Louis Sells Sex

Louis Theroux knows what sells. He is never too far away from a religious cult, a condemned prisoner or a sex worker. One might have thought that the novelty had worn off by now but, credit where it’s due, Louis manages to revisit every topic with the same wide-eyed gaze of wonder he has always done. He’s like someone watching the sun rise every day, smiling at everyone and pointing at it saying, ‘Wo-ow, here it is again, look.’ Then watching it set and forlornly declaring, ‘D’you think we’ll ever see it again?’

Hi talent is that he chooses his subjects carefully. The fellow sunrise watchers all jump up and down whooping and clapping going ’Look everybody, it came back!’ Similarly, the sunset crowd all weep and quiver saying, ‘Where is it going? Come baaaack!’

It usually helps if those involved are American.

This week, Louis was in pursuit of sex. Not him, personally, obviously. He lives a wholesome, monogamous and conventional life with his wife Louise and their children, Lou and Lulu. (I have no idea if this is correct and concede that it probably isn’’t)

No, Louis was on the trail of the sex workers and, here’s the twist, they were all UK based. This represents a break from tradition because, usually, his subjects are American, African or African American. A Louis program on sex workers would normally be set in Beverly Hills and feature copious silicone and tooth veneer. This sex work was happening right outside our front door.

As usual, Louis managed to be both shameless and puritanical in the same moment. Interviewing the sassy Victoria in her see-through one piece and silently withdrawing just moments before her client arrived for his weekly seeing to. He looked away bashfully as Caroline changed into her working gear but quizzed her relentlessly throughout the ensuing striptease that was her promotional photo shoot.

Louis, you can tell, makes friends easily. Sharing the bedtime routine with Victoria’s children – that’s the conventional ‘bath & story’ bedtime – talking to her 14 year old daughter about Mummy’s work and sharing intimate details with Caroline’s husband who takes the role of silent partner as his wife ply’s her trade in the marital home. He is at his best when anlaysing the moral dilemmas faced by the sex workers, their clientele and society at large.

His conclusion was that civilisation has probably become poorer for the continued devaluation of intimacy. Young adults were seen to endorse the use of sex as a commodity and the older subjects ventured that their youth would have been better had they lived in a less sexually suppressed era.

All in all, the program showed a consensual and liberated version of the industry. Everybody involved appeared to accept their role, there were few complaints. Nobody appeared to be forced or coerced into doing anything they didn’t want to and, generally, the female (it was always a female) seemed to become empowered by the situation. We may have benefited from a glimpse of the more tragic side of the story. However, as with all of Louis’ programs, you have an inherent sense of trust that, if he doesn’t dwell on something it’s because he doesn’t think it will add anything. He’s been doing this long enough now to know when to stop.