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 )

Thanks for your reply Russell :) Lets hope similar change happens in rUK and voting is made relevant for everyone on these islands. Keep doing what you're doing!

Russell, if misogyny is something you've put behind you, why do you still write about women as if they're things, not people?

@joeduckman

Hi Russel I'm planning to travel this country on the power of love and generosity ( bad spelling but I'm a idiot and writing quickly ;) i'm planning to make weekly video's and show everyone the best of this amazing country, show the people, the places and true community. my question is what would you say the best way to get seen and capture the attention of a audience without having celebrity name and face like yours :) i know random question Joey Britain ( travel name)

Don't think about mass attention - think about individual connections. Stay truthful to what you're trying to do - the other stuff happens automatically. It's a mistake people make to think celebrity is some kind of panacea - focus on what you're doing and forming connections.

Oooo tickets please.. We'll come. To make up for us queries for Amma so long when I bet you didn't have to. Tar

Archery it was more that you said to Justine this wasn't your best hour on MN....I tried to be friendly before but clearly need to steer clear.

If some people wish to express their adoration whlist others talk politics, it's their choice.

@HeeHiles

Can I just thank you for raising the profile and plight of the E15 Focus mothers. They had been battling for over a year but you made their story global - Keep it up!

Thank you. Jasmine and Sam ran an amazing campaign and demonstrate exactly how ordinary people acting directly and creatively can make an impact. Now, we should support the New Era families in their campaign against Britain's richest Tory MP, Richard Benyon, who through greed, wants to turf them off their estate. Check my Twitter feed to learn more.

I find it really weird that a famous person could be on the Internet at the same time as me!!
Hi Russell!
My two year old is currently wigging out because I won't let him eat a fridge magnet. And I was wondering as an aside, do you have a favourite children's book?

Clementin (6) says, why do you like truth? x

Hi Russell I'm 34 years old and I've never voted, I wrote to David Cameron saying so before he was elected. I think it's really stupid feminists saying you should exercise your right to vote because as a woman I think I have as much right to not use my vote as any man !

How long do you think it's going to take before we have someone we can vote for though ? Is it all too idealistic to ever be realised ? Look at shoreditch it's full of poshos now ! It's like we're going backwards !!

I will - Thank you for coming on

@GreyGardens

Hiiii Russell!

Do you have a soft spot for dark-haired, sultry, older women who also support West Ham?

Asking for a friend cough

Yes –very much. I'm forever blowing bubbles, West Ham forever. Let's run away from all this.

He can give free tickets to the 'poor, downtrodden masses though can't he', after all he's one of the 'elite' isn't he?

I've just read up thread that you have written a children's book! Sorry for therefore asking you a daft question!

@MmeLindor

Politics is shaped by the wealthy, and the influential - and now it seems the famous. What makes you so different from Cameron, Gove, Clegg, Farage and all the other wealthy politicians who pretend to be men of the people?

It is all very well calling for a revolution, when you aren't struggling to survive till the next paycheck.

Unlike any of the people you listed, I wasn't born rich. Unlike any of the people you listed, I am calling for the deconcentration of power. Unlike any of the people you listed, I am calling for localised direct action outside of the pre-existing political structures - and most importantly, unlike any of the people you have listed - I'm not a politician, I'm a comedian. I don't need your vote. I don't want anything from you. I just want the truth.

I'm currently reading Revolution and beneath your exuberance you make some interesting points. I am struck by the dichotomy of your message and it's hysterical interpretation by main stream media, where does your class come into your politics. By the way you are soooooo wrong encouraging people not to vote but otherwise got the right idea collectivising rocks people are so willing to follow the crowd but not when it benefits them it seems.

Have I said anything different, Tinyminx? I haven't told other posters to get off this thread, as you have me. Is this new revolution one where dissenters should keep quiet or slink away, then?

Hello Russell, I think you're ace, and not in a mucky way!

@Bau69er1

Do you think that Smoking weed hinders or impides of getting how can i say... More enlightened ? Blessings Markus

It depends who you are. FOR A WHILE, I thought drugs helped me. But long-term, there was no way I could continue. For some people, using drugs is not a problem. For others, like me, it's a massive problem. Drugs should be properly regulated, controlled and kept away from people like me who can't use them.

Russell ,

This is not to belittle anyone.. Trying to spread critical thought and help everyone better partake in changing their living environments.

Democracy and voting.

Would you agree that people's ability to vote for betterment and make decisions on policies or directions is dependent on their backgrounds and educational level?

Meaning. if you're not educated in or have a background in many fields and ideas regarding energy, agriculture, housing, recycling , waste management, transportation methods, resource management.... ecosystems...so on... How can someone vote for or determine which politician does understand these many fields? How can you expect an undereducated public to meaningfully take part in or support someone to generate real betterment and guide the direction of a country ?

Thank you Russell for what you're doing... It's important to get your feedback.

thanks for coming to do a webchat Russell I will buy a copy of revolution

This is the last thing I'm going to say on Ol Russ - honest

He could just sit in a Hollywood palace making more shit films like Arthur [soz] and fucking his way through LA Wannabe's with gay abandon or what ever he wants. He could spend all his money on smack or prostitutes or whatever he wants. He could even invest in private health care companies. Get elected and then dismantle the NHS to fill his own pockets - oh no wait, that's someone else.

OR he could think fuck that shallow lifestyle it's not working why don't I try and make amends for some of the wrongs I've done by using my celebrity to highlight social causes and promote a fairer society.

If he'd continued the former, no one says anything. No one says much about the MP's obliterating our society for their own political gain.

He does the latter and he's a cunt??? Eh, I don't get it.

Thanks for your time today Russell, I appreciate you answering my question.

This is excruciating - I came on to see if there was anything interesting...

I'm with LineRunner and ArcheryAnnie all the way.

Hi Russell,
I notice a couple of people on the thread have been trying to pick you up on sexism and that has made me curious, as come to think about it, it does seem to have been an Achilles heel of yours. Only recently I watched your criticism of an admittedly odious woman on a news programme saying low paid workers had no right to protest, and I was completely with you until you started miming and talking about her breastfeeding poison through her titties etc! I felt that was a cheap way to attack her when you had so many other good ways of doing so. Obviously the Sachs debacle was another example of a dubious attitude to women. You seem to have learned a lot in life and become increasingly thoughtful in many ways. Do you think you're attitude to women and thoughts about sexism have changed and evolved? If so, how?

@Whitershadeofpale

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?

Read the book, learn about co-operatives, direct democracy and community. Apathy is what we have, apathy is putting an X in a box; what I'm advocating is direct control of ordinary people over their own lives, and the dismantling of systems that prevent this happening. It's going to be more work than voting.