Webchat with Russell Brand - Weds 12 Nov - 1 o'clock

[JustineMumsnet]

We're very pleased to say that Russell Brand is joining us on Wednesday 12 November between 1 and 2pm.

For those who don't know, Russell Brand is a comedian, actor and author.

His latest book, Revolution, sets out his views for political change - because, he says, "democracy has been taken away from us".

You might have caught his recent interview on Newsnight, which was widely discussed on the boards.

This is his third book, following My Booky Wook and Booky Wook 2: This Time It's Personal and has just published the first in a new series of children's books Russell Brand's Trickster Tales: The Pied Piper of Hamelin, written by Russell and illustrated by Chris Riddell.

Please do join us on Wednesday - or if you can't, feel free to post questions in advance, here.

(Reminder that we only allow one question and one follow-up per user, so make sure to use yours wisely )

Hi Russell,

You use your words beautifully (I appreciate you for you mind, you see) but I feel a bit crap for agreeing with a lot of what you say but in the back of my mind thinking you've been pushing the erudite Lydia Wickhamness for a while and you might not go the distance on something this serious.

Come the revolution, will you be chasing something shiny?

Tricky. I'm torn between abuse or mockery.

Best to hide the thread then Tiggy.

I think I'll go for both.

Impressed by Hully's use of zeugma. That's good.

Joins Mrs C and sparkling on filthy bench

The filthy bench is getting full. I need to think of a sensible question.

Dearest Russ,

What do you say to your critics who think you're not actually the deep thinking word-smith and saviour of mankind as you believe, but an obviously out of your depth 6th former who's passionate but vague ideals are not rooted in any reality or demonstrate any in-depth knowledge of any subject, and that your eleventy million word book, Revolution Wevolution, is just rambling tosh with jokes and complicated - PARKLIFE - words to trick gullible idiots into supporting you in some way, and that it would have been better printed in soft absorbent roll form?

"I can’t get my head around economics."

Well neither can I. That's why I'm not applying to run a city which is the world's 3rd largest city economy, and if compared with countries, would be the 9th largest in Europe.

Er, Justine, I think The Bench need a monitor. I think they're googling dragonbutter

Hi Russell, your latest book Revolution is an echo of my dads work for the last 10 years and i agree with your call for a revolution.

My question stems from unfortunately seeing a lot of negative responses to your views, do you think enough people will stand up for a revolution when the time comes?

Absolutely agree with costacoffeeplease - why on earth are we helping this person to publicise his book?

How would you respond to the accusation that yours is a revolution of apathy?

I've heard you speak a lot about what we (and politicians) should not do (vote!) but what do you think we should actually do?

Dearest Russell, I'd like to think I'm a fairly intelligent kind of person. Post grad degree, important job, widely read. However when I hear you being interviewed on TV I seriously struggle to work out what you're actually saying. Its not your use of long words (I do understand long words), I think its the stringing together of long words in what comes across as a rather convoluted manner while talking at speed.

If I'm trying to get a point across I always try and put it fairly simply so the majority of people who hear me will understand and hopefully agree with me.

Do you gabble in a complicated manner on purpose in the hope that people won't realise that actually you don't have a sensible argument?

I'm another who cannot understand the logic of telling people not to vote so would love an explanation of that. Surely that just concentrates power in the hands of those who do?

As that question has been asked several times already though I'll content myself with asking how you respond to the suggestion that you have no substance to your views and, in the words of The Times, "create a wall of words and noise designed to stifle independent thought" Yes we're back to Parklife again!

How can you say it doesn't matter who yoy vote for, to the people who've had DLA cut, or lost their jobs. or who've elected not to go to Uni because of the debts, or whose local healthcare is being outsourced and 'rationalised' or who've lost their homes, or fed their families from food banks, or who are unable to leave their DV situations because of the withdrawal of funding because of the policies of this government? The list is hardly exhaustive, but all of those people are at the mercy of the differences in political parties and our votes are vital to real, day to day material of their lives. Those things might not affect you with your massive wealth but your position is one of massive privelege and your invectivr not to vote is to the undpubted brnefit of the political right because they will always vote. Is it a coicidence that a right wing government is directly beneficial to you in terms of tax policies?

Hi Russell,

My question for you is 'what is your favourite smiths/morrissey song'???

Thanks,

Mrs Moz

You are very good at words but I would like to see you put your money where your mouth is. You are very engaging to a demographic that is not a big voter traditionally so instead of telling people not to vote, should you be engaging them in practical ways of taking responsibility so that the future is less bleak?

and I know I'm not allowed a 2nd question, but this is from my husband as he's worried

where is your cat Morrissey and is he/she happy?

How do you justify £20 for your new book, published just in time for Christmas, with your anti capitalist views? Surely it should be distributed free of charge for the betterment of the nation. Or do you need some extra cash?? Please don't send me a copy BTW.

His publisher Random House, is "part of a joint venture between publisher Bertelsmann and the Pearson group, whose complex tax avoidance schemes through the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg the Eye has chronicaled for a couple of years." - Private Eye

Shame more of that £20 doesn't go to the NHS Bigkidz

That was a comment, not a question.

A timely and relevant one though Tiggy. Maybe Russell would like to give us his views on how that tax avoidance fits into his revolutionary philosophy

What does the anti-capatalism protest like that earlier on this month hope to achieve? and Are the media in cahoots with the current regime? The BBC have form from the Thatcher years

Hi Russell, what does the future hold for you in terms of your career, do you think? Are you going to continue spreading the word about abstinence based-recovery and also try and delve into politics professionally, or would you drop all of this and head to Hollywood again if the price was right?

(I love you, by the way )

Hi Russell,

I'm very interested in whether you are taken seriously by anyone who can actually effect change, or whether you are on the outside looking in? I just wonder if your subjective sex appeal and tapestry of clever sounding words is actually just dismissed by those in power and you are really not being taken seriously? Do you meet anyone in government to ask them directly to answer questions? I don't even know if that's possible or something you want, so am genuinely interested.