Brand on Question Time last week PA Archive / Press Association Images PA Archive / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

LAST WEEK COMEDIAN and activist Russell Brand entered Royal Bank of Scotland’s London HQ with a film crew, and attempted to ask employees about their salaries and bonuses. 

An RBS employee named Jo later condemned Brand’s “puerile” and “self-aggrandising” stunt in a vitriolic blog post, saying all it did was disturb his lunch hour.

Jo asked what Brand hoped to achieve from storming the RBS offices:

You turned up and weren’t allowed in. Big wow. You know what would have happened if a rabid capitalist had just turned up unannounced? They wouldn’t have been allowed in either. You know what I have in my pocket? A security pass. Unauthorised people aren’t allowed in. Obviously. That’s not a global conspiracy, Russell; it’s basic security.

“If you had any self-awareness beyond agonising over how often to straighten your f*cking chest hair, you’d be ashamed.” Oh, ouch.

Brand was never going to take this lying down, and he responded to Jo’s letter last night in a Facebook post.

The comedian refused to apologise for the RBS lockdown, saying it was the fault of the bosses upstairs:

The locking of the doors and your tarnished lunch came about as the result of orders from “the faceless bosses” upstairs after I wandered in on my own while we secretly filmed from across the street – then security swarmed, all the doors were locked and crowds gathered outside. I must say Jo; it felt like RBS had something terrible to hide.

The people that have inconvenienced homeowners, pensioners, the disabled and ordinary working Brits are the same ones who inconvenienced you that lunchtime. They’ve got a lot to hide, so they locked the doors. You said my “agro demeanor” reminded you of school. Your letter reminded me of school too, when the teacher would say, “because Russell’s been naughty, the whole class has to stay behind”.

“So Jo, get in touch… I’d like to take you for a hot paella to make up for the one that went cold,” he finished. Sound of him.

Read Brand’s response in full here.

Previously: This scathing open letter to Russell Brand is a must read>