Journal XVII

Journal Entry 17: Phelps Family Documentary

The BBC’s Louis Theroux released his documentary “The Most Hated Family in America” almost a year ago, but it has taken a while for news of it to percolate over to the US, where it was never published on television. It was brought to my attention by the Phelps’ protest of the death of actor Heath Ledger. I think that it is a fascinating look at the Phelps family, but also at documentary interview journalism.

Here’s a temperate British journalist who is interviewing one of America’s most controversial families. The Phelps have been renowned for their aggressive evangelism, and can count one journalist among their frightening converts. Pastor Fred Phelps is a notoriously difficult interviewee, yet Theroux manages to do a fantastic documentary despite all that. He spends three weeks with the family, and walks away with film that they love and the rest of the Western world seems shocked at.

I think that it is clear he managed to do all this due to his charming attitude. His ability to show them that he just wants to put out their story, without any judgment on his part, is what won them over. That, and the human quality of seeing yourself as you want to be seen.

One clear example would be seen in Theroux’s interactions with one of the younger Phelps who was pretty clearly flirting with him 80% of the time. I mean, she started mimicking his accent, asked her mum to go to coffee with him and opened up with him much more than the others did.

Louis Theroux’s journalistic style is worthy of study and emulation.