10 Things We Learned From Jon Ronson On Louis Theroux's Grounded Podcast
3. KKK Leader Thom Robb Wrote A Recommendation Letter For Ronson
While Theroux's subjects aren't always happy with him, Ronson has received great feedback from the personalities he follows. One such glowing review came from Thomas Robb. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Robb, he is a far-right activist and the leader of the Ku Klux Klan. Ronson's time documenting Robb's organisation came during a time when the KKK was trying to repair its reputation. Robb was the organisation's first politically-correct leader.
The members of the KKK were at this time so out of the habit of burning crosses that they didn't exactly know how to do it. Did they soak the cross with kerosene then raise it or raise it then soak it? The answer wasn't obvious to the average Klansman, much to the embarrassment of Robb. Ronson saw the humour in the head of the KKK looking at him, a Jew, apologetically for the idiocy of his men. Clearly Robb had a soft spot for Ronson.
It would be fair to imagine that the general public didn't view the KKK positively after the documentary aired but this didn't matter to Robb. He wrote Ronson a letter of recommendation that encouraged everyone to allow Ronson to interview them. Ronson found this amusing but he doesn't expect to use it any time soon.