Russell Brand - what happened?

[Old Nehamkin]

I listened to the Andrew Sachs episode on broadcast and my main memory is being surprised that the BBC let the word "fuck" go out on a pre-recorded show. There really wasn't any immediate backlash after it aired, though. There was another episode the following week with Simon Amstell as guest host and I remember them talking about the previous show in a "wasn't that mad?!" kind of way and playing back Russell's apology song again ("I'd like to apologise for these terrible attacks, Andrew Sachs"). There really wasn't any scandal or public interest about the incident until the Daily Mail picked it up slightly after that with the "prank call" angle and then it spread like wildfire.

[Pranet]

Never trust a hippy.

He's always been a spiritual new age type and the past few years have seen a lot of wellness gurus go down the QAnon rabbit hole, Brand is no different. Back when he was going through his "I can heal addicts" phase, he had a whole hour on BBC 3 pushing an abstinence program for addicts which goes against all medical advice. There was a note in the program admitting that all patients relapsed soon after.
 

I remember that programme. About as angry as I have ever been watching tv.

[Ray Travez]

What were the two questions?

1. Someone said that the BBC is not allowed to broadcast an answerphone message without permission. As this show was pre-recorded, presumably permission was given. If Sachs was so offended, why did he give permission for it to be broadcast? (I lost interest before finding out if any of this is/was true)

2. Why was Sachs not available for his scheduled interview?

[Noodle Lizard]

I listened to the Andrew Sachs episode on broadcast and my main memory is being surprised that the BBC let the word "fuck" go out on a pre-recorded show. There really wasn't any immediate backlash after it aired, though. There was another episode the following week with Simon Amstell as guest host and I remember them talking about the previous show in a "wasn't that mad?!" kind of way and playing back Russell's apology song again ("I'd like to apologise for these terrible attacks, Andrew Sachs"). There really wasn't any scandal or public interest about the incident until the Daily Mail picked it up slightly after that with the "prank call" angle and then it spread like wildfire.

That's how I remember it too. Clearly what Brand/Ross did wasn't on, but I think the "righteous actions" of the tabloids calling it out did far more damage under the guise of ... what, justice? It certainly multiplied the number of people who learned that Brand had sex with Sachs's granddaughter - it was all anyone could talk about for a while, there. I'm not sure Sachs would've enjoyed seeing photos of his granddaughter in her "Satanic sluts" get-up on the front page of everything, often juxtaposed with images of a leering Brand and a gurning Ross, even if the ostensible motive was to "call them out".

Just seems like something that could've been addressed and handled a lot more privately - or if Sachs had gone to the papers himself, then that would've been his call (obviously it wasn't). But there's no money in doing things sensibly, is there.

[Noodle Lizard]

I remember that programme. About as angry as I have ever been watching tv.

I actually saw one of the people involved in that begging at a cash machine in Vauxhall not long after the program had aired. Of course it's not entirely fair to blame Russell for that, but it should've at least made him reconsider his stance rather than doubling down and publishing a book about it. I'm sure 12-step programs can work if you were a comfortable addict to begin with, have the money/access to other forms of therapy and are able to profit indirectly off your sobriety. But the data on their success rate is pretty clear-cut, and pushing an even more extreme version of AA/NA doesn't seem wise.

To give him credit though, at least he called out the methadone replacement program for what it is. That really is something that should be talked about more and, hopefully, abolished entirely.

[Pranet]

It was more the dishonesty of the way the arguments were made.

[idunnosomename]

My careery weery

[famethrowa]

My careery weery

It's howwibo

[Mobbd]

It's a real shame he seems to have gone down the anti vaxx right wing route.

Is this definitely true?

I haven't watched his YouTubery since the days of The Trews and I decided to take a peek as a result of this thread. The subject matter is indeed the sort of subject matter Joe Rogan would cover but I couldn't quite get a handle on his point of view at a glance. He seems to talk about social control (bit tin-foil hat, that, and alarm bell-inducing with regards to a right-wing flavour of authority distrust) and about who seems to be making money/who benefits from the pandemic (a valid discussion point about corruption, I'd say).

I took the plunge and watched one recent video; he made a big point about not wanting to tell people whether or not they should get vaxed, that he's not qualified to comment, etc. I'd *guess* he's unvaxxed himself being a Yoga loon but doesn't want to be socially irresponsible (like he was with the 'don't vote' message) in this regard.

Can anyone confirm how mad or paranoid Russ is now? Or otherwise? I don't like to think that he could have lurched to the Right.

[Mobbd]

Clearly what Brand/Ross did wasn't on, but I think the "righteous actions" of the tabloids calling it out did far more damage under the guise of ... what, justice? It certainly multiplied the number of people who learned that Brand had sex with Sachs's granddaughter

That's the Mail all over really. Salacious gawping disguised (poorly) as a righteous quest for justice. Sexually-repressed, curtain-twitching [Fascist] bastards.

[gotmilk]

Can anyone confirm how mad or paranoid Russ is now? Or otherwise? I don't like to think that he could have lurched to the Right.

He walks quite a fine line as you observe. This article does a pretty good job covering it:

https://slate.com/culture/2022/01/russell-brand-pandemic-paranoia-youtube-channel.html

[sevendaughters]

Brand will probably get a reasonable free pass for me for some of the stuff he did on Re:Brand for UK Play. This scene where the Young BNP guy meets two England fans who immediately do not take to his shit is good:

https://youtu.be/xHEM_WQxa9E?list=PLrPWo5gGpbHxNzs0lj05I43hR2EkLKox_&t=967

[Inspector Norse]

Can anyone confirm how mad or paranoid Russ is now? Or otherwise? I don't like to think that he could have lurched to the Right.

I'd forgotten he existed but about three years ago I was browsing in a shop in London, on Redchurch St I think, and he tumbled in the door with a couple of very dodgy types, one of them bleeding profusely, begging staff to use the phone. Seemed that a deal had gone south as far as we could tell.
Not that that says anything about his political leanings or conspiracy theories, just seemed he wasn't exactly on top form. Drug "issues" nothing new for him of course.

[Noodle Lizard]

Brand will probably get a reasonable free pass for me for some of the stuff he did on Re:Brand for UK Play. This scene where the Young BNP guy meets two England fans who immediately do not take to his shit is good:

https://youtu.be/xHEM_WQxa9E?list=PLrPWo5gGpbHxNzs0lj05I43hR2EkLKox_&t=967

Oof. State of those comments, though.

[sevendaughters]

Oof. State of those comments, though.

yeah absolutely awful.

[Noodle Lizard]

yeah absolutely awful.

You'd think even the average racist or BNP type would recognise that Collett is a sad little twerp. He certainly doesn't come off well in the episode, regardless, didn't the BNP cut ties with him afterwards?

[sevendaughters]

You'd think even the average racist or BNP type would recognise that Collett is a sad little twerp. He certainly doesn't come off well in the episode, regardless, didn't the BNP cut ties with him afterwards?

he did another TV doc around the same time (Keith Allen maybe) where he also looked like a twerp so they passed the baton to Tony Wentworth (the guy who calls Brand a peasant, a nasty piece of work I have met irl, long story for another thread).

[Noodle Lizard]

he did another TV doc around the same time (Keith Allen maybe) where he also looked like a twerp so they passed the baton to Tony Wentworth (the guy who calls Brand a peasant, a nasty piece of work I have met irl, long story for another thread).

Oh is that the one who calls him out on his "effing and jeffing" or whatever it was? One of the highlights of the documentary, such a silly little moany voice. I had no idea he was at all notable other than that.

EDIT: Just watched that bit again. I love the mild-mannered skinhead next to him who probably only joined up because he went bald early and seems sort of confused by his own arguments. Then he just sort of gives up, and the other bloke takes over again:

"I'm proud to be white, I'm proud to be British."
"But there are other things to be proud of."
"Such as?"

I might need to give RE: Brand a re(:)watch. I remember some of it being really good, though I expect a lot of it's quite embarrassing to watch now. I remember finding the episodes with the homeless man really patronising, even at the time.

[dissolute ocelot]

Someone who's opinion I respect told me My Booky Wook isn't toe-curlingly awful and is actually quite intelligent. I still wouldn't read it.

As for his movie career, he was good in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, where he appeared with Kristen Bell and Jason Segel (a great comedy actor and a very likeable one), and his voice work was fine (e.g. the surprisingly enjoyable Trolls), but the idea of him starring in a remake of Arthur - surely among the laziest ideas of all time, and $48m worldwide box office on a $40m budget certainly isn't a hit, but still suggests surprisingly many people paid to watch him be significantly worse than Dudley Moore.

I can imagine future generations might regard him as a fascinating figure. Or forget him entirely.

[Andy147]

1. Someone said that the BBC is not allowed to broadcast an answerphone message without permission. As this show was pre-recorded, presumably permission was given. If Sachs was so offended, why did he give permission for it to be broadcast? (I lost interest before finding out if any of this is/was true)

2. Why was Sachs not available for his scheduled interview?

"Sachs later stated he had not given permission for the messages to be broadcast" according to Wikipedia.

[Old Nehamkin]

Favourite bit of that RE:Brand nazi episode, when Brand and Collett are at the pub and Brand is getting the drinks in:

Collett: (takes sip of beer)
Brand: Oh sorry mate, they didn't have any Guinness. I just got you this pint of black peoples' urine.

[Noodle Lizard]

Someone who's opinion I respect told me My Booky Wook isn't toe-curlingly awful and is actually quite intelligent. I still wouldn't read it.

It's pretty good as far as that sort of thing goes (or so I remember, I read it when I was 16 or so). It comes from a time where he hadn't quite reached megastardom yet, and a lot of it has to do with his adolescence and drama school years, as well as the early TV and radio stuff. I remember the stuff about RE: Brand in particular being quite interesting, as it shines a very different light on some of the episodes, including one that never aired as far as I can tell.

Of course, if you don't give the first fuck about Brand or his career, it won't be worth reading. I still find him sort of fascinating. He's one of the few famous people I can think of who was always pretty open about how fame and admiration was his primary goal, but he's clearly more introspective and insightful about it than yer reality stars or socialites. The trajectory of his career is really quite unusual, although I suppose he's ended up just about where you'd expect him to with the whole YouTube church thing (not that he couldn't have continued a fairly successful Hollywood career if he'd wanted to).

[Noodle Lizard]

Favourite bit of that RE:Brand nazi episode, when Brand and Collett are at the pub and Brand is getting the drinks in:

Collett: (takes sip of beer)
Brand: Oh sorry mate, they didn't have any Guinness. I just got you this pint of black peoples' urine.

I've just watched it again for the first time in years. Brand consistently makes (mostly quite funny) digs from the off, and I'd actually forgotten how well Collett takes a lot of them. It's almost sort of wholesome until the last five or ten minutes.

[Hobo With A Shit Pun]

Never liked the prick.
I must admit to liking him in the St Trinian's reboots, though. Cunt was born to play Flash Arry. Or carefully cultivated the appearance of being born to play Flash Arry. Same odds.

[sutin]

I was a big Russell Brand fan in the late '00s. A couple of those stand up DVDs (Doing Life Live and Scandalous) I still find myself quoting to this day. I drifted off after a couple of years and missed The Trews and anything thereafter, which is probably for the best.

[neardark]

I'd forgotten he existed but about three years ago I was browsing in a shop in London, on Redchurch St I think, and he tumbled in the door with a couple of very dodgy types, one of them bleeding profusely, begging staff to use the phone. Seemed that a deal had gone south as far as we could tell.
Not that that says anything about his political leanings or conspiracy theories, just seemed he wasn't exactly on top form. Drug "issues" nothing new for him of course.

Wtf?

[ProvanFan]

My ballbag, my ballbag

[Autopsy Turvey]

He seems to talk about social control (bit tin-foil hat, that, and alarm bell-inducing with regards to a right-wing flavour of authority distrust)

I've seen a lot of this line of thinking recently and I find it fascinating. When I was being taught media studies by openly left wing teachers in the early-mid 90s, I learnt that mass media is a powerful tool of social control which sets agendas that the public are expected to fall in line with, while the pinko subversives at Mad Magazine were encouraging me to distrust authority. So how did we get to this point where the left now think that social control via mass media is tinfoil hatted conspiracy madness, and distrust of authority is a right wing principle?

Can anyone confirm how mad or paranoid Russ is now? Or otherwise? I don't like to think that he could have lurched to the Right.

He doesn't seem mad, paranoid or right wing at all, although his use of clickbait headlines and capital letters is annoying. I can see why that's rubbed some up the wrong way; it's the most damning thing that Slate article could come up with.

[BritishHobo]

It's because it's misdirected. You have a right-wing press owned by billionaires enacting the whims of right-wing leaders, and yet when people refer to "the MSM" as an evil force for control, they're invariably not referring to those things, they're referring to news outlets that are encouraging you to distrust authority. The news outlets that criticise the police, that criticise global corporations, these are the ones paradoxically pitched as trying to lure us into some mad fascist globalist dystopia. The idea that telling people to listen to scientists and experts is somehow anti-freedom. It's bad for scientists to say get vaccinated against a global pandemic - that's what THEY want. And then the conspiracy is about made-up bullshit about concentration camps for the unvaccinated, and not the actual tangible ways in which neoliberals are stripping away our freedoms.

That's in answer to your question generally, I should add. I can't speak specifically for Brand's views on that.

[Autopsy Turvey]

It's because it's misdirected. You have a right-wing press owned by billionaires enacting the whims of right-wing leaders, and yet when people refer to "the MSM" as an evil force for control, they're invariably not referring to those things, they're referring to news outlets that are encouraging you to distrust authority.

Surely people referring to 'the MSM' are talking about the BBC, Sky, ITN, Hollywood, Netflix, Google, Disney, CNN, Fox, and the biggest newspapers? Which of these encourage distrust of authority?

The news outlets that criticise the police,

The Daily Mail are always slagging off the Met!

that criticise global corporations,

Like Pfizer?

The idea that telling people to listen to scientists and experts is somehow anti-freedom.

I suspect this is quite a rare, extreme example; the 'freedom issue' doesn't seem to be mass media telling people to listen to scientists, the problem is more trying to ensure that people can't listen to scientists outside the consensus.

And then the conspiracy is about made-up bullshit about concentration camps for the unvaccinated,

Again I think this is a small but noisy minority of deep-end paranoiacs, I don't think this sort of thing is a standard concern on the right.

That's in answer to your question generally, I should add. I can't speak specifically for Brand's views on that.

Brand doesn't seem to have definite views on anything, he's very milquetoast fence-sitty, all perspectives are valid, we are all one, don't get uptight man, join the scene and other phrases, money isn't real. Thank you very much for your reply!