To find Louis Theroux suddenly really annoying?

[mustytrusty]

I've always liked Louis Theroux. Enjoyed his delivery and interesting choice of subject matter but I've been listening to his podcasts and have got to the stage where I feel like he's really annoying. Just seems to be a bit up himself and try-hard. Anyone else noticed this or am I just a misery?

Totally, but I am a shocker for going off people suddenly that I have previously liked.

I also find people who very wealthy (compared to most people) and part of the London liberal elite hard to stomach. I often feel like LT and others like him are lecturing me. I find it hard to be challenged in a useful way by people who have no idea what life is like for the average family in this country. He has got a bit smug in recent years.

Yes - has always made me uncomfortable - now flat-out makes my flesh crawl

I think he's great. I thought the Settlers was a very good documentary.

YABU, but only for not having felt like this before now.

Me too. Had no idea of the scale of the conflict

I only like him in very small doses, but agree that the Settlers documentary was excellent.

I was just thinking the same thing the other day. He used to be brilliant - now is perhaps a bit overconfident and smug? I’ve also noticed he often tries (with women) to make innuendos in order to be funny. Even when they clearly don’t find it funny, he keeps going which gives me the ick. An example is the interview with Amelia Dimoldenberg, and he also did it with Tracey Emin.

I really liked his work - so much so i bought his autobiography and read it on holiday a few years ago. I now can't stand him! He comes across as an arrogant prat who has treated the women in his life like shit.

I think his TV shows are a more communal product, in terms of the questions and the direction. So he comes across a lot better, generally!

His podcasts are probably a truer representation of his thoughts, biases and own questioning style. I don’t enjoy his podcasts as much. He comes across as a bit smug and egotistical.

Yes, he very patronising and likes to think he comes from a lofty position. That’s what he gets paid for though.

Complete opposite for me. I’ve always found him bloody irritating and arrogant but did a complete 180 after watching the Settlers documentary.

@Slatterndisgrace In what way do you think he comes from a ‘lofty’ position. I think his recent podcasts have been incredibly well researched and it’s clear he is very smart and well informed. Is it because he’s well informed and has a posh voice that you think he’s lofty? Some people can’t help being clever and posh. It doesn’t mean they look down on others.

He’s not my favourite person. I dislike the way he tries to bring sex into all his conversations with women. It’s icky. It’s also annoying that he makes sure there is plenty of praise of him or reference to his achievements in the edit, when it could easily have been cut out. But, no I don’t think he’s lofty.

No, I don’t have a problem with ‘posh people’.

I think he’s arrogant. Don’t get too hung up on lofty.

I agree with the reasons you have given too.

Yep he had his day 20 years ago.

To be fair I agree that the settlers was very good but the podcast is painful. I feel a bit less bad for having gone off him now that it turns out I'm not alone. I'm a bit gutted really as he was one of 'fantasy dinner party' guests and now I have a chair empty.

I absolutely love him! Not long rewatched his Altered States and Dark States docs. I have to admit though I’ve never listened to his podcast. He’s my guilty pleasure

I lost respect for him after the Savile documentary fall out where he doubled down and tried to plea 'journalism' blah blah blah instead of just admitting that he, too, had been expertly groomed by the most prolific predator in recent history.

His ego couldn't bear it.

I often go off people after reading their autobiography! It’s very strange, I think few are done well and people often don’t do themselves any favours.

What's he done to the women in his life?

I really enjoy his podcasts as they have interesting guests and he does seem to actually listen to people

I haven’t seen all of his work but Settlers was great and a real eye opener. I’m personally uninterested in whether he’s likeable in real life or not as I doubt I’ll ever meet him, but he’s great at deep dive documentaries.

I always found him very annoying, playing innocent and dead pan while talking to the most horrible people.

But it’s the innocent, dead pan stance which gets his subject to talk and give themselves enough rope to hang with.

For example if in Settlers he immediately challenged the American guy and the older woman on their views, it would have turned into an argument and we would not have learned be the full extent of their awfulness.

He’s great at active listening and gently probing so people open up. This is a skill lost by many who think shouting over the top of each other or over social media achieves results.

I blame podcasts for this. The format seems to turn some people into self indulgent navel gazers. It's the same with Dr Chris and Dr Xand for me. I like them on the TV but my God, their latest podcast is a load of self - centred drivel.