(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Russell Brand says he hit the f**k it button when he first started earning good money.
The British comedian has been open about his troubled past, having spent time in rehab for heroin, crack cocaine and sex addictions. He was battling with substance abuse and his unorthodox lifestyle when he first found fame as a comic, and couldnt believe it when he started earning big bucks. He was astounded to be making money from something he enjoyed so much, and freely admits he squandered much of his early earnings.
I was addicted to crack and heroin at that time and was... Ive always had some destructive tendencies and I was unstable. I had no off switch. I was unable to manage it. Up until then Id never had money in my life and as soon as people gave me money, I just hit the f**k it button and blew up, he said.
Russell made the admission while talking to author Neil Strauss, who is promoting his new book Everyone Loves You When You Are Dead. The tome includes part of the interview with Russell, who chatted openly about his early stand-up shows.
The star would go out of his way to make an impact, bringing dead animals on stage to shock the crowd.
I was fixated with dead animals and death, he told Neil. And I felt that people were spellbound, like theyd been hypnotised, and I had to wake them up. So I would do things to wake them up. Like Id have a load of dead rats or dead chicks, like baby birds, on stage.
Russell remains indebted to those who urged him to seek help and helped him conquer his addictions.
Last year, he married pop star Katy Perry following a whirlwind romance and the pair are blissfully happy. Neil has spoken to the 35-year-old about Katy, and is pleased hes finally managed to find that special someone.
Weve stayed in contact and the last time I talked to him he was head over heels in love with Katy, this was not a guy who was planning to be a player but a guy who really loved a person, which is amazing, Neil said. Its the difference between having a fake relationship with someone who is famous and good looking against having a real relationship with someone who you have intimacy with. (C) Cover Media