September 19th 2023.
Russell Brand has denied allegations of rape and sexual assault which were made against him in a Channel 4 Dispatches documentary which aired on Saturday night. Prior to the documentary's release, the 48-year-old comedian posted a video on social media, branding the claims as false and accusing the mainstream media of orchestrating a 'coordinated attack' in an attempt to control his voice.
Brand's career has seen a dramatic shift in recent years, from comedian and actor to political campaigner and commentator. He has had a large impact on late-noughties pop culture, and has often been seen on prime time TV and in Hollywood films. He has since stepped away from the limelight, and has gathered a vast following on his various social media channels. His YouTube channel now boasts 6.6 million subscribers, while his X account has over 11 million followers.
Brand often uses his platform to critique mainstream media - and has been accused of promoting conspiracy theories. In 2014, he set up YouTube channel The Trews, in which he 'analyse[d] the news, truthfully, spontaneously and with great risk to his personal freedom'. Videos posted to the channel feature Brand speaking to the camera in his home, with the occasional special guest.
In the lead up to the 2015 election, Brand published an interview with then Labour leader Ed Milliband to his YouTube channel, with Miliband stating that he took part in the interview to change Brand's mind on voting. Following the interview, Brand published a YouTube video declaring the importance of voting, and stated 'You gotta vote Labour'.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Brand's YouTube channel swerved in a political direction, and he was accused of promoting Covid-19 denialism and conspiracy theories. He often suggested that the response of governments and pharmaceuticals companies to the pandemic were part of an orchestrated scheme.
In September 2021, Brand explained to fans attending his tour how they could bypass Covid-19 safety measures. In October 2021, YouTube began reviewing Brand's videos to see if they violated the platform's Covid-19 vaccine policies. His views have continued to harden over time, and now only the first 15 minutes of his videos are shown in YouTube and, as of September 19, 2023, Brand is no longer able to make money from his YouTube videos.
The allegations against Brand have been met with both criticism and support. Many have suggested that Brand created a cult following that distrusts the media in order to protect himself. On Saturday night, after the allegations came to light, Brand received a standing ovation at a sold out gig at Wembley and one woman was pictured at the event holding a sign that said: 'We stand by you Russell. Stay strong. Stay Free. We love you.'
In his video denying the sexual assault allegations, Brand addressed his 'awakening wonders' and claimed that the media is trying to control 'my voice along with your voice'. He also discussed his 'promiscuity' during that period, and stated that his relationships were 'absolutely always consensual'.
The comments on the video are filled with Brand's followers defending him, with one stating that media just wants to silence 'out of box thinkers'. English actress Daniella Westbrook also commented on the video, saying that she has 'never in my life met a more helpful kind and funny person'.
A number of high profile celebrities have also come out in support of Brand, such as Andrew Tate - who has been charged with rape and human trafficking. Brand now has 1.4 million followers on Rumble, with his conspiracy theory videos gaining hundreds of thousands of views. He has directed conspiracy theories towards the war in Ukraine, and has recently posted videos titled 'What REALLY Started The Hawaii Fires?' and 'The FBI have been harvesting your DNA?!'. Brand films many of his videos in his home.
Whether one believes the allegations against Brand or not, it is clear that he has used his large social media following to propel his political activism. His views have been met with both criticism and support, but no matter what the outcome, it is clear that he has had an immense impact on the media landscape.
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