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…

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WENN

The Jonas Brothers insist they haven’t taken offense at comments made by Russell Brand during the MTV Video Music Awards.

The comedian took a pop at the band over the purity rings they wear which symbolize their virginity.

Band member Nick Jonas told Newsbeat: “For us it’s cool to see that he recognises we are gentleman.”

Brand later apologised to the boys for the jibe during Sunday’s ceremony which was held in Los Angeles.

The question is, did Brand misjudge the audience?

Kevin Jonas replied: “I think he focussed on certain things and didn’t move off of them. People’s attention spans in America need more than that.”

Kevin didn’t seem to think it had spoilt their evening either, especially as the band had a lot of support.

He said: “We had a lot of friends there and everybody’s so nice. We had a good time.”

During Brand’s opening innuendo-filled monologue he took aim at Madonna and US President George Bush, calling him “a retarded cowboy fellow”.

Nick Jonas also backed Brand’s comedy style. He said: “I think he did a good job. We saw him on Conan O’Brien and thought he was hilarious.”

The band performed a rendition of their song Lovebug at the ceremony, with a rockier twist towards the end.

The brothers popped into Radio 1 this morning for an interview on Scott Mills’ show ahead of the premiere for their Disney film Camp Rock on Wednesday.

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Paris Hilton has come out in defence of The Jonas Brothers – after British funnyman Russell Brand ridiculed their sexual morals.

The three siblings wear purity rings as a commitment to remain virgins until marriage, and their abstinence became the focus of Brand’s jokes at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night.

Brand was subsequently forced to apologize for his remarks, following criticism from singer Jordin Sparks – who also puts purity before sex.

And now Hilton has become the latest celebrity to speak out on behalf of the pop trio – insisting she totally supports the brothers’ decision not to have sex before marriage.

She tells Usweekly.com, “Don’t pick on them. That’s (their virginity) something cool for a kid to keep, so don’t pick on them for that. I think that they’re all really good kids and that they’re definitely our next generation of kids and they’re all really good so I think that’s awesome.”

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WENN

Russell Brand was forced to apologize for poking fun at the Jonas Brothers’ morals during Sunday night’s MTV Video Music Awards – after a public dressing down from singer Jordin Sparks.

The British comedian mocked the pop sensations mercilessly for more than half the show for their no-sex-before-marriage promise and the purity rings they wear.

At one point, he even pretended he’d stolen a Jonas brothers’ virginity as he held a ring in his hand.

Sparks, who is among the teen stars putting purity before sex, admonished Brand for his remarks, stating, “It’s not bad to wear a promise ring because not everybody, guy or girl, wants to be a slut.”

Minutes later, a crestfallen Brand apologised, saying, “I’ve gotta say sorry because I said those things about promise rings; that was bad of me. I didn’t mean to take it lightly.”

Brand added, “I love Jonas Brothers, I think it’s (purity) really good. I don’t want to piss off teenage fans… Promise rings, I’m well up for it, well done everyone.”

But he couldn’t resist a final jab, adding, “It’s just, a bit of sex occasionally never hurt anybody.”

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WENN

Russell Brand is desperate to begin work on his new film Get Him to the Greek – because his drug-addicted character is a reminder of his past.

Brand has been cast to reprise his Forgetting Sarah Marshall role as Aldous Snow – a rock star struggling to stay sober – in the forthcoming comedy.

And he’s convinced playing a relapsed junkie will be therapeutic – because former addict Brand quit drugs and alcohol in 2003.

He says, “The opportunity to revisit it (drugs) without the consequences is exciting. I might even find a way of justifying using actual drugs. It’s like, ‘Well, this is acting. Come on’.”

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WENN

Russell Brand is to reprise his breakthrough movie role in a sequel to Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

The comic confirmed that he had agreed to the follow-up, saying: ‘I’ll be playing Aldous Snow again, back on drugs, all mental.’

Co-stars Kristen Bell and Jason Segel, who wrote the original, have reportedly been approached about the Universal Studios film, but none has yet confirmed their involvement.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall director Nicholas Stoller is currently working on another film in which Brand plays an out-of-control rock star, Get Me To The Greek. In this film, Jonah Hill plays a wet-behind-the-ears insurance adjuster instructed to ensure Brand’s wildman gets to a gig.

Brand’s comments came in an interview with Radio 1’s Newsbeat in which he also said he couldn’t rule out making more hoax calls, despite the storm of controversy his call to Northampton police caused.

The comic said he was ‘surprised’ by the reaction to his on-stage stunt, in which he called a witness line claiming to have seen a sex attacker who had been targeting women in the town.

But although he apologised for the call, he today said he could repeat such a ‘spontaneous’ act in a future show.

Brand told Radio 1’s Newsbeat: ‘ I think it’s clear that I would never seek to glean laughter from people that have been in any way victimised or shoddily treated. I was surprised by some of the moralising.

Asked if he would do it again, he said: ‘Who knows, possibly. You can never rule that out, that’s the nature of spontaneity, things just sometimes happen.’

The 33-year-old, who is performing at a charity gig in aid of the drug rehab group Focus 12 tonight, complained about the newspaper backlash to his call during his recent visit to Montreal’s Just For Laughs festival, claiming the reports treated him as badly as if he had been the attacker himself.

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British comedian Russell Brand has been confirmed as the host of this year’s MTV Video Music awards.

The ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on September 7th and will host some of the music industry’s biggest stars.

Brand is relatively unknown in the States. He has starred in the comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall and is currently filming the Adam Sandler film Bedtime Stories.

A statement on MTV’s website even alludes to the 33-year-old’s relative unknown status.

“Did you see Forgetting Sarah Marshall? The English guy? That’s him. He’s known for being more than a little insane, so he’s perfect for this gig,” the statement claims.

The British comedian said it would be “good to preside over what is sure to be only vaguely co-ordinated televised insanity”.

“That’s how I’ve made my name in this country: flying very much by the seat – and the crotch – of my pants.”

So far only teenage pop band the Jonas Brothers have been confirmed to perform at the awards ceremony.

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WENN