I want my MTV

[caddyman]

I see in today’s Times that Russell Brand went down like a lead balloon at the MTV Awards. It just goes to show that American are far more perceptive than they are sometimes given credit for. I don’t understand why or how he’s managed to become such a ‘celebrity’ here in the UK largely on the basis of his lifestyle.

I don’t like the use of the word ‘celebrity’ to describe some one who is simply famous (or maybe even infamous). Any old oik from Big Brother is regarded as a celebrity these days and they do even less to deserve it than does Brand.

Precisely which bit of these people’s activities deserves to be celebrated as the word suggests? Most of them just need to be fended off with a stick.

Comments

[mr-h-r-hughes.livejournal.com]

He took the piss a lot - some (not all by any means) Americans hate being mocked.
It comes down to taste I suppose, I didn't especially enjoy RB when I saw him on telly however his radio show, where he is allowed to jabber away unscripted and play to his strengths (blatheringing) he is very, very funny

[jfs.livejournal.com]

Agreed. I couldn't stand him particularly until two things happened; firstly, I listened to his radio show, where because he's got a couple of hours to fill, he slows down a little, and secondly, I saw him discussing the art of comedy with Dawn French and I realised that this was someone who thought long and hard about the craft as well as the art.

It may not look like it, and you might not like the end result, but he does build his work carefully.

[mr-h-r-hughes.livejournal.com]

Yes definately, and he's very good/careful with his language, he claerly loves words and likes what he can do with them

[fen-wolfchile.livejournal.com]

I'll second that.

Although it is a pity that he is famous for getting his end away drug abuse rather than his day job.

I suppose that's just the nature of modern society I suppose.

There is a generation coming through who don't want to be a football player, rock star, TV presenter or movie star they just want to be famous.

Now I always wanted to be well known as a guitarist, not famous. It may sound odd but I never dreamed of being besieged by screaming teenage girls and having my face all over the tabloids, in fact the idea sounds like a form of hell. Why on earth would anyone deliberately want, what I view, as the bad side of success without being aknowledged by anyone at actually being good at something.

[caffeine-fairy.livejournal.com]

For the most part, he's a waste of space, but on occasion he is absolutely side-splittingly funny. Like mr_h_r_hughes says, on radio especially.

[w00hoo.livejournal.com]

But surely that just means he's a normal person who has ended up on the radio. If you put just about anyone there and let the blather on for two hours they'd end up saying something funny at some point. Chimps and typewriters come to mind...

[mr-h-r-hughes.livejournal.com]

Not really most people arent funny, lots of people *think* they are but they really aren't. The odd thing is that often things he will say, though intrinsically funny are made much more so by his delivery and choice of language plus the guy has oodles of charisma. I discovered his radio show purely by accident and not as a fan and I was converted.

[mr-h-r-hughes.livejournal.com]

Yes, I have near crashed the car on several occasions.

[snorkel-maiden.livejournal.com]

If someone invented a reality TV show which featured you, fending off 'celebrities' with a stick, I'd tune in!

ooer

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

But then I'd become the very thing I was fighting against and I'd have to fend myself off with a stick!

That would make it an entirely different sort of show!

Re: ooer

[snorkel-maiden.livejournal.com]

True... I'm sure you'd still find an audience though!

[fencingsculptor.livejournal.com]

My radio is spot-welded to Radio 4 FM ...so I've not listened to Brand's radio show. Maybe I should give his show a listen, but for the most part I find him spectacularly annoying and his humour is so so - I have a mate whom

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My radio is spot-welded to Radio 4 FM ...so I've not listened to Brand's radio show. Maybe I should give his show a listen, but for the most part I find him spectacularly annoying and his humour is so so - I have a mate whom <LJuser=caddyman> also knows, and whose humour is much like Brands and frankly is funnier for the fact that his ego doesn't get in the way.

Personally it's a shame his 'bombing' at the MTV awards wasn't pre-annouced/suspected the Yanks might have deposited him in Guantanamo bay for the rest of his natural life.

Would have suited me......

[mr-h-r-hughes.livejournal.com]

"whose humour is much like Brands and frankly is funnier for the fact that his ego doesn't get in the way."

Well there is where I think the space of radio helps as for every OTT bombastic thing he says he'll say a large number of emabrrasing and self-destroying things building himself up then knocking himself down. Plus his best mate co-hosts and nobody is better at pricking someone's ego than their best mate.
The show is always very enjoyable (he plays some good music too) but ofetn it's side-splitting. I've not consitantly laughed so hard at someone since the first few times I saw Eddie Izzard.
But as I say, humour is a very personal thing.

[ellefurtle.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid for me it comes down to his hair. It makes me MAD! It's so repulsive.

This has nothing whatsoever to do with his talents or lack thereof, but in this I am happy with my loathing obliterating all else!

[mr-h-r-hughes.livejournal.com]

I don't like the hiar hence radio is the perfect medium.

[fencingsculptor.livejournal.com]

Oh you see I likes the Izzard I does !

[november-girl.livejournal.com]

*wounded look* ...but he's sooooo pirty!

[kathbad]

It used to be that you got on the red carpet by being famous, now if you get on the red carpet you are famous...

Very sad.

I sometimes like RB, depends on my mood.

[mr-h-r-hughes.livejournal.com]

I wasn't so keen on his DVDs, they have their moments but I prefer him on the radio just because of the meandering and the interplay between him and the others on the programmme.

Bryan, here is a piece which you may or may not have read on the 'dreadful' things he said:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/india_knight/article4748836.ece

[binidj.livejournal.com]

I was converted when I saw his act at the Secret Policeman's Ball. The man is a genius.