Paxton, gobsmacked! That doesn't happen often. I'm in the dubious position of starting to like Russell Brand.

What a retard, if you taking the big words away he uses.

The plante is being destroyed? The planet still be around for billions of years after the last human has died.

I do think problems can be fixed at the ballot box.  I don't think they will be fixed at the ballot box.  Voters are too fixated on voting against the other guy or against the other team.  In every election we have candidates from small political parties who earn maybe 2-7% of the vote and want the system fully "rebooted" just as Mr. Brand does.  Vote for them, tell your friends about it, and you'll be shamed for "wasting your vote on someone unelectable" and "giving half your vote to the guy you hate instead of all of your vote against him."  Voters just don't have to collective cajones to kick out both major political parties.

I'm proud to "throw away my vote" on these candidates.

A bit less shall than we first thought, sure. Cogent political theorist: no...

stopped listening after "left" and "revolution".

How are humans destroying the planet? I do believe, that you overestimate the human race. Even if we were to use all 20'000 nukes we have, the planet would be OK. Remember the meteor, that offed the dinos? We got nothing near that powerful and you wouldn't claim, that it destroyed the planet. We aren't even capabale to destroy all life, we might have the power to kill all mammals, but not much more.

He's not saying anything particularly smart or interesting - but it's funny to see Jeremy Paxman being trolled once a while :p

I think you might be taking the "destroying the planet" phrase too literally.

Aaaww Russell, "crazy hair, quite good sense of humour.."  :)

To be honest, him or another guest-editor.. no one really cares.. but everyone is free to have their own point of view. Gotta love the little kick that Mr. Obnoxious Paxman is receiving, especially at the end of the video. 

It is not that we need to save the planet.  

It is we need to save ourselves from the planet. It is like waking a sleeping lion.  And we are making as much noise as possible.

Anyone who stands up to the obnoxious JP gets my vote!

I've always maintained that Paxman's approach was necessary because most of his interviewees are politicians who are accustomed to avoiding actual questions and genuine answers.  However, since he grew that beard he comes across like a grumpy old man in a pub complaining about everything he can think of.

Incidentally: he only makes a side refernce to environmentalism etc.; most of his points are about disparity of wealth and opportunity.

Russel Brand is a very intelligent man unfortunately taken in by his own image of sex- crazed,drug fuelled,man- u- luv-to- hate.It's a pity as he does seem to be a step up from most of the crap TV celebrities that are foisted onto us.

Totally off subject, AndyC, nice wheelie.  Is that ZRX1200R, Eddie Lawson replica ?  Nice bike.

Just watched the interview - sorry but this emperor truly has no clothes. Was there anything new added to the debate? This will only raise cheers from people already in line with his thinking, and get a massive face palm from everybody else. And then he preaches disengagement. WHAT A DICK. Revolution!!! But let's not actually do anything or offer any alternatives!!! HOORAY!!! Well done Russell, you've read fxxxxg Noam Chomsky and Robert Reich on a yoga retreat and now you've confused trying to change the world with massaging your ego. Economic disparity? Profit is a filthy word? He was paid $3.5m for the stinking turd of a film Arthur. Rant over.

Good rant, thanks for that!

Russel Who?

Who looks like he's having a wonderful time at the München Oktoberfest.............. :o)

He behaves like a clown but.......what he is saying is true.

if I lived in the Uk now,I would also share his apathy.Mainstream politics seems to be a power game of self- serving careerists and the " democracy" bit is hard to identify.

What he says  may not be new,but it might just get some young people interested in actually trying to change things.

But,come on,it was worth watching just to see Brand putting his hand on Paxman's knee!

It is indeed.  Thank you for noticing.  Sadly it's a long way from here, in storage, but I have a Fireblade here to comfort me.

He has the choice to remain in showbiz-land and spend his cash, but instead he is using his position to bring more visibility to a debate that otherwise isn't getting aired.  Even if you don't agree with his point of view, that must be worth some credit.

“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.”
George Orwell

He's only fulfilling the job remit of the clown in the ancient tradition: highlighting the ludicrousness of the human condition and using his position to shine a light on the injustices and follys of the rich and powerful against the poor and weak so that people can make-up their own minds about what should be done. The Greeks created democracy from the theatre, the clown played this very specific role within the drama to act as a counter-balance to the arguments from both sides by using humour as a foil.

You can all judge for yourselves if he does a good job in February next year.....

http://www.glocals.com/things-to-do/zurich/64277.htm

http://www.glocals.com/things-to-do/lausanne/64278.htm

Yup - still think the same as I've always thought.  

All style and no substance and (bar a few "big" words someone taught him) a dreadful command of the English language.  

Anyone who says they're not, "not voting out of apathy, but indifference", seriously needs to do a dictionary check.

And why, oh WHY, when he makes such an effort to over-enunciate, can he not be bothered to pronounce his "T"'s?

Another interesting take on the subject:

http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/oct/30/robert-webb-russell-brand-vote

Would loudly disagree that there is " no substance" . It is hard to disagree with any of the points he makes.They are true.

You may not like his style.that is not important. As for his pronunciation or misuse of language, are these REALLY so important?

Interesting article in the Guardian.Thanks Carolyn.

Most worrying thing for me is discovering that Brand believes in god.

Funny that because Brand used to have a column in the Guardian.

Forgive me, instead of "all style and no substance", I should have put "Style over Substance" as in :

When the arguer embellishes the argument with compelling language or rhetoric, and/or visual aesthetics, usually to silence dissent.

For example (from the Paxman interview):

“I don’t get my authority from this preexisting paradigm which is quite narrow and only serves a few people.  I look elsewhere for alternatives that might be of service to humanity.” 

And yes, "pronounciation and misuse of language" ARE important when referring to someone that consistently cites the "degradation of the English language" as part of his stage show with remarks such as:

"if we use the words "unbelievably satisfying" to describe something as banal as diet Dr Pepper, what language do we have left to describe the moments in which we genuinely feel unbelievable satisfaction?"

(And yes, they SHOULD be really important to an English Teacher!! )

Still disagree,sorry

Ha the modern pseudo intellectual babble of our times...

Lovely

If anyone is still interested, Paxman basically said in a recent interview that he agrees with what Russel Brand said- and added that he himself does not vote.....