High-Profile Sexual Abuse Epidemic

[Russic]

I actually kinda liked his meditation content, but it quickly unravelled into "What does Bill Gates know that we don't?" and in the world of the internet, the most aggressive voices win out often. To me this is one of the clearer examples of "where there's smoke there's fire" since Spacey.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

I say it's interesting because this one will divide people given that he has a huge following and has built rapport with many with his touring/speaking.

I do think there is a strong possibility that individuals whom his interests conflict with could be looking to get him cancelled and that someone probably sent the dogs (media) to sniff out skeletons in his closet. It could be a distinct possibility in this case and not just nutty conspiracy drivel, this guy's poked a lot of bees nests (and people love him for it).

The problem for him is those skeletons exist. Even if this is in part manufactured, he doesn't appear to be innocent either. He made a lot of distressing comments earlier in his career that I just hope were made in jest. And if the accounts are honest, it sounds like there were predatory behaviours (his "sex addiction" be damned).

And yeah, looks like someone tipped him off and he tried to get ahead of it.

I think his content has gone downhill from the bits I've seen lately and I've always found his demeanor grating. But there are people that I respect who respect him. Will they change their tune if he's convicted? Will be interesting to see.

[PepsiFree]

Whose interests does his conflict with that are trying to cancel him? He already effectively cancelled himself with his COVID nonsense and it’s only gotten worse from there, now nobody worthwhile takes him seriously.

I think playing into the idea he’s selling is playing into his fantasy of being a self-important truth-teller. When, really, he’s another C-level celebrity ranting on YouTube about world. Nobody cares about him. Nobody would even be talking about him as anything but a predator if he didn’t come out with that video, which is exactly why he came out with it.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

I say it's interesting because this one will divide people given that he has a huge following and has built rapport with many with his touring/speaking.

I do think there is a strong possibility that individuals whom his interests conflict with could be looking to get him cancelled and that someone probably sent the dogs (media) to sniff out skeletons in his closet. It could be a distinct possibility in this case and not just nutty conspiracy drivel, this guy's poked a lot of bees nests (and people love him for it).

The problem for him is those skeletons exist. Even if this is in part manufactured, he doesn't appear to be innocent either. He made a lot of distressing comments earlier in his career that I just hope were made in jest. And if the accounts are honest, it sounds like there were predatory behaviours (his "sex addiction" be damned).

And yeah, looks like someone tipped him off and he tried to get ahead of it.

I think his content has gone downhill from the bits I've seen lately and I've always found his demeanor grating. But there are people that I respect who respect him. Will they change their tune if he's convicted? Will be interesting to see.

Even if it's true that his current direction in his career made the powers that be focus on him, I say good.
If that's what it took to get his predatory behaviour from the backrooms to the front page, I'm ok with that.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

I say it's interesting because this one will divide people given that he has a huge following and has built rapport with many with his touring/speaking.

I do think there is a strong possibility that individuals whom his interests conflict with could be looking to get him cancelled and that someone probably sent the dogs (media) to sniff out skeletons in his closet. It could be a distinct possibility in this case and not just nutty conspiracy drivel, this guy's poked a lot of bees nests (and people love him for it).

The problem for him is those skeletons exist. Even if this is in part manufactured, he doesn't appear to be innocent either. He made a lot of distressing comments earlier in his career that I just hope were made in jest. And if the accounts are honest, it sounds like there were predatory behaviours (his "sex addiction" be damned).

And yeah, looks like someone tipped him off and he tried to get ahead of it.

I think his content has gone downhill from the bits I've seen lately and I've always found his demeanor grating. But there are people that I respect who respect him. Will they change their tune if he's convicted? Will be interesting to see.

No....

He isn't being silenced because he knows the truth about the Ukraine war or Covid. He's being fairly investigated for decades of bad behaviour and assaults directed at women. He has likely used his power and influence to assault women.

The guy sounds like a complete ass. Going on about sexual liberation when it suits him, but then assaulting girlfriends when they step out of line and talk to people he doesn't want them speaking to.

This also isn't some sudden thing to bring him down, as he's gotten to close to the truth. This is the culmination of an investigation that's been going on for years.

[Galakanokis]

Go back and listen to Kristen Bell interviews about filming Forgetting Sarah Marshall with him. Very telling. Everyone knew and put up with it because hollywood sucks. Big time. And she is almost sticking up for him and it is still bad.

To close to the truth? Jesus there are too many obtuse mother####ers running around these days.

[jayswin]

It's not really specific to this Russell Brand thing it's just how things are now between the far right/QAnon crowd and everyone else and society will have to figure out how to deal with in a serious way in the coming years.

Every single political/social issue that comes up now the right takes on a conspiracy/alternative viewpoint and they're off to the races. It's destroying the foundation of our society and the numbers who believe the BS are not insignificant and growing. It's very scary.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

When did I say anything about it being a result of him "getting close to the truth" lol?

I don't think these YT influencers spouting off about New World Orders are getting close to anything. They've been spinning those titles for years to get clicks and it's culminated in exactly nothing.

I just said it's possible, maybe even probable that someone his interests conflict with may have used their own influence to spur on investigations into his rumoured behaviour over those decades. What's farfetched about that? It's probably in the interest of a number of people for Russell and his influence on millions of people to be silenced. Especially someone with his agenda of stone turning.

That doesn't negate his guilt if he did commit those offences. But it's entirely possible both angles are true in this case. Not everything is that black and white. And of course Russell will lean on the angle that it's a coordinated attack and used very calculated words in his response because rallying people who support his cause is his only way to retain any favour in the public eye.

I'd suspect both he and the media are spinning their respective stories as far as they can and the truth is somewhere in between. The media purportedly reached out to some women and when their accounts of Brand weren't scathing enough, they dropped them. Both sides are pushing a narrative.

Anyways, I don't know how anybody can speak with such certainty on someone's transgressions before anything is taken through the court system. I think I'll wait for that rather than dub him a serial rapist right now just based on my personal disdain for him and some sensationalized articles.

If he's guilty, then he's guilty. But I don't think I'm gonna let keyboard judge, juries and executioners make that call.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

I just said it's possible, maybe even probable that someone his interests conflict with may have used their own influence to spur on investigations into his rumoured behaviour over those decades. What's farfetched about that? It's probably in the interest of a number of people for Russell and his influence on millions of people to be silenced. Especially someone with his agenda of stone turning.
.

Like who?

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Like who?

Just asking questions...

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by Locke

#### like that makes me furious.

Of course the Production Assistant gave in, she probably needs the job and the money.

I wish Connolly sawed his balls off for BS like that.

There is a definite gross power dynamic to be considered here, but it does not absolve the PA from the action in any way either in my books - you absolutely have every choice to remove yourself from the situation or to stand up for yourself against a creep like this in this setting and you know, not expose yourself to him and whoever else is around. Not only is it a problem for you, but it is in a way greenlighting this behaviour by Brand to continue if he's getting what he wants.

Tell Brand to eff off and deal with the fallout should it turn against you. If your employer isn't going to back you (there would have had to been witnesses) you don't want to and shouldn't be working there anyway. No job or money is worth putting up with that kind of bs and who knows if taking action or ripping a strip off of him would have stopped or prevented further instances from ever occurring.

[GordonBlue]

good opinion piece.

Opinion: The mythology of Russell Brand is finally exposed

https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/20/opini...mas/index.html

Whenever allegations like these come to light, a reliable contingent of observers questions why a survivor might hesitate to speak out or choose not to go to the police.

And as one of Brand’s accusers has claimed, those who pulled the strings weren’t just willing to overlook sinister behavior — they bent over backward to accommodate it.

This is what makes accusing a man like Brand exceptionally intimidating. He is not only rich enough to muster a formidable legal defense; he’s also popular enough to enlist legions of fans to echo his rejoinder and shameless enough to self-aggrandize when most would scurry into obscurity.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

There is a definite gross power dynamic to be considered here, but it does not absolve the PA from the action in any way either in my books - you absolutely have every choice to remove yourself from the situation or to stand up for yourself against a creep like this in this setting and you know, not expose yourself to him and whoever else is around. Not only is it a problem for you, but it is in a way greenlighting this behaviour by Brand to continue if he's getting what he wants.

Tell Brand to eff off and deal with the fallout should it turn against you. If your employer isn't going to back you (there would have had to been witnesses) you don't want to and shouldn't be working there anyway. No job or money is worth putting up with that kind of bs and who knows if taking action or ripping a strip off of him would have stopped or prevented further instances from ever occurring.

I don't agree. These jobs in film are extremely difficult to get, and people spend their entire lives working towards the one shot. If you offend a guy like Brand, he goes to the managers, causes a stink, and gets you instantly fired and black listed.

Your analysis really fails to take into account the degree of power celebrities have in their worlds and how difficult it is to break into those worlds.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

There is a definite gross power dynamic to be considered here, but it does not absolve the PA from the action in any way either in my books - you absolutely have every choice to remove yourself from the situation or to stand up for yourself against a creep like this in this setting and you know, not expose yourself to him and whoever else is around. Not only is it a problem for you, but it is in a way greenlighting this behaviour by Brand to continue if he's getting what he wants.

Tell Brand to eff off and deal with the fallout should it turn against you. If your employer isn't going to back you (there would have had to been witnesses) you don't want to and shouldn't be working there anyway. No job or money is worth putting up with that kind of bs and who knows if taking action or ripping a strip off of him would have stopped or prevented further instances from ever occurring.

easy for you to say. you were not the one facing the end of their career in the industry. you think a studio is going to back the word of a lowly assistant over the star?
you think her saying no and likely ruining her career would have made him stopped Brand from doing what he's always done?

sure she could have said no, but I sympathize with her and I don't blame her.

[afc wimbledon]

You pretty much can't be a sex and drug addict and not end up doing a ton of rapey stuff as you spend most of your days high as kite and so unable to make good decisions yourself while driven by a need to shag anything that moves while having access to girls who are also high/drunk and so unable to consent, my guess is Brand himself doesn't see himself as a predator, in his mind all those times he shagged drunk high chicks was just part of his party lifestyle and they all loved being with him

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

There is a definite gross power dynamic to be considered here, but it does not absolve the PA from the action in any way either in my books - you absolutely have every choice to remove yourself from the situation or to stand up for yourself against a creep like this in this setting and you know, not expose yourself to him and whoever else is around. Not only is it a problem for you, but it is in a way greenlighting this behaviour by Brand to continue if he's getting what he wants.

Tell Brand to eff off and deal with the fallout should it turn against you. If your employer isn't going to back you (there would have had to been witnesses) you don't want to and shouldn't be working there anyway. No job or money is worth putting up with that kind of bs and who knows if taking action or ripping a strip off of him would have stopped or prevented further instances from ever occurring.

You clearly have nothing to do with the film industry, it is a wholly abusive environment to pretty much everyone involved except a handful of stars and the director, everyone else is expected to do what ever they are asked regardless of how unreasonable

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

There is a definite gross power dynamic to be considered here, but it does not absolve the PA from the action in any way either in my books - you absolutely have every choice to remove yourself from the situation or to stand up for yourself against a creep like this in this setting and you know, not expose yourself to him and whoever else is around. Not only is it a problem for you, but it is in a way greenlighting this behaviour by Brand to continue if he's getting what he wants.

Tell Brand to eff off and deal with the fallout should it turn against you. If your employer isn't going to back you (there would have had to been witnesses) you don't want to and shouldn't be working there anyway. No job or money is worth putting up with that kind of bs and who knows if taking action or ripping a strip off of him would have stopped or prevented further instances from ever occurring.

Well that's the dumbest take I've heard in a long time.

Essentially, If the person who was being sexually harassed, and who likely feared for her job if she didn't do it, then there wouldn't be a probelm.

She has no fault in this at all.
She's the last person who has any responsibility here.
Aside from Brand, there are/would be numerous people there who in positions of power over her, and from the sounds of it, none of them did anything. She did what she did to keep her job.
You now, THE EXACT definition of workplace sexual harassment.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

There is a definite gross power dynamic to be considered here, but it does not absolve the PA from the action in any way either in my books - you absolutely have every choice to remove yourself from the situation or to stand up for yourself against a creep like this in this setting and you know, not expose yourself to him and whoever else is around. Not only is it a problem for you, but it is in a way greenlighting this behaviour by Brand to continue if he's getting what he wants.

Tell Brand to eff off and deal with the fallout should it turn against you. If your employer isn't going to back you (there would have had to been witnesses) you don't want to and shouldn't be working there anyway. No job or money is worth putting up with that kind of bs and who knows if taking action or ripping a strip off of him would have stopped or prevented further instances from ever occurring.

You, yourself, note the gross power imbalance yet put blame on her for his future assaults? As a society, we should be getting past victim blaming. His misdeeds/assaults are wholly his doing.

Unless, of course, she wore provocative clothing because then she was asking for it. /s

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

There is a definite gross power dynamic to be considered here, but it does not absolve the PA from the action in any way either in my books - you absolutely have every choice to remove yourself from the situation or to stand up for yourself against a creep like this in this setting and you know, not expose yourself to him and whoever else is around. Not only is it a problem for you, but it is in a way greenlighting this behaviour by Brand to continue if he's getting what he wants.

Tell Brand to eff off and deal with the fallout should it turn against you. If your employer isn't going to back you (there would have had to been witnesses) you don't want to and shouldn't be working there anyway. No job or money is worth putting up with that kind of bs and who knows if taking action or ripping a strip off of him would have stopped or prevented further instances from ever occurring.

I see where you're going but I simply do not agree.

We have seen a multitude of instances where even someone with a mild Power Imbalance can get away with this kind of thing.

Hell, look no further than the Chicago Blackhawks, how many people bent over backwards to protect some rando Video Coach that could have been replaced in a heart-beat?

Translate that to a far more difficult to replace film star?

His Co-Stars would barely stand up to him, what can one expect the Production Assistant to do?

[bdubbs]

Of course it's the Production Assistant's fault, guys! She has boobs and therefore must be to blame for Brand's actions! If she just didn't have them, he wouldn't have to sexually assault her!

/s

FFS this forum sometimes.