Russell Brand - Genius or twat?

I'm in two minds about RB. I think he's tremendously talented, with a wildly original mind. And when I see him on Big Brothers Big Mouth, working with a small audience, he can be great. Riffing off people and bouncing away on truly bizarre tangents... At the same time, he tends to overuse crudity (less jokes about wanking his dinkle or ball sacks would make them much more effective). And when he's on his own, such as with his Radio 2 show, some of his stuff can die quite painfully... What do other people think?

He certainly isn't a genius (then again, are there any geniuses in British comedy these days?), but I wouldn't say that he's a twat. He can be annoying (mostly due to overexposure on Channel 4) but he is also a talented comic performer and a decent stand up comedian. I liked a lot of the stuff that he did on MTV, but am not so keen on his E4/Channel 4 shows. And I always enjoy reading his football column in The Guardian on Saturdays (although I'm biased in this respect as I'm also a West Ham fan).

neither.......why even ask that question hes just a funny guy making his own way in comedy and doing what he wants, chill out hes just a funny guy

well it depends on a persons taste, but i personnaly think he isn't a genius or a twat, he appeals to modern teens, (i should know, i was a modern teen), he has good verbal dexterity and can make tiny subjects huge, but his comedy isn't to my taste,

It's interesting that there are no boundaries these days. Russell Brand can do and say anything he wants without anyone stepping in. It's not his fault because he's only doing what he's being paid for. Some of the time he's funny but most of the time he's offensive. To see an audience of public and failed celebs laughing themselves stupid is just as uncomfortable as watching Jadegate ever was, is ironic in itself. Genius or twat? Neither. He's just the clown who sat at the back of the class making everyone laugh.

He's an excellent performer with immense charisma. I'm going to see him live soon so I'll have a better idea. His 'genius' is taking consummately piffling subject matter (Big Brother) and injecting wit, surreal scenarios, philosophy, warmth, pace and some thought provoking references (many eejits watching and guests like Chantelle would miss these ). Just enjoy the moment because comedy usually passes as well through time as fashionable trousers.
Now there's another thread..

Quote: Fred Peters @ January 29, 2007, 3:04 PM

He's an excellent performer with immense charisma. I'm going to see him live soon so I'll have a better idea. His 'genius' is taking consummately piffling subject matter (Big Brother) and injecting wit, surreal scenarios, philosophy, warmth, pace and some thought provoking references (many eejits watching and guests like Chantelle would miss these ). Just enjoy the moment because comedy usually passes as well through time as fashionable trousers.
Now there's another thread..

View original

true

Personally, I don't like him and if I see him on TV, I turn over.

He was on the South Bank Show Awards the other night and basically, he wanted to take over the show (and he even said so) - he spent a good 10mins talking about the height of the microphone and people were obviously bored of his voice by then.

Russell Brand has landed in trouble with the parents of a cancer victim over a joke he crackd on Channel 4.
Patricia Lowe, whose 15-year-old daughter Elizabeth died of leukaemia in 2005, has complained to TV watchdog Ofcom about Brand's 'deeply offensive' comments on Big Brother's Big Mouth.
She said she was 'shocked and upset' by comments made on January 14 that she took to refer to young patients who lose their hair after chemotherapy treatment .
The comic said: 'You know that kid at school who has six months off because he ain't been well and the kid comes back to school and you have to have a special assembly and they say everyone has to be nice to Trevor - no one mention that baseball cap he wears all the time.'

Full story: http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2007/01/26/4962/fury_over_brand%27s_cancer_joke

Quote: lbfan @ January 29, 2007, 5:57 PM

Russell Brand has landed in trouble with the parents of a cancer victim over a joke he crackd on Channel 4.
Patricia Lowe, whose 15-year-old daughter Elizabeth died of leukaemia in 2005, has complained to TV watchdog Ofcom about Brand's 'deeply offensive' comments on Big Brother's Big Mouth.
She said she was 'shocked and upset' by comments made on January 14 that she took to refer to young patients who lose their hair after chemotherapy treatment .
The comic said: 'You know that kid at school who has six months off because he ain't been well and the kid comes back to school and you have to have a special assembly and they say everyone has to be nice to Trevor - no one mention that baseball cap he wears all the time.'

View original

and? shat joke anyways

His whole appearance annoys me, so I can't say I've ever actually seen anything he's been in. From what I read and odd little clips and such though, IMO he's certainly no genius. Not quite sure he's a twat either, but perhaps closer to the latter than the former.

In answer to the initial question:

Twat.

Twat is such a harsh word I'd say big haired, mincing, poncey voiced, skinney little Shit bag, but saying that he's better then Jimmy "The undertaker" Carr

Haha, very well put.

It obviously depends on your sense of humour. I personally think he’s great. His stand up is brilliant. He’s not trying to make everybody laugh, just those who find him funny.

I think he's fantastic. I bought his live dvd recently, and was very impressed.

He seems to have a couple of different personas. The loud one he uses on Big Brother is the one that annoys people, those people should give his quieter, more intelligent one a chance and watch his stand up.

And, come on people, pre-judging a comedian by the way he looks? Dear me!*

*I won't mention the fact that I hate Justin Lee Collins for those exact same reasons...