An Interview with Russell Brand

Russell Brand’s new show ’33’ is more than a stand up show, it’s a celebration of our return to freedom and a look at our shared, imposed insanity during the last two years. An extension of his fast growing YouTube channel which has over 1 million new subscribers per month, the live show is in three parts – two comedic and one meditation. Expect lots of politics, sociocultural analysis, chaos and laughter. At its core it carries a message of deep hope and love for the Real People of this country and provides a rallying call for systemic change.

You’ve called the live experience 33, what’s the meaning behind this?
The show is called 33 because when I was 32 I thought I was going to die at 33. As you can see that did not happen, so I made that my lucky number. I subsequently found out that it is very significant and important in numerology, and also evidently in the secret cartel that runs the world, the illuminati. Leading to continual accusations that I might be a member. If I am a member, I don’t know about it, though that is what I would say if I was in the illuminati.

“We have to do something radical”

What’s the new show about?
The new show is a celebration of the last couple of years and what’s been revealed politically and spiritually. One, we learnt that you can change society radically overnight. Two, we realised that work wasn’t always necessary in the way we were told it had been and three, we can never ever trust our constantly partying government again and that we now have an opportunity for radical, personal and social change. We also learnt that from our audience surveys, that deep down everyone is crazy and some people will use knickers instead of a face mask at the slightest provocation.

Who is this show for?
The show is for everyone who has felt frustrated by government ineptitude, profiteering and exploitation during the medical crisis of the last couple of years, and who feels that the world could be a better place that we can realise the best version of ourselves individually or as a society.

What do you want people to get out of your live show?
My prayer is that they get a powerful experience of connection, transcendence and hopefully euphoria.

What made you create a tour like this?
My realisation that things have to change, that the material world can no longer offer the resolution it promises, and that we have to do something radical if we are to pull ourselves back from the brink of shared madness. 33 is an experience, it’s a movement and like nothing people have seen on stage before with loads of audience insights. What have been the funniest audience moments so far?

Are you still doing photos and signings with the audience or has covid put a stop to that?
Yes I meet and greet everyone, have a look at the photos on Instagram. It’s a carnival, its beautiful! We do photographs and autographs, sign posters, t-shirts – everything!

“Different perspectives”

What have been the most surprising things you’ve learnt from the people you’ve met on the tour so far?
That within us all there is deep beauty and a filthy craziness.

It’s been a chaotic couple of years for everyone, what have been your personal highs and lows?
The highs have been spending more time with my children and the lows have been spending more time with my children.

33 tries to support the community wherever it goes – tell us about the Manchester moment…
Everywhere we go we invite treatment centres and people in the early stages of recovery to attend and we also are always open for serendipity, synchronicity and signs.

Your YouTube videos get a million views a day, what do you think it is that draws people to your channel?
Integrity, authenticity and an openness to different perspectives and points of view. An understanding that no-one has got exclusive ownership of truth and that we are involved in a conversation to reach truth together. Also, it’s quite funny.

If you could offer your past self one piece of advice that you’ve learned since the pandemic started, what would it be?
Learn how to meditate and recognise that the real world is the inner world, and the external world all is fleeting.

Tickets to Russell Brand’s Live Experience show “33” are on sale now at russellbrand.com