Russell Brand: Booky Wook 2

I recently finished Booky Wook 2, and thought it was just as good as the first. The style feels like he's reading it to you, or just having a chat with you. I think I've overdosed on RB lately because I've been listening to the old BBC6 podcasts so I'm virtually thinking like Russell Brand, which can't be healthy (worth hunting down on a torrent for the podcast about holidays alone- the tales of the boat trip are unrivalled). However, after seeing that clip of him talking all posh on some US show, I do feel like the shine has come off. What makes him special is his unpredictability, and when he's scripted or sanitised, he could be anyone. In his films he could be anyone. Then I saw a clip of him on Daybreak pronouncing all his words nicely, too. Don't like. If they're doing that shit to him, Cheryl Cole is going to come back talking like Princess Anne. (Just don't come back at all, Chez). Back to the book. Each chapter is pretty much a little snapshot of his life, which I think is quite a nice way of presenting things. I like how much Kate Moss making his bed meant to him, but if I was Katy Perry I don't think I'd like my current husband going on about what a goddess she is for an entire chapter.
There are a lot of stories and anecdotes I've heard him tell a million times on radio or in his stand up, but he gets away with it, as they're so funny. His disregard for other humans (especially women) is mindboggling, yet hysterical. I'd forgive him anything.
I particularly liked the chapter on Big Brother (a national treasure), and hearing about how much he appreciated that time. It was genuinely exciting hearing his tales of the contraband 'fight night' video and waiting to shag the contestants as they came out as it had been like watching them in a film.
The chapter where Trevor gets accused of rape is particularly poignant, as I haven't got to that bit of the podcasts yet, so I'm just revelling in all the hi-jinks at the mo, waiting for the bomb to drop. It's sad they could never come back from that, and I thought Russell covered it in a thoughtful way- but how that parting of ways went down in reality, who knows? Very sad all round.
I like the way he talks about his gaggle of friends, but I hate Adam Sandler (of all people) for kidnapping him for Hollywood. A big revelation seemed to be that he doesn't even actually enjoy working on the films! I wish he'd just come back and do radio, or present Big Brother. Hell, I'd even stick him back on Dancefloor chart. He's ours, we should just have him back.
The arrogance of him writing out little jokes between him and Noel Gallagher or bits of his stand up is shocking, yet again, he gets away with it. I don't think we really needed to regurgitate the VMAs but then again, some of those death threats were fucking hilarious.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a rubbish film, in which RB's talents are wasted, so it was interesting to hear he hated making it as that seemed like him 'striking it big'. The other chapters on making films and hosting the MTV awards (again) leave me cold a bit. The Morrissey chapter is great (of course!) but you're left feeling that maybe him and Moz aren't as close as you'd have previously thought-or why would he have to go through a third party to get permission to use the emails? I like the fact Moz likes Alan Carr, though. And I would kill to know what his email address is. I bet it's some play on popeofmope@aol.com (I could see Moz backwardly being with AOL).
Did Sachsgate need revisting? I guess so, I like the fact he thought himself being all over the news was how life SHOULD be. Also interesting was after the show initually went out, there was not ONE complaint. I remember exactly where I was standing listening to that podcast (Leather Lane market, if you must know) thinking, 'are they really calling him?' but that's about it. It still makes me sad what happened. I genuinely loved that show. It gave me full-on snorts of laughter where Adam and Joe (when available) only gives me chuckles (I do like those chuckles though, and snorts aren't so good on the tube).
There's only one chapter on Katy Perry, and it's fairly scant on details (saving it for Booky Wook 3, or the divorce?) Nothing she says is clever or of any interest. I do feel she's sucked the life out of him. I miss ol' Russ and his crazy ways. But I don't think we'll have to wait forever, let's put it that way.
Incidentally, I just started reading Derren Brown's latest book and it's boring as fuck in comparison. I think I need some fiction in my life.

Book: You Can Stick It

I got an amazing early Christmas present today, the You Can Stick It book by P.K. Munroe. I was already a fan of the blog, and the book sounded good, but is even better in the flesh. It bills itself as 'a sticker book for grown ups'. I actually have an adult colouring-in book too, so it will go quite nicely with that.
I've always had an unhealthy obsession with stickers; when I was a kid both mine and my brothers' bedroom doors were covered in them, and even now I have a special box full of stickers and notepaper; and I still use them pretty regularly despite the digital age. My best friend and I went through a 'googly-eye' phase once where we put googly eyes on absolutely everything on the house from remote controls to lightswitches. Then I saw the cartoon Ooglies, which was pretty much that, but animated.
The most recent stickers that got my heart racing were the feminist 'you are normal, this is not' ones stuck on plastic surgery posters on the tube, and the fact that a simple sticker can put you in a good mood for a day is pretty inspiring. I made up some of my own stickers to use myself, but since then I've hardly seen any sexist posters, so I think they must be getting stickered and then removed pretty regularly. Politics on a sticker is so simple, but so straightforward, I love it.
You Can Stick It is a dream for the naughty stickerer (not a word). Each page is a sheet of stickers you can actually use, and they are really good quality and really funny. Which leaves you in a dilemma, because should you use them, or keep the book pristine?! I want to use mine and go on a stickering rampage! The publishers of this book could get in trouble if it really takes off, but that would be fun.
There's all sorts of different categories of stickers, from ones to go on the front of books: 'not read by Richard and Judy', cash machines 'read PIN clearly into the microphone', and food labels: 'nick one, get one free'. There's also bumper stickers, road signs and train stickers: 'quiet zone- except you of course'.
Probably my favourite ones are ones to go on CDs: 'pointlessly remastered', 'difficult second album' and 'live album, goes on forever'. Also DVD ones: 'here's 2 hours you won't get back' and 'includes that bloke you saw in that other thing'.
This book is lush. The price is good too; £12.99, considering a sheet of stickers with some stars or fairies on costs a quid, and you get tons in here. I think it would make an excellent Christmas present- what, I'm too late? There's Christmas stickers in it, too, and I like the happy birthday one that says 'special petrol station gift'.
Wow, I haven't reviewed a book in about six months! Exciting. This is my kind of book; one with bright colours and not too many words. Stickers rule!