Russell Brand: Tribute To Amy Winehouse

As news of Amy Winehouse's death spread Saturday, many celebrities -- some who knew her, many who didn't -- took to Twitter to mourn her. Russell Brand, who befriended the British singer when she was an unknown talent and watched her turn into a worldwide star, wrote a tribute to Winehouse on his website to express his sadness over her passing.

Brand, a recovering addict himself, knows all too well the lifestyle Winehouse lived, recalling how they first met years ago in Camden, England.

"I was myself at that time barely out of rehab and was thirstily seeking less complicated women so I barely reflected on the now glaringly obvious fact that Winehouse and I shared an affliction, the disease of addiction," Brand writes.

But it was later, after Winehouse rose to fame, did Brand see her perform live and he realized her immense talent.

"She wasn't just some hapless wannabe, yet another pissed up nit who was never gonna make it, nor was she even a ten-a-penny-chanteuse enjoying her fifteen minutes," he writes. "She was a f---ing genius."

Though London police have yet to determine the cause of Winehouse's death -- and have been quick to downplay any rumors of an overdose -- the singer's addiction problems were no secret and complications from drug use had left her debilitated.

"Whether this tragedy was preventable or not is now irrelevant. It is not preventable today," Brand writes. "We have lost a beautiful and talented woman to this disease. Not all addicts have Amy's incredible talent ... All we can do is adapt the way we view [addiction], not as a crime or a romantic affectation but as a disease that will kill."

Brand, who is now eight years sober, attends AA meetings three times a week in order to keep his addiction in check.

"To me, the gravity is heroin, and then death. You know, to sleep," he told Details magazine in May, "that incremental suicide of turning your life into a dream, to make being awake as similar to sleep as possible. Drowsily, lazily, dry-mouth your way through the day's ceremonies, fumble your way back into the dew-bather you never really left, draped in brown, brown now all around, the haze!"

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Comments

[stupid humans]

11:10 AM on 07/28/2011

12 steps rehab is a con...gotta git that god-fearing in....

[Hector YoHec Mota]

08:48 AM on 07/27/2011

Russel was great in "Get him to Greek" but while he may feel Amy was a genius I firmly disagree. She was an Idiot! Granted talent wise maybe she was. Yet while death is tragic, I have no empathy for drug addicts! More so to those who are given tremendous talents and choose to throw them away.

[Said One]

09:41 AM on 07/27/2011

I found Russell to be his usual talentless self in Get him to Greek, most unpleasant and overacted on his part.

And as for this swearing "tribute" the only thing that is evident is Brand's desire to look for attention. Lets see in this photo - he is posing with a clearly high Amy no doubt for at least ten minutes - instead of shying AWAY from the cameras and telling her about the dangers of drugs

[Lynn317]

05:23 AM on 07/27/2011

Her most powerful legacy will be that you cannot live her lifestyle of relentless addiction - even with all her success and money - and not fall into the abyss of self destruction and eventual death.

Lets hope her death will send shockwaves of reality into those now struggling with addiction and empower them to seek sobriety and sanity - enabling them to discover the meaning of true success in life - by living each day sober and sane.

[RadicalAmerica]

01:38 AM on 07/27/2011

High praise indeed......

[blue3rdblues]

11:19 PM on 07/26/2011

Sad statement mate. Compassion is a good thing...

[Ollieachbar]

09:32 AM on 07/27/2011

I have no compassion for worthless druggies!

[mfs171]

05:26 PM on 07/26/2011

When Amy was sober she was an unbelievable talent. She was struggeling with some horrible demons. God bless you Amy..Now you can rest in peace.

[Kelly Groves Scott]

02:40 PM on 07/26/2011

genius = junkie

[karaross1976]

10:55 AM on 07/26/2011

I'm not going to jump on the let's hate Russell bandwagon. He is not a terrible person and I very seriously doubt he enabled her. I am 2 years sober and I still have friends that drink. You know what I do? I don't go around those people when they are drinking. How does anyone know if he suggested rehab to her? The thing that a lot of people that are 'normies' don't get is that she had a disease!! People are not going to successfully complete rehab or treatment unless they have hit their rock bottom and are ready to fight. Maybe she had not hit her rock bottom. We can all speculate. She's not nasty because she was an addict, She wasn't less of a person because she was an addict. This is a very real disease people and it is not prejudice who fall prey to this disease. You could be the next one and not even know it. Oh and do you smoke cigs regularly? You have an addiction. Do you drink caffeinated drinks like crazy? You have an addiction. The list goes on and on. See what can be changed in your own life before you slam the crap out of someone.

[StrawHat]

08:48 PM on 07/26/2011

People either get it or they don't. Compassion is sometimes learned only when it's too late.

[Said One]

06:23 AM on 07/27/2011

Oh please he would do anything for attention and in this photo above its clear he isn't giving her the "rehab" talk. She didn't keep people around her who did that.

[karaross1976]

11:57 AM on 07/27/2011

You know her so personally? Wow.

[Said One]

09:04 AM on 07/26/2011

She didn't keep people around her who would encourage her to get help, and it says a lot that she kept Brand around her - clearly one of the enablers. And yes addiction is a disease but would anybody feel sorry for a cancer patient who was refusing treatment and then died? No. Now Amy kept friends and people like Russell around her - and refused help numerous times. Its the people who truly try and break the addiction and get new friends and lifestyles who I admire not the people refusing treatement

[KingHuff]

11:25 AM on 07/26/2011

Ummm...did you read the article ?. Brand has 8 years sober and hits 3 meetings a week... that is NOT enabling. Plus, you have NO IDEA what her friends and family tried to do for her...so shame on you for your judgements.

[Said One]

06:25 AM on 07/27/2011

If was sober for 8 years then pictures of him like this clearly not sober from 2005 - 5 years ago - should not be floating around.

He would do anything for attention and if a red carpet appearance meant enabling Amy he like all those other "friends" of Anna Nicole, Lindsay Lohan etc - would enable away.

[mitchellrcky]

08:32 AM on 07/26/2011

ok she's gone let her go ..she was a druggie ..but a great singer she just gave it all away ..she was depressed wish i had that chance ...my thoughts go to her parents cause her friends was helpering with her habbit

[Asuigeneris1]

06:50 AM on 07/26/2011

Wow, just found a vid from Frank...God it was beautiful, so was she.

...the time before she lost herself completely. : (

If you want to see what he means by genius, Google my username and hit my Youtube on the first link...she was phenomenal, I hadn't even experienced her fully before now.

Rest In Peace, Lady

[Asuigeneris1]

07:22 AM on 07/26/2011

If you want to see her when she was her, http://www.youtube.com/user/Asuigeneris1?feature=mhee

[Kathie Coelho]

10:14 AM on 07/26/2011

I watched and listened - she looks drugged and sounds terrible. If this was Amy at her best, then I have no idea what everyone is so upset about (other than a young woman took her own life due to stupidity and bad choices). She was given the world on a silver platter and chose to spit on it - I cannot admire anyone like that.

[madgrrl]

11:27 PM on 07/25/2011

I love Russell's comment about wanting to turn life into a dream. It's so easy to judge, but not everyone can easily deal with the ups and downs of life - everyday life is a painful struggle, and they turn to drugs and alcohol for relief. God Bless Amy, and may she find the peace in death that eluded her in life.

[jwosr98]

08:17 PM on 07/25/2011

Russel Brand is an idiot, if Amy Winehouse was a Genius she would still be alive

[willowsatine]

09:53 PM on 07/25/2011

he meant a musical genius

[Asuigeneris1]

06:52 AM on 07/26/2011

A lot of brilliant people, with IQ's you couldn't even fathom...have succumbed to addiction.

[Bethanese]

10:39 AM on 07/26/2011

That is correct. Drug/alcohol addiction affects all walks of life. Sometimes addiction can even be a result of having a high IQ. I know a few ex-addicts who have "genius" IQs but it causes them to worry about many aspects that those with average IQs wouldn't even give a thought to, creating pressure that they may not be emotionally equipped to handle (aww come on, how many socially inept geeks do you know?). Knowledge of an action's consequences does not always prevent the performance of said act out of desperation. That being said, there are also many complete idiots who are addicts who just said "Duhrrr, this looks fun," or "F- authority." I don't feel any worse for one over the other, but things happen for a reason...

[class of 66]

04:39 PM on 07/25/2011

first consider who is calling who a genius, i mean wouldn't i know.

[O Dannyboy]

04:37 PM on 07/25/2011

Never (ever) thought I'd find myself quoting Russel Brand, but then all I know of him is from brief exposure to his public persona.

But here I go, because these are wise words:

"Whether this tragedy was preventable or not is now irrelevant. It is not preventable today. We have lost a beautiful and talented woman to this disease. Not all addicts have Amy's incredible talent ... All we can do is adapt the way we view [addiction], not as a crime or a romantic affectation but as a disease that will kill."

Amen. RIP

[jadorniere]

01:56 AM on 07/26/2011

Everything he said in that interview was powerfully accurate.

[Said One]

08:55 AM on 07/26/2011

Everything he said was looking for attention - I doubt at those kids in Norway's funeral - people are going to be swearing in their tributes. He also is doing his best to glamorize drug addictions.

[karaross1976]

11:02 AM on 07/26/2011

He was dead on. I think everything he said was powerful. I'm glad someone stepped up and let people know we are dealing with a disease that is cunning, baffling, and powerful. IT can sweep anyone away at any time.