# Louis Theroux

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/louis-theroux/577198>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 4, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/louis-theroux/577198 "2011-04-04T22:04:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/louis-theroux/577198/21 "2011-04-07T20:21:30Z")

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That’s why I like Theroux: you _pity_ the Phelps spawn rather than just revile them. They really are victims and I think the media has missed an opportunity to kill them with kindness rather than use them for easy “You people are nuts!”. I only hope when Fred dies a few more get free, especially of the grandkids. (I know that 4 of Fred’s 13 kids have left but I don’t know if any of the grandkids from the remaining 9 have sanestreamed.)

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**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/louis-theroux/577198/22 "2011-04-08T01:59:44Z")

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> [@Sampiro](#):
>
> And his report on the Phelps clan was also so even handed- he didn’t try to do a Nancy Grace/Geraldo Rivera “You’re a murdering dog Charlie Manson!” “When risk is slight one takes a stand” soapbox moment. Really great low key but thorough interviewer.

He speculates in it that one that perhaps Fred Phelps has some kind of hate addiction(or mental disorder) that has essentially caused him to go insane. It’s the only attempt I’ve ever heard of to try and understand Fred Phelps.

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**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/louis-theroux/577198/23 "2011-04-08T05:13:27Z")

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[Part 1 of his return to the Phelps](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh3HZ4cGNPY). They call Theroux a modern Pontius Pilate who will go to hell but welcome him warmly into their homes… go figure.

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**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/louis-theroux/577198/24 "2011-04-08T05:44:27Z")

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> [@Mahaloth](#):
>
> He speculates in it that one that perhaps Fred Phelps has some kind of hate addiction(or mental disorder) that has essentially caused him to go insane. It’s the only attempt I’ve ever heard of to try and understand Fred Phelps.

This would be my guess - the really weird thing is the people who surround him and have bought into it. I guess his experience as a lawyer may be part of his success at indoctrination; highly persuasive skills re-layered over the top of axiomata that are in the realms of madness, a la Manson, Jones, Koresh, etc.

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**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/louis-theroux/577198/25 "2011-04-10T00:26:38Z")

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Watching the new Phelps one now.

The documentarian guy from the first one has done even more off the deep end. I think his daughter is right. He just needs a place to use his ego.

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