Four women, including one who was just 16, make allegations after an investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 Dispatches
  • fluke@lemmy.world
    2381·
    10 months ago

    The idea that Elon Musk and Andrew Tate think that publically backing him helps quash any suggestion of bad actions is laughable.

    • Hyperreality@kbin.social
      43·
      10 months ago

      That’s not surprising either. This stuff usually only ever comes to light, when the talent is no longer profitable.

    • Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      15·
      10 months ago

      Lawl my partner and I were talking about a WEEK ago, saying we were surprised and happy that he’s apparently not raped anyone, or at least no allegations have come up.

      This article is extremely relevant to that convo bahahaha

  • Blue and Orange@lemm.ee
    1584·
    10 months ago

    Once upon a time I actually liked Russell Brand. Thought he was intelligent and quite in touch with the ways of the world despite his eccentric character. He truly lost the plot when covid came around, although it wasn’t the first time he’d talked absolute shite.

    In hindsight, it’s not really a surprise that he’d be this kind of person.

    • ZeroCool@feddit.chOP
      811·
      10 months ago

      Yeah, I know a lot of people thought he was a reasonably smart dude with some interesting insights. But when you think about it he’s always been very superficial. There’s not much depth to any of his takes. He’s just charismatic and speaks like he keeps a pocket thesaurus in his jacket.

      • ForgotAboutDre@lemmy.world
        394·
        10 months ago

        He a junkie you would see rambling at a bus stop incoherently. The difference is an expanded vocabulary and a he’s been on TV.

        • GladiusB@lemmy.world
          281·
          10 months ago

          He was funny at one point. But he never grew past the need for the attention and didn’t branch out of teenager years.

      • SailorMoss@sh.itjust.works
        1·
        3 months ago

        When I was poor and I complained about inequality they said I was bitter. Now I’m rich and I complain about inequality they say I’m a hypocrite. I’m starting to think they just don’t want to talk about inequality. —Russell Brand

        Still one of my favorite quotes, it’s unfortunate that I won’t really be able to use it any more.

        Brand used to be a legit socialist back in the day. The longer he had money, the harder I think was for him to continue to understand the struggle of the common people. Either that or its audience capture like what happened to Dave Rueben.

        The YouTube channel the Kavernacle has done some good coverage on his drift to the right.

      • OhNoMoreLemmy@lemmy.ml
        1·
        10 months ago

        This is shit he was doing more than ten years ago.

        You can’t blame this shit on lockdown, he’s always been a failure of a human being, it’s just now we’re finding out details.

    • Chariotwheel@kbin.social
      33·
      10 months ago

      I never liked him much, and that’s not a “I knew he was out there raping”, that I didn’t know. But personality-wise he was basically an egocentric rockstar who thought he knew it all and everyone not agreeing with his views and sense of humour were just too stupid.

      And turns out, he is behaving even more like a 80s rockstar than I thought.

    • takeda@lemmy.world
      257·
      10 months ago

      I noticed that people who are using recreational drugs are disproportionally concerned about vaccine safety, which I find quite amusing.

    • BedSharkPal@lemmy.ca
      33·
      10 months ago

      I’m just waiting for the study that shows COVID infection makes certain people less empathetic and more paranoid. There’s just too much of it happening to not be biological IMO.

    • rosymind@leminal.space
      609·
      10 months ago

      She was 16, so yeah, he’s right: he was banging a child.

      Even if he isn’t convicted of the others (one was treated at a clinic after the assault) dating a 16 year old when you’re 30 is gonna get you some time.

      Assuming this is all true (I do believe them, but it’s up to judge/jury to decide) but he somehow manages to get out of this, his reputation is in the toilet

      • AreaSIX @lemm.ee
        492·
        10 months ago

        16 is above the age of consent in the UK as far as I know, so the issue wouldn’t be the dating of a sixteen year old, it’d be the apparent rampant rapes and assaults regardless of age.

        • arefx@lemmy.ml
          42·
          10 months ago

          Not to dog on the UK but maybe they should raise that a little, it’s incredibly easy for an adult to take advantage of a 16 year old, not even just sexually.

          • Nath@aussie.zone
            61·
            10 months ago

            I think it’s actually the USA who has an unusually high age of consent. Most of us have an age of consent of 16 and a drinking age of 18.

            I don’t exactly think we should raise it, but I sure wouldn’t be against a Romeo and Juliet style amendment. I remember dating an 18 year old when I was 21, and that felt like a big gap. I can’t begin to imagine 16 to 30+. Though that wouldn’t be illegal here either^*.

            * We have exceptions if the older person is in a position of trust like a teacher, coach etc. Then it’s illegal.

        • rosymind@leminal.space
          1·
          10 months ago

          Yeah, I’m American and we tend to think the world and laws revolve around us. My bad! (Still 16 and 30 tho…)

        • WaxedWookie@lemmynsfw.com
          817·
          10 months ago

          Yeah - if your defence is “well it’s not illegal, soooooo…” it’s a pretty safe bet you’re being a piece of shit.

          • Jabbawacky@feddit.uk
            23·
            10 months ago

            There’s no defence here, just correcting someone who seems to be defaulting to the USA law

            I literally said brand is a cunt in my comment, what more do you want me to say? That he’s a total cunt? He’s still a rapist regardless if this is all true.

      • Doorbook@lemmy.world
        171·
        10 months ago

        The thing is, if this happens 4 times, most likely there are more who might speak up. The thing with these victims, in many cases, they think they are the only one. Knowing there might be others, would increase the chances of them to go public with their experience which might be even worse.

    • whoisearth@lemmy.ca
      252·
      10 months ago

      I swear there’s a dark triad for “free thinkers” like him.

      He used to be good but like many they started doubling down on their beliefs during the pandemic and quite frankly they become mentally unwell.

    • DessertStorms@kbin.social
      11·
      10 months ago

      There was a Dispatches program on about this tonight, and at some point they note that later in his career Brand would do charity work exclusively to benefit women, and Kutcher was my first thought.
      Not saying he’s done anything, but so often men claim to be feminists as a smoke screen to hide abusive behaviour (“he would never, look at all the good he’s done!”) and/or access victims.

  • BillDoor@feddit.uk
    553·
    10 months ago

    You know we have a real problem in our society when these women haven’t been able to come forward with these allegations until the press have contacted them.

    If they fear coming forward after being assaulted by someone who is hardly discreet about being a sexual predator, what must it be like for the victims of more outwardly respectable public figures?

  • madcaesar@lemmy.world
    545·
    10 months ago

    Can we make a list of right wingers that aren’t disgusting pieces of shit? Will be much quicker.

    • Edgelord_Of_Tomorrow@lemmy.world
      502·
      10 months ago

      Funnily enough he used to be pretty left.

      It’s like this right wing conspiracy pipeline is a honeypot for pond scum that reveals who they really are.

      • DragonTypeWyvern@literature.cafe
        161·
        10 months ago

        Populist rhetoric works because it offers seemingly simple solutions to complex problems and excuses behavior that would otherwise be unacceptable.

        Sometimes it’s even a good excuse, others just an outlet for hate and stress.

        • Syreniac@lemmy.worldEnglish
          32·
          10 months ago

          He always struck me as one of those people who wasn’t, in his heart of hearts, actually left-wing, but rather just wanted to be counter-cultural. The culture has shifted around him and now if he wants to be counter-cultural it means being alt-right.

      • trashgirlfriend@lemmy.world
        10·
        10 months ago

        I think he used to say he was, not sure if he does anymore.

        His content mostly caputred the right wing conspiracy don’t trust the gubbement, aliens are real, covid is not real but also a bioweapon crowd.

  • Bleeping Lobster@lemmy.worldEnglish
    507·
    10 months ago

    Completely and utterly damning. He’s a rapist. I hope an investigation and conviction follows this reporting. Also maybe now’s the time to codify that 16 year olds shouldn’t be fair game for 30 year old men.

    • themajesticdodo@lemmy.world
      1327·
      10 months ago

      “He’s a rapist.”

      If I wrote an article about you with an accusation of rape, would that also make you a rapist? Is that the standard of proof required?

      • Lazylazycat@lemmy.world
        341·
        10 months ago

        It depends, does your article reference a verified report from a rape crisis centre and a text apologising for the rape from the rapist?

      • JoBo@feddit.uk
        82·
        10 months ago

        With several accusations of rape, from different people describing very similar circumstances, echoing his ‘comedy’, with one receiving apologies from a man who heard her screaming as the assault was occurring and was too afraid to intervene.

        Your knee-jerk apologism for this slimy predator reflects very badly on you. You can’t even be bothered to research the accusations you’re dismissing. Take a good look at yourself, it is not too late to change.

  • bloopernova@programming.devEnglish
    422·
    10 months ago

    What an absolute asshole monster

    That Times article should come with a trigger warning, it contains descriptions of the assaults.

  • Mago@lemmy.world
    292·
    10 months ago

    Not a single person with a brain is surpriced. The guy is a GLOWING red flag.

  • Astroturfed@lemmy.world
    27·
    10 months ago

    When he came out getting super loud and obnoxious on political takes I figured he was the type. No surprise at all…