Live Review: Russell Brand’s ‘I Am A Walrus’ Tour

BBM’s Jim Palmer checks out Russell Brand’s ‘I Am A Walrus’ Tour in Sydney.

In A celebrity-obsessed world, it is easy to forget that Russell Brand’s day job is to tell jokes. And he is pretty good at it.

The day after a raucous gig at Sydney Entertainment Centre, Brand’s face stares out from the top story on the Daily Mail’s website in a story about a Parliamentary committee’s recommendation to relax drug laws. The comedian had appeared before politicians urging them to do just that.

He is also the former Mr Katy Perry, renowned shagger, a reformed drug addict, Hollywood actor and radio host who caused meltdown at the BBC – so where does comedy fit in?

Let’s just be grateful that it does. He is a comedian at the top of his game: exploding with charisma, energy, wit and intelligence.

The instantly recognisable rock-star comic appeared on stage to a frenzy following a video montage which played to his famous persona and built to a crescendo that led to a huge ovation before he even uttered a word.

A few minutes were spent rambling among the audience, building his own lothario reputation further, but it was when he got back on stage that the magic happened.

Full of energy and vigour, his comedy acknowledges and to a large extent relies on his fame.

Among other topics, Brand hilariously deconstructed a tabloid newspaper story about his death in a snowboarding accident, recounted a gig with the Dalai Lama, and highlighted his bizarre behaviour appearing before MPs and on Newsnight on the issue of drugs.

In the hands of lesser mortals these subjects would be mere name-dropping boasts, but Brand is irreverent, self-deprecating and suitably aware of the illusory and transient nature of fame to make it tear-inducingly funny.

Through the veil of irony and post-modernism he evens transformed tired gags about Hitler fellatio and paedophilia into guilt-free giggles.

The linchpin, after which the tour is named, was Brand’s appearance at the Olympic Closing Ceremony, where he performed the Beatles’ ‘I am the Walrus’ atop a bus, dressed as Willy Wonka, live to a stadium of 80,000 spectators including the Royal family and a television audience of one billion.

Could he be trusted, as a professional comedian and a man whose brain isn’t always his ally,to deliver the song straight and not pull any stupid stunts?

It is no wonder that minutes before the performance he was desperately relying on the words of David Icke to find a way out.

Don’t be fooled by what you read in the papers or see on TV, the ‘I Am A Walrus’ tour is a belting reminder that the cornerstone of Russell Brand’s fame is that he is a great comedian.

By Jim Palmer

Check out our interview with Russell Brand

Check out Russell Brand Jokes