Louis Theroux: Your views

Jackson has accused his father of beating him

The BBC's Louis Theroux meets Joe Jackson, the father of pop star Michael Jackson, in a BBC Two documentary on Sunday.

Jackson told Theroux that he had whipped his pop singer son as a child.

Mr Jackson also says he does not think his son is crazy but is smart, and that he "can't stand" gay people.

The interview is conducted in a hotel room in the US, and overseen by a man, Majestik Magnificent, who claims to be Michael Jackson's personal magician.

But what did you make of the programme Louis, Martin and Michael?

Is Louis Theroux jumping on the Michael Jackson documentary bandwagon or is it a fresh insight into the star? A selection of your views appear below.

Send us your views

I thought the show was pretty well done, its hard not to like Louis's laid back approach to interviewing, but I did think some of the interviewing techniques were underhand & a bit too 'tabloid', which put a bad taste to the programme, much in the way that Bashir ruined his programme by turning on Jackson after getting close enough to people around him. I'd like to see a programme about Jackson made, where people get to find out the 'real' Jacko, rather than more tabloid nonsense. We know what the papers say, and what hes like... its getting dull now! Lets find out about the creative Jacko!
Pete, United Kingdom

I think it's a great shame that Louis Theroux was rejected in favour of Martin Bashir, to conduct the Michael Jackson documentary. Louis showed great sympathy and understanding towards Michael Jackson, despite the hostility and defensiveness he experienced with Joe Jackson and Majestik. If nothing else this documentary showed how ill advised and seriously mismanaged Michael Jackson is, and how this has led to his humiliation and 'betrayal' in the Martin Bashir interview. Louis coped admirably with the bizarre negative reactions of many of the people he met and showed a mature and objective approach to the various 'scandals' of Michael Jackson's life.
Kat, Wales

I thought Louis Theroux's programme was a very interesting insight into the people surrounding Michael Jackson. Louis concluded the interview by saying that Michael probably wouldn't be able to answer some questions about himself and I think he was right. Looking at people who have influenced his life was more informative. The Martin Bashir interview made me think, in part, that Michael was both deluded and mad whereas Louis' interview made me think that he is isolated. However, both interviews made me think that Michael has stayed a child because of his inability to cope with his problems and now he is in a situation with very few, if any, people to trust and no internal resources of his own to resolve his problems.
Graham Whitfield, UK

Louis just came across as very odd - particualy with some of his questions to Joe Jackson - by insinuating that M.Jackson "might" have a boyfriend. The most interesting part of the show was seeing Uri Geller after the M.Bashir interview when he realised his relationship with M.Jackson was finished and to see how devastated he was. Not one of Louis' best shows unfortunately and there was no chance he was ever going to meet Michael with his type of tabloid approach. Come on Louis you can do better than this....
Rich, UK

The only insight provided by Louis Theroux's documentry is that Louis is an extremely poor journalist who should try getting some more material into his programme rather than just jumping on the bandwagon. Also he shouldn't act so shocked when people (who know his programmes) tell him that he's slimey.
GeMe, England

COMMENTS: The programme was hardly a fresh insight into the world of Michael Jackson, but it sure cast some light on the desperate hangers-on and money-grabbers that circulate the periphery of Jackson's world. The fact his own father took money just to talk about his son says much more about why Michael is as eccentric as he is than anything Michael would say himself. Louis's documentary was interesting, but ultimately a failure, and I reckon even Louis knows that.
Steve, Wales

It was a fresh insight into the people around him - how they bask in his fame, and seem to take on a level of importance because they purport to know him. It showed some very sad people.
Sharon Cook, England

I was absolutely glued to the T.V. for a change watching the documentary. I think Louis Theroux is the best thing to happen to journalism since Comical Ali!!! Sincere, direct and refreshingly ethical.
kevin krishnan, England

Initially interesting, the programme soon falls into that journalistic gutter of failing to look at all aspects of the subject it claims to explore. There was barely any mention of any of Michael Jackson's achievements, which is actually the point. It's the music and the dancing that made him an icon, and it's these things that make people still worship him. If the purpose was to create an unbiased take on Jackson, why then did Louis try so persistently to interview that George Bloke, who was actually paid money by a tabloid in 1993 for a negative article about Jackson? As if anything good would have come from that. The most entertaining thing was watching Louis squirm when Uri Geller, then Majestic, then Joe Jackson in turn eventually realise what a snake he is trying to be and switch him off. Oh, and the fans telling Louis where to go.
Keith Waller, England

I am in two minds about Louis Theroux. On the one hand his programmes are always highly entertaining and his interactions make good television. On the other hand Theroux¿s dry, boyish, sarcastic persona often makes fun of people who are vulnerable anyway. I think, on this occasion Uri Geller was perceptively accurate and got the measure of the very disingenuous Mr Theroux. Louis taunts Uri for using his friendship with Michael Jackson to seek publicity however ironically Theroux is the biggest self-publicist of them all.
James Badge, UK

I think once again, Louis Theroux has proved himself to be one of Britains top journalists. He carried himself all through the program with a genuine interest and compassion in those that he met, and yet in a very calm manner, even when semi-threatened would push for an answer. Michael Jackson is as he said, probably the most eccentric person in the world, and yet I felt he attempted not to get to the bottom of the story for the juicy details, but more as someone who genuinely had a compassionate interest. Personally I think Mr Jackson is a fruitcake and would normally have switched over, but Louis' attempts made great television. I wonder if Michael will see the documentary and give Mr Theroux a call?
Wayne Charlton, Netherlands

It was obvious, at least, that Uri Geller's psychic abilities were below par when choosing Martin Bashir. Louis is worthy of our respect.
Charles Hatcher, UK

i liked the way it reflected the sense that michael didnt really have true friends and that all related to him were using him as a stage to promote themselves. this was shown not through the ideal of louis but as the evaluation from the audience. nice work louis.
Paul, England

Everybody came out of this programme badly - the interviewer who didn't get the interview, the the greedy, estranged homophobic father, the greedy has-been magician, the I-wanna-be-friends-again Yorkshireman, the ex-friend has-been psychic, and worst of all, the viewer! With programmes like this, Michael Jackson must think the whole world's gone mad.
Christian Jarrett, UK

I found this to be the most pitiful 'documentary' I've ever seen, and I was surprised that it was shown at all. It was like watching over an hour of background work that shouldn't have ended up in the final programme, only apparently they never managed to get any better material, so instead of burying the whole idea, they filled their time with the preparation material. Embarrassing and unprofessional. I expected something better of a BBC programme.
Stello, Ireland