Russell Brand Gets Real About Comedy And Life In New Tattoo Reveal

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Brand has never been one to shy away at making any sort of public statement, and this tattoo of his is no different. The mercurial dirty comedian and actor took to Instagram to give a glimpse of his new ink from Oscar Wilde: “If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they will kill you.” Brand, in the video, said that he “got the tattoo as a reminder to stay true to the great muse of comedy, whenever it feels difficult to do so.”

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In that very clip, Brand gave a rambling treatise-with-his-fast-talking style on how absurd life is and how humans take themselves way too seriously. Staring into the camera, he smiled and said, “Reality’s funny, it’s funny that we take ourselves seriously. You’re going to die. Your ass is full of farts. You masturbate. You lay in bed and masturbate. And then you dare to come out into the world.” Classic Brand, in equal parts philosophical and vulgar.

The post, with Brand’s shirt just a little unbuttoned, revealing his fresh tat on his arm, caused an instant reactionary flood. Supporters promptly wrote, “Amen to that! No one gets out of here alive. People need to stop and enjoy life a little bit and not be so serious 100% of the time.” Another cites Charlie Chaplin with, “A day without laughter is a day wasted.”

Yet, of course, with his recent legal goings-on and polarizing public image, the comment section was not exactly a bed of roses. “Maybe because being an alleged rapist isn’t very funny,” one replied, referring to the multiple sexual assault accusations Brand has been met with over the last few years. “The funniest thing about you is that you call yourself a comedian,” another chimed in. Ouch.

Then came the religious takes—because Brand’s recent pivot to Christianity has been quite the affair. One commentator said they “knew Russell was new to the faith, but any kind of crude language is a bad testimony.” Another proclaimed: “Pretend grifting Christian.” And yet another sarcastically suggested that he tattoo “exit only” above his backside.

A few voices attempted to steer the conversation back toward the actual point of Brand’s post: the importance of humor in life. An insightful comment read: “Some treat the body as a playground, others as a temple, and yet despite our intentions most of us end up somewhere in between… Those who interpret this as a signal to take everything seriously, losing the ability to play and make fun of themselves along the way, are missing out.”

Brand, who has been fairly silent in the wake of his passing from comedy into political commentary and spirituality, may be throwing hints toward a returning to comedic roots. Whether that means actual stand-up, another big project, or just more streams of consciousness remains to be seen. What is certain, though, is that Russell Brand is still a figure to be loved or to be hated; and according to his tattoo, he’s determined to keep giving them reasons.

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What about that tattoo? That really is a good choice. That witty Oscar Wilde paired with Brand’s chaotic energy is actually a near-perfect pairing. And if just once in a while, he could even button that shirt up.