Did anyone else take a dim view of Louis Theroux's interview of German Greer

[vincettenoir]

I enjoyed listening to this on BBC Sounds because I find Germaine Greer fascinating.

I also usually like Louis' interviews and he often gets the best out of people.

But I just felt like Louis was just racing from topic to topic just trying to get her to say controversial or indiscreet things, not exploring anything in any depth. There was potential for a much more interesting interview than the one he got.

Also she is an 86 year old woman living in a care home and it was a real low when he asked her about what she thought of WAP. She handled it well enough and she is pretty unshockable but I just found it so ill-judged.

What did others think of it?

This.

Completely agree OP!
He's really disappointing. Like a sniggering 15 yr old. So disrespectful.
Posh, entitled twat.

He's always banging on about JS. He's so self referencing all the time. It comes according as very juvenile now actually.

He profited by making light of Saville when he likely knew all the rumours as people in showbiz did. He is an enabler of abuse in my opinion. Even before that he reminded me of just a sarcastic public schoolboy who can never just appear straightforward. Greer is a living legend who deserves respect. Hopefully she got paid for the interview and doesn't care either way

Excellent comment, thanks, ‘the sarcastic public schoolboy’ description especially.

Dr Greer would certainly enjoy the ‘things you simply cannot…’ thread currently on here
she is indeed a living legend, married briefly to the first Cosmopolitan male centrefold, well respected academic, intellectual powerhouse, formidable debater.

Theroux is a one trick pony.

I just listened to the podcast and googled… Louis Theroux Jermaine Greer podcast ill judged. I grew up in Ireland in the 1970s and Germaine‘s work was on our shelves and we all read it. I adore her as a person a writer and a thinker. I also like Louis. I was deeply uncomfortable listening to this interview. Jermaine has a brilliant mind and this was just a wasted opportunity.

I loathed his interview with Jimmy Savile .
I first reported Savile to the BBC in 1991 as did many other professionals working with children .

I always remember Theroux asking Debbie McGee why she didn't have children. Debbie handled it gracefully but it was obvious she was taken aback by the question. Then there was another show where he was hanging around in Brixton late at night, deliberately talking to street thieves, and someone pulled a knife on him. I think he wants to be controversial at the expense of everything else - common sense, people's feelings, taste and decency.

I find his programmes interesting, but unethical; the participants don't really understand how they will be portrayed so there is no properly informed consent.

Just realised this is an old thread and I've posted more or less the same thing as I did last year.