Russell Brand on Revolution

[BigTom]

How is it that I get called a "politician" then I get called out for sectarian abuse!?

yeah, sort of owe you a semi-apology for that, butcher's been just as sectarian, just I agree with him, and I was fucked off with this thread and how those who say they support brand seem to do so completely uncritically and respond to any criticism with nonsense about keyboard warriors and brands hair and personal jibes rather than engaging with the points made so you took my annoyance cos you'd posted last, sorry.
I should probably just leave this thread really.

 

[taffboy gwyrdd]

What harm do you think doing the Trews or publishing his book has done, exactly? (serious question). And how would you suggest he go about getting his message across instead? By working directly within the community ? You think that Russell Brand would be better 'spent' getting stuck into community aid anonymously? If not, what do you suggest he do?

There certainly appear to be quite a lot of people who would slag him off a great deal less if he was just a normal bland celeb...silly panel shows, maybe the odd ad, aftershave range...OK Mag etc.

You don't have to be an RB sycophant to find that a really confounding attitude.

The thing about private work (be it community stuff or charity donations) is that, by definition, we don't hear about it. This one is as old as the hills for the nit-pickers : If we don't hear about it - assume it isn't happening. If we do hear about it, well it's just ego fuelled grandstanding innit. Fucked either way.

 

[Pickman's model]

i guess not comparing him to others, and regarding him as a regular bloke who has expressed his views helps.

a regular bloke perhaps most famous for phoning up an old man to tell him rb had shagged his grand-daughter. a regular bloke who has made prank calls to a rape line. for a journo, tho, your comprehension leaves a lot to be desired: i didn't compare brand to anyone else.

 

[andysays]

I've read his book...

Not sure if we should thank you or express sympathy for subjecting yourself to it.

...in it he claims that Dom Joly is the modern day equivalent of Guy Debord. He also seems to think that ISIS took Damascus and that they travel solely on horseback rather than US built High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles. That Assange was set up on rape charges and that classic 'global conspiracy' (you know, all the old tropes) is real. That politics can't bring about his revolution - only religion can...

That strikes me as even worse than I was imagining, but maybe Cheesypoof (who as we know has also read it) can explain why that's all good stuff and worthy of our agreement, not to say celebrating.

 

[rekil]

I should probably just leave this thread really.

Don't forget your cardigan.

 

[elbows]

Fair enough. The Michael Moore books despite their limitations actually were a good starting point for me when I was first getting into politics. I liked his book about 911. Although I would probably think it was shit if I read it today.

The film certainly wound me up by relying on some lazy cliches about the Saudis while ignoring Pakistan.

 

[Dogsauce]

Mind you, Moore himself has often said that he sees his books and his films and TV shows as "stepping off points" for people interested in issues, not as definitive documents.

I stepped off Moore into Al Franken. Christ it was bad. Partisanship rather than ideology. I think it made me look less favourably on Moore as there were similarities in what they were talking about.

 

[frogwoman]

To

The film certainly wound me up by relying on some lazy cliches about the Saudis while ignoring Pakistan.

That's what I would probably find shit today tbh I do remember at the time the book entered ct territory about Saudi Arabia.

 

[elbows]

If Brands profile is going to remain high for some time to come, I just hope he manages to learn from the likes of Mark Thomas, Jeremy Hardy, Robert Newman, Mark Steel, Charlie Brooker, and some others. Its not like politics/activism and comedy are strange bedfellows in this country. All of those I mentioned have their faults too, but they do/did seem to be able to get deeper into the subjects at hand - Brands hyperactive persona doesn't really help him in this regard.

 

[elbows]

That's what I would probably find shit today tbh I do remember at the time the book entered ct territory about Saudi Arabia.

Probably because his main angle was the Bush family ties to the House of Saud. Ah well, I quite liked some of his TV programs, at least compared to that film. And his excesses caught up with him in the end anyway, they did a number on him in Team America and Brand would be easy to portray with similar levels of absurdity.

 

[chilango]

Plenty of celebrities have been "political activists" over the years. Whether they've done more harm than good is a matter for debate.

What is different here though from many previous examples is that instead of becoming a supporter of a movement with a clear identity, Brand is being set up as a figurehead (willing or not) for a far more amorphous and malleable movement, one that is yet to be shaped and develop direction. The role he may play is thus of greater significance.

 

[Pickman's model]

he's jumped the fucking shark

 

[chilango]

Plenty of celebrities have been "political activists" over the years. Whether they've done more harm than good is a matter for debate.

What is different here though from many previous examples is that instead of becoming a supporter of a movement with a clear identity, Brand is being set up as a figurehead (willing or not) for a far more amorphous and malleable movement, one that is yet to be shaped and develop direction. The role he may play is thus of greater significance.

...as I've already said at the top of the thread.

A bigger/stronger/more rooted Left or opposition could easily absorb/accommodate Brand (as it did with all kinds in the 70s I assume.

But the opposition now is so small, unsteady, weak and lacking in identity that it can easily be (further) broken by the impact of individuals (even non-celebrities).

 

[Cheesypoof]

a regular bloke perhaps most famous for phoning up an old man to tell him rb had shagged his grand-daughter. a regular bloke who has made prank calls to a rape line.

He apologised for the Sachs call. You need to move on.

As for prank calls to a rape line? I'd bet you have either grossly misinterpreted the apparent misdemeanour, or its a load of rubbish. And i'll leave the other dig thanks

 

[Pickman's model]

He apologised for the Sachs call. You need to move on.

As for prank calls to a rape line? I'd bet you have either grossly misinterpreted the apparent misdemeanour, or its a load of rubbish. And i'll leave the other dig thanks

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbi...cry-Brands-joke-police-hunting-sex-fiend.html

which is it, cheesy? misinterpreted or a load of rubbish?

 

[Cheesypoof]

Not sure if we should thank you or express sympathy for subjecting yourself to it.

That strikes me as even worse than I was imagining, but maybe Cheesypoof (who as we know has also read it) can explain why that's all good stuff and worthy of our agreement, not to say celebrating.

I dont agree with everything he says. I think he can be a conspiraloon but i agree with his call for a need for revolution through non-violent means and much of his Trews bulletins.

 

[Cheesypoof]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbi...cry-Brands-joke-police-hunting-sex-fiend.html

which is it, cheesy? misinterpreted or a load of rubbish?

Just read it. Sounds like an extremely stupid juvenile prank gone wrong, from 2008. I am with you on this one. But i dont think there was any sinister intent. He has changed his ways since then and i think has learned from it. And we should let it go and focus on what he is saying today.

 

[elbows]

Plenty of celebrities have been "political activists" over the years. Whether they've done more harm than good is a matter for debate.

Madonnas attempts gave me the most chuckles. A music video featuring a grenade being thrown at a pseudo-dubya that got pulled after release, and a later quote from her about wanting to be like Gandhi or Lennon but she doesn't want to die.

 

[Pickman's model]

,

 

[Pickman's model]

It was an extremely stupid juvenile prank gone wrong, from 2008. I am with you on this one. But i dont think there was any sinister intent. He has changed his ways since then and i think has learned from it.

and what lessons do you think he's taken from the experience?

and for fuck's sake the man was 33 at the time. how's that a fucking juvenile prank?

 

[FNG]

moores Awful truth on Wallet amnesty holds up

 

[Cheesypoof]

and what lessons do you think he's taken from the experience?

well if you read his book, you'll see. When you havent, you wouldnt know.

 

[Pickman's model]

well if you read his book, you'll see. When you havent, you wouldnt know.

you say it was a juvenile prank. for fuck's sake, the man was THIRTY-THREE at the time. by that time you're not making schoolboy errors, you know what the fuck you're doing.

 

[elbows]

well if you read his book, you'll see. When you havent, you wouldnt know.

Since you've read it, how about you tell us?

 

[Cheesypoof]

you say it was a juvenile prank. for fuck's sake, the man was THIRTY-THREE at the time. by that time you're not making schoolboy errors, you know what the fuck you're doing.

yep, youre right about that! i think he has made up for it now though, he is trying hard to be a good man. He has changed. That's what is exciting about the whole Russell Brand 'story' - he was lost and now is found - the greatest cliche of words, imaginable, has happened to a once egotistical, hopeless and hapless addict. I find that refreshing. And he is a force for good. Another thing, you think the Rubberbandits would get mixed up with someone transparent? get to fuck!

 

[andysays]

I dont agree with everything he says. I think he can be a conspiraloon but i agree with his call for a need for revolution through non-violent means and much of his Trews bulletins.

But what do you think about the specific things butchersapron has mentioned about his book and/or many of the other specific criticisms of his actions etc which people have pointed out?

Do you think someone who comes out with these various things mentioned and who you concede can be a conspiraloon should be treated with reverence (your word, post 1648), or do you think that he is a valid target for criticism?

 

[Cheesypoof]

Since you've read it, how about you tell us?

you joking? no way am i gonna summarise it for you, so you and others can sit there with your armchair analysis and sneery comments. Thats what you want to do, enit?

 

[rekil]

Who gives a shit who the rubberbandits get mixed up with.

 

[frogwoman]

He lived for 33 years not knowing that rape is not funny and that waste police time is a criminal offence

 

[butchersapron]

well if you read his book, you'll see. When you havent, you wouldnt know.

Are you quite sure that you've read Revolution?