Now I know Russel Brand can trigger quite diverse reactions in people. He definitely is not for everyone ... however of late on his Trews YouTube channel he has been putting out a steady stream of some of the best media commentary for the masses of anyone out there. Today's missive is a great example - a scathing take down of the WalMart family and a powerful argument in favor of a higher minimum wage.
Brand's argument boils down to a play on "deserve". To the business columnist who derides WalMart workers as part timers with no skills who should feel lucky to have a job and so don't deserve a wage increase Brand brandishes the filthy rich WalMart heirs and just how much they deserve to have more and more money.
Brand has been taking a lot of flack in the media of late over a number of his comments and ideas (not voting etc). Much of the criticism has been focused on Brand calling for a revolution (his latest book title as well)... while he himself is well off.
But let's be honest. We on the progressive side of the debate need vocal, flamboyant, maybe a bit over the top advocates to push the progressive agenda. The corporate media on its own will never take on that role.
That is why it has been interesting to watch Brand grow his Trews news channel so quickly. From a few tens of thousands of views of his early shows he now can get over 2 million views on some episodes within a week. Pretty heady stuff for a stand up comic, spouting political ideas on a free media, with no "writer's room" full of support, and a pretty low production budget.
We need more of his attitude and willingness to take on the sacred cows and the corporate establishment head on. (John Oliver of course being the other notable comic taking on corporate and political hypocrisy)