'I met America's most inbred family and one thing still haunts me'
The documentary filmmaker who cast light on what has been dubbed " America's most inbred family" has shared insights from his initial encounter with them.
Mark Laita, the man behind the lens, first visited the Whittakers in Odd, West Virginia, five years ago and has since returned to document their lives, sharing updates on YouTube.
The Whittaker family's history of inbreeding began with the offspring of identical twins Henry and John intermarrying, leading to generations of inbreeding and consequent severe disabilities among many descendants.
Laita recounted the challenge of gaining access to the family, as locals were fiercely protective, however, he managed to accompany a police officer to their residence.
On the Koncrete Klips podcast, the filmmaker described his approach: "We came around to this road, which turns into a country road, which turns into a dirt road.", reports the Mirror US.
He explained: "Then we come to this trailer and then a little shack on the other side of the road. And there's these people walking around and their eyes are going in different directions and they are barking at us."
Laita likened his inaugural visit with the Whittakers to a scene straight out of the suspenseful film 'Deliverance'.
He said: "One bloke, you'd catch his eye or utter a word and he'd just shriek and bolt, his trousers tumbling down to his ankles as he'd leg it and boot a dustbin. This happened repeatedly - it was mental, the maddest thing I've ever witnessed."
Initially, the family were reluctant to speak with Laita, but he gradually earned their trust after offering to snap photos for a dead relative's coffin.
He returned later to shoot Inbred Family - The Whittakers in 2020.
He admitted it was "tough to get through to them" but has since produced clips for his YouTube channel, Soft White Underbelly, chronicling their existence.
The footage bears titles such as " Christmas season with the Whittakers", "The Whittaker family cemetery", and "The Whittakers go to the state fair".
Laita revealed over time, he's faced divided reactions from viewers regarding his content.
He noted some brand him an "exploitative b******" whilst others consider the footage "incredible".
He acknowledged his work was exploitative, though argued it was inescapable in life, saying: "It feels exploitative but I think it's good for us all to know that these things exist. The hotel I'm staying at, they're exploiting my need for sleep. The restaurant I ate breakfast at is exploiting my hunger. Everything is exploitative. Photography and video are especially by nature exploitative."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
a few seconds ago
- Scottish Sun
Yet more Brit drug mules caught as pair, 19 & 21, jailed for 6 YEARS after being found with 150lbs of cannabis in case
These Brits at least learned their punishments - unlike dozens still awaiting trial around the world for drugs smuggling charges SMUGGLE HELL Yet more Brit drug mules caught as pair, 19 & 21, jailed for 6 YEARS after being found with 150lbs of cannabis in case TWO young Brits have been jailed for six years each for smuggling nearly 70kg of cannabis out of Thailand stashed in their luggage. Tihaise Darlin Elisha, 19, and Taylor Tamara Simone, 21, were swooped on by staff at an airport in Zimbabwe in May - two amongst a slew of Brit arrested on international drugs smuggling charges recently. Advertisement 6 Tihaise Darlin Elisha, 19, pictured with one of the suitcases carrying cannabis Credit: Newsflash 6 Taylor Tamara Simone, 21, with a large number of bags of drugs piled up Credit: Newsflash 6 The pair were convicted of drugs smuggling and sentenced to six years in prison each Credit: You Tube/ZimpapersDigital Security officers at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare noticed the pair acting suspiciously on May 1, so yanked them aside. A search of their luggage found that four Monarch suitcases were completely stuffed with weed. Police found 53 packets containing a total of 66kg of loose skunky cannabis, known locally as "dagga". The red and brown cases were tagged with the young Brits' names. Advertisement read more in world news HOLS TRAGEDY Brit, 18, collapses in mum's arms and dies after allergic reaction on holiday Three months later, the pair have been found guilty of drugs trafficking by the Harare Magistrates' Court, according to Zimbabwe's national prosecutor. Each was sentenced to nine years in prison, with three years suspended on condition of good behaviour. The National Prosecuting Authority warned that the country maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward transnational drug trafficking, saying: "The law will catch up with offenders, no matter their nationality. "Airports are not gateways for crime." Advertisement The number of Brits arrested for international drugs smuggling has exploded in recent months. Many of those have flown out from Thailand - and a few cases have made international headlines. Charlotte May Lee fears being locked away for 20yrs over £1.2m Sri Lanka drugs bust – & is 'aware' of Bella Culley case Bella May Culley, 19, was arrested in Georgia in May after allegedly bundling a large cannabis stash out of the Kingdom - and is awaiting trial. The teen claimed she had been "forced under torture" by a Brit drug gang in Thailand to carry the haul through the airport, heading for Tbilisi. Advertisement Charlotte May Lee, 21, faces a similar situation after being arrested in Sri Lanka, allegedly with around £1.2million worth of cannabis in her suitcases, also in May. Former flight attendant Charlotte, from south London, has yet to be charged but is still holed up at a jail in Negombo on the west coast. 6 Brit teen Bella Culley was arrested in Georgia after allegedly smuggling a stash of cannabis out of Thailand Credit: Facebook 6 Charlotte faces a long stay behind bars before she is sentenced Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Advertisement 6 21-year-old mum Cameron Bradford has been accused of smuggling cannabis in her bags And a young British mum, Cameron Bradford, 21, was nabbed in Munich in April for allegedly smuggling the marijuana as well. In February, British and Thai authorities collaborated with Operation Chaophraya - which was cracked down specifically on smugglers attempting to post cannabis from Thailand to the UK. This results in the arrest of over 50 Brits in Thailand. Advertisement Other networks have been uprooted, such as 11 Brits nabbed in March in relation to large-scale smuggling through the airport on the island of Koh Samui. A month later, Thai police caught Adel Mohammed in Bangkok, who they suspect of pulling the strings behind the operation.
Scottish Sun
31 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Hidden secrets of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium from Harry Kane's mega-box to Daniel Levy's biggest regret
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TOTTENHAM opened their incredible stadium in April 2019. But many fans still don't know about several of the £1bn structure's remarkable features. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 20 Tottenham have arguably the best stadium in the Premier League Credit: Getty 20 Daniel Levy recently showed Gary Neville around Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Credit: YouTube @ The Overlap During the latest episode of The Overlap, brought to you by SkyBet, chairman Daniel Levy showed Gary Neville around Spurs' plush home. Neville, 50, was left in awe several times by the ingenious stadium. From a micro-brewery on site to links with Tottenham's famous past, no stone was left unturned as the Lilywhites built their new home. Here, SunSport takes a look around arguably the Premier League's best stadium. Kane's mega-box During his conversation with Neville, Levy was keen to show off Tottenham's plush VIP lounges. And where better to start than the one previously occupied by the club's all-time leading goalscorer prior to his £100million switch to Bayern Munich two years ago - complete with stunning kitchen, comfortable seats and an incredible view. Levy said: "This used to be Harry Kane's box." To which Neville exclaimed: "Jeez Harry! My mum and dad would have been happy if they were watching me at United and I gave them a box like this every week! BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 20 Daniel Levy showed Gary Neville around Harry Kane's old suite Credit: YouTube @ The Overlap 20 Neville, 50, was in awe of the suite's kitchen Credit: YouTube @ The Overlap 20 Kane had the suite until leaving Spurs in 2023 Credit: YouTube @ The Overlap "I just got them a couple of seats in the main stand, wow! Harry's got a bigger kitchen than I've got at home in his box. "I've never been in one of these before and it's absolutely incredible." Daniel Levy says he'll get the credit he deserves when he leaves Tottenham in rare interview Levy's biggest regret During Neville's tour of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the former Manchester United star realised just what a hands on approach Levy had taken in the project. While standing in the 17,500-capacity South Stand, Neville couldn't help but cheekily ask if there was anything Levy would have liked to have done differently, with hindsight. Levy, 63, beamed as he said: "There's a couple of pillars that I wish weren't there at the moment. "Pillars when you drive in under the stadium, it's a bit tight." 20 Levy bemoaned the underground parking at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Credit: Alamy 20 Levy grinned as he admitted that the parking is tight Credit: YouTube @ The Overlap Retractable pitch Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is not just used for football. Since opening, the venue has also been used for NFL games, rugby matches and several concerts, including the likes of Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga. Asked about how the surface "transforms" for different events, Levy revealed: "Underneath all the protective measures on the pitch is actually the NFL pitch. "There's an artificial pitch there. Then above this would be the grass pitch, and when we're in concert mode or NFL mode, the grass pitch goes under the famous South Stand. "It can stay there for up to 10-14 days. It has ventilation, irrigation, special mowers - so it's pretty unique piece of kit." 20 Tottenham Hotspur Stadium features an entirely separate NFL pitch Credit: The Times 20 Beyonce is among the superstar artists to have performed in Tottenham Credit: Getty Hidden F1 track In addition to the NFL, Tottenham have also partnered with Formula 1. Located beneath the South Stand is an F1-branded go-karting track. The nifty feature has become a popular attraction within London. Levy said: "When the grass pitch is here, that's a Formula 1 track, for go-karting." 20 Tottenham have partnered up with the NFL and Formula 1 Credit: Getty 20 An amazing go-karting track is located under the South Stand Credit: Supplied Amazing art gallery Tottenham boast the largest club shop in Europe, standing at 23,000 square feet. Within it is a 400-year-old listed building, which the club have restored and turned into an art gallery. Showing Neville around, Levy said: "There's a very old building called Warmington House. It's about 400 years old. Yep [it's listed]. "We had to keep it, we restored it... and it's now an art gallery. It's a beautiful building that we've completely restored." Neville was left in awe of the structure, replying: "It's brilliant. I love the integration of the old brick with the modern glass look." 20 Tottenham have turned a listed building into an art gallery Credit: YouTube @The Overlap 20 Spurs restored the 400-year-old building Credit: YouTube @The Overlap 20 Significant Spurs artwork now lines the wall of the building Pieces of history At the very start of Neville's tour, Levy proudly showed off a link with Tottenham's past. The Spurs chairman said: "Do you know about this floor? This is the old stadium." As Neville said "Oh wow," Levy continued: "All crushed. We wanted to have a link with the old, White Hart Lane and the history. "It's literally crushed concrete and smoothed afterwards." Within the South Stand concourse, there is also a plaque on the floor, marking where the centre spot within the old White Hart Lane used to be. 20 Tottenham used materials from their old White Hart Lane stadium for the floor Credit: YouTube @ The Overlap 20 Fans are able to see where White Hart Lane's centre spot used to sit Credit: X @SpursOfficial Borussia Dortmund-inspired stand The 17,500-capacity South Stand is Tottenham Hotspur Stadium's most obvious landmark. Levy takes great pride in the uniqueness of Tottenham's home - but does give credit to another club for the brilliant single-tiered stand. On inspiration for the new stadium, Levy said: "I wouldn't say there was one stadium that we said 'we need it to be like this'. "I think Dortmund in terms of our South Stand, the Yellow Wall. That's where we got the South Stand idea from." 20 Tottenham's incredible 17,500-capacity South Stand is a magnificent sight Credit: Getty 20 Spurs took inspiration for Dortmund's remarkable Yellow Wall Credit: Getty Incredible dressing room In contract to White Hart Lane's more old school dressing rooms, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium features huge, plush modern changing areas. In awe, Neville said: "Dressing rooms never cease to amaze me now, how good they are. "Wow. I remember the old White Hart Lane changing rooms." When Levy said the new dressing rooms were a "bit different" from the old, Neville laughed as he said: "Just a bit!" The inner bowels of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium also feature huge NFL dressing rooms. Much bigger than the football changing areas, due to the size of NFL rosters, the larger dressing rooms came in handy during Covid, giving players an opportunity to social distance on matchday. 20 Neville was very impressed with Spurs' plush dressing room Credit: Getty Beer brewed on site Tottenham partnered with Molson Coors last month, confirming that Coors, Madri, Rekorderlig and Cobra will be on the menu at home games next season, as well as Pravha. Fans will still be able to get Beavertown products, brewed especially on site. Showing Neville the micro-brewery, located between the South and East Stands, Levy explained: "We're very conscious with what we do with the local community. "One of our ideas was to have a craft beer, so we teamed up with a company called Beavertown, which was a craft beer company that was based locally. "We then said to them that we would like to brew our own beer in the stadium. So this is our brewery, in a joint-venture with Beavertown." When Neville asked if Spurs had bought into Beavertown, Levy said: "We didn't buy into it... unfortunately" At this point both men laughed as Levy rued the missed opportunity. The Tottenham chief then added: "But we did a joint-venture, in terms of all the beer sold in the stadium."
Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Wales Online
Dance Moms' JoJo Siwa announces Cardiff date on 2025 UK tour
Dance Moms' JoJo Siwa announces Cardiff date on 2025 UK tour The Dance Moms alumni is coming to the 'Diff with the 'Infinity Heart Tour' JoJo Siwa is coming to Cardiff (Image: Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images) Dance Moms alum JoJo Siwa is bringing her Infinity Heart UK and Europe tour to Cardiff this October and promises "new music that I can't wait for you all to hear!" Known for iconic dance routines and viral hit songs, including Karma's a B**** and Boomerang, which has been viewed more than one billion times on YouTube, the singer and TV personality will tour across Europe and the UK from September. She will bring her high-energy routines and distinctive songs to venues in Manchester, London, and Dublin before a show-stopping UK finale in Cardiff. JoJo will play Tramshed in Cardiff on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at 7.00 pm, and tickets are available via Ticketek here. After Cardiff, JoJo will then head off to Paris, Cologne, and Warsaw. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . Prior to her performance in Cardiff, JoJo will also perform at venues in Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle, and London, and tickets are available at Ticketmaster, which you can find here. At just 22, JoJo Siwa has more job titles than most people have unread emails. She's a Nickelodeon superstar, YouTube personality, singer, dancer, entrepreneur, social media influencer, New York Times bestselling author, and star of Lip Sync Battle Shorties. Basically, if there's a paycheck, a spotlight, or face cream to flog, JoJo's got it covered. She will bring her high-energy routines and distinctive songs to venues in Manchester, London, and Dublin before a show-stopping UK finale in Cardiff (Image:) Also known for her TV appearances, she came third on the 2025 season of Celebrity Big Brother UK and appeared alongside stars including Mickey Rourke and Chesney Hawkes. She also sparked a romance with fellow housemate Chris Hughes, who appeared on ITV's reality TV show Love Island in 2017. Her superstardom really began from 2015 to 2016, when JoJo appeared as a dancer on two seasons of the reality television show Dance Moms alongside her mother, Jessalynn Siwa. She then signed to Nickelodeon in 227. In 2020, she bagged a spot on Time's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Chris Hughes and JoJo Siwa (Image: ITV) JoJo announced the tour on Instagram: "The love and kindness you all have shown me means the world to me, and I can't wait to start my Infinity Heart Tour with you. Let's make tons of unforgettable memories singing and dancing together." Posting on their ticket site, gig hub Tramshed shared: "Hot on the heels of two sold-out shows at Colour Hoxton and the viral success of her latest release, Bette Davis Eyes – which debuted at #1 on the UK iTunes Charts and landed in the Top 40 in the US, Ireland, Australia, and Canada — JoJo is ushering in a powerful new era. Fans can expect high-impact choreography, infectious new and beloved hits, and her trademark stage presence." JoJo came in at third place during the CBB final 2025 (Image: ITV) They also add: "Don't miss the chance to experience JoJo Siwa live in a show that promises to be bigger, bolder, and more unforgettable than ever." JoJo Siwa's UK tour dates: Article continues below October 1 - TV Studio SWG3, Glasgow October 2 - O2 Ritz Manchester, Manchester October 5 - O2 Forum Kentish Town, London October 8 - O2 Institute Birmingham, Birmingham October 9 - Tramshed, Cardiff
