The life of a recovering addict is never an easy path, and once one has finally been clean and sober for years, it’s still difficult to shake the reputation that comes with the associated arrests and other related unsavory, dark-alleyed tidbits. Dealing with unfriendly customs agents has to be one of the least appealing aspects of the entire affair, which is an experience not unknown to Russell Brand, for he was deported from Japan in May of this year, which made wife Katy Perry oh-so-sad. So it came to absolutely no one’s surprise when Russell took to his Twitter account last night to once again complain about the injustices of international travel for a recovering drug addict with an extensive (yet relatively distant) history of trouble with the law:
Apparently, Russell was only joking though; the real reason that he had to disappoint 5000 Canadian fans at Casino Rama, Orillia was plane trouble:
Russell Brand made waves on the internet by tweeting he had been forced to postpone a show in Ontario because he was denied entry into Canada – but it turns out the British comedian was joking.
The 36-year-old comic, last seen in a remake of Arthur, told fans via Twitter on Saturday that his show at Casino Rama in Orillia, north of Toronto, had to be put off.
But after media reports of Brand’s ban claim spread over the internet and in the media, the casino and Canadian border officials offered a different story.
Casino Rama said the U.K. funnyman was in California and his private jet was experiencing problems, making it difficult for him to get to Orillia in time.
In an email to CBC News on Sunday, a spokesman for Public Safety Minister Vic Toews confirmed the Canada Border Services Agency did not deny Brand entry into Canada.
“Apparently he had aircraft problems and was making a joke,” spokesman Michael Patton wrote.
A self-confessed heroin addict in recovery, Brand was arrested in 2001 and charged with criminal damage and indecent exposure after stripping naked while covering the May Day protests for MTV. Those charges were eventually dropped.
The comedian has a dozen arrests under his belt, including one for suspected battery charges after he allegedly attacked a photographer.
[From CBC News]
It’s amazing what a news story that Russell’s “denied entry” turned into, and I’m not quite sure what the fallout will be after the “joke” aspect fully settles into the public consciousness. Most people will probably shrug their shoulders with a “meh,” but I’m slightly disappointed that Russell bothered to make such a lame joke. Usually, he’s quite funny, but there’s nothing amusing (especially for his jilted fans) about this little stunt. Hell, he couldn’t even properly light the photo (and I’ve already adjusted the contrast quite a bit) of him standing next to the map.
Step it up, funnyman.
Photos courtesy of Fame, WENN, and Twitter
Either way it wasn’t his fault he couldn’t do the gig and with him being a comedian (and a good one at that!) he’s trying to make a joke out of it. I think people are just peeved that they didn’t realise it was a joke.
ps. Can you tell I’m a RB fan? In my opinion he’s one of the funniest people on the planet.
I don’t think it was a “joke”.
I suspect it was his attempt to spin him being an unprofessional brat.
“I expected special celebrity favours but was denied, and thus had to bail on my own show” becomes “I’m being unfairly persecuted by the man.”
Ugh.
I’m a Brand fan, but grow up, buddy.
Sorry but I just don’t find him funny at all. I certainly don’t see the appeal. *shrugs*
According to the Cdn Press (and logic) He was not cleared to land in that town, because there is no international airport there:
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20111002/russell-brand-canada-border-111002/20111002?hub=Toronto
He expected to be able to have international travel regulations waived for him, and it couldn’t be done, thus he couldn’t make the show on time. But suggesting that border patrol is denying your crossing sounds much more rockstar…
My Canadian friend gave me the low down last night. I naturally assumed he’d been denied entry like he had been in Japan.
Now, after his lame, unnecessary joke, I think he’s unprofessional.
His tweets certainly didn’t read like a “joke” to me. To mislead the public like that is really cold-hearted. I think he’s a fame-whore looking for another 15 minutes. It was a lame move, it sucks, & he’s lost all respect & credibility w/me.
I read somewhere that if you have a DUI you can’t get into Canada for 3 years. Don’t know that is etched in stone, but if they’re that strict than nothing would surprise me. Although it would be funnier from a different person…Betty White for instance.
The reality is that his career is in the toilet, so lame stunts like this are the only way he can get any sort of attention.
What’s even more pathetic is that he can’t pull himself together to make it to the few gigs he does have. I have a feeling that “plane trouble” translates to him being too drunk and/or stoned to travel or perform, so instead he spent the afternoon tweeting stupid excuses.
Ummm…. “allow us to land in Orillia”?
There isn’t even an airport there!
He’s stupid. Concerts get cancelled, bands get turned back at the border and Eminem swore 10 years ago never to perform in Canada again because the Ontario government attempted to keep him out. Snoop Dogg had trouble when Hamilton city council tried to stop him from playing in the city. (It was one of the best hip-hop shows I ever saw in my life, with some great Canadian acts opening.)
Anyways, while he may not have been denied entry this time (the border officials wouldn’t have known who the F he was) he stands a really good chance of being denied entry the next time since he kicked up so much drama apparently out of his ignorance of far more talented people historically being denied entry by our tightass border guards.
Especially since it got to the point where, on a Sunday, one of the cabinet ministers from our (very) Conservative government felt compelled to comment on the situation.
Oh well, his loss! I’m sure there are plenty of American markets to financially support him in this recession that will pay good money to see his lame jokes at a casino. *cough*
That was very lame – and wrong. How is defamatory, inflammatory fake news funny?
I’d rather see eminem than this douche, wish our govt wasn’t so anal about preformers…
Eminem just performed at Osheaga in Montreal in August. He had no trouble at the border.
Plane trouble? Not believable. I’m guessing he never wanted to do this gig and was bullied into it by his management so he just bailed. He doesn’t like Canada. And he probably found out being booked at Casino Rama is like admitting his career is over. He shouldn’t be allowed in after this. He rebooked for mid-December. Cottage country in winter. People should refund their tickets. “Clean and sober”? Pull the other one.