The British comedian – famed for his outrageous sense of humour and quirky dress sense – beat former Culture Club singer Boy George into first place in a new survey by online bank First Direct.

Other stars to feature in the poll – which surveyed over 1,000 16-25 year-old Britons – include the Osbourne family, TV stylist Gok Wan and designer Vivienne Westwood.

First Direct’s Head of Marketing Paul Say said: “Quirky celebs with a liberal attitude – typified by Russell Brand – have helped change the public’s view of what being eccentric means. With as many as 32 million Brits – 65 per cent – proudly admitting to quirky characteristics, it seems the nation is now overflowing with colourful eccentricity.”

Also making the top 10 were comedian-and-presenter Stephen Fry, ‘Alice in Wonderland’ star Helena Bonham Carter, Mayor of London Boris Johnson, Florence and the Machine singer Florence Welch

In a bid to show his eccentricity, Russell recently revealed how he likes to wear fiancee Katy Perry’s clothes.

The 35-year-old ‘Get Him to the Greek’ actor – who proposed to the ‘California Gurls’ singer while on holiday in India over the New Year period – admitted he has got so close to the brunette star that he will wear any piece of her clothing he finds lying around the house, even if her clothes cause him pain.

He revealed: “I take anything of hers that I find lying about. I’m wearing a t-shirt of hers and a sock that’s so small my toes are scrunched up.”

First Direct’s Top 10 Eccentric Stars

1 – Russell Brand

2 – Boy George

3 – Gok Wan

4 – The Osbournes

5 – Vivienne Westwood

6 – Stephen Fry

7 – Helena Bonham Carter

8 – Boris Johnson

9 – Florence Welch 10 – Janet Street Porter

Source: BANG Showbiz

Boy George gets Face Invaded on Pocket TV – Face Invaders is back by popular demand and Matt’s first victim for series 2 of Sony Ericsson’s Pocket TV is none other than Boy George. Find out who he’d pick as his Siamese twin and what body part Lady Gaga asked him to sign at the Brits!

The ‘Poker Face’ singer will perform with the ‘Karma Chameleon’ singer – who is her teenage idol – on stage at London’s O2 Arena in February.

A source said: “Gaga has always been a fan and now he’s got his life back on track it’s the perfect opportunity to do something with him.”

The ‘Bad Romance’ singer previously revealed she was bullied at school for dressing like George – who shot to fame in the 80s with his flamboyant and androgynous appearance.

She said: “I didn’t fit in at high school, I wanted to be like Boy George and I felt like a freak. So now I like to create this atmosphere for my fans where they feel like they have a freak in me to hang out with, and they don’t feel alone.”

George – real name George O’Dowd – was released from prison in May 2009 after serving four months of a 15-month sentence for assault and false imprisonment of a male escort in his London home.

He has since been attempting to turn his life around, and has been fighting his drug addiction with visits to Narcotics Anonymous.

He said: “I was like. I don’t need it. I’m fine. Id been to one in the 80s and I just thought they were all weirdos, which is a common get out clause for anyone in denial but I went to one.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

The legendary pop star – who married his long-term lover David Furnish in a civil partnership ceremony in 2005 – has been declared the male most respected by homosexuals, while the late actress Judy Garland was named the most iconic female.

The male list was predominantly made up of gay men – including late Queen singer Freddie Mercury, British TV star Stephen Fry and ‘Faith’ hitmaker George Michael – apart from soccer hunk David Beckham, who is married to Victoria Beckham.

Meanwhile, the female list was full of glamorous female stars – including singers Kylie Minogue, Madonna and Cher – rather than famous lesbians.

A spokesperson from www.OnePoll.com – who commissioned the survey of over 5,000 gay men and women – said: “Interestingly only one of the men in the top 10 list of male celebrity gay icons isn’t gay – David Beckham. And yet most of the women put on a pedestal by the gay community are straight.

“It just shows that to advocate a certain way of living, you don’t have to live the lifestyle but simply be more accepting of those around you.”

British TV star Paul O’Grady made both lists – as himself and cross-dressing alter ego Lily Savage.

Top Ten Male Celebrity Gay Icons of All Time:

1. Elton John

2. Freddie Mercury

3. Stephen Fry

4. George Michael

5. Oscar Wilde

6. Will Young

7. Alan Carr

8. Paul O’Grady

9. Boy George

10. David Beckham

Top Ten Female Celebrity Gay Icons:

1. Judy Garland

2. Kylie Minogue

3. Madonna

4. Cher

5. Liza Minnelli

6. Marilyn Monroe

7. Shirley Bassey

8. Lily Savage

9. Dusty Springfield

10. Barbra Streisand

Source: BANG Showbiz

The ‘Do You Really Want To Hurt Me’ singer – who was released from prison in May after serving four months of a 15-month sentence for assault and false imprisonment of a male escort – has vowed never to touch illegal substances again after attending regular Narcotics Anonymous meetings.

He said: “I was like, I don’t need it. I’m fine. I’d been to one in the 80s and I just thought they were all weirdos, which is a common get out clause for anyone in denial but I went to one.

“Since that day, my life has improved more than 100 per cent.”

The 48-year-old singer also spoke about his time in prison, saying it helped with his battle to stay clean, rather than turning him back to drugs.

He added to Attitude magazine: “I went in with all the tools you learn in Narcotics Anonymous about resilience and surrender.

“I went to NA meetings inside, the first week in Pentonville. Oh my God, I was horrified.”

George has met men with different addictions at the meetings and fears drug use is spiralling out of control in the UK.

He added: “I’m seeing guys coming in who’ve been using crystal meth and there is a potential for that to be an epidemic.

“It’s scary and it’s starting to become popular here. People need to block out their feelings and the question is, why do we hate ourselves so much”

Source: BANG Showbiz

The ‘Bad Romance’ singer claims she was taunted as a teenager because of the way she looked and says she now wears bizarre clothes so any of her fans who are also being ridiculed can look to her for inspiration.

She told US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres: “I want to create a space for my fans where they can feel free, and they can celebrate. I didn’t fit in at high school, I wanted to be like Boy George and I felt like a freak. So I like to create this atmosphere for my fans where they feel like they have a freak in me to hang out with, and they don’t feel alone.”

It took Lady Gaga, now 23, years to get over the bullying she suffered but she is now totally comfortable in her own skin and is proud of who she is.

She added: “It took a long time for me to be OK with myself. But I want my fans to know that it is OK. Sometimes in life you don’t always feel like a winner, but that doesn’t mean you’re not a winner.”

Source: BANG Showbiz