DVD Review: Russell Brand In NYC

“Russell Brand in New York City: Extended & Uncensored” DVD is a single disc and includes the following bonus material: Brand’s infamous monologue at the 2008 MTV “Video Music Awards;” “An Englishman in New York,” which features the comedian riding around Times Square and conducting raucous man-on-the-street interviews; and deleted scenes from the special of Brand handling a female heckler in the audience titled “Loose Canon Drunk Girl.”

Brand is a winner of “Best Live Stand-up” at the 2008 British Comedy Awards, comedian, actor and author. From Brand’s scene-stealing performances in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and Adam Sandler’s “Bedtime Stories” to hosting the incredibly successful “2008 MTV Music Awards” and his run of sold-out shows at the Montreal “Just for Laughs” Comedy Festival, Brand has taken the United States by storm.

Next, Brand will be seen in Julie Taymor’s “The Tempest” and in May 2009, he will begin production on “Get Him To The Greek,” a new Judd Apatow-produced comedy, in which Brand reprises his role as Aldous Snow — the once-sober rock star who falls off the wagon before a major gig. Brand’s much anticipated biography, “My Booky Wook,” released in the United States in March 2009, has quickly become a New York Times bestseller.

Review:
Russell Brand In New York City: Extended & Uncensored is hilarious from start to finish. This was my first time watching Brand’s stand-up, and I was unsure what to expect. What ended up greeting me was a riot of largely inappropriate yet undeniably true bits extending all topics from instruction on how women should approach Brand to Brand’s experience meeting the Queen and of course the explanation for the awkward and notorious opening of the 2008 MTV VMA’s.

My favorite portion of the stand-up act is when Brand recounts his original introduction for Kayne West for the 2008 VMA’s. As tempted as I am to quote it here, I won’t ruin it for you as it is definitely the high point of the act. From there we also get to hear the death threats that Brand received from hosting the VMA’s, all equally amusing… up until the last one which will have you laughing so hard it hurts.

The special features leave you wanting more. Though, I’m pretty sure if there were an extra 3 discs of special features you would still be left wanting more. What you do get is the actual opening monologue from the 2008 VMA’s, a featurette that follows Brand around New York City, and then a couple clips from the actual stand-up act that aren’t included in the main feature (such as “Loose Cannon Drunk Girl”).

The back of the DVD actually claims that Brand proves he’s the hottest thing to come out of Britain since The Beatles. While I don’t know if I would go that far, I’d say he’s definitely well on his way to gaining the equivalent amount of fame here in the states. He’s definitely won me over. Any movie or DVD he’s in, I’ll be picking up. And so should you.

Review by Emma Loggins

Grade: A
Official site: http://shop.comedycentral.com/
Buy on Amazon: Russell Brand In NYC