Like many uncultured Americans, the name Russell Brand meant nothing to me until I saw Forgetting Sarah Marshall. As I sat in that crowded theater, I found myself quickly falling in love with this British renegade. I couldn’t believe that someone as adorable as him had remained out of the spotlight for so long.
When I got home, I jumped on Google and typed in Russell Brand. Little did I know that this crazy-haired, sex-obsessed, London rocker was a superstar across the lake. Not only had he done his fair share of stand up routines all over the world, but he had starred in several TV shows (similar to our Jackass and Wild Boyz series) in England. When I learned he was working on his autobiography, I instantly added it to my Good Reads list…and thank goodness I did.
Brand’s hilarious and honest autiobiography, My Booky Wook: A Memoir of Sex, Drugs, and Stand-Up, may seem like just another story about a celebrity life gone crazy, but it’s actually quite a testament to the difficulty of stardom and the determination of one man who stopped at nothing to achieve his dreams. Filled with tales of his troubled childhood in Essex, England, his battle with alcohol, drugs, and sex, and his journeys through some of London’s most prestigious acting academies, My Booky Wook is “a giddy trip through the brilliant mind of one of Britain’s most valuable exports.”
After the success of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Brand has become quite the star here in the U.S., appearing in several films over the past few years. He even took on hosting the MTV VMA Awards…maybe not the BEST idea at the time…but I enjoyed it! You can watch his stand up and some of his early TV shows, including some work he did in the early 90’s for MTV, on YouTube. Now, if only we can convince him to side with Johnny Depp in the next Pirates movie…
NEXT WEEK: While I don’t think I could live my life as a vegetarian, this book has seriously changed the way I eat. Everyone…and I mean EVERYONE…should read this book.
Looking for a new book to read? Check in every Friday for a “Bee Happy” post, where I share reviews of books I’ve read or other book-themed lists.
The Hob-bee Hive 