Russell Brand: MTV wants me back next year
Russell Brand has been asked to present the MTV Video Music Awards again next year after sending ratings through the roof on Sunday night.
His near-the-knuckle gags were such a success, bosses have been falling over themselves to get him signed up for a second year.
The comic was in top form when I caught up with him after the biggest night of his career at the Mondrian hotel in LA.
And he revealed his controversial outbursts were Toned down by MTV censors.
Russell revealed: “MTV told me they want me to do it again. Afterwards they were really thrilled. There was a 20 per cent increase in viewers from last year’s show and wow, isn’t life exciting.”
Russell’s savage comic tongue lashed Republicans, Madonna, The Jackson 5 and in particular clean-cut pop trio The Jonas Brothers in an opening monologue that made its mark on the Yanks.
But incredibly the script we heard was the clean version after MTV insisted he scrap some of his bravest gags. He revealed: “I had John McCain gags pulled. And they asked me to tone down the gags about Sarah Palin.
“I wanted to say she was forcing her teenage daughter to have a baby because she is so anti-abortion.
“But also, as a Republican, she is pro-execution so she is going to give her the electric chair for being a little sl*t. They weren’t keen on that one.”
Our interview was interrupted by a gaggle of artificially-enhanced ladies desperate to throw themselves at the Bizarre Shagger Of The Year.
Russ got hold of a few phone numbers — but he was off to hook back up with his Aussie actress girlfriend Teresa Palmer. She has been in L.A. to support him as he geared up for the biggest presenting gig of his life.
It’s always a difficult one for the partner of an actor when the leading man has to get stuck in with some of the world’s best-looking woman. But actress Teresa understands better than most.
Before his VMA show Russell snogged pop stars Pink and Katy Perry for scenes in the follow-up to movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall, called Get Him To The Greek, where he reprises his role as frisky rocker Aldous Snow.
He also filmed a scene with Christina Aguilera for the movie while on the Paramount set. He revealed: “Christina was amazing. She is unbelievable — a perfect object. How could you ever talk to her about anything other than sex?
“In the scenes with Pink and Katy Perry I had to do kissing. I got to snog them both in a day.
“Katy Perry is lovely. She is the kind of girl who would skip down stairs lightly.
“Pink is a lovely woman — a forceful, sexy woman. With both of them I didn’t act, the acting stopped.”
MTV will have to get the check book out if they want Russell for next year’s show. He has two massive films on the horizon with Adam Sandler and Hollywood golden boy Judd Apatow.
And a huge part in Shakespeare’s The Tempest alongside Oscar-winning actors proves he can master the serious stuff too.
Russ said: “The VMAs are the hardest thing I have ever done and I will think very carefully before accepting their kind offer of doing it again.
“I spent a lot of time suppressing the urge to scream a career- ending remark during the show. The knowledge that you could say something that would make the world go nuts was difficult.”
That’s why he is the only man for the job…
WENN
