If you’ve ever seen Russell Brand in action on the stand-up comedy stage, you already know his mind makes dazzling and unexpected leaps from one topic to another in the blink of an eye. This will certainly be the case in his new show, Brand X with Russell Brand, a weekly half-hour in which Brand will hold court, in front of a studio audience, to offer his unique take on current events, pop culture or whatever happens to strike his fancy at that particular moment.

I spoke with Brand in Los Angeles after a session at the last edition of the TV Critics Association press tour, where he was promoting Brand X (which at the time was titled Strangely Uplifting). According to Brand, viewers should expect the unexpected. “I improvise and like to be spontaneous,” said Brand, “so I never know what I’m going to say.”

This is also true in a Russell Brand interview; ask him a question about the format of his show, next thing you know he’s going off about quantum mechanics or astral projection. Here’s a sampling:

 

On connecting with his audience

“You don’t have to do anything, it’s just occurring naturally. We are all connected, it’s only an illusion that separates us. So this will happen naturally, our consciousness is already connected. It’s in our myths, it’s in humour, it’s in Joesph Campbell. We’re already one, we just need to remember.”

 

On Stephen Colbert

“I love him! You can tell looking in his eyes that he’s beautiful and I think he’s found a very interesting way of presenting his perspective. I think he’s a very, very brilliant comedian. I admire his device tremendously.”

 

On whether he plans to continue Brand X after its initial six-episode run

“I think that depends on economic factors, doesn’t it? Money — people who pitch money for advertising products on the show. Me, personally as a human, I have no attachment to outcome. I believe in the intention of higher things, so I’ll just be carried by what happens. If there are more episodes, that will be beautiful. If there are no more episodes, that will also be beautiful. I don’t mind. If it goes really well that means that is my duty, my dharma, and I’m happy to fulfill my dharma.”

 

The differences between the U.S. and the U.K.

“When I’m over here it’s sort of more bizarre and quirky. In England I can sort of speak more normally in off-licenses. You don’t even have off-licenses — that’s a shop to buy booze in, a liquor store.”

 

On rumours he’ll play Freddy Mercury in a biopic

“I’m constantly playing Freddy Mercury! I leap from my bed, force my teeth forward, deny my own sexuality and march out into the world — a big gay romp in Rio de Janeiro every day of my life! No, I would love to play Freddy Mercury, but I don’t think so, I think Sacha Baron Cohen is doing that. He’d be ****in’ brilliant.”

 

On what he thinks the public’s biggest misperception of him is

“I don’t know, because I can’t be inside another person’s mind, can I? All I want is for people to be happy. I don’t mind what people think about me. What people think in their minds is not my business, this is their business, they have to live in there.”

 

On trying to remain grounded
“I listen to others. I accept that you must be humble. It’s very important to have humility. I have a tendency to fly off on tangentials and also I’m narcissistic, so I have to be very careful otherwise I get messianic complexes.”

 

On whether this is a good time to launch his show
“It’s always the perfect time.”

BRAND X WITH RUSSELL BRAND premieres Thursday June 28 on FX Canada