By Brad James
The past year or so has been a literal revolution – in both senses of the word – for the bizarre comic and all round controversial dandy that is Russell Brand. An utter turnaround from the fame seeking B-Movie Brit and pop star ex, clearly meditating on the state of the world, decided to make a U-turn from decadence into dissidence. October last year saw the moment when the comedian decided to “stand up” (pardon the pun) and be counted as a voice of discontent reverberating off the sheer wall of the rich and powerful. His first brand (sic.) of contempt was aimed at the voting system, admitting that not only did he not vote and never had, but also encouraged others to follow suit. Citing the usefulness of mass abstinence as an effective means to overthrow the system and undermine the political class that has grown too cosy holed up in the Palace of Westminster.
It’s a tactic that forges a double-edged sword, as the constant din of media furore (and Russell Brand himself) raise a hue and cry of support and complaint. Advocates propose that by showing mass disenfranchisement of the system, it will break under the weight of it’s own irrelevance, rather than limping along with the shrinking voter turnouts at successive elections. Opponents however, claim that not voting will just allow the political elite to become farther removed from their constituents, with hard-line supporters funnelling greater endorsements into their parties of choice, polarising the political landscape even more.
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Shades of grey in the political tundra has become something Russell Brand is willing to define in his crusade, it’s been an era since his Osama Bin Laden joke/indiscretion that got him fired from MTV in 2001. His battle with drugs and alcohol, and his womanising may always eclipse his politicking – which culminated in the Sachsgate Scandal – expulsion from the BBC and subsequent flirtation with Hollywood, kissing and marrying a girl like Katy Perry. Leading eventually to his tussles with Farage and the development of a revolution, where as one we take back power.
12 months on from his avowals of spurning the system on Newsnight, Brand has stuck to his word on making the world a better place… and swapping tacky celebrity for the more noble philanthropic ‘Man of the People’ mantle. Picking up the pace the ex-junkie has styled himself the new opiate of the masses, taking up any cause he feels lends clarity to the disillusioned. Keeping the mainstream media under intense scrutiny with his brand (sic) of news, The Trews, Russell maintains the heat on the powerful and stokes the flames of revolution, penning a book on the subject, giving voice to the poor facing rent hikes on the New Era Estate, his most recent antics include, fresh from a bout on BBC’s Question Time with UKIP leader Nigel Farage – touted as the fiercest bout since Foreman vs. Ali and falling flat, the audience provided more gusto – he has been invading bank offices with film crews.
Fresh from putting some change in his pontificating meter and dubbing Nigel Farage a “Pound Shop Enoch Powell.” Extending his ill-feeling towards the UKIP leader, a sobering assessment from a former addict to a controversy junkie:
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“Nigel Farage in the flesh, gin blossomed flesh that it is, inspires sympathy more than fear, an end of the pier, end of the road, end of days politician, who like many people who drink too much has a certain sloppy sadness.” [1]
Sadness festers and rots into irritation, even anger. When a stunt by Russell Brand is seen as just that, a mindless caper with no intentional lead or purpose, it harbours resentment even in the very portions of society Brand claims to be championing, raising the odd dichotomy between the comedian’s desire for a more simplistic form of governance… and a man’s basic desire for a delicious and warm lunch. Jo, from Northern Ireland formed the nexus of this dichotomy, as his being stranded outside as an unwitting victim of Brand’s attempted siege of an RBS office claimed an unlikely and unforeseen casualty, Jo’ paella. Feeling the heat ebb away from his lunch, Jo directed it towards Russell in an open letter. Highlighting several of the foibles with the revolutionary’s stand. His criticism ranged from: “instead of doing something potentially educational, Russell, you staged a completely futile publicity stunt. You turned up and weren’t allowed in. Big wow.” To unmasking some of Brand’s own hypocrisies: “And then there is that film you’re working on, isn’t there, for which I understand your production company is benefitting from the Enterprise Investment Scheme, allowing the City investors funding your film to avoid tax.” [2]
In the midst of his regular stint on The Trews, where he exposes the unjust behaviour of the elite (despite You Tube being owned by the tax avoiding Google), revealing the actions of the culprit behind the actions of the Sydney Coffee House siege – Man Haron Monis – was that of a lone madman and not representative of any wider ideology. Highlighting the narrative of fear mainstream media outlets levy against us, in order to imply the contrary. Brand spared enough time to answer with an open letter of his own, responding: “The locking of the doors and your tarnished lunch came about as the result of orders from “the faceless bosses” upstairs after I wandered in on my own while we secretly filmed from across the street – then security swarmed, all the doors were locked and crowds gathered outside. I must say Jo; it felt like RBS had something terrible to hide.” Adding: “I’d never knowingly keep a workingman from his dinner, it’s unacceptable and I do owe you an apology for being lairy. So Jo, get in touch, I owe you an apology and I’d like to take you for a hot paella to make up for the one that went cold – though you could say that was actually the fault of the shady shysters who nicked the wedge and locked you out, I’d rather err on the side of caution. When I make a mistake I like to apologise and put it right. Hopefully your bosses will do the same to the people of Britain.” [3]
Swings and roundabouts whirl in mindless abandon in the playground of political philosophy, and as the dual fabricators and children frolicking on them, we constantly take part in its mad rush without observing them objectively. Russell Brand has detected a fault, a lapse in the health and safety of this apparatus and has demanded it to be mended, whilst still riding it at the same time. Taking to You Tube, he voices opinions media outlets appear to shun at the behest of their paymasters… or is he expressing a viewpoint concurrent with the views of those and his followers? Additionally, as mentioned previously, You Tube’s parent company, Google, pays no tax, so Brand is gathering support from an outlet he allegedly intends to hold accountable. As a millionaire, Brand makes constant avowals of wealth distribution, although his contributions would be negligible and barely cover the scars of society, he still vocalises from a greater vantage point. Aggression towards Jo – whilst face-to-face and the indirect scorn in his reply letter – also speak of our nature.
Each of us are hypocrites, silently endorsing a system that envelops and cushions us, as does our walking, breathing and acting contradictions, it is a pulse in society of it’s own accord. We must stay aware of how it threads across our discourse and ties sometimes our own sensibilities in knots. The course of 12 months rarely run smooth, and for Russell Brand, they haven’t, media crows pecking at his well-intentioned crusade prompt him to do the same… which spells an odd back and forth, or a predictable one, for the revolution. All restructurings of power ape the same pattern, history has taught us this circular motion is the danger of what we fall into and it is also the sum of Russell’s 12-month crusade into changing the world. The latest victory for his cause, the purchase of the New Era Estate in Hoxton, London by the Dolphin Square Charitable organisation, has pledged to uphold affordable housing for the London estate residents, when previous purchase by US firm Westbrook Partners, would have seen many working class people evicted and rents doubled, has shown fettle and mettle to Russell Brand’s campaigning. [4]
Earning prior pedigree as a comedian, it was clearly Russell Brand’s MO to observe society for a long time and he has many funnels to siphon his take on the world through: fame, poverty, addiction, comedy, and mental illness. A man to embody many stanzas of Kipling’s stirring poem “If.” If is a factor here in the gaining pitch of revolution and the reactions to it, both positive and negative… if we can learn from one another. If there is more to society than the pieces we are given. If we can see beyond the differences and achieve a mutual understanding. If has always been a tiny word containing colossal meaning and embodies both evolution and revolution, if the correct conditions are met and maintained, if the fundamentals of the movement are upheld, which they rarely are. But idealism, though coming from a millionaire ex-junkie who once told a veteran actor he’d shagged his granddaughter on radio who wrecks people’s lunches whilst trying to paint a bigger picture of culpability and unity, is something which underpins evolution and revolution also… something we should strive to attain, no matter the source.
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Sources:
[1] http://www.russellbrand.com/2014/12/answer-time/
[2] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/disgruntled-rbs-worker-writes-hilarious-open-letter-to-russell-brand-after-anticapitalist-publicity-stunt-leaves-him-hungry-9930135.html
[3] http://www.russellbrand.com/category/articles/
[4] http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/19/charitable-foundation-dolphin-square-new-era-estate-london
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