Louis Theroux: Forbidden America
AVAILABLE ON BBC IPLAYER
Louis Theroux is well known for tackling subjects that other documentary filmmakers might shy away from, but this series could be his most controversial and hard-hitting yet.
Across the three-parter, he interviews white nationalists, trigger-happy rappers and porn producers accused of sexual
misconduct; these are divisive, disturbing figures but, Theroux argues, they tell us a lot about the world we are living in today.
In the first episode, Extreme and Online, he investigates the white nationalist movement speaking to a trio of young (white, male) influencers with extreme right-wing views and huge followings online. They are all of a generation who grew up gaming online, know the reach of the internet, the power of social media and how to use it for their own agenda.
Theroux poses the question as to whether the online inflammatory rhetoric
– the racism, misogyny, and threats of violence are off the scale – translates into real-world harm and what he discovers is, quite frankly, terrifying. Possibly the most disturbing of those featured is
Nick Fuentes, leader of America First. Smart and articulate, he delivers his vile, toxic message with a smile. He believes America belongs to white Christians, considers homosexuality “disgusting”, thinks women should not have the vote and hopes to be President one day. PostTrump, it is entirely possible he will be – and that is very worrying indeed.