0:00:01.432,0:00:04.571
[J] Russell Brand who are you [br]to edit a political magazine?
0:00:04.571,0:00:09.119
[R] Well, I suppose like a person who's been[br]politely asked by attractive woman.
0:00:09.119,0:00:11.374
I don't know what the typical criteria is,
0:00:11.374,0:00:13.756
I don't know many people[br]that edit political magazines.
0:00:13.756,0:00:15.545
Boris, he used to do on, didn't he?
0:00:15.545,0:00:18.703
So I'm a person with crazy hair [br]quite good sense of humor,
0:00:18.703,0:00:20.856
don't know much about politics, [br]I'm ideal!
0:00:20.856,0:00:22.525
[J] But is it true you don't even vote?
0:00:22.525,0:00:24.694
[R] Yeah. No, I don't vote.
0:00:24.694,0:00:27.368
[J] Well how do you have any authority [br]to talk about politics then?
0:00:27.368,0:00:31.934
[R] Well I don't get my authority from this[br]pre-existing paradigm which is quite narrow
0:00:31.934,0:00:33.699
and only serves a few people.
0:00:33.699,0:00:39.295
I look elsewhere for alternatives[br]that might be of service to humanity.
0:00:39.295,0:00:42.475
Alternate means,[br]alternate political systems.
0:00:42.475,0:00:43.472
[J] They being?
0:00:43.472,0:00:45.012
[R] Well I've not invented it yet Jeremy!
0:00:45.012,0:00:47.643
I had to do a magazine last week,[br]I've had a lot on me plate!
0:00:47.643,0:00:50.171
But, I say, here's the thing[br]that it shouldn't do:
0:00:50.171,0:00:52.061
shouldn't destroy the planet,
0:00:52.061,0:00:54.721
shouldn't create massive[br]economic disparity,
0:00:54.721,0:00:56.974
shouldn't ignore the needs of the people.
0:00:56.974,0:01:00.950
The burden of proof is on the people with[br]the power not people like doing a magazine
0:01:00.950,0:01:04.610
[J] How do you imagine[br]the people get power?
0:01:04.610,0:01:08.447
[R] Well I imagine there are sort of hierarchical systems[br]that have been preserved for generations...
0:01:08.447,0:01:10.003
[J] They get power by being voted in...
0:01:10.003,0:01:12.399
You won't even be asked to vote.
0:01:12.399,0:01:15.536
[R] That's quite a narrow[br]quite narrow prescriptive parameter
0:01:15.536,0:01:17.445
that changes within the...
0:01:17.445,0:01:19.103
[J] In a democracy, that's how it works.
0:01:19.103,0:01:22.802
[R] Well I don't think it's working very well Jeremy, [br]given that the planet is being destroyed,
0:01:22.802,0:01:25.350
given there's economic disparity of a huge degree.
0:01:25.350,0:01:27.532
What you're saying there is no alternative? [br]There is no alternative?
0:01:27.532,0:01:30.567
[J] No I'm not saying that. I'm saying that [br]if you can't be asked to vote,
0:01:30.567,0:01:32.699
why should we be asked to listen [br]to your political point of view?
0:01:32.699,0:01:34.574
[R] You don't have to listen to my [br]political point of view,
0:01:34.574,0:01:37.226
but it's not that I'm not-voting out of apathy,
0:01:37.226,0:01:41.518
I'm not-voting out of absolute indifference,[br]and weariness, and exhaustion,
0:01:41.518,0:01:44.764
from the lies, treachery,[br]deceit of the political class,
0:01:44.764,0:01:46.845
that has been going on for generations now,
0:01:46.845,0:01:48.517
and which has now reached fever pitch
0:01:48.517,0:01:52.270
where we have a disenfranchised,[br]disillusioned, despondent underclass,
0:01:52.270,0:01:54.327
that are not being represented [br]by that political system.
0:01:54.327,0:01:58.206
So voting for it is tacit complicity[br]with that system;
0:01:58.206,0:01:59.819
that's not something I'm offering up.
0:01:59.819,0:02:01.173
[J] Well why don't you change it then?
0:02:01.173,0:02:02.556
[R] I'm trying to!
0:02:02.556,0:02:04.051
[J] Well why don't you start by voting?
0:02:04.051,0:02:06.287
[J laughing] I don't think it works! [br]People have voted already,
0:02:06.287,0:02:08.438
and that's what created[br]the current paradigm.
0:02:08.438,0:02:09.243
[J] When did you last vote?
0:02:09.243,0:02:10.194
[R] Never.
0:02:10.194,0:02:11.710
[J] You've never ever voted?
0:02:11.710,0:02:13.441
[R] No, do you think that's really bad?
0:02:13.441,0:02:16.191
[J] So you struck an attitude, what, [br]before the age of 18?
0:02:16.191,0:02:18.001
[R] Well i was busy being a drug addict at that point,
0:02:18.001,0:02:20.398
because I come from the kind of[br]social conditions that are exacerbated
0:02:20.398,0:02:24.159
by an indifferent system that really[br]just administrates for large corporations
0:02:24.159,0:02:26.914
and ignores the population[br]that it was voted in to serve.
0:02:26.914,0:02:29.731
[J] You're blaming the political class[br]for the fact that you had a drug problem?
0:02:29.731,0:02:33.289
[R] No no no. I'm saying I was[br]part of the social and economic class
0:02:33.289,0:02:36.368
that is underserved by[br]the current political system,
0:02:36.368,0:02:38.813
and drug addiction's one of[br]the problems it creates.
0:02:38.813,0:02:43.366
When you have huge underserved impoverished[br]populations, people get drug problems,
0:02:43.366,0:02:47.924
and also don't feel like they want to engage [br]with the current political system
0:02:47.924,0:02:49.711
because they see that it doesn't work for them,
0:02:49.711,0:02:52.754
they see that it makes no difference,[br]they see that they're not served.
0:02:52.754,0:02:55.194
[J] Of course it doesn't work for them [br]if they don't bother to vote!
0:02:55.194,0:02:58.529
[R] Jeremy my darling, I'm not saying... [br]The apathy doesn't come from us the people,
0:02:58.529,0:03:01.462
the apathy comes from the politicians [br]they are apathetic to our needs.
0:03:01.462,0:03:03.678
They're only interested in servicing [br]the needs of corporations.
0:03:03.678,0:03:09.890
Look at what... ain't the Tories going to court, to take[br]the EU to court because they're trying to curtail bank bonuses?
0:03:09.890,0:03:11.678
Is that what's happening at the moment [br]in our country?
0:03:11.678,0:03:12.912
It is, innit?
0:03:12.912,0:03:14.801
So why am i gonna tune in for that?
0:03:14.801,0:03:17.402
[J] You don't believe in democracy, [br]you want a revolution, don't you?
0:03:17.402,0:03:20.498
[R] The planet is being destroyed, [br]we are creating an underclass,
0:03:20.498,0:03:22.713
we are exploiting poor people all over the world
0:03:22.713,0:03:27.066
and the genuine legitimate problems of the people [br]are not being addressed by our political class.
0:03:27.066,0:03:28.727
[J] All of those things may be true...
0:03:28.727,0:03:30.066
[R] They are true!
0:03:30.066,0:03:32.775
[J] But you took... I wouldn't argue[br]with you about many of them...
0:03:32.775,0:03:34.802
[R] Well 'ow come I feel so cross with you?
0:03:34.802,0:03:37.926
It can't be because of that beard, it's gorgeous!
0:03:37.926,0:03:40.148
and if the Daily Mail don't want it, I do!
0:03:40.148,0:03:43.404
I'm against them! Grow it longer![br]Tangle it into your armpit hair!
0:03:43.404,0:03:45.740
[J] You are a very trivial man.
0:03:45.740,0:03:47.285
[R] Oh, do you think I'm trivial?
0:03:47.285,0:03:48.324
[J] Yes!
0:03:48.324,0:03:51.323
[R] A minute ago you were avin' a go at me because[br]I want a revolution, now I'm trivial!
0:03:51.323,0:03:53.153
I'm bouncin' about all over the place!
0:03:53.153,0:03:55.915
[J] I'm not having a go at you because you want[br]a revolution, many people want a revolution,
0:03:55.915,0:03:57.838
but I'm asking you what it will be like?
0:03:57.838,0:04:00.279
[R] Well I think what it won't be like is
0:04:00.279,0:04:03.154
a huge disparity between rich and poor
0:04:03.154,0:04:10.500
where 300 Americans have the same amount[br]of wealth as the 85 million poorest Americans,
0:04:10.500,0:04:14.639
where there is a an exploited and underserved[br]underclass that have been continually ignored,
0:04:14.639,0:04:18.082
where welfare is slashed while Cameron[br]and Osborne go to court
0:04:18.082,0:04:23.257
to defend the rights of bankers to continue[br]receiving their bonuses, that's all I'm saying.
0:04:23.257,0:04:26.319
[J] What's the scheme? That's all[br]i'm asking, what's the scheme?
0:04:26.319,0:04:28.655
You talk vaguely about revolution, what is it?
0:04:28.655,0:04:32.490
[R] I think a socialist egalitarian system[br]based on the massive redistribution of wealth,
0:04:32.490,0:04:37.121
heavy taxation of corporations[br]and massive responsibility for energy companies
0:04:37.121,0:04:39.186
and any companies exploiting the environment,
0:04:39.186,0:04:40.656
I think they should be tax...
0:04:40.656,0:04:43.131
I think the very concept of profit [br]should be hugely reduced.
0:04:43.131,0:04:46.509
David Cameron says profit isn't a dirty word, [br]I say profit is a filthy word
0:04:46.509,0:04:49.020
because wherever there is profit [br]there is also deficit,
0:04:49.020,0:04:52.297
and this system currently [br]doesn't address these ideas.
0:04:52.297,0:04:55.655
And so why would anyone vote for it? [br]Why would anyone be interested?
0:04:55.655,0:04:57.455
[J] Who would levy these taxes?
0:04:57.455,0:05:00.450
[R] I think we do need like... there needs[br]to be a centralized administrative system...
0:05:00.450,0:05:02.002
[J] A government?
0:05:02.002,0:05:07.415
[R] Well maybe call it something else, call it like [br]the AdminBots so they don't get ahead of themselves...
0:05:07.415,0:05:08.972
[J] How would they be chosen?
0:05:08.972,0:05:12.766
[R] Jeremy, don't ask me to sit here[br]in an interview with you in a bloody hotel room,
0:05:12.766,0:05:14.994
and devise a global utopian system.
0:05:14.994,0:05:17.166
I'm merely pointing out that the current...
0:05:17.166,0:05:18.643
[J] You are calling for revolution!
0:05:18.643,0:05:23.271
[R] Yeah! Absolutely! I'm calling for change, [br]I'm calling for genuine alternatives.
0:05:23.271,0:05:25.350
[J] There are many people [br]who would agree with you...
0:05:25.350,0:05:26.347
[R] Good!
0:05:26.347,0:05:29.320
[J] The current system is not engaging[br]with all sorts of problems, yes,
0:05:29.320,0:05:32.570
and they feel apathetic, really apathetic,
0:05:32.570,0:05:36.164
but if they were to take you[br]seriously and not to vote...
0:05:36.164,0:05:39.554
[R] Yeah they shouldn't vote, that's one thing[br]they should do: don't bother voting
0:05:39.554,0:05:40.964
because when it reaches... there's a point...
0:05:40.964,0:05:46.440
you see these little valves, these sort of like cozy little valves[br]of recycling & Prius and like, turn ups somewhere,
0:05:46.440,0:05:50.617
it stops us reaching the pit point[br]where we think this is enough now,
0:05:50.617,0:05:54.555
stop voting, stop pretending, wake up![br]Be in reality now. Time to be in reality now.
0:05:54.555,0:05:58.694
Why vote? We know it isn't going to[br]make any difference, we know that already.
0:05:58.694,0:06:02.463
So you know I have more impact[br]out West Ham United, cheering them on,
0:06:02.463,0:06:06.014
and they lost the city, unnecessarily, sad.
0:06:06.014,0:06:07.506
[J] Now you're being facetious.
0:06:07.506,0:06:10.762
[R] Well, facetiousness has as much value [br]as seriousness.
0:06:10.762,0:06:14.530
I think you're making the mistake [br]of mistaking seriousness for solemnity.
0:06:14.530,0:06:16.256
[J] We're not going to solve world problems [br]by facetiousness.
0:06:16.256,0:06:20.815
[R] We're not going to solve them with[br]the current system! At least facetiousness is funny.
0:06:20.815,0:06:21.845
[J] Sometimes.
0:06:21.845,0:06:23.643
[R] Yes, sometimes Jeremy.
0:06:23.643,0:06:25.809
So listen, so let's[br]approach this optimistically.
0:06:25.809,0:06:29.369
You've spent your whole career[br]berating and haranguing politicians,
0:06:29.369,0:06:31.528
and then when someone like me, a comedian,[br]goes "yeah they're all worthless,
0:06:31.528,0:06:33.687
what's the point in engaging[br]with any of them?"
0:06:33.687,0:06:35.848
you sort of have a go at me [br]because I'm not poor anymore.
0:06:35.848,0:06:38.123
[J] I'm not having a go at you about that.
0:06:38.123,0:06:42.514
I'm just asking why would you take you[br]seriously when you're so unspecific ...
0:06:44.375,0:06:47.215
[R] ...weII firstly I don't mind if you take me seriously.
0:06:47.215,0:06:51.655
I'm here just to draw attention to a few ideas. [br]I just wanna have a little bit of a laugh.
0:06:51.655,0:06:55.369
I'm saying there are people with alternative ideas[br]that are far better qualified than i am,
0:06:55.369,0:06:57.339
and far better qualified more importantly
0:06:57.339,0:07:00.135
than the people that are currently doing that job,
0:07:00.135,0:07:03.104
because they're not attempting to solve [br]these problems, they're not.
0:07:03.104,0:07:05.004
They're attempting to placate the population.
0:07:05.004,0:07:08.594
Their measures that are currently being taken[br]around climate change are indifferent,
0:07:08.594,0:07:10.572
will not solve the problems.
0:07:10.572,0:07:15.329
[J] It's possible as human beings they're simply[br]overwhelmed by the scale of the problem.
0:07:15.329,0:07:18.518
[R] Not really, well, possibly it might be that,[br]I mean but that's just semantics really,
0:07:18.518,0:07:22.506
whether they're overwhelmed by it[br]or tacitly maintaining it because it's habitual...
0:07:22.506,0:07:26.542
I mean like, mate, this is what I noticed [br]when I was in that house of parliament:
0:07:26.542,0:07:29.886
It's decorated exactly the same as Eton, [br]It's decorated exactly the same as Oxford,
0:07:29.886,0:07:32.813
so certain type people goes in there and thinks[br]"oh! this makes me nervous!"
0:07:32.813,0:07:35.930
and another type of people go in there go [br]"this is how it should be!"
0:07:35.930,0:07:37.809
and I think that's gotta change now.
0:07:37.809,0:07:41.664
We can no longer have erroneous[br]duplicitous systems held in place
0:07:41.664,0:07:46.193
unless it's only systems that serve the planet[br]and serve the population of the planet,
0:07:46.193,0:07:47.699
can be allowed to survive.
0:07:47.699,0:07:51.183
Not ones that serve elites,[br]be they political or corporate elites.
0:07:51.183,0:07:52.947
And this is what's currently happening.
0:07:52.947,0:07:54.371
[J] You don't really believe that.
0:07:54.371,0:07:55.410
[R] I completely believe it.
0:07:55.410,0:07:58.478
Don't look at me all bleary like you're at [br]a fireside with a pipe n your beard.
0:07:58.478,0:08:01.038
--inaudible--
0:08:01.038,0:08:03.769
...he went to the same primary school[br]as Boris though didn't he?
0:08:03.769,0:08:06.208
[J] He did, but he then went[br]to a comprehensive school in North London.
0:08:06.208,0:08:07.901
[R] That's very good, that's all very well and good...
0:08:07.901,0:08:12.519
but what i'm saying is that within the existing paradigm[br]the change is not dramatic enough, not radical enough,
0:08:12.519,0:08:16.134
so you can well understand public disturbances [br]and public dissatisfaction
0:08:16.134,0:08:20.179
when there are not genuine changes [br]and genuine alternatives being offered.
0:08:20.179,0:08:24.249
I say that when there is a genuine alternative, [br]a genuine option, then vote for that.
0:08:24.249,0:08:29.794
But until then? Pffffft! Don't bother. Why pretend?[br]Why be complicit in this ridiculous illusion?
0:08:29.794,0:08:35.380
[J] Because by the time somebody comes along[br]you might think it worth voting for, it may be too late.
0:08:35.380,0:08:37.171
[R] I don't think so because the time is now,
0:08:37.171,0:08:39.774
this movement is already occurring. [br]it's happening everywhere,
0:08:39.774,0:08:43.542
we're in a time where communication is instant- [br]aneous & there are communities all over the world.
0:08:43.542,0:08:49.613
the Occupy movement made a difference even if only[br]in that it introduced to the popular public lexicon
0:08:49.613,0:08:52.451
the idea of the 1% versus the 99%.
0:08:52.451,0:08:58.247
People for the first time in a generation are aware[br]of massive corporate and economic exploitation.
0:08:58.247,0:09:01.935
These things are not nonsense and these[br]as subjects are not being addressed.
0:09:01.935,0:09:04.108
They have... no one's doing[br]anything about tax havens,
0:09:04.108,0:09:09.601
no one's doing anything about their political[br]affiliations and financial affiliations at the Conservative Party,
0:09:09.601,0:09:12.722
so until people are addressing [br]things that are actually real,
0:09:12.722,0:09:15.937
why wouldn't i be facetious? [br]Why would I take it seriously?
0:09:15.937,0:09:20.692
Why would I encourage a constituency of young[br]people that are absolutely indifferent, to vote?
0:09:20.692,0:09:23.722
Why would we? Aren't you bored? [br]Aren't you more bored than anyone?
0:09:23.722,0:09:27.361
Ain't you been talking on year after year[br]listening to their lies? Their nonsense?
0:09:27.361,0:09:30.959
Then it's this one gets in, then it's that one[br]gets in, but this problem continues?
0:09:30.959,0:09:34.710
Why we gonna continue[br]to contribute to this facade?
0:09:34.710,0:09:36.954
[J] I'm surprised you can be facetious [br]when you're that angry about it.
0:09:36.954,0:09:40.361
[R] Yeah I am angry. I am angry.
0:09:40.361,0:09:42.098
Because for me it's real.
0:09:42.098,0:09:45.963
Because for me it's not just some peripheral thing[br]that I turn up once in awhile to church faithful.
0:09:45.963,0:09:49.316
For me, this is what I come from, [br]this is what I care about.
0:09:50.727,0:09:52.129
[J] Do you see any hope?
0:09:52.129,0:09:55.729
[R] Yeah, totally, there's gonna be a revolution, [br]it's totally going to happen.
0:09:55.729,0:09:59.650
I ain't got a flicker of doubt, [br]this is the END.
0:09:59.650,0:10:01.099
This is time to wake up.
0:10:01.099,0:10:04.206
I remember, I seen you in that program [br]where you look at your ancestors,
0:10:04.206,0:10:07.475
and you saw the way your grandmother, [br]who had to brass herself,
0:10:07.475,0:10:10.292
or got fucked over by the aristocrats [br]who ran her a gaff,
0:10:10.292,0:10:13.891
you cried because you knew that it was unfair, [br]and unjust.
0:10:13.891,0:10:15.205
And that was, what was that, a century ago?
0:10:15.205,0:10:16.365
That's happening to people now.
0:10:16.365,0:10:18.376
I just come from a woman is being treated like that,
0:10:18.376,0:10:21.902
I've just been talking to a woman, today, [br]who's being treated like that.
0:10:21.902,0:10:23.984
So if we can engage that feeling instead of
0:10:23.984,0:10:30.170
some moment of lacrimo sentimentality trotted out[br]on the tv for people to pour over emotional porn,
0:10:30.412,0:10:34.004
if we can engage that feeling,[br]and change things, why wouldn't we?
0:10:34.004,0:10:38.093
Why is that naive? Why is that not my right[br]because I'm an actor?
0:10:38.093,0:10:39.819
I mean, I've taken the right.
0:10:39.819,0:10:41.162
I don't need the right from you.
0:10:41.162,0:10:42.563
I don't need the right from anybody.
0:10:42.563,0:10:44.475
I'm takin' it.