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Russell Brand admits he's 'open minded' about 9/11 conspiracy theories in Newsnight interview with Evan Davis

The comedian turned political activist was in typically combative form during his promotional interview on the BBC for his book Russell Brand's Revolution

Russell-Brand-NewsnightBBC.png
Russell Brand was in typically combative form during his promotional interview with Newsnight's Evan Davis

Those thinking his famed revolutionary stand-off against Jeremy Paxman was the last explosive Newsnight appearance we were set to see from Russell Brand – think again.

The comedian turned political activist was in typically combative form during his promotional interview with new anchor Evan Davis last night, scheduled to push the release of his new book, Revolution.

As well as shouting about his utopian stance on social reform, he also admitted he remained perceptive to the validity of 9/11 conspiracy theories.

"We have to remain open-minded to that kind of possibility," he said, asked by Davis whether he believed the terror attacks on the Twin Towers had been orchestrated by the American government.

Responding to Davis's description of his ideas as "piecemeal", Brand retorted: "You don't understand. We don't want hegemonic figures coming in and didactically shouting at us, we want to organise ourselves."

Elsewhere during the heated debate, he claimed that the BBC "shamefully sabotaged" the Scottish Independence Referendum.

He also criticised the BBC's coverage of the terror shootings in Ottawa, Canada this week, claiming that the broadcaster is attempting to build an "anti-Islamic narrative".

 

"The BBC missed the mark, you don't know what ordinary people care about," he said, before plugging his satirical YouTube channel The Trews cue card baring the symbol of which he wielded throughout. "These tragic events are used to enforce further controls on us."

 

Despite the volatility of the conversation, which saw Brand accuse Davis, "an Oxford-educated man", of being rude to him, and Davis exclaim that he was trying in vain to take Brand "seriously", it ended on an affable note - and some more self-promotional plugging of Brand's "News you can trust", The Trews. 

Russell Brand's Most Controversial Quips

Russell Brand's Most Controversial Quips

  • 1/19 On puberty:

    “By puberty I learned that nothing worth having could be easily attained and to succeed one must be single minded."

    PA

  • 2/19 On changing the world:

    “I want to change the world, and do something valuable and beautiful. I want people to remember me before I'm dead, and then more afterwards.”

  • 3/19 On being strong:

    "Strength does not have to be belligerent and loud."

    Getty

  • 4/19 On grammar:

    “I couldn't possibly have sex with someone with such a slender grasp on grammar!”

  • 5/19 On manners in England:

    "In England we have such good manners that if someone says something impolite, the police will get involved."

  • 6/19 On junkie v vegetarian:

    “Even as a junkie I stayed true [to vegetarianism] - 'I shall have heroin, but I shan't have a hamburger.' What a sexy little paradox.”

  • 7/19 On the future:

    “People don't realize that the future is just now, but later.”

    Rex Features

  • 8/19 On sex addiction:

    “Boggle with sex addicts is up there with go-kart racing with junkies.”

    Reuters

  • 9/19 On life:

    “My life is just a series of embarrassing incidents strung together by telling people about those embarrassing incidents.”

    Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

  • 10/19 On happiness:

    "If you want to be happy stop being so self-obsessed and start considering other people."

    Getty Images

  • 11/19 On drug addiction:

    “The mentality and behavior of drug addicts and alcoholics is wholly irrational until you understand that they are completely powerless over their addiction and unless they have structured help, they have no hope.”

    Getty Images

  • 12/19 On sitcoms:

    "I do have a regard for the musicality of language that came from BBC sitcoms like Fawlty Towers."

  • 13/19 On life motivation:

    "That's what keeps me alive, perversion and star quality.”

    Getty

  • 14/19 On love:

    “When you fall in love you recognise you're not the most important person in the world, and your focus becomes another person.”

    Getty Images

  • 15/19 On threesomes:

    “I like threesomes with two women, not because I'm a cynical sexual predator. Oh no! But because I'm a romantic. I'm looking for "The One." And I'll find her more quickly if I audition two at a time.”

  • 16/19 On Conservatives:

    "Conservatism appeals to our selfishness and fear, our designer and self-interest."

    PA

  • 17/19 On surfing:

    “Surfing should be called "foam-choking" or "sea stabbing.”

    Getty Images

  • 18/19 On Demi Moore:

    "I've not made love to her yet, but it's a matter of time."

    STEVE MORGAN/AFP/Getty Images

  • 19/19 On success:

    "When I was growing up, I thought I'd be a lot happier if I was famous and successful and if I had money."

    Getty Images

Watch it in full above.

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