January 6, 2021, is a date that will likely be talked about for years to come. Following accusations of presidential election fraud, the United States Capitol Building was mobbed by more than two thousand people, leading to five deaths, many injuries, stolen and defaced government property, and months upon months of litigation that continues to this day. For those who witnessed the event live, it was one of the most baffling and upsetting events in contemporary U.S. history. As we approach the two-year anniversary of the event, some are still left wondering what exactly happened that led to such a catastrophe.

HBO’s upcoming documentary, This Place Rules, seeks to answer this question. Andrew Callaghan, gonzo journalist and founder of the popular Channel 5 media group, will both direct and star in This Place Rules as he travels the country months prior to the events of January 6. In doing so, he’ll be showcasing various parts of the country as tensions begin to escalate, ultimately culminating in Callaghan’s presence at the capitol mob itself. Fans of Channel 5 are delighted to see Callaghan’s directorial debut, but until it premieres in late December, we’re anxious to see what exactly the film has to offer.

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Humorous (and Human) Interviews

Prior to This Place Rules, Callaghan was famous for his work on All Gas No Brakes and Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan, both featuring him exploring a variety of bizarre or niche subcultures. His travels have brought him everywhere from the Talladega Superspeedway and Area 51, to dedicated conventions for sneakers, aliens, NRA members, and QAnon supporters. He has a tendency to find some of the most eccentric and entertaining people to talk to, with most breaking into a freestyle rap at least once per episode. These interviews are often accompanied by fast-paced editing and humorous cutaways, often leading to funny non sequiturs and memorable quotes.

While his journalism topics are often humorous, there’s often an attempt to paint the people Callaghan interviews in a humanistic light. Underneath the wacky personas, amateur rapping, and illicit drug use, these are genuine people that Callaghan is speaking to. Callaghan doesn’t lead his subjects into answering specific questions: rather, he converses with them naturally, showing a genuine interest in understanding how and why they think the way they do. It’ll be interesting to see how Callaghan handles this with opposing political extremes in the wake of January 6.

Authentic Gonzo Journalism

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While Callaghan is synonymous with his off-color interview topics and fast-paced editing, there was a notable shift in his content around 2020. Instead of highlighting zany subcultures, he instead focused more on pressing issues that affected the country as a whole, frequenting the protests the rocked the nation throughout the year as well as other political demonstrations.

This year alone, Callaghan expanded the scope of his journalistic coverage by hopping all around the globe. He visited the front lines of Ukraine, as highlighted by the AV Club, while also producing a feature-length piece on the Freedom Convoy in Canada and interviews with controversial figures Alex Jones and the “Q Shaman” Jake Angeli. It represents a recognition of what Callaghan can really accomplish. Going to a furry convention is one thing: giving an intimate examination of the people of Ukraine while under the threat of missile attacks is something wholly different.

As a gonzo journalist, it’s in his best interest to fully immerse himself in whatever subject he wants to cover, meaning that he’ll even put his life in immediate danger if necessary. Seeing as how part of the promotional material for This Place Rules features Callaghan at the riot itself, it’s a sign that he’s making this documentary with the seriousness it deserves. We can expect that he’ll also extend this to his interviews and the overall presentation of the documentary in general.

A Portrait of America

Underneath the jokes and journalism, Callaghan’s work has always painted an authentic portrait of what real people think and believe. Callaghan never belittles his guests for thinking the way they do, he only ever eggs them on to explain their passions and interests in greater detail. It’s a refreshing take on independent journalism, one that has given Callaghan the ability to work with the esteemed film studio A24 for This Place Rules in addition to being hosted on HBO.

Leading up to the release of the film, Callaghan has already posted several teasers for what it will cover. One of these teasers features a family of QAnon supporters that, on the surface, looks like a typical American family. However, interviews of the family’s children talking of lizard people and adrenochrome harvesting is interwoven with footage of them playing with BeyBlade toys and Nerf guns. It’s a striking contrast, setting the stage for what the rest of the documentary will likely cover.

This Place Rules will premiere on HBO on December 30th, 2022, with an HBO Max release on the following day.