By Producer Jack
Stood drunkenly on the terrace of the Red Lion pub in Hoxton Square I received my first phone call from Russell Brand. It was a Saturday night in October 2006 and I was a frivolous Assistant Producer with a new job. At this time, at least on the face of it, Russell was a digital TV presenter and ultimately my new boss.
Shocked into sobriety I remember the conversation surprisingly well. In hindsight the ambition and conviction he displayed then is no surprise, but at the time I was startled – which was dangerous considering I was pissed on a roof.
The purpose of the call primarily was to tell me I was up for a promotion. On what seemed like an ill-advised whim, Russell had decided I was to become his new Producer, not something I’d envisaged to be frank.
Russell relayed the good news in his own inimitable way, a heady concoction of compliments and commandments – like the promotion itself was a caveat for the workload ahead.
I hung in there determined not to slur at my ultra composed caller and listened as he detailed a glittering future that in all honesty was difficult to perceive. However, so rousing was the speech that by the end of the call had he said jump…..
After it ended I returned to the party all detached and bewildered like a nan at an orgy. I realise now I’d fallen for the cock eyed optimism and charisma of Russell Brand – girls I know how you feel, but in this case it was the gauntlet that had been laid.
I remembered that phone call last Saturday as we discussed Booky Wook 2 and the amazing O2 gig of the night before. Such a blur of activity has since past that I sometimes wonder if it happened at all. Maybe it didn’t. Maybe I just stumbled off that roof and as we speak an unknown presenter has just delivered grapes to my bedside.
Interesting to see Russell from another person’s perspective.
love ur strories about Russell..he has surrounded himself with an amazing team of beautiful people :) all your success is well deserved
best wishes in everything you do!
xx
Awww (: Hahaha he has that effect on men too eh :P xxx
That was great. I’m really excited for the new book! :]]
Ilove that you were drunken on a roof top when he called you. Perhaps that roof was liken to a door, behind which a new world of intoxication lie.
Thank for sharing your anticdotes with us Producer Jack! Brava!
xo sarah
this made me laugh, i hope you did not fall from the roof , while merry from drink; Russell is a joy,I mean there is something really wonderful about him. It was my neice who gave me the first book to read while I was ill last november from a bad cold, I could’t but the book down and now well I’m spell bound and interested in everything he does, I think he would make a good teacher, he’s a great writer.
I mean niece. its just a shame I can’t spell.
‘I realise now I’d fallen for the cock eyed optimism and charisma of Russell Brand’
yep, it’s like bloody fatal attraction with that man!
lovely memories Jack … thanks for sharing them with us x
While it takes a talented leader to be able to inspire others on the future they want to create, it is equally important to be one of those “others” who are an integral part of the process, or else the “future” doesn’t get achieved… including their own. Congratulations on living your “future” in a great way, while helping another to achieve theirs… it’s rather wonderful, isn’t it?
Aw, that made me feel all sentimental.
Being a Russell Brand fan has felt like being taken along on a journey. Traversed via digital Tv presenting and radio shows, past adversity (he did/said WHAT?), past criticism (see previous brackets), the journey has perhaps not always been fun (although almost always funny), but boy, has it been worth it.
As always, I am filled with a baffling amount of love for the silly, silly man.
x x x
x x x
Haha, what beautiful imagery… ‘Like a nan at an orgy’
Nice one x
i wish i had some grapes…
Aww Jack thats lovely. Thank you for sympathising for the fan girl in all of us – even you, a heterosexual male it so happens :)
Hope you are well, and coping without the Brandy man whilst he is out in Italy.
xxx
(ps. the O2 gig was effing brilliant wasnt it?)
Lucky!
(thought bubble: now, how to get a nice vegetarian meal to Mr. Brand so as to vie for that personal chef position? no entourage is complete without one don’t cha know.)
No rest for the wicked… Thanks for the imagery and the insight.
Cheers, Jack, we love updates from y’all.
Semi-drunken 2am love from Melbourne xoxox