Russell Brand

[Guest musick]

I know a lot of the members on this board are from the UK or surrounding areas, so help me out here. I just saw him for the first time giving stand-up in New York. I know his act is mainly sex usually, but he got a lot of laughs for, well, being fucking British. He was very funny, though, and his stuff about the VMA's was fantastic.

I was just wondering how he's received in Britain and elsewhere. Is he hated or loved? What's his act like? Just sex? His sex jokes weren't that funny, but his regular gig material was spot on.

P.S. May sound dumb, but are there any American comics who go to the UK and get all laughs about, well, being fucking American? Just their accents and whatnot make their act original, not much else?

Edited June 10, 2009 by musick

[TKz]

Most people I know can't stand the cunt (myself included), but he has got something of a following over here. I wouldn't say he's quite as high up on the list of comedians as people act like he is though.

[METALMAN]

Russell Brand is one the biggest cases of "love him or hate him" in Britain at the moment. He's not really been in the news so much ever since "Sachsgate", apart from pulling the odd bint, but he's always done that.

And his act is usually just about sex or talking about his mum. Sometimes he may combine the two.

Oh and as far as American comedians here go Rich Hall seems to have that sort of thing, although pretty much his whole act is based around him being American.

Edited June 10, 2009 by metalman

[Skummy]

I wouldn't say so...Rich Hall's act is more just dry humour, or at least it was when I saw him. The only part of his act that's explicitly "American", in the sense of that being the root of the comedy rather than just an aspect of it (which would be unavoidable, really, on account of him being American...) is Otis Lee Crenshaw - and he's a specific enough stereotype to be funny for the same reasons in America. He's probably the closest example, though.

I think the UK has a lot more American culture exposed to us, at least in a mainstream fashion, than vice-versa, so mostly we're used to American comedy, so it's not likely that someone being American will have any real bearing on how their humour would be received.

[Guest musick]

I wouldn't say so...Rich Hall's act is more just dry humour, or at least it was when I saw him. The only part of his act that's explicitly "American", in the sense of that being the root of the comedy rather than just an aspect of it (which would be unavoidable, really, on account of him being American...) is Otis Lee Crenshaw - and he's a specific enough stereotype to be funny for the same reasons in America. He's probably the closest example, though.

I think the UK has a lot more American culture exposed to us, at least in a mainstream fashion, than vice-versa, so mostly we're used to American comedy, so it's not likely that someone being American will have any real bearing on how their humour would be received.

I guess what I was getting at is that when he came on stage with his wild fashion and thick accent and outlandish mannerisms, it's funny how quickly everybody watching probably go, "That's what we see as a British person." Maybe it is because we are so unexposed to British culture. It's strange, we are so diverse in our country from a race standpoint, but it seems wildly like our cultures are blandly blended. Like everything is dulled to a very ordinary line. It must be different in a country where the border crossing isn't seen as such a big deal, it's sometimes a everyday experience.

Wow, I'm off-topic, but maybe someone gets what I mean?

[METALMAN]

I wouldn't say so...Rich Hall's act is more just dry humour, or at least it was when I saw him. The only part of his act that's explicitly "American", in the sense of that being the root of the comedy rather than just an aspect of it (which would be unavoidable, really, on account of him being American...) is Otis Lee Crenshaw - and he's a specific enough stereotype to be funny for the same reasons in America. He's probably the closest example, though.

Oops sorry about that. I must have read the original post wrongly. I thought he was asking about American comedians that tell jokes about being American, rather than getting laughed at for being American.

In that case I'd definitely agree that it doesn't really happen as we've been exposed to far too much American culture for it to be a novel thing.

[Captain Kirk]

Russell Brand should be put down, what an awful man.

Rich Hall is excellent though.

[K]

No-one in britain likes Russell Brand

[stokeriño]

I hear of people who do, but I don't think I've met one.

[MalaCloudy Black]

He was alright in Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

[YI]

He's growing on me...say what you want but;

1) That end of year quiz thing on Channel 4, a couple of year ago when he teamed with Noel Fielding, he was FUCKING HILARIOUS!

2) He was HILARIOUS in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall"

...the rest of the time he's very hit and miss...but I used to hate him, now I don't mind him. Plus his gag when interviewing The Strokes ("Is it a stroke like a nice gentle erotic stroke on the leg...or a stroke like my nan had last christmas that really put a downer on things" - paraphrased) still makes me laugh.

[Captain Kirk]

He's growing on me...say what you want but;

1) That end of year quiz thing on Channel 4, a couple of year ago when he teamed with Noel Fielding, he was FUCKING HILARIOUS!

2) He was HILARIOUS in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall"

...the rest of the time he's very hit and miss...but I used to hate him, now I don't mind him. Plus his gag when interviewing The Strokes ("Is it a stroke like a nice gentle erotic stroke on the leg...or a stroke like my nan had last christmas that really put a downer on things" - paraphrased) still makes me laugh.

I think 1) was a case of him being next to Noel Fielding, and 2) because someone told him what to say.

[YI]

1) ...despite him being funnier than Fielding during the whole show...yeah...and so what if he's 'playing off' someone...it's what Paul Merton does half the time these days

2) ...so fucking what? So comic actors can't be 'funny'? Yes, it was basically just 'him'...but he made that part his own...outside of the amazing fanny, he made that film.

[Captain Kirk]

1) ...despite him being funnier than Fielding during the whole show...yeah...and so what if he's 'playing off' someone...it's what Paul Merton does half the time these days

2) ...so fucking what? So comic actors can't be 'funny'? Yes, it was basically just 'him'...but he made that part his own...outside of the amazing fanny, he made that film.

I didn't find him funnier, the guy is an absolute wanker who doesn't deserve anyone's attention.

[Blue Rosler]

He's growing on me...say what you want but;

1) That end of year quiz thing on Channel 4, a couple of year ago when he teamed with Noel Fielding, he was FUCKING HILARIOUS!

2) He was HILARIOUS in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall"

...the rest of the time he's very hit and miss...but I used to hate him, now I don't mind him. Plus his gag when interviewing The Strokes ("Is it a stroke like a nice gentle erotic stroke on the leg...or a stroke like my nan had last christmas that really put a downer on things" - paraphrased) still makes me laugh.

I think 1) was a case of him being next to Noel Fielding, and 2) because someone told him what to say.

"Told him what to say" - yeah all comedians have writers. One of the 18 year old hits at EdFringe this year is a "writer for Frankie Boyle on Mock The Week" - does that make Boyle any less funny with his delivery?

And there was that rumour that Peter Kay bought the Gaaaaaaaaaaaaarlic bread? joke off another comedian.

[Adam]

I like Russell Brand as a comedian, but don't care for him as a person, he seems like a dick really. But I do find his stand-up quite funny, and his Ponderland tv programme that used to be on E4.

[AJ]

I'unno, I like Russell Brand. He tends to ramble on a bit longer than he should sometimes and he went down in my estimations for the whole Sachs thing but on the whole I find him pretty funny.

edit: I'd also say he's not exactly your average Brit, he gets the same laughs over here for being so rediculously 'out there' as he would overseas.

[Jimmy]

I wacthed the start of one of his stand-up acts and thought it was pretty awful. However, he was awesome in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Michael McIntyre's probably my favourite comedian - just quality.

[Scott McFly]

edit: I'd also say he's not exactly your average Brit, he gets the same laughs over here for being so rediculously 'out there' as he would overseas.

Exactly - I've never seen or heard anyone act like Russell Brand besides Russell Brand himself. So I hope he's not putting a false image of us in people's heads.

But he's probably said about 2 funny things in his life - his bit on watching internet porn and the "how long on average do men carry on a conversation with a woman after she mentions she's got a boyfriend? I think it's probably somewhere around 11 seconds." Other than that he's a complete tosser who I wouldn't tire of punching, yet some women I know are obsessed with the man.