Dispatches - Russell Brand

There are two sides to this. Firstly, the vile and disgusting behaviour we can see and hear for ourselves on all his TV programmes. This may not actually be illegal (at least not back then) but is totally unacceptable. However, don't forget the TV stations allowed this to take place on their programmes. They let it go because it may have attracted viewers. So they are in a way more to blame than RB himself. they provided a stage for his disgusting behaviour.

Secondly, there are the criminal accusations. That is another matter altogether and has to be investigated and decided in court. It's possible there may be a very thin line between the two however.

I’ve never liked this man, especially since the Andrew Sachs affair, when his behaviour, and that of Jonathon Ross, was revolting.
I don’t know whether he’s guilty or not, but with his degree of narcissistic arrogance, it wouldn’t surprise me.

Years ago now, I “accidentally” listened to RB on the radio (It might have been radio 2) and another so called DJ and the talk …( I think they were reading letters to the show out, and then commenting) anyway it was misogynistic and puerile.

I was up a ladder cleaning or something and thought the station had plummeted to a new low then.
I’m sure this was before the Jonathan Ross scandal or shortly before it.

Jonathan Ross like Russel Brand is also an intelligent person and quite capable of behaving himself when needs be.
For example he was actually rather good when he hosted “FILM” on the BBC you know the one Barry Norman did for years.

It is a mystery to me why anyone finds self confessed drug addicts and alcoholics, whoever they are so endearing, fascinating, and worthy of attention (other than medical or psychiatric).

They all are pushing the boundaries to see just how far they can go before someone anyone says STOP 🛑 ✋

Having exhausted all regular media channels for his unfunny, sex obsession based performances RB has turned his attention (bit like Donald Trump) to conspiracy theories where he can “impress” a whole new ever willing audience with his pseudo socialism/ I love/respect/ care about women etc etc ad nauseum 🤮 combined with “venting” that they’ve all got it in for him.

Some men believe they are irresistible to women and that any woman who says no is simply playing "hard to get" - wonder if RB is such a man, it would explain why he is convinced all acts were consensual

Vile man. Nothing he says or does would surprise me.

This is about the supposedly reformed man who is now a disruptive media influence with a huge following - who preaches like a messiah to all about the corruption in this world and some of it is spot on . He spouts other peoples conspiracy theories about covid paharma companies 9/11 . Everything and anything and he is being silenced by the big guns .
The sex addict of yesteryear and the man who thinks he is going to educate us all are the same people .. narcissistic and devoid of respect for anyone . He’s a nasty man and not as clever as he thinks he is . It’s a fact he took advantage of women on every way possible and cannot even apologise .. sex was his hobbyhorse now it’s politics and wellness .. manipulative and egotistical and messed up ..
phew and breathe !

I agree he's totally despicable but it's very worrying that so many people must like him or else he wouldn't be on the radio/TV etc. What on earth does it say about society today?

IMO he always looks unwashed- I don’t care for his humour as to me he just seems very sexist and don’t care for his manner- I’ve turned him off when he had appeared on TV.. but f he is guilty- my thought are with his victims ..

Could never understand what females like Jemima Khan and Katy Perry ( and others) could possibly see in this nasty man. He always looks as if he could do with a good wash, including his vile mouth. If these allegations prove to be true I hope he gets all the punishment he deserves.

Yet another big, 'me too' fuss. Of course women should speak up, we have rights including the right not to be touched in any way without our consent. But we've had the patriarchy for millennia and that has enabled some of the worst examples of it to rise to the top, all over the place. This sort of scandal is going to repeat and repeat for a while I think, and I, for one, am bored with it. I would also say that quite a few women enjoy the attention - sorry! Also, he is innocent till proven guilty. And also, there are indeed more important things to focus on, in the News. Finally, don't know the bloke, wouldn't recognise him and if everyone took my attitude he wouldn't be famous anyway!

Whilst I can quite believe the allegations, it does come across as trial by media, as our late Queen is often quoted "recollections may vary" and in this case I wouldn't levy that at any of the women, but more at RB, wondering if his recollections are somewhat hazy due to a combination of being off his face and/or not quite believing what took place wasn't consensual. Not that is any excuse. The entertainment industry is a murky old world in many respects and certainly has a dark underbelly, I think it's possible when some reach the heady heights that egos come so inflated there is maybe a loss of reality in that "don't you know who I am?" sort of way, or in his case all sexual acts were consensual because "of who I am" so of course women, many falling over themselves to sleep with him anyway, there couldn't possibly be anyone who is going to say no!

I often wavered between a like and extreme dislike of RB during the time span of his ascendancy from a relative unknown into mega star. First discovering him on the BB after show, at that time finding him quite amusing in an effete sort of way. I went right off him over the Andrew Sachs's granddaughter debacle and I thought that he, and Jonathan Ross who I'd always considered through his show staggeringly awful around women anyway, so much so, in the end I couldn't watch him anymore, showed themselves up to be a couple of misogynistic, boorish, bastards. JR, who is always going on about his own offspring, I wonder how he would feel if his daughters were discussed and picked over in the salacious manner that they publicly mocked AS's granddaughter So from that time on both of them were pretty much two men I avoided tuning into. I think RB popped up on one of the QTs when I watched it a few years ago and at that time I thought he was quite ridiculous when he said something along the lines of "don't listen to them politicians" I remember I shouted "those politicians" at the telly and wondered why they'd even got him on, what is and was to all intents and purposes a fairly serious programme, I deemed him as a lightweight yet to realise then he has a far more serious side and the brain to go with it.

Moving on a friend of mine quite recently said listen to him on "You Tube" what he has to say regarding the WEF and some of their questionable ideology is pretty interesting and I changed my opinion of him, not that I buy into all the conspiracy theories mooted, but the "don't listen to all them politicians" resounds far more with me these days feeling the pessimism I do about politicians of all persuasions. I'm not sure you even have to like the person who presents the underlying disquiet many feel about lobbyists, corporations and un-elected bodies holding so much sway. Farage of late springs to mind as one such person who has drawn the public's attention to the de banking scandal, would we have known just how many people have suffered that fate otherwise.

I didn't watch Dispatches but I gather some of the content was appalling and certainly doesn't show him in a good light, as I said I have no reason to disbelieve women who come forward with such allegations in many ways that takes courage and I would never want to dismiss or brush a sexual assault or rape under the carpet, I think it's important to show a solidarity with those who have been a victim of sexual abuse.

I just genuinely feel that in cases such as these neither alleged victims or alleged perpetrators should be named publicly until after full police investigations and court cases completed. Innocent til proven guilty states our law.

Yet a part of me truly wishes Jimmy Saville had to endure this as many many women and children would be spared.

Brand was so drugged up half the time I’m surprised he can remember who he has had sex with, when or how !

Any 30 year old man sending a BBC car to collect a 16 school girl is a little suspect, to say the least.

GrannyGravy13

I have given this more thought, and I do not think that allegations of rape, sexual assault and coercive behaviour should be the subject of a TV documentary.

Surely if Dispatches has/had enough evidence they should have taken it to the police as opposed to broadcasting it as prime time Saturday night entertainment

I am not a fan of Russell Brand, but in the U.K. you are innocent until proved guilty…

Jut that GG13.
Though the last paragraph is difficult to support once you’ve watched the Dispatches programme, or In Plain Sight on channel 4 last night.
It’s like the LL trial. After hearing all the allegations how many would have found her guilty without even waiting for the court case.

timetogo2016

I think he is over rated and not a bit funny.
As for the accusations, why do these women leave it so long to tell all,IF it`s even true.

There has been a huge social media pile-on on Katherine Ryan who apparently warned years ago about a predatory and rapey comedian. The treatment SHE has been getting online should give you some idea why women tend to hold back on reporting. We, apparently, are always to blame. Time to change that.

It’s Philip Schofield all over again and I bet there ll be more men called out now.
The press is way, way, way too powerful and someone is finished long before they are found guilty of anything.
Having said that he has a powerful voice and I would think he ll fight back all the way.

Kevin Spacey was found guilty by the media, his career was finished before his trial. The same is happening with Brand

sassysaysso

It is because now the police have to be seen to take any complaint seriously

But even when they do prosecute they are sometimes wrong. T Kevin Spacey who was found "Not Guilty" on all the charges brought against him, but whose career was already ruined, is one example.

I'm not "victim blaming" I'm asking why when it is so obvious that men who are drunks or drug users do not understand or observe the normal social restrictions women still choose to enter into relationships with them.

sassysayso explains it well.

Added to which, they may not have been aware of his reputation as a sexual predator because other women may have kept quiet about their bad experiences with him. Because 'victim blaming' is so widespread they might blame themselves for what happened to them.

I find him quite scary to look at. I have never ever watched anything about him.

I have always thought Russell Brand to be a vile, horrible creature. Arrogant in the extreme not to mention misogynistic. Intelligent yes, in no way funny. He's always made my skin crawl. I feel like I need a shower when I've seen him so my first thought when this news broke was I'm not in the slightest bit surprised. I hope he gets taken out of the media totally forever.

The police have stated that, as of this morning, they have still received no complaints.

I should also add that Noel Clarke’s career was wrecked by so called investigative journalism. The Guardian is now being sued for 10 million by Noel Clarke as they haven’t been able to provide a shred of evidence to back up their allegations of sexual misconduct.

As I’ve already stated upthread I’m not prepared to engage in any witch hunt and will reserve my judgement on RB.

As an aside I really don’t find him good looking!

It is because now the police have to be seen to take any complaint seriously

Iam64

Gloryanny, there is a lot of research about the reasons women get involved with men who pose a risk to them. What we need is men to take responsibility for their own behaviour, not focus yet again on victim blaming

I'm not "victim blaming" I'm asking why when it is so obvious that men who are drunks or drug users do not understand or observe the normal social restrictions women still choose to enter into relationships with them.
The whole of RB's fame was built on his attitude of anarchy and rebellion. He was not like Saville a family-friendly pillar of the establishment, quite the reverse. It isn't really surprising that his sexual relationships might have been problematic.
If the women really want to see him brought to justice they should go to the police. Selling a story to the press is not really helpful.

Glorianny

I do wonder though what girls who get involved with drunken drug addicts think the relationship is going to be? I'm not trying to excuse male behaviour, but the link between drink, drug use, the loss of inhibition and assault is clear. So why don't women run a mile from these men? Do they think they can change them?
It would be good to see a study examining the reasons women choose such men. Perhaps then we could warn young women about them more clearly.

These men can be very charming and can play on insecurities which overrule any warning sirens that may be going off in the victim's head. Add to this that in this case they feel enormously flattered that a celebrity should show an interest in them.

Gloryanny, there is a lot of research about the reasons women get involved with men who pose a risk to them. What we need is men to take responsibility for their own behaviour, not focus yet again on victim blaming