Words fail me! (Russel Brand Radio 2 Show)

Member Name: i_am_joy

Product:	Russel Brand Radio 2 Show
Date:	28/10/08 (147 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good music choices

Disadvantages: An appalling presenter, unfunny content, offensive and crude

Over the past few weeks I've been 'lucky' enough to hear a little of Russell Brands show on Radio 2, I have thought it was utter tosh since I heard my very first snippet but didn't think to write a review on it until I heard about his appalling behaviour recently.

Let me just clarify a very important point, I've only listened to this drivel because Radio 2 is tuned in on my car stereo as I like the Jeremy Vine show and I find it too much hassle to find another channel and then find Radio 2 again the next day!

Another reason I've come across his radio show is because my neice was visiting last Saturday and she switched in on as her and her husband think Russell Brand is the funniest man on the planet, and they are both old enough to know better!

He presents his radio show in exactly the same manner as he goes about on tele, which is not a terribly impressive manner as far as I am concerned. He's very loutish and not afraid to speak his mind, although his narrative always comes across to me as thoughtless and ill considered. Sometimes, when he's not talking about sex or drugs, he will make me smile but it's a 'oh goodness me, what a strange chap' smile.

Russell Brand plays a good choice of music, which is really the main reason I keep him on in the car rather than just switching the radio off and driving in silence. Recently I've heard the likes of T-Rex, The Doors, Carlos Santana and Paul Weller. However, his is more a chatty 'comedy' (I use the word loosely) show than a music orientated one. I find Brand a very odd person indeed, he'll go off on strange tangents which have absolutely no bearing on the original direction of his conversation. He's an eloquant speaker and an obviously intelligent man, I think he could be a better presenter for Radio 2 if he took things a little more seriously and used his brain better.

Having said this, I have no doubt that I am certainly not in Russell Brands target audience. Younger people of a certain humour bracket find him hysterically funny, listening to my neice laughing at his every word recently made me wonder what on earth is happening to Radio 2! It used to be such a safe bet, when the repulsive drunk Chris Moyles got too grating on Radio 1 you knew you could always calm the pace down a little with Radio 2.

Russell Brand has some good guests on his show, I've never actually been listening when he interviews someone but looking at the Radio 2 website I see that recent chats have been with Noel Gallagher and Oliver Stone. I cannot imagine why someone of Stones calibre would want to appear on a smutty and offensive show like this, and would love to have heard what he made of Brand.

The recent furore surrounding Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross has astounded me. To sketch an quick outline, Brand and Ross phoned 78 year old Andrew Sachs (Manuel from Fawlty Towers) and left inappropriate messages regarding his granddaughter on his answering machine. Jonathan Ross should have known better admittedly, but it showed a complete lack of respect from a relative newcomer to showbiz for Brand to cause such offence to an old man who has given the world of comedy a million times more than this weird presenter.

I didn't hear it, but have read the content of the message and think Russell Brand should certainly not be presenting his show on Saturday. Radio 2 simply isn't the place for a rude, arrogant and totally unfunny creature like him.

I heard a funny comment from a caller to the George Galloway on Talksport last night. They were discussing the Brand/Ross situation and a straight talking Northerner finished his call with "blimey, look at him. 40 years ago we'd have called him insane and had him committed!" Another theme among the calls was that we, as compulsory license payers and paying for this appalling presenter to boast about his sex life and insult and belittle his elders and betters.

Fortunately he is given just two hours air time a week, Saturday evening from 9pm to 11pm. I think his particular brand of humour, however, should be given a later slot or preferably another channel. Why isn't he with the freak show that is the Radio 1 crew?

Summary: I won't listen to this show again, shame on the BBC!