Profile of Louis Theroux on Famous Like Me

Louis Sebastian Theroux (born May 20, 1970) is a British television presenter who first came to public notice as a reporter on Michael Moore's TV Nation and is best known for his series Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends and When Louis Met.... In the latter, he accompanied a different celebrity in each programme as they went about their day-to-day business, interviewing them about their lives and experiences as he did so.

Theroux is noted for his ability to get people to admit to revealing things about themselves by asking questions in a seemingly naïve and innocent way (see Socratic irony). This mock-naïve style is often credited to Nick Broomfield. His style is seen as controversial by some, who accuse Theroux of being manipulative and mocking. In interviews about his time with UK entertainer Jimmy Savile, Theroux stated his ultimate wish was to have recorded Savile bursting into tears.

In his interviews with eccentrc and unusual people, it has been argued Theroux takes advantage of naivety and eagerness to get attention - his subjects failing to realise Theroux is actually dismissive or hostile. Some of his subjects are clearly powerful, confident people (such as the media stars he followed in later series) although others are obviously vulnerable and damaged, and in this sense, Theroux's approach is controversial.

Theroux was born in Singapore, and was educated at Westminster School (where he was a friend and contemporary of the comedians Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish) and Magdalen College, Oxford where he gained a first class degree in modern history. Also while at Oxford, he developed his skills at table football, building upon his previous experience of the game gained during a gap year in Zimbabwe.

Theroux is the younger son of the American travel writer and novelist, Paul Theroux. His elder brother, Marcel Theroux, is also a writer and television presenter. He holds dual US/British nationality, he retains his US citizenship, although his upbringing in Britain, and his English accent often leads people to think he is solely British.

In the 1990s he worked for Spy magazine and Michael Moore's TV Nation series. His first journalism job was at Metro Silicon Valley, an alternative weekly in San Jose, California.

On April 21, 2002, Theroux won the "Richard Dimbleby Award for the Best Presenter (Factual, Features and News)" at the BAFTAs, for his series When Louis Met....

His first book, The Call of the Weird: Travels in American Subcultures, is being published in Britain in September, 2005.

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