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 )

That video is very good.

WHY must he be such an arse about the misogyny stuff when he's so funny and lovely in other ways? WHY?

Perhaps he should have had questions about childcare?

Quite, Springy.

The message is more important than the Messiah.

How lovely to see you, hully

Where're you hanging out?

I occasionally flit in, mainly on style and beauty ...thought you had gorn a long time ago

Just the occasional pop by meself, whatever catches the eye, y'know?

The eye catchers are passing me by, though am finding MUCH of interest/use on extra curricular

[one of THOSE mums face]

You were right about Made jn Chelsea, btw

As for Brand, it goes:
RB:Your government isn't serving you but looking after its own vested interests
Everyone:You WANKER!

I'm doing a book on it
You WANKER! I bet you're trousering the profits to buy gold taps in Hollywood

I'm setting up a community facility for ex addicts to retrain with the proceeds
You WANKER!

Now I'm publicising cause of single mothers in Newham facing eviction
You WANKER!

Now I'm taking the campaign for affordable housing London wide and tackling Boris
You WANKER!

I'm doing a thing for kids at the Albertorl. It's sold out, but you can have some free tickets
You WANKER! I bet you're using the proceeds for MORE GOLD TAPS

The proceeds are going to charidee
You WANKER!

...repeat ad infinitum

Excellent summary Spring. Just add Parklife! as if you are the first to ever say it and that's it really.

INDEED

That Bastard Russell

I've got no real vitriol for RB- I actually really want to like him, because I do think his heart is in the right place, some of his journalism has really impressed me, and I really enjoyed that documentary about addiction he did. But then I read things like that hideous story about the wardrobe assistant bullied into flashing him before he'd start work, and it gives me the rage. How can he talk about social justice and yet treat half of human society like objects? It's so frustrating.

What is Parklife?

thick

Exit someone on Twitter compared RB's book to the Phil Daniels' parts of Parklife (basically because he has an Essex accent and uses big words - shock! horror! keep the big words for the people with RP accents!). So basically people started tweeting Parklife after everything RB said. Then RB made a video in response. There's a summary here

www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/nov/10/parklife-russell-brand-releases-parody-after-being-mocked-on-the-internet

He is so obviously Not A Wanker, but I don't see him as What This Country Has Waited For either - calm down, dears

I kind of want to like him too he picks all my boxes wrt to tall, dark and handsome, but strangely leaves me either unmoved or irritated and I agree with many of the points he's making.
WHICH OTHERS HAVE MADE BEFORE HIM AND ARE STILL MAKING AND WILL MAKE AGAIN.
And don't get why he's suddenly been given such a platform but then I've been told before that I am a bit naive wrt how modern PR works.

"He is so obviously Not A Wanker, but I don't see him as What This Country Has Waited For either - calm down, dears "

Really? I think he redefines "wanker"!

By Not A Wanker I meant not nasty/malignant/going out of his way to hurt.
He's IMO a rather intelligent, rather messed up individual, recovering from past problems and trying to make sense of his own life, deeply flawed, grasping for some self-awareness, and well meaning.
I'll not comment on actual wanking….
If I knew him as a private individual I'd try and be kind to him and leave him to his recovery.

Why is he having such a platform??

I've seen more spite and vitriol over the last few months directed at RB than any other public figure- on twitter and elsewhere

I can't tell if you are being serious or nor sprinnheeledjack? people have rightly taken him apart over his "revolution" and shouted #parklife

But fuck me, half the celebrity women of twitter are being threatened with rape and murder...but you reckon RB is getting the wost of it? Worse than Chloe Madeley? Worse then Ched Evan's victim (who had to go in to hiding)? Worse than CHarlie Webster?

Isn't it more important that ANYONE stands up and says what he is saying?

What's the point in saying it's been said before. The point is to keep shouting it until something changes...

Yes, Hully. And that should include speaking out against women's oppression too.

You have higher hopes and greater expectations than me..

Can you genuinely imagine a revolution as started by Russell Brand> I mean think it through. there's not enough hair spray in the Western hemisphere.

There was an interesting thread on here not that long ago asking why there had not been a revolution here or anywhere in the Western world yet - good question IMO.
My answer? Because people are content watching Strictly and goggle box and moaning about the state of affairs, but only a few are actually doing something, anything to get involved in their communities - which is part of the disenfranchisement problem, of course.

I am not pretending that I have the solution.
I am more than happy for RB to express his opinion on political systems, but I don't get the passion, positive and negative, towards him.
I suppose he has as much right to style himself as a political animal as Ronald Reagan had…

I'm pretty sure most people say 'stuff that has been said before'. If we're only allowed to posit new, interesting theories then the world would be much, much quieter.

V true.

What why is being treated as the new messiah, politically speaking?
I don't get the hysteria frankly.

Anyway, off to wash some bedsheets

Is he? By whom? He' saying all the things I think need saying, and he's getting them heard. Good enough in my book.

soz Gerbil

thought I'd made myself clear- bit where I said I only follow Naice Lefties/journos

what I meant was, with the lefties and feminists and journos etc I follow, there's been more revulsion directed at Brand than at any other single public figure- eg Farage, Cameron, IDS

the day the Mail 'reported' that 'a friend' had said Brand was thinking of running for mayor [BOGGLE], a gazillion bloggers took to their keyboards (on a weekend already) to say what a shit idea it was

and of course it turned out to be arse

he hits a nerve, I get it

tho for folk to spend hours attacking Brand when there are other targets FAR more worthy of their ire? Don't geddit