Louis Theroux | This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von #513

Theon Von's Podcast

• Theon Von shared his upcoming tour dates in various cities.
• Louis Theroux, a documentarian, journalist, and instigator, was the guest on the podcast.
• They discussed the roots of the English language and how Shakespeare's way of speaking would be similar to an Appalachian or a rapper today.
• They delved into the topic of accents and how certain accents, particularly white accents, can be perceived differently and sometimes deemed offensive.
• Louis Theroux shared his experience working with Michael Moore in the 90s on the show "TV Nation" and reflected on how making fun of white Southerners was acceptable at the time.
• They discussed the recent shift in societal attitudes toward making fun of different groups of people and the desire for equality in comedy.
• Louis Theroux expressed his admiration for London and shared his Polish and Nicaraguan heritage.
• Theon Von mentioned his upbringing in Covington, Louisiana, and how being Nicaraguan made him somewhat exotic in the predominantly white community.
• They shared an anecdote about David Duke, a former Ku Klux Klan leader, who was Theon Von's neighbor.

Sacha Baron Cohen's Experiences

• Sacha Baron Cohen discussed his experiences while filming his show, where he interviews people with controversial beliefs.
• He mentioned feeling jaded after repeatedly encountering individuals who are aware of his intentions and less willing to engage in genuine conversations.
• Cohen compared himself to the princess in the fairy tale who can feel a single pea under a stack of mattresses, as he has a knack for uncovering hidden truths and exposing hypocrisy.
• He recalled his childhood experiences, including wearing "buzzer underwear" that would shock him if he wet himself, which he found amusing.
• Cohen explained that his desire for invisibility and anxiety about social interactions led him to become interested in interviewing people with unusual beliefs.
• He described his first on-location experience for Michael Moore's show, where he interviewed various groups, including fundamentalist Christians, UFO enthusiasts, and Neo-Nazis.
• Cohen found the Neo-Nazis to be surprisingly friendly and emotionally available, despite their extreme beliefs.
• He mentioned feeling a sense of accomplishment and overconfidence after successfully interviewing these groups, believing he had found his calling as a TV performer.
• Cohen acknowledged that his ego and desire for success played a significant role in motivating him to pursue these interviews.

YouTuber's Personal Reflections

• The YouTuber discussed feeling like an egomaniac with an inferiority complex and how his personality type might be a cliche.
• He mentioned the idea that maybe we are all already AIs in a simulation and that there might be multiple versions of ourselves existing simultaneously.
• He talked about his experience moving to America and feeling like he could be more unique there compared to the UK.
• The YouTuber shared his thoughts on fasting and how he almost bit an employee at Best Buy while fasting.
• He recommended Aldi supermarket for its cheap prices and convenient self-checkout system.
• He expressed gratitude to Morgan and Morgan, a law firm that helped him with a lawsuit.
• The YouTuber promoted Blue Cube Baths, a company that produces cold plunges, and encouraged viewers to follow their Instagram for a chance to win a cold plunge.
• He discussed the negative impact pornography can have on life and introduced Valor Recovery, a program that helps men overcome porn abuse and sexual compulsivity.
• The YouTuber commented on the confidence and self-assuredness of women in the UK compared to American women.
• He mentioned living in Nashville and explained why he chose it over Los Angeles.
• The YouTuber acknowledged the opioid and heroin problem in America and recalled a story he did in Huntington, West Virginia, about the severity of the issue.

Opioid Epidemic and Pharmaceutical Industry

• The Sackler family, responsible for the opioid epidemic, was not prosecuted but faced a civil suit.
• The sense of betrayal and cynical rollout of opioids, along with the involvement of doctors and legislators, contributed to the loss of trust in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Carfentanil, an elephant tranquilizer 100 times stronger than fentanyl, poses a significant danger, even through skin contact.

Personal Struggles and Recovery

• The speaker discussed his past struggles with cocaine addiction and recovery.
• The drinking culture in the UK and Ireland is mentioned, with the speaker expressing his enjoyment of drinking and disagreeing with his wife's perception that he drinks too much.
• The speaker reflected on how he has become more empathetic and understanding of women's perspectives as he ages.

Social Media and Censorship

• The narrator reflected on the ownership of social media platforms and the potential for censorship and control over what people are allowed to say.

Theo Von's Observations

• Theo Von discussed the different skin tones of emojis and how he chooses different ones depending on the neighborhood he's in.
• He talked about how he was shadowbanned on Twitter and Instagram and speculates on the reasons why.
• Theo mentioned that he used to work out with David Duke, a former Ku Klux Klan leader, and that he was trying to flirt with Duke's girlfriend at the time.
• He discussed the history of racism in the South and how there is racism on both sides, with many black people also disliking white people.
• Theo expressed his concern about the high crime rate in many black communities and how it seems like rapping is the only part of show business where killing someone is not necessarily a career-ender.

Derek's Relationship and Disability

• The mother of Derek, Anna's boyfriend, feels offended and threatened by their relationship because she feels like her son is being taken away from her.
• The announcement of their relationship to Derek's brother and sister causes shock and confusion due to the sensitive nature of Derek's disability and the power dynamics of their professional relationship.
• There is a discussion about the sexual desires and relationships of people with disabilities and how they are often infantilized and their desires are seen as inappropriate.
• Anna communicates with Derek using a typewriter-like device, which raises questions about whether she is guiding his responses and projecting her own desires onto him.

Alopecia and Self-Perception

• The narrator discussed his own personal experiences with alopecia and hair loss and how it has affected his self-perception.

Streaming Services and Media Consumption

• The speaker reminisced about the experience of renting physical media from Blockbuster, highlighting the autonomy and joy of browsing through a vast catalog of options.
• They expressed concern that streaming services, with their algorithms and curated content, may limit the discovery of new and classic movies and inadvertently censor or influence viewer choices.
• The speaker recalled the early days of video rentals when various local businesses offered small video libraries, leading to the establishment of dedicated video rental stores like Pat Shrimp and Video.

Chocolate Quality and Discontinued Products

• They criticized the quality of Hershey's chocolate, suggesting that it may not meet the legal standards for chocolate in the EU due to its low cocoa content.
• The speaker praised the superior quality and presentation of chocolate in British and Belgian chocolatiers, describing them as exquisite and luxurious.
• They discussed the discontinuation of certain candy products, such as peanut Revels, due to allergy concerns, expressing a humorous and slightly rebellious sentiment about the situation.

The Lou Show and Conspiracy Theories

• The speaker mentioned their podcast, "The Lou Show," which is available on Spotify, and shared their strategy of diversifying their content creation by producing behind-the-scenes material and exploring topics like the conspiracy theories surrounding the Challenger and Columbia space shuttle disasters.