Hepatitis C Got Majorly Dissed on SNL Last Night

[Forseegood]

Hi everyone, haven't posted here in years, and I hope everyone is doing well< I think of many of you often.  Don't know if anyone saw SNL last night with Russell Brand, but he stood there and joked about Hep C and it cut me to my core. You can probably look up his monologue on the SNL site, for those of you who haven't seen it. I myself went a little further, and jotted down a polite but assertive email to his publicist. If anyone wants to do the same here, here's his publicists contact information. Be well and nothing but good things to all of you!

Kevin McLaughlin
Publicist at 42West  
Write as it regarding Russell Brand on SNL last night.

New York
220 West 42nd Street
12th Floor
New York NY 10036
tel [phone]
fax [phone]


Los Angeles
11400 W. Olympic Blvd
Suite 1100
Los Angeles CA 90064
tel [phone]
fax [phone]

[willbb]

Just another very unimportant person making a stupid,insensitive comment.

[pj1881]

My daughter watches The Cat In The Hat movie with Mike Myers, over and over again (she is three).  In the movie Mike (the cat) makes a reference about something "being fun like a circus, except without all those drunk clowns with Hepatitis.."  I feel like crap everytime I hear it, like Im some sort of road traveling clown from a circus... Believe it or not, I dont find it funny when people make fun of a disease that kills??

[R Glass]

I saw his monologue. It was so lame, by the time it got to the Hep. C comment, it was like listening to Charley Brown’s Teacher. His lips were moving but all I could hear was Whaa Whaa, Whaa, Whaaa. If Shock Value was what they were going for, I think they Blew it.

[nygirl7]

What do you expect from a sleaze bag like him. Can't stand him or Pam Anderson to tell you the truth........bunch of stupid dim bulbs that nobody should listen to (well at least she's out of the limelite while he just stepped into it).

Always a moron or two around.

[Trinity4]

It was stupid but it didn't get my panties in a twist or at least not enough to write the network.  He's a dumb-a-ss, always has been.  He should of hooked up with Lady GAG-GAG instead of Katy Perry.  They're both about as narcissistic as they come.

[FlGuy]

Nice to see you.  How's the kid?  She must be doing some growing upping.

[James10500]

Russell Brand not Russell Crowe.  

[merryBe]

hey girl how the he(( are you???  Well, I don't know, if it took R.crowe to get you in here to say hello, then I applaude r. crowe....for that at least

even though he should be eating crow on this one....or, maybe he got it doing too much eating...well scratch that thought...

I just think if you are expecting political correctness from SNL you are dreamin'...
all I ever see any more is lameness, and shuck and jive....
I mean seriously, everything has an arch, and these guys just don't know that their juices have shrived up at this point....like any good jew I gotta ask...whatta they know from funny??

answer, not much...the show reminds me of when J.Crawford or Betty were past their primes...shriveled to where no amount of filler shots or botox are gonna help.  
There's only one true comic left on the show, seriously I think Lauren Michaels should take a hint from MASH and let it die the death.

as far as expecting hollywood types to be sensitive...I grew up around them...can anybody say the word EGO??  Sure there were a few genuine human beings who worked to help others, but for every one of them their was a flaming baby who couldn't get 2 millimeters ahead of their own carnality even if Jesus was coming to dinner.

mb

[willing]

Wow, are those new glasses ? Very stylish -  though I miss the old pic. Great to hear from you, really. You sound in fine form, and as outraged as ever. Hope all is well.

[RobertBeWell]

Did you expect anything better out of network television/Hollywood?

I mean, seriously.

RBW

[Willy50]

Russell Brand told a Hep C joke on Saturday Night Live last night about 5 minutes into his monologue;


wait for it.....




wait for it.....



wait for it....


We're still waiting for something *funny*, Ahshole.


Russell said that he had gotten HCV while preparing for years as a sex addict and drug user.  I guess that he doesn't realize that there is little transmission risk when monogamous heterosexual sexual relations are practiced.

On the other hand...the risk of sexual transmission is far greater in anal receptive intercourse, especially in the presence of STDs.  

Is there something that Russell is trying to tell us?


Frankly..... I think that the humor is as desperate and stupid as an AIDS joke.  It's mean spirited, it's factually incorrect and as a joke, it doesn't even work well.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
According to wikipeadia;
". Annual deaths from HCV in the United States range from 10,000 to 20,000; expectations are that this mortality rate will increase, as those who were infected by transfusion before HCV testing become apparent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

The joke perpetuates the myth/stereotype of sexual transmission.

The joke ignores the unfunny vectors of transmission.

After the "comedian" makes the joke and distances himself from the disease he mentions that he didn't want anybody to worry (that he had Hep C).

Meaning....... that one SHOULD worry if one is around people with HCV.????!

I'm not happy about the joke, the misinformation presented through innuendo and the effect of stigmatizing the disease, causing embarrassment for those who have it and fear produced in the people who know nothing about the disease; only what stunned a$$es in media convey during their mean spirited monologues.  

As soon as he meets a child who has HCV from vertical transmission,
or a mother who was given blood products during childbirth,
or a veteran who was infected through an airgun innoculation,
a health care provider who became infected via a needle stick or in trauma,
or any child who had to bury they young adult parent.......
Or the adult who has had to nurse their sick child who has ESLD due to HCV....

Then maybe Russell Brand will understand how (un)funny the joke is.

Willy

[streamline569]

I think that Russel Brand should make a public apology for his ignorance and irresponsibility towards a very sensitive subject. It wasn't even funny. What a jerk.

[James10500]

She said something like Pamela Anderson can take her skanky hepatitis STD a$$ and go away for ever.  Her thing is to insult people for laughs, and I felt pretty insulted.

It does sadden me that there is so much ignorance surrounding Hep C.  I guess it all starts with the word hepatitis and no one knowing what it means. And then people don't know  how all the hep virus's differ, it's an uphill battle.

[Forseegood]

James, I wasn't aware...could you paraphrase what she said? I actually prefer Russell over that woman. What happened to empathy in show business? You can still be funny and have it, many are.

[James10500]

That comment was nothing compared to what Chealsy  Handler said on her show.  Her comment was about Hep C and Pamela Anderson. His comment was in poor taste, her comment was mean and hateful.

Never been a fan of his though. And I HATE Chealsy Handler now.

[hcvJames]

With Russel Brand I always latch onto the opportunity not to watch him

[GSDgirl]

I can't stand the guy...... obnoxious, not funny and especially the comment on SNL.  I like him even less now.

[Willy50]

5 minute mark:

........".played the part of a sex addicted drug, addicted, narcissistic English entertainer.
..........................
I got hep C preparing for my  role; it's permanent!!

It's literal Hep C.  I've not got Hep C; don't want to worry anyone."
---------------------------------------------

If he has Hep C he seems to be denying it.

He also seems to be promoting the sex and drugs transmission vector, although one could infer that Hep C may be associated with being vapid, brainless and boring.

It's Russell Brand; it's not like you could expect anything intelligent.

Willy

[Forseegood]

thanks Ribman, first he said he had it, then he said he didn't have it...very confusing, if he does have it, why not a little more compassion, you putz!

[Forseegood]

So good to see you guys here! just as quick as ever, Willy and Bill...you know what's really telling? I can't find one person online that has said anything about this. Nothing. If it would have been AIDs or Cancer? there would have been an uproar. That's why I'm posting on these forums, at least we might stick up for ourselves!

Here's the SNL website...it's in his monolouge...

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/

here is the publicist website, where you go into contacts.

http://42west.net/

really good to see you guys!

[ribman]

i belive he does some work for the cause.he has the disease

http://www.internationalmusicsummit.com/html/tested.html

[Willy50]

The comment was made that he alluded to gotten Hep C as a result of drug use or being a sex addict.

It was just as funny in Bewitched when Nicole Kidman made a similar Hep C joke.  It was stupid, perpetuated a number of false myths about transmission and it was tasteless.  Funny?  No, but then his shrill, loud, attention hungry delivery never is.  It's as though flogging an English accent or talking louder makes for good humor.

The comment was made at about the 5:23 mark on his monologue right after he mentions Black swan.

willy

[Bill1954]

Wow, you haven’t graced the pages of Medhelp in a while! How are you; give us an update and let us know how things are, gal—

Bill

[Willy50]

I'll....I'll be go to H3LL.  I used to know a member that went by forseegood.

Nice to see you are still alive and kickin.

Sorry...... but I don't need yet another reason to hate Russell Brand.  

But in this case I will write and I'd also suggest writing SNL.  IF there is a UTUBE link I would also consider writing a comment.

A hep C joke has the integrity of making a HIV/AIDS joke.  

Am I surprised?  Not at all.

Good to see you,

Willy