Russell Brand is back to his best on the radio – leaving cheeky messages for Barack Obama and even joking with Jonathon Ross.
It has been six months since Russ handed in his notice at Radio 2 after the Sachsgate scandal.
But he was on TalkSport last night with co-host Noel Gallagher and showed just what the airwaves have been missing.
I was there for the wisely pre-recorded show on Saturday to witness the lads in full swing — and it was priceless to see station bosses nervously pacing the studio.
Apart from leaving a recorded message at the White House and an impromptu phone call to Wossy, he coaxed Oasis star Noel into a series of cutting comments.
The show was a perfect platform for West Ham fan Russ and die-hard Man City supporter Noel to talk football.
At one stage Russell put in a call to the Presidential answerphone demanding to know if President Obama really is a West Ham fan, as reported by me in January. He also asked why he hadn’t been thanked for urging voters to back Obama at last year’s MTV Video Music Awards.
Noel’s highlights included him saying: “I would rather smother my own son than let him support Tottenham Hotspur.”
Jonathan Ross mocked Russell on air for being an unlikely West Ham fan because on the surface “he appears to be homosexual”.
This prompted another off the cuff song from Russell, reminiscent of the moment he rhymed “consensual” and “menstrual” in his Sachsgate song.
Brave
Talksport were brave giving Russell his first chance back on the airwaves, but they should make it a regular gig. It would be the best show on the airwaves.
Russell told me: “I would love to spend more time talking to Noel on radio and what better thing to discuss than sport and football?
“I spoke to Jonathan Ross, I left an voicemail message and so far no one from the Daily Mail seems troubled.”
Radio 1 should offer him megabucks to replace Chris Moyles on the breakfast show.
Russell Brand returns to radio tonight in typically controversial style.
The comedian, who quit the BBC after a storm of criticism over the "Sachsgate" scandal, launches his new pre-recorded talkSPORT show by phoning Jonathan Ross as they joked about the furore.
Ross told Brand: "You're not back on the radio are you?" Brand's co-host, Oasis star Noel Gallagher, accused the pair of failing to learn their lessons.
Russell Brand and Noel Gallagher call Barack Obama and leave a message for him during their talkSPORT radio show tonight.
The pair are hosting a two-hour one-off special for the sport station to discuss the latest football news and call up the American President to ask if he really is a fan of West Ham football club.
They fail to get through to him but are asked to leave a message.
Russell says: “Dear Barack Obama, we are calling you to find out if you are in fact the world’s most-famous West Ham supporter as it is claimed.
“I haven’t ever seen you at Upton Park and what formation do you suggest Gian Franco Zola plays?”
Oasis guitarist Noel then says: “This answer phone message better not jeopardize my American visa situation.”
For comedian Russell tonight’s show marks his return to radio following the Andrew Sachs scandal when he and Jonathan Ross left an offensive message on the actor’s answer machine.
Russell quit his Radio 2 job and Jonathan was suspended from the BBC.
Brand discusses the subject tonight and thanks Noel and the listeners for joining him.
“I scarred not only myself but radio as a concept,” he says.
Noel replies: “Was it as unfunny as it seemed?”
Russell answers: “It was an event Noel. Remember those? You used to create them in the 90s.”
The pair also call up Jonathan Ross to interview him and joke about Noel making sure they don’t “go off limits”.