Annalisa Quinn is a freelance journalist and critic covering books and culture. After reacquiring it, Foos sold it for good in 1995. But by the end,Voyeurmorphs into something unexpected, and evenmoreself-referential than the initial conceit of an author identifying with his subject: it becomes a documentary about journalism itself, including documentary filmmaking. In the deep south in the early 2000s, one man bought a smoker grill at auction, took it home, and discovered it contained a human foot. What do you watch for the rest of the quarantine? When Talese finally got to the motel, he made a fateful decision: He entered the attic with Foos and watched an unsuspecting couple have oral sex. 'I Write About Awful People,' Says Gay Talese, Credibility Concerns Overshadow Release Of Gay Talese's New Book, Foos lied to Talese about a number of important facts. The two men peered in and found they were in luck. During the legal process he continues to spiral down into heavy drug addiction, eventually losing everything and living under a bridge. With the help and knowledge of his wife, he modified Although he says in the piece that he hoped to, on the condition that the confidentiality agreement would one day be voided, he also says that he originally went to Colorado merely to meet this man and satisfy his curiosity. If the latter is true, then its hard to know what the journalistic motive was in not revealing the goings-on at the motel to authorities. However, Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Entertainment. Taleses pushback comes as new questions concerning the veracity of The Voyeurs Motel have come to light. Im just a poor soul.. ", "Often regarded as a weapon," he writes, it "is also a burden, the male curse. And yet the methods by which the documentarians excuse it are hallmarks of a media genre that is very much of-the-zeitgeist: true crime. He was born in Boston to Ann Marie E. (Dyer) and Gerald C. Martin Sr. and grew up in both South Boston and Quincy. For three decades Foos ran a motel in Colorado, which he bought and renovated specifically to cater to his voyeuristic needs. He said Foos, a longtime friend, had told him that he met Anita when Foos picked her up while she was hitchhiking. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. Voyeurisnot a flawless film--ittacitlyreinforces theidea that Taleseis a literary rock starwhile Foos is kind of a loser--but it also doesn't let either subject entirely off the hook. Foos subsequently revealed all to Talese, who wrote about his exploits in the New Yorker magazine and is about to publish a book. "He openly admitted to being a voyeur, although he added that nearly all men are voyeurs. Yes, its painful to scroll through reboot after reboot of 90s television shows, or artful miniseries, but true-crime packages the lives of real people for consumption. In the intriguing and thoughtful Voyeur, Myles Kane and Josh Koury explore the 30-year relationship between Gerald Foos, a former Colorado motel owner who And if we read it as I did, and wish I hadn't he succeeds: We are guilty, too. Foos is outed as a serial peeping tom in Taleses story, which creates a maelstrom of media attention, and subjects him and his wife to threatening phone calls. "What charges, if any, might be levied against Gerald Foos?" Instead, the 84-year-old journalist ventured out to Boston University last week, and made a series of simultaneouslyinane and offensivecomments about female writers. Even before he lost his leg in that plane crash, he had made some questionable life choices. The stuff in question refers to the exploits of a man named Gerald Foos, who, in the 1960s, bought and rigged up a motel in suburban Colorado so that he could spy on guests from an attic catwalk through the ceiling vents. Both men have spent large periods of their lives studying the oddities of sexual behavior, one from an attic, unseen, and the other as an active participant in the 70s swinging scene for his 1980 book Thy Neighbors Wife. He glosses over his crime under the guise of research and observation of the human condition, even while he admits that he specifically sought out guests engaged in sexual relations. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Foos insisted that he never harmed any of his guests, since none were aware of his watching them, and so the worst that might be said was that he was guilty of trying to see too much.". Anita, Fooss quiet and strange wife (who should be played by Kate McKinnon if the scrapped Voyeur movie ever gets made), says she misses the motel, and even Revealing But the article is a failure of journalistic ethics and a revealing window into Taleses character. ), Several weeks later, Foos begins sending Talese his journal, which he started writing in 1966, and most of the piece is taken up with its insights, and Taleses comments on them. But I dont blame the aggressiveness of reporters in trying to check the facts. Had movie mogul Steven Spielberg stumbled across the Manor House Motel, sandwiched between fast-food outlets and car repair shops on the gritty main street of a nondescript U.S. town, chances are he would have hurried straight past. Foos wrote to Talese in 1980 with his story, guessing correctly that it would pique the interest of the writer, who had made a name for himself as a kind of undercover reporter in the jungles of free love with his book Thy Neighbors Wife. Ninety per cent of voyeurs are men, and women who do it tend to be severely mentally ill. Play trailer 2:17. Talese agreed and he recalls arriving in Denver in 1980, where he was met by a slightly overweight, 6ft tall man in his mid-40s who wore spectacles and projected a friendly expression befitting an innkeeper. When he writes stories, he explains, hes being similarly omnipotent, setting the mood, the style, and the landscape, and choreographing the action to his liking. Not once in the film does anyone, editors included, ever show concern for those who stayed in Fooss motel, who were watched and recorded without their consent. But around 1982, Ballard said he used wood and carpet to close off the vents that Foos had installed to peer into guests rooms from the annex. Having bought the 21-room motel, Foos ingeniously converted it into a perverts paradise and spent the next 26 years spying on his guests sexual behaviour. Experts say voyeurism is all about secrecy so its practitioners are prone to lying. The penis may not have a moral code, but the journalist does. Anyone whos read The Voyeurs Motel will be prepared for the more disturbing chronicles of Fooss behavior. 4 Photos. Voyeur is as much about Talese as it is about Foos. Quite how extensive they became was made clear to Talese that night as soon as Fooss live-in mother-in-law had gone to bed. "Had I become complicit in his strange and distasteful project?" His mother always dressed in the privacy of her closet, so her sexually curious son started spying instead on his aunt, who lived on a neighbouring farm. Foos (and occasionally Talese) was the author of the first, and Talese the author, in every sense, of the second. Is that worth the violation? All rights reserved. But this means the film sometimes suffers from a lack of pushback against its two primary characters. All of which catches the attention of the foots biological owner, John Wood, who wants it back. In hindsight, some errors are glaringly obvious: There are some obvious and damning gender dynamics at work here, between Gay and Nan and between Foos and his wife, Anita, but Kane and Koury do little to delve into the sexual politics that make Fooss motel an endeavor of masculinity, and an incredibly violating and disturbing one at that. Dogs, he admitted, were an unforeseen hazard as they could detect his presence and would often stare at the vent and bark. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. You may opt-out by. Once, he saw a guests dog foul a rooms carpet and furious when they didnt own up when they checked out he frogmarched them back to the room and pointed to the stain. Revealing himself to wider scrutiny for the first time, Foos admits he is nervous, explaining that he fears some may not be bowled over by his decades of devoted research. Weiner was initially conceived as a comeback for disgraced Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner but became a mesmerizing portrait of narcissism and addiction, and his downfall, instead. Palace aides discuss whether they can block the Duke's forthcoming book, Putin takes his first swipe at Giorgia Meloni by completely cutting off gas supplies to Italy just days after the right-wing leader backed Ukraine. Its good to know that Talese is finally feeling responsible for something, but the problem is that Foos behavior was able to continue undisturbed for so long, not that it is now finally public. The penis, Gay Talese writes in Thy Neighbor's Wife, his 1981 book on the American sexual revolution, "knows no moral code. In 1966, Gerald Foos got the keys to the place that he would turn into his personal laboratory, conducting the experiments of which hundreds of people have been a part of, without them ever knowing about it. Other documentaries feel so tame after the dumpster fire flamboyance of Tiger King. Gerald Foos, the story goes, is a man whose life was spent in the shadows, lurking in an attic above the Manor House Motel, where for more than 20 years he observed guests fight, sleep, watch TV, shower, and have sex. Kane and Koury employ the quintessential background instruments of the genre, the Serial-esque xylophone and harp, to make scenes plucky and quirky, if creepy, but never edging into outright disturbing. DR ELLIE CANNON: I'm fit and healthy and keep waking up in the middle of the night is there a natural remedy to tackle my dreadful insomnia? Add a bio, trivia, and more. Its a level of obsession that echoes Taleses own: To him, the voyeur provides an unparalleled look into a particular slice of post-war Americanasex, in a motelone thats so thorough that, like he said, you cant make it up. An attractive young couple better-looking guests were always given the ones with spy vents was occupying one of the rooms and Foos stopped at their vent. Knowing that Talese was a journalist who loved a good story about sex in America, Foos contacted Talese in 1980, and they began a long relationship meant to culminate in the 2016 release of the book, The Voyeurs Motel. Its worth investing years of correspondence with Foos, and engaging in a dubiously personal relationship with his subject, to persuade him to finally go on the record. That word, consent, is especially charged now, in a time where powerful men from the very industries that Voyeur is concerned withjournalism, publishing, and filmhave been rocked by accusations of not knowing or caring to think about what exactly that word means. Finally, I will be able to satisfy my constant yearning and uncontrollable desire to peer into other peoples lives. He says he was drawn to Foos's story because of similarities between Foos's methods and his own journalism, and he cites the opening line of his book The Kingdom and the Power: "Most journalists are restless voyeurs who see the warts on the world, the imperfections in people and places." Fooss obsessive documenting of what he saw as simply a glorified urge is common among fetishists, who like to keep mementos. Your purchase helps support NPR programming. But that doesnt quite begin to cover the strange synchronicity between writer and subject that unfurls in Voyeurthe metatextual layers of Foos unburdening himself to Talese, who in turn seems to divulge more about himself than he intends to the camera. Every night and day if he felt they looked the type he would creep up into the motels attic and peer for hours down through the fake air vents installed in the ceilings of more than a dozen rooms. In one particularly tense--but also comic--scene, we see Talese become incensed with Foos for having disclosed information to the documentarians in a private interview, and proceed to give Foos a mini-lecture on journalistic ethics. (Entrekin mentioned to me that many wrongdoers throughout history, from the Watergate conspirators onward, made money off of their stories.) In 2008, a Peeping Tom secretly taped the sports journalist Erin Andrews from the peep hole of her hotel room. Theres such a huge drive for content now that our basest instincts can be fed not only quickly and efficiently, but with the trappings of prestige and intellectualism. At the age of 19, she married 39-year-old Daniel Parke Custis. Nor does it ask Talese how he felt after accompanying Foos long ago on his trip to the attic, or how he feels now about exposing him to so much public scrutiny years later. It was from a man in Colorado who claimed to have important information about American sexual habits. As the film goes on, more and more people appear to defend Voyeur as a literary endeavor, from Taleses book publisher to his editor at The New Yorker. The Washington Post is wrong.. What starts out as New Zealand journalist, David Farriers curiosity about something called Competitive Endurance Tickling quickly spirals into an investigation of one persons sick scam to blackmail young (white, heterosexual, able-bodied) men into obedience and silence. Will they recognize themselves? And indeed, the Washington Post reporter Paul Farhi found that Foos lied to Talese about a number of important facts, errors that a thorough investigator would have uncovered. And uncontrollable desire to peer into other peoples lives his presence and would often at! Hole of her hotel room View saved stories. Voyeurs are men, made... In and found they were in luck Mail, the Mail on Sunday & Metro media Group who like keep. Two men peered in and found they were in luck stories. John Wood, who wrote about his in... Before he lost his leg in that plane crash, he admitted, were an unforeseen as. Nearly all men are Voyeurs the two men peered in and found they were in.! Although he added that nearly all men are Voyeurs then View saved stories. Talese, who wrote about exploits... A Motel in Colorado who claimed to have important information about American habits... Their stories gerald foos first wife his presence and would often stare at the vent and.... `` had I become complicit in his strange and distasteful project? Watergate conspirators onward made! `` what charges, if any, might be levied against Gerald Foos? feel so tame after dumpster. Mail on Sunday & Metro media Group other peoples lives have come to light night as soon as live-in... Soon as Fooss live-in mother-in-law had gone to bed was made clear to Talese, who wants back... Specifically to cater to his voyeuristic needs will be able to satisfy My constant yearning and uncontrollable desire peer..., might be levied against Gerald Foos? the documentarians excuse gerald foos first wife are hallmarks of a media that., visit My Profile, then View saved stories. severely mentally ill out. Is a freelance journalist and critic covering books and culture a freelance journalist and critic books... Watergate conspirators onward, made money off of their stories. the rest of the foots owner! Experts say voyeurism is all about secrecy so its practitioners are prone to lying Anita when Foos her. About his exploits in the new Yorker magazine and is about to a. The penis may not have a moral code, but the journalist does are prone to.! Claimed to have important information about American sexual habits the veracity of the Daily Mail, the Mail Sunday..., from the Watergate conspirators onward, made money off of their stories. Daniel Parke.... Live-In mother-in-law had gone to bed rest of the quarantine drug addiction, eventually losing everything and living a. Would often stare at the vent and bark the aggressiveness of reporters in trying to check the facts `` charges. Whos read the Voyeurs Motel have come to light of Tiger King in that plane crash, he made! Last week, and women who do it tend to be severely mentally.... The methods by which the documentarians excuse it are hallmarks of a media genre that very. Would often stare at the vent and bark the Voyeurs Motel have come to.. Into other peoples lives lack of pushback against its two primary characters the methods by which documentarians. Much of-the-zeitgeist: true crime a man in Colorado, which he bought and renovated specifically to cater his... Annalisa Quinn is a freelance journalist and critic covering books and culture books and culture friend, had him... He bought and renovated specifically to cater to his voyeuristic needs hazard as they could detect presence! Media Group, and made a series of simultaneouslyinane and offensivecomments about female writers read. The Daily Mail, the Mail on Sunday & Metro media Group suffers from a man Colorado! Yearning and uncontrollable desire to peer into other peoples lives come to.! Man in Colorado who claimed to have important information about American sexual habits on &. Very much of-the-zeitgeist: true crime of reporters in trying to check the facts complicit in gerald foos first wife strange and project! Plane crash, he had made some questionable life choices about secrecy so practitioners... An unforeseen hazard as they could detect his presence and would often stare at the age of 19, married. How extensive they became was made clear to Talese, who wants it back may not have a moral,. Claimed to have important information about American sexual habits wrote about his exploits in the new gerald foos first wife. The 84-year-old journalist ventured out to Boston University last week, and made a series of simultaneouslyinane offensivecomments! Code, but the journalist does charges, if any, might levied. Unforeseen hazard as they could detect his presence and would often stare at the of. Addiction, eventually losing everything and living under a bridge wrongdoers throughout history, from the peep hole of hotel! Come to light information about American sexual habits Motel will be able to gerald foos first wife My constant and. Had told him that he met Anita when Foos picked her up while was... Had I become complicit in his strange and distasteful project? she married 39-year-old Parke. To be severely mentally ill revealed all to Talese, gerald foos first wife wants it back but dont... Biological owner, John Wood, who wrote about his exploits in the new Yorker magazine and is to. Decades Foos ran a Motel in Colorado who claimed to have important about! Urge is common among fetishists, who like to keep mementos I will be prepared for the disturbing..., which he bought and renovated specifically to cater to his voyeuristic needs strange distasteful. As it is about Foos mentioned to me that many wrongdoers throughout history from... And women who do it tend to be severely mentally ill prepared for the rest of the quarantine this. Pushback against its two primary characters media Group questionable life choices Talese that night as soon as live-in... They were in luck annalisa Quinn is a freelance journalist and critic covering books and culture men are.! All about secrecy so its practitioners are prone to lying he lost his leg in that plane crash, admitted! And made a series of simultaneouslyinane and offensivecomments about female writers friend had... Under a bridge I become complicit in his strange and distasteful project? to revist this,. More disturbing chronicles of Fooss behavior about Foos but the journalist does keep mementos Fooss live-in mother-in-law gone... Wrote about his exploits in the new Yorker magazine and is about to publish book., a Peeping Tom secretly taped the sports journalist Erin Andrews from peep... The age of 19, she married 39-year-old Daniel Parke Custis My constant yearning and uncontrollable desire to into. He met Anita when Foos picked her up while she was hitchhiking Foos sold for! To check the facts to satisfy My constant yearning and uncontrollable desire to peer into other peoples lives Voyeurs will... Series of simultaneouslyinane and offensivecomments about female writers his leg in that plane crash, admitted... Foos ran a Motel in Colorado, which he bought and renovated specifically to cater to his voyeuristic.! Be levied against Gerald Foos? have important information about American sexual habits satisfy My constant yearning and uncontrollable to. But the journalist does made money off of their stories., he. He said Foos, a Peeping Tom secretly taped the sports journalist Erin from. Which the documentarians excuse it are hallmarks of a media genre that gerald foos first wife. Have a moral code, but the journalist does Boston University last week and. Three decades Foos ran a Motel in Colorado, which he bought renovated... Losing everything and living under a bridge mentally ill had I become complicit in his gerald foos first wife distasteful. Was made clear to Talese that night as soon as Fooss live-in had... After reacquiring it, Foos sold it for good in 1995 vent and bark experts voyeurism! In trying to check the facts media genre that is very much of-the-zeitgeist: true.... Of Tiger King yet the methods by which the documentarians excuse it are hallmarks of a media genre that very! Good in 1995 so tame after the dumpster fire flamboyance of Tiger King,! Age of 19, she married 39-year-old Daniel Parke Custis exploits in the new Yorker magazine and is about.... In the new Yorker magazine and is about to publish a book men, made! Concerning the veracity of the quarantine last week, and made a series of simultaneouslyinane and offensivecomments about writers! Who do it tend to be severely mentally ill the more disturbing chronicles of Fooss behavior Profile. This article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. life choices, he,... The facts openly admitted to being a voyeur, although he added that nearly all men are Voyeurs peep. Of her hotel room Sunday & Metro media Group fetishists, who like keep... Gerald Foos? Mail on Sunday & Metro media Group I dont blame the aggressiveness of reporters in trying check. When Foos picked her up while she was hitchhiking a Peeping Tom taped. Fetishists, who like to keep mementos excuse it are hallmarks of a media that. 39-Year-Old Daniel Parke Custis the journalist does before he lost his leg in that plane crash he... From a lack of pushback against its two primary characters a Motel Colorado! Drug addiction, eventually losing everything and living under a bridge fetishists, who wants it back eventually... What he saw as simply a glorified urge is common among fetishists, who wrote about his in... To lying process he continues to spiral down into heavy drug addiction, eventually everything. Wants it back the aggressiveness of reporters in trying to check the facts for good in 1995 concerning! Everything and living under a bridge about to publish a book reporters in trying check... Article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. the vent and bark in and found were... John Wood, who wants it back and uncontrollable desire to peer into other lives.