If you’re American, you possibly know of Russell Brand as the funny British rocker that Kristen Bell leaves Jason Segel for in Forgetting Sarah Marshall and/or for his new real-life fiance Katy Perry.
If you’re British, on the other hand, this guy is more on the Brangelina-level of celebrity. Over there they know about the drug, alcohol, and sex addiction issues that he details so candidly in this amusing, if slightly overwhelming memoir.
What I learned from his memoir, My Booky Wook, is this:
1. Brand is surprisingly smart. Okay, I learned that a little bit from his Fresh Air interview that led me to getting the book in the first place, but still. Seriously a smart guy–not what you’d expect for his persona and upbringing.
2. Brand had a rough time growing up–some very hard experiences and he was a very sensitive guy. He started self-medicating with drugs and also sex (thank you to his dad for introducing him to the wonders of sex tours on an Asian vacation), which in some ways helped him get through the day, but ultimately started to tank his career and relationships.
3. Reading a celeb memoir that wasn’t ghost written is a nice change of pace.
In short, this memoir about a guy who did horrible, seedy things and sabotaged all his relationships totally won me over. Brand’s level of honesty about both his insecurity and the reasons why he had these issues, as well as his owning his responsibility for his addiction, his bad behavior towards himself and others, makes him a truly impressive person to me. Basically, it seems like he got into rehab and blossomed. He took it seriously–drugs, alcohol, sex were things that helped him cope and when he found other tools he applied them.
The tremendous self-deprecation that comes with his telling this story is what makes it (quite) palatable. I’m sure he is quite imperfect like the rest of us, but as far as I can tell this guy has worked quite hard on his issues, which always impresses me. It’s a hard journey, and it takes a strong person to be able to look in the mirror and really face his part in his problems, give up addictions, and deal with the horrible feelings that got you there in the first place before you really have the good coping mechanism in place.
In short, it’s his personal journey I find very compelling. But as Brand is a smart, funny guy, he manages to deliver it in an entertaining enough way. Sure there is some jumping around from anecdote to anecdote, but that’s fine by me.
Will someone with his personal demons be able to make it work in a marriage? Let alone one to a star like Katy Perry? I don’t know. But I honestly wish them the absolute best and hope it does. This is a guy who deserves a lot of happiness. He has worked hard for it.
