Russell Brand doesnt read the papers, now that hes in them but that doesnt stop him having opinions on everything from the meaning of Britishness to the spirituality of socialism. David Walliams tries to keep up.
Our talky talk: Russell Brand and David Walliams. Photograph: Alfie Hitchcock
I hated Russell Brand when I first met him. Exactly a decade ago, we were both cast in a BBC comedy drama entitled Cruise of the Gods. Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon were the stars and I was beyond thrilled to be working with them. We were filming on-board a cruise ship and one day this hairy idiot arrived. Russell only had a minor role but he was taking drugs, trying to get off with the teenage daughters of passengers on the ship and worst of all talking bollocks. He was sacked. I never thought I would see him again, then there he was in my yoga class, sober, happier, and we became friends. Soon after, we both became very well known and we have stayed close. I love him now. So when David Miliband asked me who I would like to interview, I thought of Russell. I thought it would be easy he has so much to say that I would barely have to ask any questions. I was right. Although David might be disappointed to know that Russell doesnt know who he is:
Russell Brand Hes the leader of the Labour Party through this period of opposition . . . David Walliams No, thats Ed Miliband.
To me, Russell has become a national icon. Wildly famous, he has taken his place alongside British fictional characters, rather than real ones. He is a cross between the Artful Dodger and Harry Flashman.
First, I was interested in what he thinks it means to be British in this year of celebration, royal, sporting and cultural (the James Bond films are 50 years old this autumn):
RB Because I live mostly abroad, I feel especially British. I think patriotism flourishes in opposition. When Im spending a lot of time in Los Angeles, I consider myself countercultural; I dont think of myself as an establishment figure. But over here, if I see an image of Her Majesty the Queen, I wince with national pride. DW When do you see such an image? RB Ive had her tattooed on my inner thigh. And I spend quite a lot of time staring at that. DW Patriotism, jingoism, being proud of your country its a complex area isnt it? You are a football fan, so do you wave a flag at a match? RB Philosophically, I think tribalism leads to adversity and is very dangerous and leads to prejudice but I cant help it. DW But tribalism is part of human nature. RB Yes, of course its part of human nature but its also part of human nature to be altruistic. I think its better to focus on that sort of fraternal and loving aspects of human nature, because our more primal instincts are catered for by our relentless consumer culture, always stimulating sexuality, tribalism, individualism. DW I went to a West Ham match with you on your stag night. So do you feel part of that particular tribe? RB What Id say about football and obviously in my case West Ham is its a genuine opportunity to immerse yourself . . . In the beginning, in the first five minutes, people want autographs and theyre interested but, after the first five minutes, no one cares because the game has started and theyre lost in it and theres a real sense of community and congregation, which is like religious and spiritual life . . . And I suppose the reason youre saying that is this is an important year of ritual the Olympics is an ancient ritual; the jubilee is a celebration of our monarchy and people need ritualism. Weve lost touch with our ancient nature, so people accept these odd, commodified versions.
For me, the reason football is successful is that a neglected aspect of British cultural life the white working class still has this access to festivity. I do feel part of it, though I primarily identify myself as outside of any group that I find myself near.
DW Thats the comedians standpoint, the fool in King Lear. He is commentating on events from the sidelines. Speaking of monarchs, when you see the Queen, do you have an emotional response? When I think about monarchy, it doesnt seem to make much logical sense but emotionally it does, because shes a living symbol. RB Yeah, a living sign, as Morrissey sang. So as much as I abhor the concept of monarchy it being the apotheosis of a class structure on a practical level, I think: Fucking hell, the royal wedding, the jubilee! DW Did you watch both on television? RB I watched a little bit of the royal wedding. DW Do you know that Philip Larkin wrote a poem about the Queen? Its only four lines and he wrote it on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee:
In times when nothing stood but worsened, or grew strange, there was one constant good: she did not change.
Visit link:
True bromance: David Walliams interviews Russell Brand
- Book Excerpt: One Song - November 7th, 2009 [November 7th, 2009]
- Book Review: The Mitten Tree - November 7th, 2009 [November 7th, 2009]
- Book Review: The Monkey with a Bright Blue Bottom - November 7th, 2009 [November 7th, 2009]
- Book Review: Mama, Will It Snow Tonight? - November 7th, 2009 [November 7th, 2009]
- Book Review: There's No Such Thing as Monsters! - November 7th, 2009 [November 7th, 2009]
- DVD Feature Film Review: Perestroika - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- DVD Feature Film Review: Nothing Like the Holidays - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Spiritual Literacy Blog: Must We Have Bad Music in Public Spaces? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: Angels and Dragons - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: A Soul's Journey - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Book Review: A Book of Hours - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: A Book of Hours - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Feature Film Review: Storm - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Feature Film Review: Skin - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: The Anger Diet - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Newsletter: October 31, 2009: The Abbot Who Declared The Hall Is Finished - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: Suffering and the Courage of God - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: Life-Changing Affirmations - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- DVD Feature Film Review: The Answer Man - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- DVD Feature Film Review: The Dead - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: Five Voices, Five Faiths - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- DVD Feature Film Review: Lemon Tree (Etz Limon) - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- DVD Documentary Film Review: Unmistaken Child - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- DVD Documentary Film Review: Food, Inc. - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: The Workplace Revolution - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: Journeys of Courage - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Feature Film Review: The Men Who Stare at Goats - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: The Gift of Prayer - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Feature Film Review: That Evening Sun - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Feature Film Review: The Box - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Relax and Melt into a deep deep meditative state. - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Symptoms of Anxiety - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Nonduality And Spirituality---Enlightenment - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- How Not to Stop Anxiety Attacks---Part 1 - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Natural Treatment for Anxiety disorders--Antidote anxiety - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- What to do When Anxiety Attacks--Antidote Anxiety - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Spiritually charged metaphysical spiritual quote - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Release Technique & Non Duality& Law of attraction - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- NonDuality & Manifestation - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- All Is One, One is All !! - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Worrying about Anxiety---Antidote Anxiety - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Free course on Conquering Anxiety - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Manifesting Prosperity,Love manifesting,Dream Manifesting - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Stress and Anxiety Relief Treatment - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Stress and Anxiety Reduction with Brainwave entrainment - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- How to Remove feeling of Fear and Anxiety - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Relieve Stress:Financial Troubles, Low Self Esteem - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Meditation, Enlightenment & Paradox - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- False beliefs and Emotional Healing to develop emotional intelligence - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Millionaire Mind- Meditations Manifesting Abundance - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Three Essential requirements to learn Self Hypnosis Quickly - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Non duality and manifestation--Law of attraction - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Law of Attraction-- Manifesting Wealth Beyond Reason - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- The Secret Busted--- Flaws of the Secret. - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: Web of Silence - December 12th, 2009 [December 12th, 2009]
- Living Spiritual Teachers Project: Byron Katie - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Feature Film Review: Before Tomorrow - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: Sadhu Sundar Singh - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Spiritual Literacy Blog: We May Be Born with an Urge to Help - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Feature Film Review: Everybody's Fine - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Feature Film Review: Brothers - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Feature Film Review: Gigante - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: When People Grieve - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: The Light and Fire of the Baal Shem Tov - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Feature Film Review: The Last Station - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Feature Film Review: Up in the Air - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: Learning to Pray - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: Beyond Absence - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: Ecology & Liberation - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Book Feature: The Best Spiritual Books of 2009 (So Far) - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- DVD Feature Film Review: Julie & Julia - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- DVD Documentary Film Review: The Cove - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- DVD Feature Film Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Book Review: Spirit of Service - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: Spirit of Service - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Book Review: The Wolf at Twilight - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: The Wolf at Twilight - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Book Review: Memories of Muhammad - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: Memories of Muhammad - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Book Excerpt: Humility Matters for Practicing The Spiritual Life - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]