Russell Brand

Russell Edward Brand is a British comedian, actor, columnist and a presenter of radio and television. Born in Grays, Essex, he began his acting career at the age of 15 when he played the part of Fat Sam in a school production of Bugsy Malone. He subsequently gained a three-year scholarship at the Drama Centre London.

Brand's first significant stand-up appearance was at the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year final in 2000. Although he did not finish in the top three, his performance attracted the attention of an agent, John Noel. His first big tour was his show Shame which he toured the UK and performed to sell out audiences drawing on embarrassing things that have happened, and the tabloid press and how they have treated him since he became famous. In late November 2006 he put on a secret stand-up show for anyone who had added him as a friend on MySpace. This show featured unseen material not featured on his DVD. Brand performed a sketch with close friends Matt Lucas & David Walliams for a Little Britain live show for Comic Relief in which he played a crossdressing plumber who comes out to "fellow crossdresser", Emily Howard. Brand appeared in a sketch and did stand-up at the 2006 Secret Policeman's Ball. In March 2007, he performed a charity show with Noel Fielding centred around the Goth Detectives. The idea for the show was inspired by Jonathan Ross, who, on The Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2006, suggested that Fielding could play Bob Skeleton ("Indie Detective"), which led to Brand and Fielding jokingly describing a fictional scenario in which they were "Goth Detectives."

During a performance at the Royal and Derngate Theatre, Northampton in July 2008, Brand made a hoax call claiming he had spotted a man responsible for a series of assaults. Brand issued an apology for his actions, but Northamptonshire Police have not yet announced whether any charges will be brought.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Brand