Russell Brand is moored in Mullumbimby.
After canceling a string of concerts in Australia and New Zealand following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Brand is now calling the small country town in New South Wales home.
The “Get Him to the Greek” star posted a video on YouTube explaining his predicament.
“I happen to be in Australia at the moment and one of the biggest questions I’m confronting…is, ‘Oh wow, do we go back to the UK now? Or when?’ Where you’re from is where you’re from; it’s a tricky one isn’t it,” Brand said.
The 44-year-old performer also noted that social media — a medium criticized for its isolating tendencies — is now, for many, the only means left to communicate with the outside world. “Now, suddenly it [online] is the only option we’ve got.”
Brand is, of course, no stranger to the benefits of social media in raising issues of self-awareness. His dedicated YouTube channel — which currently has 2.1 million followers — features Brand addressing a wide range of issues, including “spirituality, self-care, addiction, well-being.”
An outspoken addict-in-recovery, Brand also addressed how his self-isolating challenges sobriety.
“I’m a person that has to belong to support groups and communities to help with my numerous, much discussed and pretty bloody obvious mental health issues, primarily around addiction,” Brand notes.
Indeed, for Brand, the ability to connect with others in person has been key to his success in staying sober. “I like to meet other people with addiction issues or alcoholism issues and get support as I work a 12-step program.”
And yet, all is not doom and gloom, as Brand still manages to inject some of his classic ribald humor into his sermon from Down Under.
“Thankfully,” he notes, “there are online hook up groups, not hook up groups, that’s a different thing, that’s the old life, meet up groups, that’s much more my speed.”