Talk:Russell Brand

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The Celebration of Mediocrity

I have removed pretty much all of the article because it is symptomatic of this age were merely being on television, regardless of ones talent (or lack thereof), is deemed sufficent enough to be included on this tool of learning and education. Russell Brand is a rather uncelebrated comedian whose main claim to fame is presenting a reality TV discussion programme, being a former heroin addict and achieving a level of notoriety in the tabloid press. This article was too long, a single paragraph is more than sufficent to describe him. Indeed the article went on to describe every job he has ever had. I can only assume that perhaps Mr Brand's agent was responsible for the content. —Preceding unsigned comment added by MrIanMaclean (talk • contribs) 22:20, 6 December 2007 (UTC)

Don't remove anything! People are actually using it! Just because you got something personal against Russell Brand it does not mean you can go delete everything. —Preceding unsigned 18:24, 25 December 2007 (UTC)

It is absurd to say Brand is 'rather uncelebrated' - in fact he is widely celebrated. Just as as example - in the Daily Telegraph Dominic Cavendish, reviwing his performance at the Camden Roundhouse in December wrote 'this year has seen him go from being the wittiest and lustiest new kid on the block to the hottest comic property in town' and ends the piece 'Shaman, showman and sex-machine all rolled into one, no-one else so encapsulates what it feels like to be 100% alive - and quintessentially English - at this moment in time'.

The signings of his autobiography, My Booky Wook had people queueing for 5 hours and more to see him and he signed literally thousands of books across the country. The book has topped the best seller lists for weeks. His Autumn/Winter tour was a sell-out and he appeared on lots of tv and radio shows over the Christmas period, including interviewing the Spice Girls and the Royal Variety Performance. You may not like him, Mr Maclean, but to say he's uncelebrated in a nonsense.86.137.205.78 (talk) 16:31, 1 January 2008 (UTC)

hi amy hehe —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.98.196.226 (talk) 20:22, 8 January 2008 (UTC)

Oh removing everything isn't at all childish. Russell Brand is not famous 'becasue he went on telly once' he has actually done quite a lot and if you read the article rather than deleting it you might have known that he has done a bit more than you give him credit for. And all your crap about how one paragraph is enough to explain him is pointless becasue your whingeing takes up that paragraph you have kindly allowed us. Also you contradict yourself saying the article was too long going on to talk about every job hes ever had. This would suggest he has done more than been on telly one time and that actually he is a worth while member of the entertainment society. Anyway since this person with his grudge against russell brand and his very childish behaviour has deleted the article you can basically find a lot about russel on the article page rather than discussion. Have fun.

As this section demonstrates, RB is a very polarizing figure. He has many admirers but at least as many people can't stand him and can't understand his appeal. Some acknowledgment of this in the main article would be helpful, and perhaps would defuse the rage of some of the Brand haters. --80.176.142.11 (talk) 13:01, 6 June 2008 (UTC)

How about a section on views of spirituality/religion? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 78.149.71.84 (talk) 10:52, 27 April 2008 (UTC)

The Fact that anyone at all can have their entire life summarised in a single sentence is patently ridiculous! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.23.63.63 (talk) 12:10, 16 July 2008 (UTC)

Russell's Sunday Radio Show

Russell Doesnt Do A Sunday Radio Show Now? Ive Just Read The Timetable On Radio2's Site. Someone Should Edit It If This Is True. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.17.163.69 (talk) 23:15, 10 February 2008 (UTC)

I think he still does his show becasue hes present it from LA at the moment from what i have heard. I cant confirm anyhting though. —Preceding unsigned comment added by PieAndMashUp (talk • contribs) 19:11, 13 March 2008 (UTC)

I have edited this as he doesn't do a Sunday show now. I have put a previously BBC 6 Music link in the info box. If you can't confirm he presents a Sunday show on BBC 6 then it shouldn't be on the timetable. --TwentiethApril1986 (talk) 12:23, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Locked Page makes an outdated insufficient Page

 Done ϢereSpielChequers 14:19, 9 September 2008 (UTC)

• The Russell Brand Show (radio show)
• The Russell Brand Show (television show)
• Russell Brand's Got Issues
• RE:Brand
• 1 Leicester Square
• The Abbey (TV series)
• My Booky Wook
• Russell Brand's Ponderland

--68.14.173.11 (talk) 13:48, 2 March 2008 (UTC)

I've checked and they are all in there now. ϢereSpielChequers 14:19, 9 September 2008 (UTC)

Big brother template

Is it really appropriate to have the big brother template at the bottom of them page still? He doesn't do big brother anymore, he has significantly grown away from it with standup, television appearances and films. --86.131.195.196 (talk) 22:50, 3 March 2008 (UTC)

I agree. Get rid of it, by all means Soulsonic Bambaataa (talk) 11:45, 9 April 2008 (UTC)

OCD

Can anyone provide a citation to prove that he does have OCD? Vanityjunkie (talk) 11:03, 21 March 2008 (UTC)

• He mentioned it in passing on his show like he does with numerous things all the time, not in the context of a serious medical problem. --Tefalstar (talk) 16:34, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Awards

Russell's radio show won, "The entertainment reward" [gold]. (http://www.radioawards.org/winners/?category=The_Entertainment_Award&year=2008)

It is in the awards section of the radio show. Bencey (talk) 17:37, 19 May 2008 (UTC)

Bugsy Malone

 Done ϢereSpielChequers 14:20, 9 September 2008 (UTC)

Hello there! I've never logged into Wikipedia before but wanted to point out that this article says Russell Brand is in "Bugsy Malone"--something which the Wiki "Bugsy Malone" page and IMDB both contradict. Not that interested in this person or editing this article per se, just wanted to point that out. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Pineappletyrant (talk • contribs) 21:08, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

The Bugsy Malone that Russell was in was his school play not the film. Bencey (talk) 19:13, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Middle-class, but Cockney?

There should be more about his early years, as this would illuminate the article. :)--andreasegde (talk) 18:39, 7 September 2008 (UTC)

Go for it! Wildhartlivie (talk) 18:58, 7 September 2008 (UTC)

VMA Awards: Direct Personal Attacks

During the 2008 Video Music Awards, of which Brand hosted, he used the Jonas Brothers and their relationship with God as a topical joke throughout the whole program. He later apologized in the program for using their religious beliefs as a topic. But in the doing, made more and more inappropriate jokes, as he also did throughout the entire program. He attacked Sarah Palin's daughter for being pregnant, and the republican party as a whole. He offended millions in his words, and inappropriate humor MTV obviously made a poor decision on this years host. Better luck in the next years. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jordanborrowman (talk • contribs) 06:18, 8 September 2008 (UTC)

I gather from the BBC that he didn't tone down his act sufficiently for a US audience; comparing Britney to Christ, calling the US President a retard and ridiculing virginity rings. I've got a source for the first two, but breakfast TV here can't repeat some of his comments. Not sure if that show was broadcast before or after the watershead, but did they really let him adlib live on primetime TV? ϢereSpielChequers 06:39, 8 September 2008 (UTC)

This really isn't the correct forum to discuss the political incorrectness or perceived inappropriateness of Brand's performance. However, in the interest of what may or may not be included in the article a few salient points should be made. The VMA awards were broadcast on MTV, which is not a primetime network channel, but a premium cable service that isn't as subject to broadcast censors as general broadcast networks might be. I watched the show and Brand was essentially Brand - a bit outrageous, a bit flamboyant, a bit non-PC. I didn't see or hear anything qualitative in his performance that I haven't heard from many other comedians. The Jonas Brothers bachelor party comment actually was a bit funny. He was making fun of conservativism as a whole, which isn't a new or shocking thing relative to the MTV music industry. However, I suspect his real offense was that he was British and dared to say those things. I would urge anything that is added to this article to be NPOV, well sourced, balanced and in context. It isn't really possible to say that he was allowed to ad lib, but then, a lot of comedians and hosts have been allowed to ad lib and this was the VMA awards. Wildhartlivie (talk) 07:15, 8 September 2008 (UTC)

OK, but I still think the controversy merits a mention in the article on him. What do you think of the sentence I added to Russell Brand#Presenting? Should I drop the had to from the apology bit? ϢereSpielChequers 07:32, 8 September 2008 (UTC)

Well, at present, the source doesn't actually support everything you've added. "...didn't tone down his act sufficiently for a US audience": that isn't covered in any way in the BBC article and meaning to or not, is a little POV regarding what a US audience would or wouldn't accept. As I said above, Brand didn't say much that hasn't been said by someone, on tv somewhere, in the US. George Bush gets ridiculed routinely, it's nothing new. Any comedy will reflect the opinions of the comedian. The Britney statement is going to be controversial, but at least to me, it doesn't compare her to Christ, it compares her musical comeback from the dead to the resurrection of Christ. It seemed like a bit of Britney worship on Brand's part. I honestly think at this point, anything included should be very much based in the sources given. There is nothing that supports that he had to apologize for anything. Who's to say it wasn't his own idea? Wildhartlivie (talk) 08:07, 8 September 2008 (UTC)

OK, had to has gone. ϢereSpielChequers 10:10, 8 September 2008 (UTC)

From what I can see from Brand's performance at the VMA awards his style of humour and act in general wasn't modified from how he usually performs. MTV booked him for his particular brand (excuse the pun) of comedy and showmanship as he has been doing for years in the UK and any controversy this caused in the USA is not noteworthy since this is not a wiki to report on America's view of people. -92.10.204.179 (talk) 11:45, 8 September 2008 (UTC)

The only controversy is due to the fact that Brand is a British Comedian mocking the USA he didn't really say anything an American comedian hasn't. Its a non issue. 62.30.54.79 (talk) 20:20, 8 September 2008 (UTC)

It is remarkable quite how po-faced the yanks get about such trivia. I mean Brand is quite a funny guy (if you like that sort of thing) and his own style (campness, victorian/cockney affectation etc.) really does highlight his own absurdity as a figure of fun. To get offended by his act on the VMAs is ridiculous. Then again, the straightlaced conservatism of certain sectors of US society is also, frankly, ridiculous and as such, is a valid target for ridicule. Free specch should be encouraged and protected. If the conservatives get to drone on tediously and sanctimoniously about their virtuousness, then comedians should be free to poke fun. Plus, let's not get started about the hypocrisy of the conservatives and their idiocy in the face of facts (evolution anyone?)...82.211.95.178 (talk) 12:27, 9 September 2008 (UTC)

Again, this isn't the correct forum for this discussion. I am American. I am the one who made the initial caveat about keeping this in perspective and requiring solid referencing. Not everyone was offended, and not every news source bashed him for it. Meanwhile, there is no place on this talk page for analyzing US vs. British conservatism or hypocrisy. I'm sure there is a nice discussion forum somewhere to indulge in such observations. This page is for discussing improvements to the Brand article. Wildhartlivie (talk) 12:34, 9 September 2008 (UTC)

On reading the world press and reaction to his performance, I think this page has survived relatively well... so far. A testament to the discernment and effectiveness of the wikipedia community. Beerni 11:08, 10 September 2008 (GMT)

EHM!! excuse me people...we are forgetting the jonas brothers, it wasnt his bussiniss to mock them for their belief in god, that was inappropriate and disrespectful

bedtime stories not bedtime life

 Done ϢereSpielChequers 11:36, 9 September 2008 (UTC)

the movie with him and adam sandler is called bedtime stories not bedtime life please change it and link it correctly —Preceding unsigned comment added by Tikopowii (talk • contribs) 23:05, 8 September 2008 (UTC)

I've changed it, thanks for pointing that out. ϢereSpielChequers 11:36, 9 September 2008 (UTC)