Russell Brand Brings Humor to “Saturday Night Live”

Last night’s episode of "Saturday Night Live" got an injection of humor from across the pond.

British comedian Russell Brand, star of the upcoming remake of the 1981 film "Arthur," brought some \ comedy to the program as the guest host. Dressed in a dapper black shirt and tie, Brand spoke in his monologue about the differences between the U.K. and U.S. when it came to his celebrity. "I’m much more famous in England than I am here," he admitted to the audience. "I want you to know that I’m not here to reclaim this colony for Her Majesty. It's definitely yours." He even talked about the cultural differences between the two nations: "In England, tight pants mean you’re famous. In America, tight pants mean additional screening at JFK airport I learned earlier today."

He also sent a shout out to Colin Firth to win the Best Actor Oscar for "The Kings Speech" and thinks Natalie Portman will win Best Actress for "Black Swan." He compared  her training for that movie and compared that to his  role in in "Get Him to the Greek". "In that film, I played a sex-addicted, drug-addicted, narcissistic English entertainer," he said. "I prepared for that role for 20 years."

Brand  also referenced what it was like being married to Katy Perry and cited an anecdote about Perry lending Brand’s car to her brother without his permission. "That's such a lovely normal problem to have" he said when he was about to get upset, "when I think of the problems  I used to have, which were more like, “Russell, the police are at the door! Flush the drugs down the toilet! They got sniffer dogs with them!"

The comedian appeared in several of the evening’s sketches. He played a maniacal medieval English king who berates his unstable cook (Bill Hader) while employing a taster (Taran Killiam) for fear of his food being poisoned. He portrayed an amorous pastry chef on the female empowerment TV program "Living Single," who seduces its unsuspecting host (Vanessa Bayer).

Dressed in drag, Brand played one of three old English ladies for the program, "A Spot of Tea," whose tea party is constantly interrupted by earthquakes. And in a trailer for a British movie called "Don' You Go Rounnin' Roun to Re Ro,"   Brand plays one of the characters whose British accents are so thick and indecipherable that they leaves the movie critics scratching their heads.

Brand also took on American roles, such as a Southerner who was less enthused about that he has won the Travel Channel's Ultimate Vacation Giveaway but is more excited about getting a Pottery Barn catalog. He also played a paranoid George Washington who is time traveld to the Capitol in present-day Washington, D.C., but is stabbed to death by Rep. Nancy Pelosi (Kristen Wiig) to save her Congressional colleague.

The troubled Broadway production of "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" is spoofed in a TV commercial for a law firm representing audience members who were injured during the musical.

For Weekend Update, Seth Meyers had on the now-former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak (Fred Armisen) to explain what happened to him in the last couple of days. In his parting words Mubarak thanks America--"I could not have done it without all of your money and support and tear gas"-- and even offers a brief serenade of "Wind Beneath My Wings." Also on the update were Eminem (Killiam) and Lil Wayne (Jay Pharaoh) who both deliver a Valentine Day’s song that is not exactly the most romantic.

Musical guest Chris Brown contrasted between performing a hip-hop number and a romantic ballad during his appearance last night.

The next new episode of "Saturday Night Live" is Mar. 5 with host Miley Cyrus and the rock band the Strokes.

Sources: Hulu.com, "Saturday Night Live" broadcast Feb. 12, 2011, IMDb

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