Russell Brand Newsnight • Non-Gaming • News and Politics • Eurogamer.net

Deleted user 23 October 2013 23:48:34

Its a shame, he does talk some sense but its completely overshadowed by...

- Blaming his drug addiction as he was part of the 'social underclass' - so was I and I didn't take drugs
- Refuses to vote
- If he cares THAT MUCH, why doesn't he give up his celeb lifestyle, multimillion pound shows and tours and run to become an MP and try and change the system from the inside?
and...
- SURPRISE! he is on a world tour which is why he has been in the news so much

EDIT: can a mod add a l to his name pls ;-)

Edited by LetsGo at 23:49:11 23-10-2013

spamdangled 23 Oct 2013 23:56:17 31,570 posts
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Sense? He had no practical solutions whatsoever.

Anyone can say "tax the big evil profit-making companies! We need change!" That's not sense, it's jumping on the populist bandwagon to get some easy publicity.

Gets a bit harder when you're asked to provide a decent idea of how to actually solve that problem though, and that's where Paxman rightly pulled him up.

Edited by darkmorgado at 23:59:32 23-10-2013

Deleted user 23 October 2013 23:58:15

Yes... he does talk some sense but I didn't say he had solutions.

SolidSCB 24 Oct 2013 00:03:31 10,177 posts
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What's this berk got to do with anything? They might as well have rang up Pat Sharp and the Fun House twins for all this cunt is worth.

spamdangled 24 Oct 2013 00:08:31 31,570 posts
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On-topic, the whole thing is actually a bit interesting for those of a political bent. It's good that it's finally being tackled properly as the whole issue has spent the last few years as a great big elephant in the room.

PMQs today got very heated. Cameron even got a telling off from the Speaker for being un-parliamentary.

Deleted user 24 October 2013 00:24:04

Why does he have to have a solution? He was sidelined quite shittily into discussing "da Revolution" instead of being allowed to focus on the fact that he's about to launch a platform where people can express their views.

And why does not voting immediately remove your right to discuss politics anyway? Expressing the view "the system's so broken I don't even want to participate in it" isn't a negative thing, surely? I'm pretty sure I don't have to have thrown a pitbull into a dirt ring to say that dog-fighting's a bit crap.

Anyway, full interview here:

spamdangled 24 Oct 2013 00:33:59 31,570 posts
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Rhythm wrote:
Why does he have to have a solution? He was sidelined quite shittily into discussing "da Revolution" instead of being allowed to focus on the fact that he's about to launch a platform where people can express their views.

If a celebrity is going to wade in to a politically-charged subject and start demanding that something be done, it's perfectly reasonable to ask them what they suggest, especially when it's all being done to get some publicity. Otherwise it's just hot air.

And why does not voting immediately remove your right to discuss politics anyway? Expressing the view "the system's so broken I don't even want to participate in it" isn't a negative thing, surely? I'm pretty sure I don't have to have thrown a pitbull into a dirt ring to say that dog-fighting's a bit crap.

You could argue several points - that democracy is a responsibility as much as a right (the "rights need to be exercised" argument), and that by excluding yourself from the process you forfeit the right to complain about the consequences (the "use it or lose it" argument). Also, as they know their words are going to get headlines and that they have some influence (to whatever degree and whether we like it or not), celebrities should have something constructive to add to the debate. Being famous doesn't make an opinion any more valid or worthy of consideration than anyone else on the street, and less so than the more qualified experts who actually have to tackle the issue from a more realistic, experienced and balanced perspective.

spamdangled 24 Oct 2013 00:34:28 31,570 posts
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Ka-blamo wrote:
I do actually like Brand generally but he seems a little confused as what he actually wants.

Publicity.

Youthist 24 Oct 2013 00:40:23 13,122 posts
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I think the decision to not vote at all, as long as it was a considered decision, is identical to someone voting for a party, surely.

Deleted user 24 October 2013 00:41:59

makes sense to me

FromTheHalfWayLine 24 Oct 2013 00:49:12 266 posts
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I can't stand the cunt.

Mr_Sleep 24 Oct 2013 00:50:53 21,630 posts
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I think he made a reaonable point suggesting that he is allowed to have an opinion even if he signs himself out of voting. Although I do think there is something to be said for voting for some of the minority parties like The Green Party who do things around the environment and seem more in tune with leftist ideals. The only reason it's the way it is is because not enough people get involved, I include myself in this, if one can allow a little hypocracy, this is politics after all.

Mr_Sleep 24 Oct 2013 00:52:03 21,630 posts
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Although, it will change if PR is ever brought in imo.

spamdangled 24 Oct 2013 01:49:18 31,570 posts
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The problem being though that humans tend to be greedy fuckers who always want more than they have. History has shown time and time and time again that the sort of extreme "power to the people!" communist ideology simply doesn't work in practice and ends up leading to even more inequality, poverty and wealth disparity.

Capitalism sure as hell isn't perfect, but it at least takes the greed instinct into account and then attempts to stick it into a regulated framework which, by and large, works.

Edited by darkmorgado at 01:51:05 24-10-2013

Deleted user 24 October 2013 03:56:04

Youthist wrote:
I think the decision to not vote at all, as long as it was a considered decision, is identical to someone voting for a party, surely.

Yup. I don't vote because the system is broken. The whole thing needs starting from scratch.

Deleted user 24 October 2013 07:15:49

darkmorgado wrote:

Rhythm wrote:
Why does he have to have a solution? He was sidelined quite shittily into discussing "da Revolution" instead of being allowed to focus on the fact that he's about to launch a platform where people can express their views.
If a celebrity is going to wade in to a politically-charged subject and start demanding that something be done, it's perfectly reasonable to ask them what they suggest, especially when it's all being done to get some publicity. Otherwise it's just hot air.

But he wasn't there to talk about his changes, he was supposed to be there to talk about the magazine he's editing. Paxman (successfully) spotted him as someone who might have outlandish political views, lit that fuse and let Brand blow himself up. In the meantime the magazine may turn out to be a great platform but we'll never know because Paxman never spoke to him about it

mrpon 24 Oct 2013 08:03:56 34,290 posts
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FromTheHalfWayLine wrote:
I can't stand the cunt.

More of a cock man?

Deleted user 24 October 2013 08:15:46

It's no coincidence that he is talking about a revolution to anyone who listens as that's the name of his tour.

The guy is a hypocrite of the highest order.

If he really cares he would become an MP but he won't, he loves being a celeb and he loves the money.

Also, being poor doesn't make you a druggy, it's an excuse, blame someone else but yourself.

Edited by LetsGo at 08:16:10 24-10-2013

Benno 24 Oct 2013 08:32:11 11,700 posts
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agree

i usually quite like him as well

faux-C 24 Oct 2013 09:02:32 11,204 posts
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Our political system is so broken that most votes don't even count, so not voting is perfectly reasonable. Well done to the Lib Dems throwing away our once-in-a-generation chance at electoral reform though, that was ace.

http://www.voterpower.org.uk

Edited by faux_carnation at 09:04:47 24-10-2013

craigy Staff 24 Oct 2013 09:19:37 9,285 posts
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@Mr_Sleep The Green Party haven't been a positive force in Brighton, so I wouldn't like to see them get wider national support. Though I do appreciate their fierce anti-fracking campaigning for Balcombe.

imamazed 24 Oct 2013 09:28:25 6,322 posts
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Rob Byrdon (or at least a fictional version of him) summed up Russel Brand perfectly, in a clip from a show I can't be bothered to find.

Deleted user 24 October 2013 09:45:22

faux_carnation wrote:
Our political system is so broken that most votes don't even count, so not voting is perfectly reasonable. Well done to the Lib Dems throwing away our once-in-a-generation chance at electoral reform though, that was ace.

http://www.voterpower.org.uk

No, no, no! The person who gets the most votes wins, that's fair! The MPs just need to fight harder!

imamazed 24 Oct 2013 09:48:26 6,322 posts
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faux_carnation wrote:
Our political system is so broken that most votes don't even count, so not voting is perfectly reasonable.

Wrong. Not voting is never acceptable. Spoiling your ballot, on the other hand, is perfectly reasonable if you feel the political system to be broken.

Edited by imamazed at 09:54:59 24-10-2013

nickthegun 24 Oct 2013 09:53:15 73,296 posts
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I think he is absolutely right on a number of points. namely the political system being absolutely fucked.

I used to be a big 'YOU MUST VOTE' nazi, but I havent bothered recently because they are three cheeks of the same arse.