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On Last Night's "SNL," Russell Brand Talks Marriage to Katy Perry. Plus, Chris Brown Gives One Amazingly Energetic Lip Sync'd Performance

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under TV Reviews | Comments (35)

russell-brand-gi-320.jpg

Last night, Russell Brand discussed the ordinariness of his marriage to Katy Perry, yelled for lack of anything funny to say, and God Bless the guy, tried to put the entire “SNL” cast on his back and carry the show. Brand gets an A for overzealousness, but with few exceptions, the entire episode crumbled under the weight of futility. But that didn’t stop Chris Brown from trying to dance his way through Rihanna’s restraining order and back into her heart.

Russell Brand Monologue

Brand’s monologue was fantastic, if you love listening to British guys mistake comedy for yelling. I don’t know if the guy is sober now or something, but I think he’s overcompensating with volume. Maybe he doesn’t realize he’s actually mic’d. Otherwise, it sounded like one of Ricky Gervais’ lesser routines. The marriage bit was pretty funny, though.

Spider-man Lawsuit

A personal injury lawyer that specializes in Spider-man: The Musical lawsuits had potential, but The Onion already took this story its its hilariously illogical limits with this headline: “Nuclear Bomb Detonates During Rehearsal For ‘Spider-Man’ Musical.”

Vacation Giveaway

Recurring skits are rarely as good the second time as they are the first, but this one — where Kristin Wiig reprises her Cheryl Bryant character — tops the original, if only for the hilarious montage of past winners.

British Movie

The biggest highlight of the night was this trailer for the fake British movie, Don’ You Go Rounin’ Roun to Re Ro’, which sums it up for everyone that’s ever needed subtitles to watch a Guy Ritchie flick.

Chris Brown

Chris Brown may very well be a very bad person, and he doesn’t even try to disguise the fact that he’s lip-syncing this number. But, man, this number — and the dance routine that went along with it — rocked.

Weekend Update’s Stefon

Finally, I leave you with the night’s last highlight, Stefon, who I disliked in the beginning, but like a joke that’s told so often it becomes absurd, the man has grown on me.









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Comments

best part was that there was an actual spiderman play commercial right after

Posted by: maka at February 13, 2011 11:05 AM

Clicking on what you think is a Stefan video and getting 3 minutes of Fred Armisen is like taking a big drink of what you think is Pepsi and ends up being Dr. Pepper - it's the fucking worst. NBC.com needs to correct that immediatment.

Posted by: Courtney at February 13, 2011 11:18 AM

If you go to what's marked as the Hosni Mubarak video, that's Stefan.

Posted by: Courtney at February 13, 2011 11:20 AM

That's not Stefan in that last clip. WHERE'S THE BOOOOOOOOOF?

Posted by: Lauren at February 13, 2011 11:24 AM

Just an observation but Chris Brown has faced more punishment than Charlie F-ing Sheen.

Posted by: blacksred at February 13, 2011 11:26 AM

“But that didn’t stop Chris Brown from trying to dance his way through Rihanna’s restraining order and back into her heart.”

Ha!


Poor Russell Brand, the guy does try. He’s like a poor man’s Jerry Lewis.

Posted by: Pookie at February 13, 2011 11:32 AM

“Just an observation but Chris Brown has faced more punishment than Charlie F-ing Sheen.”

Posted by: blacksred at February 13, 2011 11:26 AM


Poor Charlie Sheen, you know you have a problem when Pablo Escobar tries to set up an intervention for you.

Posted by: Pookie at February 13, 2011 11:41 AM

Russell Brand and unfunny...I fail to see the big controversy here.

Posted by: Uncle JR at February 13, 2011 12:31 PM

I am slowly starting to like Russell Brand.

If only because he's besties with Noel Fielding.

And no, I do not watch The Mighty Boosh, but nice try.

Posted by: grace b at February 13, 2011 12:39 PM

Nice Weekend Update bit.

Posted by: The Wanderer at February 13, 2011 12:51 PM

Thoughts: Awful episode, terrible endings for almost every sketch. Their movie trailer parodies have been A+ lately. I hate everything about Chris Brown's bubblegum pop girlfriend-beating bullshit. The cold open was one of the worst I've ever seen. There was a flash of balls during the Mubarak sketch when the writers took potshots at U.S. foreign policy, which was exciting, but the rest of that bit was fairly weak. Jay Pharoa did his first bad impression, that of Lil' Wayne (who's oddly easy to do an impression of, so I'm surprised). Conversely, that Eminem impression was pretty hilarious.

And I LOVE Stefon. I swear, they must not show him the cue cards until the second he's on stage, because he always looks surprised by what he has to say.

Posted by: ChristianH at February 13, 2011 12:56 PM

The Stefan was the best yet. Jewpids! I laughed so hard I pulled a rib muscle. I think Stefan needs to get a sketch, where he is actually in such a club.

Posted by: Sean at February 13, 2011 2:09 PM

And see, I though Brand's monologue was the best part. After watching the rest of the show, it seemed the obvious choice to let him run long because the most of the rest was shit.

Posted by: EJ at February 13, 2011 3:17 PM

Hygienically and comically challenged Russell Brand and mega-tool Chris Brown. I couldn't possibly come up with two better reasons to skip this one.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at February 13, 2011 4:20 PM

Russell Brand may be funny (and sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie) but I'll never know. He's just so unpleasant to look at that I can't take it more than 10 seconds or so.

It's like that Kid from Mask had a butt baby with The Great Khali and they didn't bathe it for a year.

He looks like he smells like Courtney Love's laundry hamper that Pete Doherty puked in last summer.

Posted by: The Mutt at February 13, 2011 4:33 PM

Did anyone else catch Brand tug his ear and roll his eyes when introducing Chris Brown the second time?

Posted by: aroorda at February 13, 2011 4:43 PM

Russell Brand, the British Dane Cook: not funny whatsoever, but women think he's hot, so he has a career.

Posted by: strife at February 13, 2011 6:43 PM

"Thoughts: Awful episode, terrible endings for almost every sketch. Their movie trailer parodies have been A+ lately. I hate everything about Chris Brown's bubblegum pop girlfriend-beating bullshit. The cold open was one of the worst I've ever seen. There was a flash of balls during the Mubarak sketch when the writers took potshots at U.S. foreign policy, which was exciting, but the rest of that bit was fairly weak" Thanks H you just summed up the last 25 years of SNL.

Posted by: clancys_daddy at February 13, 2011 8:27 PM

Here ... T all mi ngl e..c'o'' m..., you can meet many hot girls, have some fun now ... meet me (Marybelly)

Posted by: linda123 at February 13, 2011 9:52 PM

It just occured to me: Russell Brand is married to Katy Perry who is best friends with Rhianna who was beaten up by Chris Brown who was introduced 2 times by Russell Brand on SNL. Talk about awkward for Russell....

Posted by: AustinGirl78 at February 13, 2011 10:18 PM

Did he spend 6 minutes talking about how tight his pants are? Really?! That's what's funny now?...I'm glad I don't get it.

Posted by: banDanna at February 13, 2011 11:24 PM

Russell Brand, the British Dane Cook: not funny whatsoever, but women think he's hot, so he has a career.

Posted by: strife at February 13, 2011 6:43 PM

Who ARE these women? Just so I can beat them up. This guy is balls-ugly!

Posted by: Tina at February 14, 2011 12:02 AM

“Just an observation but Chris Brown has faced more punishment than Charlie F-ing Sheen.”

Posted by: blacksred at February 13, 2011 11:26 AM


I'm not entirely sure going on a coke bender and sleeping with pornstars is a very fair comparison to beating the shit out of your girlfriend....

Posted by: ? at February 14, 2011 12:51 AM

IS somebody actually claiming Sheen treats women well? This was only two weeks ago and don't forget in 1996 he was accused of hitting two women in separate incidents one of which he was tried for convicted of misdemeanor battery.

Brown will never reach Sheen's god-like status. God-modem for sure.

Posted by: Oohee at February 14, 2011 1:14 AM

Sorry, not two weeks ago but recent memory.

Posted by: Oohee at February 14, 2011 1:21 AM

I'm not going to launch into a largescale defence of Russell Brand. Basically, if you don't like him, that's cool.

I object, however, to people calling him the British Dane Cook. Call him annoying or a bad actor or not funny or whatever the hell you want to call him, but you only need to listen to him speak for 30 seconds to realize that -- at the very least -- he has several times the vocabulary of Dane Cook. Whatever your other criticisms, Russell Brand is not dumb.

Here's a quote from his Booky Wook:


All of us, I think, have a vague idea that we’re missing something. Some say that thing is God; that all the longing we feel–be it for a lover, or a football team, or a drug–is merely an inappropriate substitute for the longing we’re supposed to feel for God, for oneness, for truth. And what heroin does really successfully is objectify that need…
It makes you feel lovely and warm and cozy. It gives you a great, big, smacky cuddle, and from then on the idea of need is no longer an abstract thing, but a longing in your belly and a kicking in your legs and a shivering in your arms and sweat on your forehead and a dull pallor on your face. At this point you’re no longer under any misapprehension about what it is that you need: you don’t think, “Nice to have a girlfriend, read a poem or ride a bike,” you think, “Fuck, I need heroin.”


I don't give a shit what you say about his personality or his comedy. That is one of the best descriptions of heroin I have ever read.

Hate him. Fine. He isn't Dane Fucking Cook.

Posted by: Daventhal at February 14, 2011 3:47 AM

I thought he was pretty funny actually. I totally did not get the British tea ladies skit at all thought - that was so fucking bizarre.

I was a fan of his opening monologue, despite the yelling. And I really like the Rounin' the rero skit. Weekend Update was good only for the shout out to CPAC's award to Rumsfeld for protecting the constitution. "and if you were wondering, yes, the irony was lost on all who were present."

Posted by: denesteak at February 14, 2011 10:04 AM

I thought the same thing as EJ when watching - that with such a week show it was the right choice to let Brand's monologue run long. It was decent, but still one of the better parts of the show.

Chris Brown hating as I do aside, I'm getting tired of SNL trying to stay relevant by rewarding the autotuned, replaceable, talent-less pop stars, rather than forcing themselves to come up with, you know, actual good sketches! The Brown performances were absolutely atrocious, and yes I did notice Brand rolling his eyes when introducing him. No Kenan Goodburger was a small step in the right direction.

As for the ladies drinking tea, I thought it was strange, but I enjoyed it because I was viewing it as almost an homage to Monty Python.

Posted by: Boomer at February 14, 2011 11:36 AM

Has anyone else noticed how much higher the pitch of his voice has gotten since he shaved? Is that normal? Or is that just what happens when you stop playing Aldous Snow? Also Russel Brand seems really really determined to establish how British he is. Aside from the monologue he had similarly Brit-heavy interviews on Conan and George Lopez a few weeks back. I guess he's trying to distract from the sorted past now that he's a sober married man.

Posted by: valerie at February 14, 2011 12:02 PM

"Whatever your other criticisms, Russell Brand is not dumb."

Agreed. I heard an interview with him on Marc Maron's show and he was very insightful, eloquent, and witty, all without being a douchebag.

Posted by: samantha t at February 14, 2011 6:25 PM

Whatever your other criticisms, Russell Brand is not dumb.

Posted by: Daventhal at February 14, 2011 3:47 AM

Great. However, I wasn't commenting on whatever level of intelligence he may or may not possess. I was saying that, like Dane Cook, he's not funny. And I like comedians to be, you know, funny.

However, if I ever need someone to describe heroin in creative ways for me, I now know where to turn...

Posted by: strife at February 14, 2011 7:17 PM

Great. However, I wasn't commenting on whatever level of intelligence he may or may not possess. I was saying that, like Dane Cook, he's not funny. And I like comedians to be, you know, funny.
However, if I ever need someone to describe heroin in creative ways for me, I now know where to turn...
Posted by: strife at February 14, 2011 7:17 PM

Thanks for clearing that up!

I guess was confused because I thought your statement, wherein you referred to Brand as "THE British Dane Cook," was meant to be taken as a direct comparison (that is, after all, the way it was written). I hadn't realized that it was meant as a broad categorization of all unfunny comedy. I'll take a cue from you and refer to any and all unfunny comedians the same way. Carrot Top, for example, is the ginger Dane Cook. Great. I don't really care for Seinfeld, so I guess he's the Jewish Dane Cook.

As for your disinterest in creative descriptions of the human condition, bravo. You know what you like, my friend. I respect the shit out of you.

Posted by: Daventhal at February 14, 2011 11:53 PM

I guess was confused because I thought your statement, wherein you referred to Brand as "THE British Dane Cook," was meant to be taken as a direct comparison (that is, after all, the way it was written). I hadn't realized that it was meant as a broad categorization of all unfunny comedy.

Dane Cook is a well known, but not funny, American comedian. Russell Brand is a well known, but not funny, British comedian. That was the extent of my comparison.

But please, don't allow that simplicity to get in the way of your desire to make a mountain out of a molehill. The internet doesn't have enough drama already. For realz.

As for your disinterest in creative descriptions of the human condition, bravo.

Perhaps if I were a heroin addict, it'd have resonated with me. Perhaps if I felt compassion for douche bag celebrities who make millions while writing about their heroin addictions, it'd have resonated with me. Perhaps if I wanted comedians to write creative, but not funny, descriptions of their specific human condition, it'd have resonated with me.

Alas.

Posted by: strife at February 15, 2011 4:06 AM

I think technically we're both making a mountain out of a molehill, my friend.

All I was saying was your (and, to be fair, several other commenter's) Dane Cook comparison was shitty, and I stand by that.

Cook is a one-dimensional comedian who -- as you say -- isn't funny. I agree. I just felt obligated to point out that Russell Brand has somewhat more depth.

You don't have to appreciate his writing, but the fact that people do says something about it.

You hate his comedy. I think he has more to offer. You do not want this "more" I speak of.

Hopefully this bullshit conversation can now die because I don't think anyone else is checking back on this thread.

Posted by: Daventhal at February 15, 2011 5:25 PM

Daventhal and strife..I kind of enjoyed your strange and pointless argument, actually. funny on a who can out-douche who and try to sound intelligent while doing so kind of level. it was fun to read.
(and I think Brand is generally hilarious and witty, but not overly impressed with his SNL show)

Posted by: Challis at February 23, 2011 11:40 AM