To actually love Russell Brand after his performance on Newsnight tonight..?

[Scarletohello]

My God I only caught it by chance and I literally couldn't believe what he was saying to Paxman. He was calling for a revolution in society, for wealth to be distributed and he was so articulate and passionate about it. NO ONE is saying this stuff although there is so much anger in British society about how inequitable society has become but everyone has become so demoralised about it ( or blaming immigrants, asylum seekers etc)

I hope you guys get a chance to see it and tell me what you think of it, I am in shock right now.

( also pissed off about AF being banned too...)

[HogFucker]

........ though I suppose if he kept his mouth shut ......

[Nancy66]

He lost me at 'I don't vote'

[HotCrossPun]

He's a dish. And I love how passionate and articulate he is.

Paxman isn't too bad either!

[cranberryorange]

YANBU, Russell Brand is fantastic.

Vive Le Revolution!

[DoctorTwo]

I agree with much of what he had to say, but not with wealth redistribution. We should redistribute risk. Look at recent deals like Hinkley, where those idiots in charge have guaranteed a minimum price for electricity to EDF and their Chinese partners. Given that EDF is 85% owned by the French government this deal means we, as taxpayers, are subsidising the French for the next 35 years. More and more we are seeing risk and corporate losses socialised, whilst profit is being privatised.

[ifyourehoppyandyouknowit]

Not voting through apathy and not voting through 'weariness' result in exactly the same thing. He doesn't quite seem to understand the point of voting. If no one bothers voting, nothing will ever change.

I appreciate his passion. But he's a tit if he thinks he's going to change anything this way.

Also hate his fucking hair. Hate it hate it hate it hate it.

[flatpackhamster]

I don't think enough attention is paid to junkie comedians and their view of the world.

The reason 'no-one is saying this stuff', OP, is because it the politics of the myopic teenager.

[EverythingUnderControl]

He sounded like Wolfie Smith

I used to like Russell Brand a lot in the old days and thought he was very original.

But then he sold out- went to Hollywood and became a terrible 'Ak-tor'. Well it's made him a pile of money I guess, good for him. But in the process he's become a parody of himself and he must be aware of that to some degree.

He seems to want to come back but into what? Politics?? Last night he just sounded a pleonastic berk looking for an edgy platform to climb onto. I'm not sure he's always as clever as he thinks on every subject. He was great at comedy. I wish he'd just left it at that.

[Lazysuzanne]

I think he makes good points, but it's hard to take him seriously when he opetates via an idealistic, hair flicking, hypomanic joker personna

[Lazysuzanne]

lol @ the Citizen Smith comparison :o
very true!

[flatpackhamster]

EverythingUnderControl

I had never heard of the word pleonastic, but it's super and I plan to use it pleonastically, again and again and repeatedly ad infinitum.

[EverythingUnderControl]

[Trigglesx]

If he's saying "don't vote" then he really is being stupid. One of the biggest ways we can make a change is by voting. The older generations understand this, which is why the Conservatives make sure they try not to make too many sweeping changes to the older generations.

As soon as you see huge turnouts for all ages, especially 30 and under, you'll see changes IMO.

[Lazysuzanne]

I'm not sure if I'd even describe him as pleonastic, I think manic, frenetic or effervescent describes him more accurately!

[EverythingUnderControl]

I felt embarrassed for him. Bombarding the interviewer with too many words doesn't make your argument water tight.

Jeremy just looked mildly bemused, not at all convinced.

[UriGHOULer]

I like him, I think he cares, but if he's trying to engineer a change though politics, it won't happen. The change will come, is already happening through the convergence of science and spirituality.

He should stop getting irate and be happy. Irate does not suit him

[wamabama]

I didn't think he came across very articulately at all. It was as if he hadn't really thought his argument through properly. I agree with what he was saying but he didn't put the argument across with any real eloquence and it just made him sound like a teenager wanting anarchy. He didn't know how to answer at all, it was all a bit "Well I don't know the answers or how it will all work but I know it needs to happen all the same.".

It's a shame because his piece on Thatcher was one of the best written articles I've ever read. I expect more of him really, he's clearly an intelligent man and he cares.

[DoJo]

The only clever thing about Russell Brand is how he's managed to convince people that he's bright, simply by using the odd long word (often incorrectly and out of context) and trotting out fairly naive, idealistic notions mixed in with truisms which make people believe that he has actually put some thought into what he is saying. It is all designed to sound impressive without actually having any substance. It frustrates me, because there are plenty of 'slebs' who have a genuine understanding of politics but because they don't blow as much smoke up their own arses as Russell Brand does, they don't get the exposure.

[ifyourehoppyandyouknowit]

If you sat in any first year sociology or politics seminar you'd hear the same thing over and over again. He sounds like someone gave him the newest edition of Giddens for his birthday.

[DoJo]

Do you mean first year of secondary school, or university? If the latter, then I think you are being very generous...!

[KirjavaTheCorpse]

Shh Paxman. Shh.

[FunnyRunner]

I do have a bit of a dirty crush on him :o Didn't see him on NN.

[Crinkle77]

I have to agree with president. It's all well and good having principles when you are loaded.

[FunnyRunner]

RB that is, not Paxman. Paxman looks like his face is made of play dough.

[dutchyoriginal]

and big @ Flatpackhamster