We journalists love writing about eccentrics. We hate writing about impenetrable, boring people. It makes us look bad: the duller the interviewee, the duller the prose. If you want to get away with wielding true, malevolent power, be boring.

With Straughan he also co-wrote the screenplay for Frank a feature film very loosely based on the Sidebottom story. He interviews people in facilities for the criminally insane as well as potential psychopaths in corporate boardrooms. He is married to Elaine Patterson.

Jon Ronson (born 10 May 1967) is a British journalist documentary filmmaker radio presenter and nonfiction author whose works include The Men Who Stare At Goats. He has made several documentary films for television and two documentary series for Channel 4. He has been described as a gonzo journalist with his work appearing in British publications such as The Guardian newspaper City Life and Time Out magazine.