Russell Brand likes to portray himself as a yoga-loving, meditation-practising promoter of world peace. (Cue mandatory hey-shoo-waa music in background.) His outspokenness on political and social affairs, however, has seen him shifted to the realm of “anarchist” by others. Both representations would be wrong.
Russell’s particular brand (see what I did there?) of human being is a clear-cut study of self-serving narcissism. With an element of pathological liar thrown in for good measure.
And as anyone worthy of the narcissist title would, he of the shaggy beard and biblical hair is prepared to do pretty much anything to ensure the world’s attention remains firmly fixed on him. Even if it means blatantly skewing the truth in his favour.
In a stunt taken straight from the guidebook of the ruling sovereign of publicity-inducing deception (who else? Oprah), RB’s sold-out South African tour was unceremoniously canned this week because of what he deemed our government’s “refusal to let me into your country”.
That it was, in fact, the authorities on his own UK turf who barred him from even boarding the plane was of seemingly little – or logical – consequence to his gullible group of supporters. As was the fact it’s international, not South African, law that you have a minimum of two blank pages in your passport when travelling overseas.
But rather than simply acknowledge his own culpability for failing to have his documents in order, Russell in all his Messiah Complex delusion chose instead to stoke the pseudo-radical fires (with the same hand that penned the recently released Manifesto for Revolution drivel) by churning out further false statements like “authorities yielded to your people power! I’m allowed in!”
Never mind that he was never allowed out.
Just why anyone would want to waste their precious pennies on this mampara is something of a mystery. While he may be touted as a comedian, actor, radio host and author, his skills across all four genres are mediocre at best.
And his personality does little to redeem him. This is, after all, the same man who announced his desire to divorce his now ex-wife, Katy Perry, via text message and crassly spoke of their sex life as one in which he had to “think of anyone, anyone else” to be able to do the proverbial deed. A real class act.
But what makes the likes of Russell particularly concerning is how they are able to hoodwink those they so wantonly manipulate:
If people are so willing to believe the nonsense spewing forth from Brand’s poisoned mouth because of his supposed celebrity status, what else would they believe without question, simply because he – or any other celebrity – says so?
LARA DE MATOS
TONIGHT EDITOR