History Creator / RussellBrand

There appears to be a sharp division of opinion in Britain regarding Russell Brand. [[LoveItOrHateIt You either love or loathe him]], you either regard him as a comic genius or as an untalented Lothario who got there solely because of his looks, his accent, and his bizarre behavior. It tends to boil down to two things: (a) whether you like his sort of comedy or you don't and (b) whether or not you read the tabloids.

Currently one of the UK's (and to a lesser extent, America) more popular comedians, Russell Brand is known for his somewhat abstract and [[CampStraight off the wall demeanor]]. He's best known in the UK as the host of ''The Russell Brand Show''. Part of his act is [[DontExplainTheJoke explaining the joke]], which usually makes it funnier. He's also known for playing sexually open and airy rock star Aldous Snow in ''Film/ForgettingSarahMarshall'' and its spin-off ''Film/GetHimToTheGreek''. His most recent works include Trinculo in ''Film/TheTempest2010'', his two title roles in the 2011 remake of ''Film/{{Arthur}}'' and as the voice of a slacker Easter Bunny in ''Film/{{Hop}}'' and also as Lonny in the film adaption of ''Film/{{Rock of Ages}}''.

Brand has had sex with just about every woman in the UK (and beyond), including a couple of famous ones, and he loves to brag about it -- which got him into trouble more than once. He once married kitschy pop star Music/KatyPerry (although he has since filed for divorce). Russell is also [[HoYay close friends]] with Creator/NoelFielding, and the two formed "The Goth Detectives" on ''TheBigFatQuizOfTheYear''.

There appears to be a sharp division of opinion in Britain regarding Russell Brand. You either love or loathe him, you either regard him as a comic genius or as an untalented Lothario who got there solely because of his looks, his accent, and his bizarre behavior. It tends to boil down to two things: (a) whether you like his sort of comedy or you don't and (b) whether or not you read the tabloids.

* BeamMeUpScotty: While he is the one most blamed for the notorious Sachsgate affair, it was actually Creator/JonathanRoss who spurred on the answerphone messages after Ross himself had flat-out commented "[Russell] shagged her". Until then Russell had only alluded to the relationship.

* HiddenDepths: He has a very manic persona, but at the same time, frequently makes incredibly intelligent jokes and insightful comments. When former UK Prime Minister MargaretThatcher died, a major newspaper carried a remarkably thoughtful, critical and compassionate [[http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/apr/09/russell-brand-margaret-thatcher article]] that Brand wrote about her legacy.

** Brand would regularly open spinoff show ''BigBrother 's Big Mouth'' [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffFA1-TMCJA with an elaborate, verbose story, occasionally based on literature or factual historical events, invariably ending with him getting his nob out]].

** There's also [[http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/10/russell-brand-on-revolution his quite insightful take on contemporary British politics in an editorial]] for the ''New Statesman'', although that might also be [[BaseBreaker as polarizing as his celebrity status is]].

* SitcomArchNemesis: Appears to have developed one in FOX News host Sean Hannity; While Russell was content to challenge Hannity's vitriolic style of interviewing 'guests' - often attempting to bully them into submission or force them to agree with his points - Hannity's first attempt at retaliation saw him branding Russell a drug addict and 'Katy Perry's ex-husband' while gathering other commentators to retaliate against points Russell had raised. This backfired hilariously when several of Hannity's guests ''agreed'' with Russell's points, causing Hannity to argue with them on air.

* BeamMeUpScotty: While he is the one most blamed for the notorious Sachsgate affair, it was actually Creator/JonathanRoss who spurred on the answerphone messages after Ross himself had flat-out commented "[Russell] shagged her". Until then Russell had only alluded to the relationship.

** He often refers to the 'drugbrella' (i.e. 'drug-umbrella'). When friends try to shame or embarrass him with incidents from his past (and aren't there are a lot), he will dismiss them as being when he was on hard drugs are therefore under the amnesty of the 'drugbrella'. Clearly, being on heroin does lead to diminished responsibility, but when someone points out, for instance, 'you stole money you were meant to be collecting for hospital donations' and you answer with 'I was also taking illegal drugs', it does seem to be an odd way to exonerate yourself.

* LargeHam: If he appears in a movie, [[SpotlightStealingSquad that movie now stars Russell Brand.]] Even if he's
just TheCameo.

** He's distinctly not left-leaning in as mich as he seems to think everyone deserves a chance to have their say, but his new Youtube show 'The Trews' - [[DontExplainTheJoke a combination of 'truth' and 'news']] - has seen him tackle a number of subjects from Gaza to Ferguson in a manner often more insightful than a number of news programs.
* LargeHam: If he appears in a movie, [[SpotlightStealingSquad that movie now stars Russell Brand.]] Even if he's just TheCameo.

* MotorMouth: Watch ''The Trews''.
* MrFanservice: OH YES.

* RefugeInAudacity and CrossesTheLineTwice: Sometimes, he relies on this to ''not'' get in trouble for some of the things he says and does. Sometimes, it works, other times, [[DudeNotFunny like the time he dressed up as Osama Bin Laden on the day following 9/11]], [[RealityEnsues it gets him fired.]]

* AwesomeEgo: When applauded by an audience, Russell will often say 'Thank you, thank you. It's okay. I hear it in my head, constantly.'

Currently one of the UK's (and to a lesser extent, America) more popular comedians, Russell Brand is known for his somewhat abstract and [[CampStraight off the wall demeanor]]. He's best known in the UK as the host of ''The Russell Brand Show''. Part of his act is [[DontExplainTheJoke explaining the joke]], which usually makes it funnier. He's also known for playing sexually open and airy rock star Aldous Snow in ''ForgettingSarahMarshall'' and its spin-off ''GetHimToTheGreek''. His most recent works involve his two title roles in the 2011 remake of ''Film/{{Arthur}}'' and as the voice of a slacker Easter Bunny in ''Film/{{Hop}}'' and also as Lonny in the film adaption of Film/{{Rock of Ages}}.

Brand has had sex with just about every woman in the UK (and beyond), including a couple of famous ones, and he loves to brag about it -- which got him into trouble more than once. He once married kitschy pop star Music/KatyPerry (although he has since filed for divorce). Russell is also [[HoYay close friends]] with NoelFielding, and the two formed "The Goth Detectives" on ''TheBigFatQuizOfTheYear''.

* SitcomArchNemesis: Appears to have developed one in FOX News host Sean Hannity; While Russell was content to challenge Hannity's vitriolic style of interviewing 'guests' - often attempting to bully them into submission or force them to agree with his points - Hannity's first attempt at retaliation saw him branding Russell a drug addicat 'Katy Perry's ex-husband' while gathering other commentators to retaliate against points Russell had raised. This backfired hilariously when several of Hannity's guests ''agreed'' with Russell's points, causing Hannity to argue with them on air.

* BeamMeUpScotty: While he is the one most blamed for the notorious Sachsgate affair, it was actually JonathanRoss who spurred on the answerphone messages after Ross himself had flat-out commented "[Russell] shagged her". Until then Russell had only alluded to the relationship.

** He often refers to the 'drugbrella' (i.e. 'drug-umbrella'). When friends try to shame or embarrass him with incidents from his past (and aren't there are a lot), he will dismiss them as being when he was on hard drugs are therefore under the amnesty of the 'drugbrella'. Clearly, being on heroin does lead to diminished responsibility, but when someone poiunts out, for instance, 'you stole money you were meant to be collecting for hospital donations' and you answer with 'I was also taking illegal drugs', it does seem to be an odd way to exonerate yourself.

* PerkyGoth He was arguably one a few years ago, when he dressed primarily in black.

* GeniusDitz Despite his outlandish, manic, and controversial behaviour, he is a highly intelligent professionally trained actor who received multiple scholarships for the drama schools he attended. Creator/AlfredMolina, Creator/HelenMirren and Julie Taymor have all commented that he is one of the most talented people they have ever worked with.

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