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 thought your response to PARKLIFE! was brilliant. But then The Rubberbandits are comedy gods. So fuck your Subaru I have a horse outside.

I'll go away and think of a question now, honest...

Morning all,

Just popping in with a quick reminder to please remain civil and polite.
You can read the full webchat guidelines here

Thanking you kindly.

Russell, have you had your consciousness raised?

Would you like me to raise it for you?

Sorry Russell but I totally agree with my Lord and Saviour, Johnny Rotten, on your views about voting. How can you complain if you don't try to make a change?

And I'm like an older, fatter Katy Perry with more tattoos.

Still actually laughing at Sue's picture. Shall we all put our pictures up in the hope of pulling Russell!

I do have a question for you Russell, what do you say to the accusations that you're just a champagne socialist? Do you know that's how you come across now?

He makes prank calls to rape crisis lines?

Sorry, Russell. You've just left my "unnecessarily verbose with dumb ideas" column, and made it into my "What an utter cockweasle column".

I doubt you care.

I think to be strictly accurate he made a prank call to a police information line set up to try to catch a serial sex attacker - saying he had seen someone "dodgy" in the area they were interested in. And it was some years ago. Still ridiculous and unacceptable. But not an actual rope crisis line.

That's better, I suppose. Not by much but moves him into my "WTAF passes as comedy you numpty arse", Column

Actually. I'm not sure that's better at all.

I couldn't decide whether it made it better or not. At least he wasn't blocking the line and wasting a volunteer's limited time.......

Really? How is that funny? Why would you give police false information? Isn't that some sort of offense?

.

Can you please do another Get Him To The Greek...

Stroke the furry wall!

I have nothing serious to add, I just love that film.

He made one prank call to a rape emergency line during a gig in Northampton in 2008 : describing a dodgy looking suspect. He apologised for this as he was quite rightly hauled over the coals for it. I saw him live (Shame 2006) and he was doing material from local rags /prank calls then...using mobile phones from the audience. That was the far weaker 'filler' / he could, can and has written far better material and I think that was poor judgement seven years ago.

I do find the "poor judgement he's apologised for" line odd.

Why would the thought of doing that even enter your head?

Hi Russel, my question is What does your Mum make of you sleeping with so many Women?

All the people, so many people... Parklife

Because it's a live comedy gig and comedy is subjective. It's a schoolboy prank puerile knock a door run shtick you do when you are ten not thirty-three but in the same way you might call a local restaurant or God forbid the fire brigade or what have you, he chose to ring that info line (like thousands of nutters do on crimewatch probably). Me? Don't find that funny but some audience would have laughed at the shock value of any absurd phone call/at the fact he still hadn't learnt from Sachsgate/ at the mortification of whose phone it was/ at the fact it was local news at the time so edgy/current.

hi russell welcome to mumsnet do you know what you have let yourself in for? my question is, as someone who is more famous for their exploits in their private life,do you ever think you will escape this serial shagger label? And do you think this will be or is detrimental to your political endeavours?
I love you by the way joins the people on the bench

Russell, my nan says you sound like you swallowed a dictionary but I pointed out that you don't sound dead enough for that.

As for me pointing out he has apologised and it was poor judgement on his part, I have seen enough comedy gigs at Edinburgh fringe to know:

1. how hard it is and how I couldn't do it
2. the temptation to do something stupid for a laugh can override common sense or decency
3. there are far worse comedians and comedienne out there doing far lazier or crueller material than 5 minutes out of 90
4. having read his two autobiographies, the first one better imho, I don't actually believe the intent was malicious just stupid. I am sure he did some fundraising for mental health at the gig I was at and he has supported the vulnerable.

Bottom line. We all make mistakes and do stupid things in our lives but slebs are rightly held to higher account as they are in the public eye and are role models. But to categorise someone by something they did or thought seven years ago means that no one has the potential to change for the better, that rehabilitation is a myth or that redemption/amends through action means nowt. I find that sad and depressing to be honest.

He has carried on making those mistakes. Read his latest book and it is riddled with misogynistic attitudes.

I haven't read his latest so cannot comment on that...I read an excerpt regarding celeb telethon and took it that he was suffering from fame-fatigue and existential angst. But rather than just navel-gazing he was getting off his parse to do something.
I thought his article on Thatcher's death was beautifully written humanist and the opposite to all the other misogynist carp written at the time and me from a pit town was not in mourning

Parse? Arse. Posterior+arse ..it might catch on.
Carp? Crap. I apologise on behalf of my kindle that dares to predict my thoughts as I write them

MNHQ, shame on you for giving this misogynist more publicity.

Makes me feel a bit ill.

I'm pretty sure he's explained why he thinks we shouldn't vote many times.

Maybe we should just give the man a brick wall to bang his head against.