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Comedian Russell Brand has been accused of rape, sexual assaults and emotionally abusing four women during the height of his fame.

The alleged assaults occurred between 2006 and 2013, while he was a presenter for BBC Radio 2 and Channel 4, and include an assault on a 16-year-old girl.

He vehemently denied the “very serious criminal allegations” ahead of a Sunday Times article and an expected expose to be aired by Channel 4’s Dispatches programme tonight.

The allegations include crew members on his Big Brother spin-off being made to feel they were working as a “pimp” by approaching young women on his behalf, and that he raped a woman at his Los Angeles home.

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[-] noodle@feddit.uk 63 points 1 year ago

I really do wish allegations of this level of seriousness could go through the legal system before being presented to the court of public opinion. If he's actually assaulting 16 year olds then he needs sending down!

[-] Son_of_dad@lemmy.world 29 points 1 year ago

Most times the courts and authorities won't give a shit unless you make a public stink about it. We just learned this from the Danny Masterson trial, which would never have happened if they women had only spoken to authorities and never went public

[-] DakRalter@thelemmy.club 9 points 1 year ago

That's what allowed Saville to get away with it for so long.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLUoOhvlg0E

[-] noodle@feddit.uk 6 points 1 year ago

The problem with that is that the public should never get to be judge, jury, and executioner. Rumour and gossip should not be the basis for something this severe.

Brand has made more than enough money to live his life peacefully out of the public eye. The court of public opinion is only capable of ruining the wrong peoples' lives, people who don't have wealth and fame. The rich and powerful can uncancel themselves after a short period of exile, should they wish.

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[-] lemonflavoured@kbin.social 14 points 1 year ago

From what I've read, none of the victims are willing to go to the police. Which is their decision, and theirs alone.

[-] Doorbook@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

That's why the way the legal system work need to be updated.

Someone who have millions can afford best lawyer and spend time to afford fighting. While a normal person with maybe a minimum wage job cannot afford to go public, along with the cost, they also have to endure creepy people around them and their life will never be normal afterwards.

[-] fluke@lemmy.world 35 points 1 year ago

But Elon Musk and Andrew Tate have said it's nonsense and that he's a canny guy. I don't know what to believe now!

[-] Emperor@feddit.uk 29 points 1 year ago
[-] 15liam20@feddit.uk 10 points 1 year ago

Thanks, Phil

[-] dingleberry@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 1 year ago

It's funny how I didn't know right away whether Musk made a post about it or not. Seems like the guy always has to air his opinion on completely unrelated topics.

[-] candyman337@sh.itjust.works 33 points 1 year ago

Can't say I'm super surprised, he had some allegations in the me too era but didn't address them at all,and instead has been doing a bunch of content about left wing politics, which I suppose was an attempt to repair his public image. Ever notice he's not really in movies anymore? That's not for no reason lol. Additionally, he married Katy Perry when she 25 and he was 35, and she divorced him alleging he was abusive and shitty. So yeah, not surprised he's a child rapist.

[-] SlikPikker@lemmy.ca 11 points 1 year ago

His "leftist" politics, mainly liberal, always struck me as a virtue signal.

[-] DoneItDuncan@feddit.uk 42 points 1 year ago

He's very much sliding down the alt right pipeline now

[-] C4d@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago

The alt right alimentary canal; always ends with a load of shit.

[-] Tangentism@lemmy.ml 15 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Verbose bullshiter with 'right on' politics that wants to be down with the kids but invariably always makes it about himself

[-] atrielienz@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago

Shocked. Pikachu. Face.

[-] Metal_Zealot@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago

Something about his eyes looks unhinged, man

[-] Emperor@feddit.uk 3 points 1 year ago

All the drugs can't help with that.

[-] Brekky@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

I'm dubious how he can blame dressing up as Osama bin laden 1 day after the Sept 11th attacks on all the cocaine and heroin he was on at the time yet he has 100% recollection of all his sexual encounters, given he's admitted to being wildly promiscuous at that time in his life.

[-] Emperor@feddit.uk 9 points 1 year ago

Anyone who blames all the shitty things they did (Andrew Sachs too) on drink and drugs is just trying to dodge responsibility for their actions.

[-] Brekky@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago
[-] dingleberry@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 1 year ago

Having read so much praise for Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I'm sure fans would be devastated.

[-] pleasemakesense@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

I remember being so surprised when I first saw him reffered to as a comedian and I still don't get it

[-] Emperor@feddit.uk 3 points 1 year ago

I raised an eyebrow at that when I saw it - he has made a career of being superficially jocular without being actually funny. However, he has done stand-up and written a book that is classified as humour, so I suppose that is enough to get the label comedian even if it debases it quite a bit.

[-] Zormat@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 1 year ago

Not that shocked

[-] oldbaldgrumpy@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

If he's guilty I hope he gets a Danny Masterson sentence.

[-] iamnotme@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago

Never liked him, he always seemed liked a self serving knob head out to use the poor to make him money.

It’s no surprise to see that he’s also now part of the conspiracy movement.

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this post was submitted on 16 Sep 2023
171 points (95.7% liked)

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