Home News Columnists Ken Oxley

Brand-new piece of stupidity

Jul 20 2008 by Ken Oxley, Sunday Sun

WOULDN’T it have been hilarious if Russell Brand had been prosecuted for wasting police time over his pathetic hoax call?

The so-called comedian rang an emergency line last Saturday while on stage in Northampton claiming to have information about a spate of sexual assaults in the town.

To the amusement of his fans — who are clearly easily pleased — Brand told the operator he’d seen a man who fitted the description of the attacker and that he “looked like Timmy Mallet”.

Whether or not Brand’s routine was funny is not the issue here. I’m a staunch defender of humour having no taboos.

But pranks like this can prevent genuine callers from getting through, putting lives at risk. And that really is no laughing matter.

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