What I saw at Russell Brand’s ‘sober festival’ shocked me

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy When Russell Brand lifted his two daughters, one aged six, the other aged four, onto his lap on stage at his “living and wellness” Community Festival this summer – only to then begin swearing extravagantly in front of them, for the benefit of his adoring audience – an alarm bell rang. It wasn’t the only time I thought the comedian turned mindfulness guru strongly misread the room at his homespun healing festival, held in July at Hay-on-Wye, at which his wife, Laura, was given equal billing. At one point, Brand jokingly – but also somewhat aggressively – ordered members of the audience not to film him for fear they’d upload the content to the internet. He also warned US talk show host Conan O’Brian – on air, in front of a live audience – that he didn’t "want to be around when the laughter stops".