Russell Brand: Fool? or a Friend of democracy?

[RogerThat]

After Milibands recent interview with Brand on his YouTube channel (The Trews) 1.5 million followers, and his 10 million Twitter followers, is it right to sneer at a man who has likely done more to politicise and educate the young than anyone else of his generation?

A man who can surely force political concessions from the next potential leader of the country cannot be so readily discounted as a fool? Is it simply journalistic snobbery (and envy) that sees him portrayed this way?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7FdbH4rN9b4

Brand vs Farage 'This man is a Pound Shop Enoch Powell'

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tXKQ6eeyhhU

[al_yrpal]

What they are both missing is that if Amazon pay tax in the UK that tax will be paid by Amazons customers, not by Amazon. Doh!

Al

[RogerThat]

I personally think 'Pound Shop Enoch Powell' one of the most adept and effective political insults hurled in the last 20 years. It certainly kick started the downward spiral of UKIP as a credible political party in Britain.

[Psamathe]

Whilst I have no real regard for Russell Brand, others do - which gives his relevance some significance.

What I think is most significant about the Milliband/Brand interview (which I have not watched) is Cameron's reaction to it. Cameron will happily spend loads of time making speeches to his loyal followers, yet declares that he is "too busy" to spend time being interviewed by Russell Brand who he then goes on to declare "is a joke". I actually was not aware he had even been invited to such an interview.

But, rightly or wrongly, a Brand interview will expose any politician to a degree of public scrutiny. Maybe Brand is not the best forensic interviewer out there (I don't know), but most of his audience will not spend their time watching Paxman, Marr, etc. discuss economics with party leaders - so he does serve an relevant function. Yet Cameron regards himself above this and thereby above those who "Follow" (or whatever they do on Facebook/Twatter/etc.) Brand and his commentary.

I suspect Cameron's reaction is probably more revealing than Milliband's interview (though I must repeat, I've not watched the interview).

Ian

[townbikemark]

I suspect Cameron's reaction is probably more revealing than Milliband's interview (though I must repeat, I've not watched the interview).

Ian

I suspect Cameron knows he would be deliberately set up as some kind of Aunt Sally, subject to all sorts of loaded questions and the like.

As for Russell Brand - fool.

[Psamathe]

I suspect Cameron's reaction is probably more revealing than Milliband's interview (though I must repeat, I've not watched the interview).

Ian

I suspect Cameron knows he would be deliberately set up as some kind of Aunt Sally, subject to all sorts of loaded questions and the like.

So he can just ignore it. Why does he feel the need to comment on who Milliband is being interviewed by ? Thus, that he reacts and the nature of his reaction is what is helping reveal Cameron's character.

As for Russell Brand - fool.

Whilst I would agree (from a personal opinion perspective), others do listen to his opinions and this does make him relevant. And those that do listen to Brand probably don't care what I think (or what Paxman, Marr, etc. discuss with politicians).

Ian

[townbikemark]

As for Russell Brand - fool.

Whilst I would agree (from a personal opinion perspective), others do listen to his opinions and this does make him relevant. And those that do listen to Brand probably don't care what I think (or what Paxman, Marr, etc. discuss with politicians).

Ian

So, the same as Farage, really?

[honesty]

Whatever your personal view on the man he has a very large follower base (some 10 million on twitter for example). Up until now he has been espousing a form of protest that would mean a lot of people do not vote. However you engage the young people in the UK if you can get a proportion of them to actually take part in the voting process I think that is a good thing.

By the way, the interview has not been released yet (lunchtime today I think), so any "response" to the interview or newspaper article on it is by very definition false.

[RogerThat]

I have posted a link to the preview of the interview, the most salient parts probably, in the OP

[Tangled Metal]

I personally have no respect for public figures who actively encourage what is effectively the disengagement of the youth from the electoral system. It is a right to vote that was won (pretentious comment I know) and has implications. I believe that Brand should have explained why he is not registered to vote and has no inclination to vote for his own reasons then that is ok and even positive if he has a good reason and argument behind it. It should have been left as that and not as an encouragement to others to do likewise. If his argument found merit with free thinking people based on his merit then it is their ultimate decision to do the same or not. I am not saying that the young are idiots who just follow the celebrity without thinking I just wish to point out that explanation of one's firmly held opinion/position is one thing but encouragement of others to follow when it is to step away from your democratic process then that is another.

As far as him being a joke, I do not see him as a joke. He is a comedian so jokes are part of his mannerisms but he is a serious individual underneath comedy IMHO, I think he is someone who thinks about things around him and wants to contribute politically in an activist manner. To make a difference or contribute to what he thinks will make a better world. I think his way of doing it is his own and some I applaud others I do rightly criticise.

Personally I am a traditionalist in that I know we have a very poor system but being the only system in place I believe in working within it. This means I will vote even if my vote is for someone I wish I didn;t have to vote for. To put it another way the least worst option. I am no more represented by the politicians out there than Brand but my conviction is to still get involved at every election (to clarify there are some votes I have missed due to not being around but without a proxy or postal vote sorted or just because I was unable to get to the polling station on the day due to work or family matters taking over).

[Freddie]

He is a jester masquerading as an intellectual. Which is just what most young people have encountered already in university; their professors exist in a cloistered environment, where their extreme leftist ideologies cannot be challenged by the harshness of reality and fact. He throws a lot of polysyllabic words around, but when you cut through the verbiage, he is saying little of note or any coherence. The verbiage, arm waving, silly jokes and mannerisms are all just there to hide the fact that has no clear message other than some kind of hippy, dippy, peace and love, do some yoga and escape from reality nonsense.

It is a shocking indictment of just how far education in this country has dropped, when so many are taken in by his vacuous, though arguably endearing and impassioned, wrong headed nonsense.

[661-Pete]

I personally don't feel minded to ever forgive him - or that other bloke - for the very public happenings in October 2008. For that reason I don't regard him as having any credibility - whatever his political antics.

[blackbike]

It used to be earnest pop stars and angry, idealistic, demonstrating students who gave us our dose of naïve political daftness.

Now its a minor celeb off the telly, a man who got booted off the BBC (eventually) for ringing up a member of the public while on air so he could talk to him about his granddaughter's sex life.

[RogerThat]

I think he's a serious and weighty intellectual masquerading as a jester. If he's not in politics within a year, there's something gravely wrong with the United Kingdom.

[RogerThat]

Full interview with Miliband here:

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/liv ... rview-live