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Where's a BANAL fund when you need one? GQ boots RBRAN for Nazi jokes.
Quote: Russell Brand is known for his wry wit and controversial proclamations, but during the GQ Men of the Year Awards on Tuesday night, one particular joke of his kicked off an awkward slanging match between several high-profile guests.
The comic managed to insult the show’s sponsor, Hugo Boss, during his acceptance speech for the Oracle award by mentioning the fact that the fashion house designed the uniforms for the Nazis in the 1930s.
“If anyone knows a bit about history and fashion, you know it was Hugo Boss who made uniforms for the Nazis. But they looked f***ing amazing,” he quipped.
The audience was noticeably shocked at his comment, but it was the journalist Charles Moore who (while collecting his award for Writer of the Year) really laid into Russell, referencing the broadcaster's infamous radio phone call to Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs.
“I was very interested when Russell Brand praised the stylishness of the Nazis, because of course that fits in with the fact they persecuted the Sachs in the 1930s when Andrew was a young man, and his family fled to this country,” Moore said.
“And then he was persecuted by Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross in their disgusting telephone call.”
In 2009, Moore famously refused to pay his licence fee following Sachsgate, and it seems that his feelings about the matter have yet to subside.
But it didn’t end there: Mr Selfridge star Jeremy Piven also made sure Brand was shown up for his Nazi jibe.
While presenting the TV Personality award to Piers Morgan, Piven said: “This event is going on longer than my bar mitzvah, and I’ve been sitting in the corner sweating like a Hebrew slave.
“So thank you Russell for pointing out the people that killed six million of my people.”
It wasn’t just Brand, Moore and Piven who spent the night slinging words about though: it appears the tense atmosphere affected everyone else. Noel Gallagher managed to fit in a criticism about foreign secretary William Hague, Roger Daltrey had some choice words for London mayor Boris Johnson and comedian Rob Brydon teased Stephen Fry for having bipolar disorder.
It wasn’t all negativity on the night though. One of the finest moments came when Sir Elton John gave his prize away (he won the Genius award) to the presenter, Dr Feelgood guitarist Wilko Johnson.
The musician, who has famously been battling cancer, was given the award by the Rocket Man singer, who said: “You’re the f***ing genius here. He’s too busy living life to think about dying.”
End quote
There are other articles online indicating that Russel Brand was ejected from the afterparty for the joke.
Where's a BANAL fund when you need one? GQ boots RBRAN for Nazi jokes. Sep 05, 10:19
Russell Bramd is this years recipient of the a face full of paint is funnier award Sep 05, 10:44
