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 )

I took the whole biscuit importance thing to be because MN made a mockery of itself with that question a few years ago and its been a well referenced standing joke since.

I don't think he used it to avoid anything else.

I do often think that with many MN webchats that the politicians or celebrities are woefully under-prepared for the experience. They then come across as wankily patronising from the start; and during this phase, and whilst playing catch up from about ten minutes in, they really do start revealing themselves in the most unintended ways.

The best webchats from the perspective of the 'talent' are usually when they have done a bit of homework about the MN audience, and maybe looked at the thread in advance to determine the tone and content.

Sarah Teather, for example, was pretty good (and then the Lib Dems sacked her, the fools).

It's all about the truth. It was great to get my question answered. Thanks MNHQ.

I was under the impression the biscuit issue wasn't down to Mumsnetters being biscuit obsessed, but the reluctance of a particular politician to commit to having a biscuit preference without running it past a focus group and a PR team first, thus looking like a dithering old wankbadger.

ArcheryAnnie

Yes, he didn't want to upset the British biscuit industry, so refused to be drawn.

Happy to fuck off everyone else, though.

Okay - I'll concede that as a relative newbie, Biscuitgate has lost me a bit. (Although, I thought someone made reference to Jaffa Cakes earlier, not a penguin). Beside the point, not important, and I'm bewildered by it all

Ommmmmmmmmmm

Ommmmmmmmmmm

the Voice of TREWS will change the way of the world .People are becoming more engaged. when will you come back to the USA ? the young people here need to have their eyes and hearts opened too. Thanks for all you do. ;( Your Mum is doing a fine job mothering you anyway . ????????? cuddles to you both

Jaffa cakes being a cake or a biscuit is one of those long-standing 'hilarious' MN joke arguments.

I could never work out whether it was a harmless distraction from the woes of the heavier threads, or a metaphor for RL vs MN.

monkies1 I think a few nuclear bombs in the wrong hands may sadly change the way of the world, but not the Voice of Trews.

It was total shite.

Davsmum - I think the aggression is coming from you, here. I don't think it's an accident, or him running out of time, that meant he avoided anything that might actually challenge him.
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Of course,..saying 'He didn't answer lots of questions' is scarily aggressive.

Davsmum, I was wondering if there has been a case of mistaken identity somewhere along the line...

I don't know, LineRunner
I am as pissed off as anybody that he avoided ArcheryAnnie's questions.
Typical of people in interviews though,..they don't answer the questions that we really need answers to.

LineRunner - first exchange on page 26 here. As they say over an upturned bar table, I didn't start it, guv.

It was originally Tiggy but now its become a webchat "thing" to ask and because of the way it was picked up by the media, i.e Mumsnetters couldn't think of anything more important to ask the possible future PM, its been turned into a big joke by all who visit and the fact its been asked at least 3 times on this thread.

That sounded Snipey, sorry Tiggy :o

I would just like to stress that I do not judge anyone based on their biscuit preferences

You're starting to have that problem... I love Jesus. Can't stand the people who follow him. There's a gnostic saying attributed to that character that goes something like: "Do not follow me. Follow what I follow" or "the Messiah could be born a thousand times in Galilee, but all in vain until he is born in you" -- and hence: 50days/50 nights in the desert is useless... unless you find out for yourself.

Can we stop staring, and fixating and start listening?

Thanks Russell for the sanity. The time is now.

Hoka Hey!

I'm not bothered by the biscuit question (which I think inevitable in every webchat), but by all the other waffle he spouted, sandwiched between the embarrassing stuff from people who think he's the second coming.

For a man who dismisses politicians as irrelevant, he sure does like to answer the "So, minister, what message do you have for a grateful nation?"-type questions.

But Davsmum and Annie, you're on the same side! Here, have some

And one for me

On this page:

monkies1 - "the Voice of TREWS will change the way of the world..." - First post.

Mabus - "Can we stop staring, and fixating and start listening?

Thanks Russell for the sanity. The time is now." - First post.

Whatever he pays his PR team...

wow. I liked him. I mean, my friend did.

Whatever one thinks of his politics though, he's surely not one of life's bad guys?

I don't know GreyGardens. I find it difficult to consider a man who spouts a misogynistic message across the media without stopping to think of the effect his message has on half the population less than likeable.