>>> FROM TV, TO MOVIES TO
SOLD-OUT STANDUP TOURS, RUSSELL
BRAND IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS
COMEDIANS IN THE WORLD.
AND ALSO ONE OF THE MOST CANDID.
RUSSELL BRAND IS EVERYWHERE.
SOME KNOW HIM AS AN ACTOR FROM
HIT FILMS LIKE "FORGETTING SARAH
MARSHAL."
>> I AM ALDIS SNOW.
>> I KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
>> Reporter: SOME AS A STANDUP
COMIC.
SAM FROM HIS SHORT MARRIAGE.
>> AND COME FROM ICONS.
LIKE DR. NEFARIO.
OR CREEK IN "TROLLS."
BUT THERE'S MORE TO RUSSELL
BRAND THAN CINEMA AND SPECTACLE.
IN HIS MEMOIRS AND COMEDY
SPECIAL, "MESSIAH COMPLEX," HE
REVEALED HIS STRUGGLES OF FOOD,
SEX AND DRUGS.
>> I WAS ON A LOT OF DRUGS THAT
DAY.
>> Reporter: HE TESTIFIED FOR
BRITISH PARLIAMENT.
>> WHAT I WANT TO OFFER PEOPLE
IS TRUTH AND AUTHENTICITY, IN
THE TREATMENT OF THIS ILLNESS,
IN REGARDS TO THE CRIMINAL
COMPONENT OF IT, AND THE WAY WE
LEGISLATE AND ORGANIZE OUR
SOCIETY.
>> Reporter: AND IN HIS NEW
BOOK, "RECOVERY," BRAND REVEALS
A STRONG MESSAGE ABOUT HIMSELF.
THIS IS WRITTEN ABOUT ME.
NOT BECAUSE I'M BETTER THAN YOU.
I'M WORSE THAN YOU.
MORE VAIN, MORE ATTACHED TO
OBJECTS.
>> Reporter: MORE DETERMINED
THAN EVER TO HELP OTHERS MAKE A
CHANGE.
AND RUSSELL IS OUT WITH A NEW
BOOK CALLED "RECOVERY."
EVERYONE, PLEASE, WELCOME
RUSSELL BRAND.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
HI.
WELCOME.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
WOW.
>> THANKS.
>> THIS BOOK IS RAW.
IT IS HONEST.
IT IS SELF-EFFACING.
AND YOU TALK OPENLY ABOUT
ADDICTIONS TO ALCOHOL AND DRUGS
AND SEX AND PORN AND YOUR PHONE
AND FOOD.
AND THOSE -- YOU USED THOSE TO
MASK WHAT?
>> PERSONALLY, WHAT I THINK,
MEGYN, THERE'S UNADDRESSED PAIN.
UNCONSCIOUS UNHAPPINESS THAT THE
WORLD IS DEALING WITH.
AND IT MANIFESTS ON AN
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, ADDICTION AND
ATTACHMENT TO ANYTHING.
THAT WAS A LOVELY V.T. PACK
ONLONPACKAGE.
AND WELL DONE COMING TO THE
DAYTIME.
YOU SEEM BEAUTIFUL HERE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> YOU'RE LIKE AN ESCAPED STORM
TROOPER WHO TOOK HIS HELMET OFF
TO A GREAT BEAUTY.
I SUPPOSE WHAT IT IS, A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE RUNNING ON THE ENERGY
OF NEGATIVITY.
THERE'S LOTS OF WAYS THAT
NEGATIVITY MANIFESTING.
E.G., NEGATIVE LEADER MAY EMERGE
LIKE A CARBUNCLE PRESIDENT.
THAT'S JUST A RANDOM EXAMPLE
FROM AN ENGLISHMAN.
THE ADDICTION ON A PERSONAL
LEVEL, CAN BE ATTACHMENT TO
TECHNOLOGY OR ATTACHMENT TO SEX.
I'M JUST LEARNING ABOUT ALL THIS
STUFF, I BELIEF IT'S POSSIBLE
FOR PEOPLE TO BE HAPPEN.
I BELIEVE IT'S POSSIBLE FOR
PEOPLE TO BE CONNECTED.
CONSUMERISM DEPENDS ON US BEING
CONNECTED.
I WANT TO PUT IT IN AN EASY TO
UNDERSTAND WAY.
>> HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?
THAT'S A LOT TO CONQUER.
>> IT IS A LOT TO CONQUER.
I DID IT ONE DAY AT A TIME.
WHEN I STARTED, I WAS A
TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE DRUG ADDICT.
THAT WAS ME 13 OR 14 YEARS
CLEAN, DRESSING LIKE THE
UNDERTAKER.
THAT WAS A PARLIAMENTARY
COMMITTEE.
THAT'S EXTRAORDINARY.
>> I APPRECIATED THE BOLDNESS OF
IT.
>> THAT'S WHEY WAS GOING
THROUGH.
BOLDNESS.
THIS GUY HAS A MESSAGE, AND A
MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM.
AND IN A WAY, BOTH THINGS ARE
TRUE.
THIS IS A TIME, IN THIS COUNTRY
ALONE, THERE'S A TERRIFIC OPIOID
PROBLEM.
AND FOR ME, THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT
OF MY FLAWS AND WEAKNESSES AND
THE RECOGNITION THAT NONE OF THE
SOLUTIONS WOULD WORK FOR ME,
THAT ODDLY, PECULIARLY, THAT
PIRTTY WILL HELP ME.
>> AND YOU WRITE, WHEN ARE YOU
GOING TO RECOVER THE PERSON YOU
WERE BORN TO BE?
>> THAT'S A LOVELY IDEA, ISN'T
IT?
THERE WAS AN INTENTION.
THERE WAS SOMEONE WE WERE
SUPPOSED TO REALIZE.
THAT A TREE HAS AN INTENDED
JOURNEY, IF IT DIDN'T IMPEDED BY
OTHER PEOPLE OR TREES, IT WILL
GROW IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION.
I WANT TO GET THE IDEA ACROSS,
WE DON'T CHOOSE OF HAVING A
PROGRAM OR NOT HAVING A PROGRAM.
THE UNCONSCIOUS PROGRAM OF OUR
CHILDHOOD.
THE UNCONSCIOUS PROGRAM OF OUR
CONDITIONING AND CULTURE.
AND THERE'S A WAY TO LIBERATE
OURSELVES.
>> WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS
STAY UNCONSCIOUS.
WE USE THESE THINGS, NOT JUST AS
AN ADDICT.
BUT IF YOU'RE ADDICTED TO YOUR
PHONE OR USING ALCOHOL.
YOU'RE USING IT TO NOT DEAL WITH
THINGS THAT CONTINUE TO BUBBLE
UP.
YOU USED MEDITATION AS ONE OF
YOUR STEPS.