Why does Louis Theroux keep picking on Israeli settlers?
When is Louis Theroux going to make a documentary where he embeds himself with Hamas in Gaza? Or Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Jenin, Nablus, Tulkarm, or Qalqilya? Probably never, because he’d most likely come to a sticky end.
I, for one, would be enthralled by Theroux’s signature brand of sneering, awkwardly bemused questioning if he were to go and live with members of Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades. Picture it: over breakfast in a darkened Gaza safe house, he nods along as his interviewee explains how their “martyrs” are sent to murder Jews in their homes, all while playing up his trademark discomfort for the cameras.
He could ask about their proud history of abducting civilians, their systemic use of rape and torture, or their policy of executing political rivals and suspected homosexuals. But, of course, that documentary will never be made.
Or how about one where Theroux embeds himself with the Iranian regime’s hardline Shia clerics? He likes to gently mock unusual religious beliefs, so the Twelver Shia rulers of Iran would be perfect: they believe they are governing under the direct mandate of God until the return of the Hidden Imam, who has been in occultation since 874 CE and will reappear when the world is filled with tyranny and oppression.
Just picture Louis’ eyebrow raising sarcastically as they explain how all of that will be preceded by major signs, including widespread corruption, the rise of a great deceiver (Dajjal), internal chaos in the Muslim world, and an apocalyptic war!
In the meantime, he could go out on trips with them as they arrest women for the crime of wearing a hijab improperly, imprison and torture dual nationals who visit their families, and abduct foreign citizens for ransom. Yet another group of religious fanatics Theroux could study up close and personal.
No? Then perhaps he could take a trip to Yemen to meet the Houthis, Iran’s favourite proxy army. Sipping black coffee and dressed in a Ma’awaz and Thobe, he could casually observe as they chant their catchy slogan of “Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse on the Jews.” Then he could drive them round in his famous Fiat 500 as they kidnap and torture people, from UN workers and women to human rights activists. Or join them as they recruit even more child soldiers, many of whom will die on the battlefield, and launch missiles at Israel to kill innocent people. Now that would be an interesting documentary. But maybe they’re just not kooky enough for the Louis Theroux/ BBC treatment.
Of course Theroux won’t make a film about any of those things. His attempt in 2016 to make a show even about British Muslims who were sympathetic to Isis “fizzled out”. I wonder why.
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-does-louis-theroux-keep-picking-on-israeli-settlers/