Louis Theroux and Jeremy Paxman both have specific interview styles. These are very different from each other as can be seen from their interviews. Both interviewers conduct their interviews in completely different ways, however the pair get a very good outcome from the interviewee.
Louis Theroux: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QppeXpxFyvo
Jeremy Paxman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hBI35DMHjy4
In the interviews, we see the questioning style used by both journalists. Louis Theroux tends to go for a more friendly approach when questioning his interviewee’s which results in a calm, relaxed answer with a lot of detail due to him asking mostly open and leading questions. We see an example of this early in the documentary when he is interviewing a woman called Sentica. She seems very at ease when answering his questions, almost like they were having a conversation. As Theroux asks her more questions, she becomes more and more calm around him, as shown when she says ‘freaking’, a loosely used curse word. This tells us that she doesn’t see the situation that she is in as a formal matter due to the terminology used. Another part of the documentary where we see this is when Theroux visits a man called Kevin at his house. He starts by talking about Kevin’s children, saying ‘what time do they normally turn in?’ Louis also says phrases such as ‘for real?’ which makes Kevin feel calm when answering the questions as this is the type of phrase he would say. Theroux goes on to ask more questions about the drug, however he keeps the same friendly tone when he asks them. This results in Kevin and his friends replying in a calm, relaxed manner. We see this when a man called Andrew answers one of Theroux’s questions, putting a swear word in the middle of his answer without even thinking about it.
Jeremy Paxman also has a specific questioning style, which alters quite a lot from that of Theroux’s. Paxman uses both open and closed questions in his interviews, but has no ‘friendly’ manner when interviewing and tends to keep to the point when he speaks. We see this in his interview with Conrad Black when he bluntly says ‘You’re a criminal!’ However through all of his interview, Paxman keeps very professional and asks all the right questions to get the perfect answers out of him.
Theroux has a specific way of connecting with his interviewee’s before asking questions on the topic he wishes to address. The interviewee’s feel very relaxed with Theroux as he talks to them in a friendly manner and will engage in a conversation about their personal life. We see an example of this when he visits a man called Carl’s house and talks to his wife. He asks questions such as ‘how do you bring income in?’ and ‘You’re both in school? What are you studying?’ which makes her feel comfortable around him as he seems genuinely interested in her. We also see that the rapport he created with Sentica at the start of the programme, worked as he meets her again, this time with her daughter and is still able to ask the hard hitting questions to them both. This differs a lot from Jeremy Paxman as he has no intention to create rapport with his interviewee’s as shown through out his interview with Conrad Black. Even though Paxman doesn’t create rapport, his interviewee’s feel obliged to answer his questions as in Conrad Blacks case, he feels wrongly accused by Paxman. We see this when Black says ‘I would say that is slightly overstating it.’
Theroux and Paxman both have some main key elements of their interview styles. Theroux constantly tries to keep a friendly tone when asking questions as the answers he receives from his interviewee’s are good, in depth answers. He also makes his interviews sound like a conversation, as this is relaxing to the interviewee. Paxman however has some different key elements. One being the way he tends to stay silent once he has asked the interviewee the question. This makes the interviewee feel as though they need to provide a longer answer. We see this when Conrad Black says ‘I have been persecuted half to death’ and then stops, expecting Paxman to speak. When Paxman doesn’t, Black continues with his answer. Jeremy also speaks over the top of his interviewee’s quite regularly which makes the interviewee back down. This shows the interviewee that Paxman is in charge.
Body language is a very important part of Theroux’s and Paxman’s interviews. We see Theroux in the documentary monitoring his body language very carefully, to make sure the interviewee is as natural as possible around him. We see an example of this when he is interviewing Sentica and her daughter, as Theroux makes himself look very calm, by sitting on a bench. This appears again when he is at Kevin’s house and he is sitting down in a chair, asking the questions at the interviewee’s level. Theroux keeps a small distance away from the interviewee to make sure they aren’t feeling enclosed by the questions asked. By standing a small distance away, Theroux is giving the interviewee space to feel at ease.
Jeremy Paxman has a completely different body language around his interviewee’s. We see him slouching in his chair at one point in his interview with Conrad Black, which makes him look as though he knows what he’s doing. We also see him with his legs crossed, pointing at Black, which shows power and leadership. About halfway through the interview we see Paxman move forward whilst asking a question, which shows the interviewee that Paxman is very strong and they may feel overpowered by him in his situation.
saskiasteelswright 