AdamHempenstallAdvantix]

Yup. So many words. So little substance.

[@jbaker6811]

Louis is Genuine and inquisitive AND also Sincere. Jimmy Saville was a show-off wannabe intellect.

[@frontenac5083]

* Savile

[@Mattcrafter15]

Weird weekends is his best work hands down.

[@bobbyfatgun]

Columbo taught Louis everything he knows.

[@NoComment374]

JS felt threatened with exposure; accusing Louis of insincerity was a way to put him 'on the back foot'. JS likely exploited an existing vulnerability / weakness there - i.e. Louis is afraid of ever being perceived as insincere, therefore instantly redirecting his focus via the (prob. baseless) accusation & removing the 'heat' off of JS. JS was essentially gaslighting Louis, to stop him from digging further & uncovering the truth. He likely got off on 'skating so close to the wind' by being interviewed by Louis & yet STILL not being found out. As for Louis? It's not a surprise that a person who places a high value on sincerity falls for the manipulations of a devious & self-aggrandising predator. And in any case, nobody else saw JS for what he was at the time*, did they?! Those in glass houses really shouldn't throw stones... (*Not counting his disbelieved victims, of course....).

[@strandedinparadise8202]

Tep, totally agree that he was trying to put Louie on the backfoot - to gain control of the situation. He might have been scared of being found out or it's possible he might just do that in most situations like a lot of absuive people do

[@NoComment374]

@Stranded in Paradise I agree, it was absolutely about regaining power & control, for JS. Offended that Louis had the 'audacity' to begin seeing through the illusion, JS took pleasure in punishing him; humiliating LT via feigned outrage & baseless accusations. JS evidently got off on feeling like 'the puppet master'. Not only was everyone else just collateral damage to him, but he also gained a sadistic pleasure from the confusion, pain & suffering he generated. Horrifyingly, his 'Jim'll Fix It' show only extended that reach, reaffirming & embellishing an already ingrained 'God Complex'.

[@markpoland5748]

Saville was a complete evil bastard, he was given free access to hospitals we're he done obscene stuff, filthy bastard..

[@dragoonbabic]

Louis lost all respect as a journalist when he failed to uncover JS, even despite the many suspicions surrounding him. He then cashed in on his failure with a second doc after JS was uncovered which was basically his own attempted at Stalinist revisionism. He makes good TV but the man is full of shit.

[@dondouglass6415]

I never disliked Louis but never, coincidentally, believed his sincerity.... Believing the lack of, was a necessity to get responses from the subjects at hand. I find him more honest in this video and more human... Maybe I am speaking bollox... 😮

[@sandrathompson1277]

Saw him in around 1961 or 1962….Three very young girls..watching this DJ…all of us said almost together ….he is really creepy..and disliked him just standing there watching his horrible evil face…playing records…we never went the that place again….

[@jimwocha4949]

It wasn't Louis' job to expose Saville. there were multiple opportunities to do that before Louis interviewd him. He was the BBC's golden goose so they didn't want to bring him down.

[@Madonnalitta1]

It absolutely was. It was the job of any decent human who knew.

[@frontenac5083]

* Savile

[@jimwocha4949]

@@frontenac5083 always a very appropriate name for him I thought. Thanks for the correction.

[@asacloutier7530]

Just remember, BBC knew what Saville was.

[@adamschlinker972]

Jimmy Savile calling anyone insincere is the greatest hypocrisy I've ever heard. He was clearly projecting.

[@lanodramallama]

I think Louis is overthinking this. Jimmy turned the spotlight towards Louis purely so that it wasn't on himself. Attack is the best form of defence and all that.

[@generalmunro748]

Savile said if you can fake sincerity you've cracked it

[@markpoland5748]

What was Saville talking about cracking. I mean if you think like him hhe was into some

[@Saba15-t9d]

Just like the royal family then.

[@markpoland5748]

@@Saba15-t9d you got that right. There all disturbed in one way or another, you hit the nail on the head.. Props.

[@markaddison4753]

Ill have to check my diary but basically supposed to be in meetings all day as it's Friday

[@chrisduckz]

Apparently as a kid I used to ask my parents to turn the telly off when saville was on. Knew he was a wrong un back then from afar!

[@MrSnout5]

Louis is very intelligent and largely self aware. I do find his delivery in rather fragmented sentences very jarring though.

[@rebbel67]

Couldn't agree more.

[@bomfindesamana]

Louis didn't call Saville out ...says a lot. Playing it safe or playing the game?

[@SueManning-u8f]

What a muggy question!?... Damn. Poor Louis!!

[@HkFinn83]

Watch the documentary and listen to how Theroux has talked about it afterwards. Then remember after the documentary was filmed, he invited Saville to spend the weekend at his house socially. Very weird.

[@frontenac5083]

* Savile

[@dixieflatline1189]

He uses his intelligence as cover for deceptive answers. Talking in 3rd person, dissembling & delay tactics to buy time to think through answers, using quotes & stories rather than intimate / personally relevant answers to a question. It would be interesting to have a behavioural professional decode this interview.

[@swiftlymurmurs]

Behavioural professionals are by and large quacks. People's behaviour can on some level be used as an indication of intention, but it's extremely difficult to get usable data without knowing someone very very intricately. It has been proven time and time again that these "experts'" rules mainly come down to unreliable conjecture based on ableist, generalised guesswork

[@dixieflatline1189]

@@swiftlymurmurs interesting point of view. I have worked with culture change & business behaviour specialists - the good ones really know their stuff (I say this as a previous cynic who has seen the results - which take time but don't lie). Can you expand on why you think these people are quacks?

[@ReturnOfJackDawson]

Love Louis he’s a real delight to watch. A true professional

[@michaeltrue6202]

talk about insincerity STEVEN B is the most dead behind the eyes dude i've seen man, he seems really nice but it just just a wonderfully constructed persona - he never emotionally reacts to anything or anyone when they open up, he isn't even curious and follows up - he just moves on to the next question. I remember when Dr Peterson just burst out crying, steven... no response - he's such a psychopath honestly, great for dragons den.

[@ozorna9401]

Dude calls his mum and dad by their names to their face

[@kevintynan796]

If I believe it it’s not a lie is the point he’s making. Boris Johnson’s philosophy also. Hard hitting questions, good interview, good answers also.

[@hunterluxton5976]

Too many cameras in this setup. You're not making a movie and you're not a director.

[@johnmulvey5121]

He's doing the 'raised inflection'' quite a bit. He never used to.

[@jainc.kurany9553]

here's the thing. When those persons make the huge judgement about the journalist being in-authentic. He was no talking about you, Louis. He was talking about himself. He was a huge psychopath. Agh. Do you still not get it?

[@ellieban]

The calm and measured way Louis reacts to this tough line of questioning is seriously impressive.

[@Sol-Cutta]

Theroux knew..and kept his mouth shut , after all its been his mo, he has interacted with many of the other end of humanity and keeping shtum

[@michaeljohnson5365]

Yes i have the full episode on dvd and there is a scene where he says that he can get anything he wants!

[@mediacenterman8583]

JS had connections which gave him carte blanche. It was an open secret

[@sbnqy]

And Louis Theroux took him up on it and they met several times! After what I see in that documentary I’d never go near that weirdo again! Keeps his dead mums clothes…. Theroux is strange

[@paulf2898]

@@sbnqy what's strange about keeping your dead mom's clothes? It reminds you of your mom as it belonged to her It's only cos it's a creep that it becomes weird?

[@Ye4rZero]

I'm just more surprised that they're discussing a quote from Jimmy Saville

[@westtexasdave2140]

I think Louis was trying to quote George Costanza “If you believe it, it isn’t a lie”.

[@victoria180]

Brilliant book

[@julesleche6693]

Omg … this man is me completely ! Always loved his documentaries just never seen him interviewed 💁🏼‍♀️

[@matc1828]

To criticise Louis as disingenuous or detached or whatever is to not understand his personality and/or comedy! Louis' great!

[@Madonnalitta1]

And you do?! SMH.

[@happinesstan]

You obviously don't understand his background and ambitions.

[@Talentedtadpole]

He's twisting what his wife said, and likely she was right. As for Saville, it takes one to know one. Theroux is incincere to interviewees all the time. It is his stock in trade. Just because Savile was evil does not mean that he didn't sometimes make an accurate observation. The man was not a fool. Theroux is being manipulative here and people want to like and believe him so aren't seeing through it.

[@valentina6715]

My thoughts exactly. Also, I never got the point of Theroux inviting Savile to stay at his house for a week or two, AFTER the first interview. What was that all about?

[@Talentedtadpole]

@@valentina6715 Right.