WEBVTT 00:00:01.300 --> 00:00:04.160 Russell Brand, who are you to edit a political magazine? 00:00:04.160 --> 00:00:09.970 Well, I suppose like a person whoís been politely asked by an attractive woman. I don't 00:00:09.970 --> 00:00:13.220 know what the typical criteria is. I don't know many people that edit political magazines. 00:00:13.220 --> 00:00:17.320 Boris [Johnson]..he used to do one, didn't he? So I'm a kind of, a person with crazy 00:00:17.320 --> 00:00:20.269 hair, quite a good sense of humour, don't know much about politics, I'm ideal. 00:00:20.269 --> 00:00:22.890 But is it true you don't even vote? 00:00:22.890 --> 00:00:24.640 Yeah, no, I don't vote. 00:00:24.640 --> 00:00:27.439 Well how do you have any authority to talk about politics then? 00:00:27.439 --> 00:00:32.649 Well I don't get my authority from this pre-existing paradigm which is quite narrow and only serves 00:00:32.649 --> 00:00:39.649 a few people. I look elsewhere, for alternatives, that might be of service to humanity. Alternate 00:00:39.780 --> 00:00:41.960 means; alternate political systems. 00:00:41.960 --> 00:00:42.780 They being? 00:00:42.780 --> 00:00:46.489 Well I've not invented it yet, Jeremy. I had to do a magazine last week. I've had 00:00:46.489 --> 00:00:50.920 a lot on me plate. But I say, but here's the thing that you shouldn't do. Shouldn't 00:00:50.920 --> 00:00:55.719 destroy the planet, shouldn't create massive economic disparity, shouldn't ignore the 00:00:55.719 --> 00:00:59.940 needs of the people. The burden of proof is on the people with the power, not people, 00:00:59.940 --> 00:01:00.960 like, doing a magazine for a novelty. 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:04.709 How do you imagine that people get power? 00:01:04.709 --> 00:01:08.420 Well I imagine there are sort of hierarchical systems that have been preserved through generations. 00:01:08.420 --> 00:01:10.240 They get power by being voted in, that's how they get power. 00:01:10.240 --> 00:01:10.890 Well you say that Jeremy. 00:01:10.890 --> 00:01:12.020 You can't even be arsed to vote? 00:01:12.020 --> 00:01:16.750 It's quite a narrow, quite a narrow prescriptive parameter that changes within in. 00:01:16.750 --> 00:01:18.970 In a democracy that's how it works. 00:01:18.970 --> 00:01:23.190 Well I don't think it's working very well, Jeremy. Given that the planet is being destroyed, 00:01:23.190 --> 00:01:25.330 given that there is economic disparity of a huge degree. What are you saying? There's 00:01:25.330 --> 00:01:26.830 no alternative? There's no alternative? Just this system? 00:01:26.830 --> 00:01:31.300 No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying if you can't be arsed to vote why should we be asked 00:01:31.300 --> 00:01:32.890 to listen to your political point of view? 00:01:32.890 --> 00:01:35.810 You don't have to listen to my political point of view. But it's not that I'm not 00:01:35.810 --> 00:01:41.000 voting out of apathy. I'm not voting out of absolute indifference and weariness and 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:45.460 exhaustion from the lies, treachery, deceit of the political class, that has been going 00:01:45.460 --> 00:01:50.430 on for generations now. And which has now reached fever pitch where you have a disenfranchised, 00:01:50.430 --> 00:01:54.440 disillusioned, despondent underclass that are not being represented by that political 00:01:54.440 --> 00:01:58.880 system, so voting for it is tacit complicity with that system and thatís not something 00:01:58.880 --> 00:01:59.690 I'm offering up. 00:01:59.690 --> 00:02:01.520 Well why donít you change it then? 00:02:01.520 --> 00:02:02.300 I'm trying to. 00:02:02.300 --> 00:02:03.910 Well why don't you start by voting? 00:02:03.910 --> 00:02:07.900 I don't think it works. People have voted already and that's what's created the current 00:02:07.900 --> 00:02:08.150 paradigm. 00:02:08.128 --> 00:02:09.350 When did you last vote? 00:02:09.350 --> 00:02:09.729 Never. 00:02:09.729 --> 00:02:11.250 You've never, ever voted? 00:02:11.250 --> 00:02:13.410 No. Do you think that's really bad? 00:02:13.410 --> 00:02:15.820 So you struck an attitude, what, before the age of 18? 00:02:15.820 --> 00:02:19.210 Well I was busy being a drug addict at that point, because I come from the kind of social 00:02:19.210 --> 00:02:23.270 conditions that are exacerbated by an indifferent system that, really, just administrates for 00:02:23.270 --> 00:02:26.730 large corporations and ignores the population that it was voted in to serve. 00:02:26.730 --> 00:02:29.820 Youíre blaming the political class for the fact that you had a drug problem? 00:02:29.820 --> 00:02:34.980 No, no, no. I'm saying I was part of a social and economic class that is underserved by 00:02:34.980 --> 00:02:38.740 the current political system. And drug addiction is one of the problems it creates when you 00:02:38.740 --> 00:02:44.700 have huge, underserved, impoverished populations, people get drug problems. And, also, don't 00:02:44.700 --> 00:02:48.720 feel like they want to engage with the current political system because they see that it 00:02:48.720 --> 00:02:51.440 doesn't work for them. They see that it makes no difference. They see that they're not 00:02:51.440 --> 00:02:52.750 served. I say that the apathy - 00:02:52.750 --> 00:02:55.310 Of course it doesn't work for them if they didn't bother to vote. 00:02:55.310 --> 00:02:58.980 Jeremy, my darling, I'm not saying - the apathy doesn't come from us, the people. The apathy 00:02:58.980 --> 00:03:02.200 comes from the politicians. They are apathetic to our needs, they're only interested in 00:03:02.200 --> 00:03:06.290 servicing the needs of corporations. Look at..ainít the Tories going to court, taking 00:03:06.290 --> 00:03:10.600 the EU to court, because theyíre trying to curtail bank bonuses? Isn't that what's 00:03:10.600 --> 00:03:12.160 happening at the moment in our country? It is, innit? 00:03:12.160 --> 00:03:12.410 Yeah. 00:03:12.330 --> 00:03:14.709 So what am I gonna do, tune in for that? 00:03:14.709 --> 00:03:17.430 You don't believe in democracy. You want a revolution don't you? 00:03:17.430 --> 00:03:21.910 The planet is being destroyed, we are creating an underclass, weíre exploiting poor people 00:03:21.910 --> 00:03:25.930 all over the world and the genuine, legitimate problems of the people are not being addressed 00:03:25.930 --> 00:03:27.140 by our political class. 00:03:27.140 --> 00:03:28.410 All of those things may be true. 00:03:28.410 --> 00:03:29.520 They are true. 00:03:29.520 --> 00:03:32.760 But you took - I wouldnt argue with you about many of them. 00:03:32.760 --> 00:03:36.790 Well how come I feel so cross with you? It can't just be because of that beard, it's 00:03:36.790 --> 00:03:37.209 gorgeous. 00:03:37.209 --> 00:03:37.910 It's possibly because - 00:03:37.910 --> 00:03:41.010 And if the Daily Mail don't want it, I do. Because I'm against them. Grow it longer. 00:03:41.010 --> 00:03:43.990 Tangle it into your armpit hair. 00:03:43.990 --> 00:03:46.010 You are a very trivial man. 00:03:46.010 --> 00:03:47.010 What you think I am, trivial? 00:03:47.010 --> 00:03:47.260 Yes. 00:03:47.060 --> 00:03:51.240 A minute ago you were having a go at me because I wanted a revolution now I'm trivial, I'm 00:03:51.240 --> 00:03:51.650 bouncing about all over the place. 00:03:51.650 --> 00:03:55.450 Im not having a go at you because you want a revolution, many people want a revolution, 00:03:55.450 --> 00:03:57.890 but I'm asking you what it would be like. 00:03:57.890 --> 00:04:04.610 Well I think what it won't be like is a huge disparity between rich and poor where 300 00:04:04.610 --> 00:04:10.580 Americans have the same amount of wealth as the 85 million poorest Americans, where there 00:04:10.580 --> 00:04:15.060 is an exploited and underserved underclass that are being continually ignored, where 00:04:15.060 --> 00:04:19.659 welfare is slashed while Cameron and Osbourne go to court to defend the rights of bankers 00:04:19.659 --> 00:04:22.930 to continue receiving their bonuses. That's all I'm saying. 00:04:22.930 --> 00:04:27.099 What's the scheme, that's all I'm asking. What's the scheme? You talked vaguely about 00:04:27.099 --> 00:04:28.490 a revolution, what is it? 00:04:28.490 --> 00:04:32.650 I think a socialist egalitarian system, based on the massive redistribution of wealth, heavy 00:04:32.650 --> 00:04:38.699 taxation of corporations and massive responsibility for energy companies and any companies exploiting 00:04:38.699 --> 00:04:43.539 the environment - I think the very concept of profit should be hugely reduced. David 00:04:43.539 --> 00:04:47.460 Cameron said profit isnít a dirty word, I say profit is a filthy word. Because wherever 00:04:47.460 --> 00:04:51.900 there is profit there is also deficit. And this system currently doesn't address these 00:04:51.900 --> 00:04:55.669 ideas. And so why would anyone vote for it? Why would anyone be interested in it? 00:04:55.669 --> 00:04:57.430 Who would levy these taxes? 00:04:57.430 --> 00:05:01.039 I think there needs to be a centralised administrative system but built on - 00:05:01.039 --> 00:05:01.699 A government? 00:05:01.699 --> 00:05:06.699 Yes, well, maybe call it something else. Call them like the Admin Bods so they don't get 00:05:06.699 --> 00:05:07.449 ahead of themselves. 00:05:07.449 --> 00:05:08.969 And how would they be chosen? 00:05:08.969 --> 00:05:13.349 Jeremy, don't ask me to sit here in an interview with you, in a bloody hotel room and devise 00:05:13.349 --> 00:05:17.050 a global, utopian system. I'm merely pointing out that the current - 00:05:17.050 --> 00:05:18.039 You're calling for revolution! 00:05:18.039 --> 00:05:23.319 Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I'm calling for change. Iím calling for genuine alternatives. 00:05:23.319 --> 00:05:25.210 There are many people who would agree with you... 00:05:25.210 --> 00:05:25.460 Good. 00:05:25.370 --> 00:05:31.439 The current system is not engaging with all sorts of problems, yes. And they feel apathetic, 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:36.900 really apathetic. But if they were to take you seriously, and not to vote - 00:05:36.900 --> 00:05:39.749 Yeah, they shouldnít vote, that's what I'm thinking they should do, don't bother voting. 00:05:39.749 --> 00:05:43.539 Because when it reaches..there's a point - You see these little valves, these sort of cosy 00:05:43.539 --> 00:05:48.689 little valves of recycling and and you know like turns up somewhere, it starts reaching 00:05:48.689 --> 00:05:53.020 the point where you think, ' this is enough now. Stop voting. Stop pretending. Wake up. 00:05:53.020 --> 00:05:57.259 Be in reality now. Time to be in reality now'. Why vote? We know it's not going to make 00:05:57.259 --> 00:05:58.169 any difference? We know that already. 00:05:58.169 --> 00:05:58.960 It does make a difference. 00:05:58.960 --> 00:06:04.819 I have more impact at West Ham United, cheering them on, and they lost to City, unnecessarily, 00:06:04.819 --> 00:06:05.559 sadly. 00:06:05.559 --> 00:06:08.509 Now you're being facetious. 00:06:08.509 --> 00:06:12.949 Facetiousness has as much value as seriousness, I think you're making the mistake, of mistaking 00:06:12.949 --> 00:06:13.699 seriousness for the - 00:06:13.699 --> 00:06:16.379 You're not going to solve world problems by facetiousness. 00:06:16.379 --> 00:06:22.229 Weíre not going to solve them with the current system. At least facetiousness is funny. 00:06:22.229 --> 00:06:22.909 Sometimes. 00:06:22.909 --> 00:06:26.099 Yeah, sometimes, Jeremy. So listen. So let's approach this optimistically. You've spent 00:06:26.099 --> 00:06:30.189 your whole career berating and haranguing politicians. And then when someone like me, 00:06:30.189 --> 00:06:32.189 a comedian, goes 'they're all worthless, what's the point in engaging with any of 00:06:32.189 --> 00:06:35.789 them', you sort of have a go at me because I'm not poor anymore. 00:06:35.789 --> 00:06:40.439 I'm not having a go at you about that. I'm just asking why we should take you seriously 00:06:40.439 --> 00:06:41.629 when you're so unspecific - 00:06:41.629 --> 00:06:47.779 You don't have to take - Firstly, I don't mind if you take me seriously. I'm here just 00:06:47.779 --> 00:06:52.099 to draw attention to a few ideas, I just want to have a little bit of a laugh. I'm saying 00:06:52.099 --> 00:06:55.939 there are people with alternative ideas that are far better qualified than I am, and far 00:06:55.939 --> 00:06:59.830 better qualified, more importantly, than the people that are currently doing that job. 00:06:59.830 --> 00:07:03.369 Because they're not attempting to solve these problems. They're not. They're attempting 00:07:03.369 --> 00:07:07.759 to placate the population. There are measures currently being taken around climate change 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:10.210 are indifferent, will not solve, will not solve the problem. 00:07:10.210 --> 00:07:15.680 Is it possible that, as human beings, they're simply overwhelmed by the scale of the problem? 00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:18.669 Not really, well possibly. It might be that, but that's all just semantics really, whether 00:07:18.669 --> 00:07:23.649 they're overwhelmed by it or tacitly maintaining it because of habitual - I mean like, mate, 00:07:23.649 --> 00:07:27.349 this is what I noticed when I was in that Houses of Parliament. It's decorated exactly 00:07:27.349 --> 00:07:31.129 the same as Eton, is decorated exactly the same as Oxford. So a certain type of people 00:07:31.129 --> 00:07:33.770 goes in there and thinks 'this makes me nervous' and then another type of people go in there 00:07:33.770 --> 00:07:38.379 and go 'this is how it should be'. And I think that's got to change now. We can no 00:07:38.379 --> 00:07:43.849 longer have erroneous, duplicitous systems held in place unless it's for the serve - only 00:07:43.849 --> 00:07:47.119 systems that serve the planet and serve the population of the planet can be allowed to 00:07:47.119 --> 00:07:51.490 survive. Not ones that serve elites, be they political or corporate elites and this is 00:07:51.490 --> 00:07:52.749 what's currently happening. 00:07:52.749 --> 00:07:54.849 You don't really believe that. 00:07:54.849 --> 00:07:58.899 I completely believe it. Dont look at me all weary, like you're at a fireside with 00:07:58.899 --> 00:07:59.779 your pipe and your beard. 00:07:59.779 --> 00:08:00.659 I mean Ed Miliband (inaudible) - 00:08:00.659 --> 00:08:03.479 Well he went to the same primary school as Boris, didn't he? 00:08:03.479 --> 00:08:06.089 He did but he then went to a comprehensive school in north London. 00:08:06.089 --> 00:08:10.610 Well that's all well and good. But what I'm saying is, within the existing paradigm, the 00:08:10.610 --> 00:08:14.449 change is not dramatic enough, not radical enough. So you can well understand public 00:08:14.449 --> 00:08:18.990 disturbances and public dissatisfaction, when there are not genuine changes and genuine 00:08:18.990 --> 00:08:22.919 alternatives being offered. I say when there is a genuine alternative, a genuine option, 00:08:22.919 --> 00:08:28.270 then vote for that. But until then, pffft, don't bother. Why pretend? Why be complicit 00:08:28.270 --> 00:08:30.629 in this ridiculous illusion? 00:08:30.629 --> 00:08:34.839 Because by the time somebody comes along you might think it worth voting for, it may be 00:08:34.839 --> 00:08:35.500 too late. 00:08:35.500 --> 00:08:39.159 I don't think so because the time is now, this movement is already occurring, it's 00:08:39.159 --> 00:08:42.349 happening everywhere, we're in a time where communication is instantaneous and there are 00:08:42.349 --> 00:08:47.069 communities all over the world. The Occupy movement made a difference in even if, only 00:08:47.069 --> 00:08:52.709 in that, it introduced, to the popular public lexicon, the idea of the 1% versus the 99%. 00:08:52.709 --> 00:08:57.279 People for the first time in a generation are aware of massive, corporate and economic 00:08:57.279 --> 00:09:01.680 exploitation. These things are not nonsense. And these subjects are not being addressed. 00:09:01.680 --> 00:09:06.380 No one is doing anything about tax havens, no one is doing anything about their political 00:09:06.380 --> 00:09:10.690 affiliations and financial affiliations of the Conservative Party, so until people start 00:09:10.690 --> 00:09:15.120 addressing things that are actually real, why wouldn't I be facetious, why would I 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:19.769 take it seriously? Why would I encourage a constituency of young people that are absolutely 00:09:19.769 --> 00:09:23.709 indifferent to vote? Why would we? Aren't you bored? Aren't you more bored than anyone? 00:09:23.709 --> 00:09:27.250 Ain't you been talking to them year after year, listening to their lies, their nonsense. 00:09:27.250 --> 00:09:31.380 Then it's this one that gets in, then it's that one gets in but the problem continues. 00:09:31.380 --> 00:09:34.199 Why are we going to continue to contribute to this facade? 00:09:34.199 --> 00:09:37.920 I'm surprised you can be facetious when you're that angry about it. 00:09:37.920 --> 00:09:42.860 Yeah, I am angry, I am angry. Because for me it's real, because for me it's not just 00:09:42.860 --> 00:09:46.079 some peripheral thing that I just turn up to once in a while to a church fete for. 00:09:46.079 --> 00:09:49.230 For me, this is what I come from. This is what I care about. 00:09:49.230 --> 00:09:51.680 Do you see any hope? 00:09:51.680 --> 00:09:55.649 Remember that - yeah, totally, there's gonna be a revolution. It's totally going to happen. 00:09:55.649 --> 00:10:00.829 I ain't got a flicker of doubt, this is the end. This is time to wake up. 00:10:00.829 --> 00:10:05.040 I remember I seen you in that programme, where you look at your ancestors, and you saw the 00:10:05.040 --> 00:10:09.589 way your grandmother were out to brass herself or got fucked over by the aristocrats who 00:10:09.589 --> 00:10:14.800 ran her gaff. You cried because you knew that it was unfair and unjust. And that was what? 00:10:14.800 --> 00:10:17.569 A century ago? That's happening to people now. I just come from a woman who's been 00:10:17.569 --> 00:10:21.699 treated like that. I've just been talking to a woman today who's being treated like 00:10:21.699 --> 00:10:26.790 that. So if we can engage that feeling, instead of some moment of lachrymose sentimentality 00:10:26.790 --> 00:10:31.949 trotted out on the TV for people to pore over emotional porn. If we can engage that feeling 00:10:31.949 --> 00:10:36.529 and change things, why wouldn't we? Why is that naive? Why is that not my right because 00:10:36.529 --> 00:10:41.329 I'm an actor? I mean I've taken the right. I don't need the right from you. I don't 00:10:41.329 --> 00:10:43.260 need the right from anybody. I'm taking it.