6 Times Louis Theroux Put Himself In Danger To Get A Story
The most committed documentarian in the business...
Ever since he first hit TV screens, Louis Theroux has never shied away from a story.
From his early focus on quirky subcultures in America to his more recent work travelling the world investigating a series of more serious issues, Theroux has become something of a national treasure thanks to his ability to show his subjects in their most natural of routines.
What makes Theroux so talented as a presenter, particularly during his early days, is his willingness to participate in the thing that he is documenting in his shows. Couple that with his unassuming demeanour mixed with a penchant for asking tough questions in a non-confrontational manner have made Theroux the perfect candidate to provide an insight into a variety of topics through the years.
Sometimes though, Theroux has gone a little too far in the pursuit of a story and has been lucky not to have gotten burned as a result. With some of the situations he has found himself in during the making of his programmes the only real surprise is that Louis has managed to avoid any serious injuries during his storied career.
6. Wrestling (1999)
When Louis embarked on making a pro wrestling documentary in 1998 sports entertainment was reaching an unprecedented level of popularity that has yet to be replicated in the western world.
A complete outsider to the world of spandex and suplexes, Louis shows his lack of knowledge from the outset when then-WCW star Raven asks him if he knows who he is and a bemused Theroux admits that he does not.
The episode demonstrates the contrast between the glitz and glamour of the nationally broadcast wrestling giants compared to the local independent promotions, featuring burgeoning talents hoping to showcase their skills.
Unfortunately, Louis finds himself in seriously hot water when attending an episode of WCW Nitro. Following the show's conclusion Louis innocently asks WCW trainer, Dewayne 'Sarge' Bruce, to what extent the in-ring action that he had seen that night had been predetermined.
Later, Louis attends a session at WCWs famed Power Plant training academy (Think a 90's version of the WWE Performance Centre) to be put through his paces and learn what it takes physically to compete in the ring.
It is clear when the session begins that Sarge had not forgotten about Louis' comments which he construed as being disrespectful to the professional wrestling business and undermining the wrestlers as athletes. Theroux is subsequently forced to go through a gruelling workout while Sarge repeatedly insults him and forces him to continue until the point when Louis vomits.
Despite struggling with the physical demands, Theroux shows that he may just have had the charisma required for the wrestling business, cutting a hilarious promo under the tutelage of the late Pez Whatley.
However, Louis wouldn't prove to be the only person who had issues with Sarge and the WCW Power Plant. Dave Bautista, who would go on to huge success in both pro wrestling and later film, also had a negative experience with Sarge's training methods. In a 2015 episode of Talk Is Jericho, Bautista said of Sarge: "He was just kind of a bitter, little troll."