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I haven’t always been a great Russell Brand fan; I’ll admit I took some convincing. I’ll also admit that he is by no stretch of the imagination an Oscar-winning actor. Yet, despite his dishevelled appearance, he possesses an immeasurable amount of eloquence and thoughtful intelligence.
Many of you may have already seen my impetus for this topic today, but for those of you who haven’t, the comedian recently sat down for an interview with BBC’s Jeremy Paxman, regarding his recent guest editing position for an issue of the ‘New Statesman’ which is a British political magazine.
The 10-minute video went viral within a couple of days, because to say the two bumped heads is putting it lightly. Brand raises numerous valid and poignant points, such as: the uneven distribution of wealth, the reckless treatment of the environment, and the lack of representation of the lower and working classes in Britain.
All of Brand’s points are highly relevant. However, I raise this not because I want to stand on a soap-box and spout my political beliefs, but because it is a perfect example of how appearances are deceiving, and something about how literary works should not be judged according to their outer shells.
Brand’s dress sense can be described as eccentric, most would tut at his hair or his numerous tattoos and I have seen many a person roll their eyes at the very idea of him. Yet, this should in no way detract from the legitimacy of his ideas or the brilliance in his diction.
He may not dress like those in parliament, but that in no way means that he doesn’t have the right to voice issues that pertain to them.
