Russell Brand To Host MTV Awards

NEW YORK — MTV is staking its brand on a lesser-known one: Russell Brand.

The British actor and comedian will host this year's Video Music Awards, set to air live from Paramount Pictures Studios in Los Angeles on Sept. 7, MTV told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Brand recently co-starred in the Judd Apatow-produced comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and the Reese Witherspoon-produced fairy tale "Penelope." He is currently filming the Adam Sandler comedy "Bedtime Stories," slated for release later this year.

Brand told the AP that he hadn't started thinking about how he would approach the assignment _ not that there's much planning to be done for the infamously anything-goes show.

"I've just been invited to do it," Brand said in a telephone interview from London. "It'll be good to preside over what is sure to be only vaguely coordinated televised insanity."

Not that chaos or improv a problem for the 33-year-old comedian.

"That's how I've made my name in this country: Flying very much by the seat _ and the crotch _ of my pants."

MTV hired Brand to be a VJ on its Britain-based show "Dance Floor Chart" after catching his comedy act in Edinburgh, Scotland. He also hosted a call-in show called MTV Select.

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Brand has hosted numerous TV shows and events in the U.K., performed sell-out comedy gigs and written a best-selling memoir, "My Booky Wook," published last year.

His popular radio show, The Russell Brand Show, debuted two years ago in the U.K., and his TV show "Ponderland" was recently nominated by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in the "Best Comedy Programme" category.

In 2007, he continued on the comedy circuit with his hit show "Only Joking." He also made his feature film debut _ in Britain, of course _ in 2007's "St. Trinian's," opposite Colin Firth, Rupert Everett and Emily Watson.

Previous VMA hosts include Jack Black, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Chris Rock, Jimmy Fallon and Jamie Foxx.

As previously announced, the teen pop trio The Jonas Brothers will perform at the anything-can-happen event. Other performers and presenters will be announced at a later date.

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AP Entertainment Writer Josh L. Dickey contributed to this report from Los Angeles.

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On the Net:

http://www.mtv.com/

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MTV is owned by Viacom Inc.

Comments

[Repuganator]

If he has to hand out an award to Amy Winehouse, they better warn all women, small children & people with weak hearts to turn away!

[DarkWitch]

Whoa! Bad hair day or what?

[troykendal]

Why?

[Destin]

After posting that one message, I realize it's been an entire generation now, and kids have grown up never knowing that MTV was once Music Television. That makes it all the more sad and pathetic.

[NoSillyName]

Or that MTV didn't always exist. Even sadder.

[Destin]

If MTV wants to restore any credibility it ever had, it should pick hosts who have the credibility to make them look good and provide a credible awards show. It would help if the judges were also credible, rather than the people who can't remember what happened 2 days ago and simply select for awards, acts that currently have something on trash radio. Unfortunately, they've never been about quality or credibility, just hype and fluff.

Now, I'm not saying this Russell Brand won't be good. He might be outstanding. But still, I don't see where he could carry MTV on his back and restore their lost glory and credibility that they haven't had now for more than 18 years. ;)

[jennbeez]

Wasn't Graham Norton available or is he too outrageous for MTV? Yes, I know Graham is Irish. But he's a hoot and I'd love to see him introduced to American audiences. I saw Brand on Letterman recently- he looks the way he looks, but it doesn't seem to have anything to do with his act which is very clever and low-key. At least, that's how he played it on Letterman.

[andvoodoo2]

Saw the photo and thought it was Amy Winehouse.

[JScott]

I was thinking more along the lines of Tiny Tim's son if he had one. (google it)

[andvoodoo2]

Didn't Tiny Tim and Miss Linda (I can't believe I remember that ! God, I'm OLD!) have a child?

[CitizenGeek]

I think he's absolutely hilarious (most of the time!), but I'm not sure how well his brand of humour will go down with American audiences.

[LeBelAge]

I'm an American and I like Russell. Contrary to popular belief not all Americans are knuckle dragging Neanderthals. Don't confuse Republicans with the average American.

[josephbua]

Certainly not widely known, but he's pretty funny. I certainly don't think that he'll do anything for the show's ratings, and I don't really know how good a "presenter" he is (to use the British), but I know there's a big push afoot to get him a US talk show, maybe MTV Networks/Viacom is trying him out as an award show host first.

But how do you sell a Russell Brand talk show if no one knows him?

http://iamatvjunkie.typepad.com/i_am_a_tv_junkie_a_blog_f/2008/05/sarah-marshall-co-star-russell-brand-gets-a-us-talk-show.html

[joebiz]

Jesus called and he wants his look back.

I thought it was Jared Leto . . . in drag.

[prthatrocks]

And he will continue to be unknown... I mean, who the hell watches the MTV Awards?

[ElPerro]

I saw this guy on leno or letterman a few weeks back.. He's funny as hell. Going to be a big star.

[jerkzilla]

Am I the only american who knows any British comedians here? It seems that I'm also the only one here who saw Forgetting Sarah Marshall. This guy was hilarious in it! Very funny guy, although not as funny as Noah Fielding, who has a very similar look and humor style.

[scouserinlondon]

Noah Fielding and Russell are both great/

[Mondayboy]

why does he look like he is smelling fart?

[aFlyoverPerson]

S hag ger of the Year?

"Don't touch that. You don't know where it's been" - Mom