Russell Brand: rape and sexual abuse allegations, grifting and general dodginess - discussion

[BigMoaner]

Yep, you know the type. The do your own research, always have a some health issue that is sold but it’s obscure diet, don’t trust science, don’t read actual proper books, look down on anyone that might go to the doctor. And will make that whole thing a plank of their self identity. but not quietly.

“Spiritual not religious”.

The handy co-opting of soothing Eastern practices:beliefs whilst handily dismissing the often inherently nihilistic, superstitious, altruistic grounding of said practices/beliefs. Often in positions of power and exploit others but “just be mindful” to get rid of the guilt. It’s the perfect medicine for neoliberalism and also makes you productive! mindfully slaving away in the system that is making you miserable in the first place.

 

[Lurdan]

Ah if it wasn't for those ruddy yogahurts

 

[BigMoaner]

It’s annoying because there are some truly counter cultural and revolutionary frameworks of belief and practice in eastern philosophy, always ignored though in favour of the endless search for “inner calm” whilst the world around you and the world your kids will inherit burns

 

[BigMoaner]

And those practices, if done enough, with sincerity, WILL bring a level of calm, but it can take years and that calm is never the end, it’s not even the start, but try explaining that to some dewy eyed know it all on his yoga mat or meditation cushion. It’s grim and it’s a sad and reductive co-opting of a philosophical outlook just as rich and important as the western philosophical cannon.

 

[CH1]

Coming back to Russell Brand - was he ever into TM? I watched a Youtube video a year or so back with a seminar debate between David Lynch and Russell Brand about Transcendental meditation (which is evidently David Lynch's long-term passion). It was in a university lecture theatre somewhere in California probably, and sponsored by some David Lynch Foundation. Russell Brad was affecting disinterest in TM and saying it was all about Twelve Step groups (presumably for his alcohol, drug and sex addiction).The debate wasn't that interesting - David Lynch seriously committed to TM and didn't seem to care if anyone else was interested in it or not.

Home - David Lynch

davidlynchfoundation.org.ua

I tried to locate the video when the Russell Brand scandal broke - but couldn't find it.

 

[DaveCinzano]

Coming back to Russell Brand - was he ever into TM? I watched a Youtube video a year or so back with a seminar debate between David Lynch and Russell Brand about Transcendental meditation (which is evidently David Lynch's long-term passion). It was in a university lecture theatre somewhere in California probably, and sponsored by some David Lynch Foundation. Russell Brad was affecting disinterest in TM and saying it was all about Twelve Step groups (presumably for his alcohol, drug and sex addiction).The debate wasn't that interesting - David Lynch seriously committed to TM and didn't seem to care if anyone else was interested in it or not.

Home - David Lynch

davidlynchfoundation.org.ua

I tried to locate the video when the Russell Brand scandal broke - but couldn't find it.

This it?

 

[Cid]

Coming back to Russell Brand - was he ever into TM? I watched a Youtube video a year or so back with a seminar debate between David Lynch and Russell Brand about Transcendental meditation (which is evidently David Lynch's long-term passion). It was in a university lecture theatre somewhere in California probably, and sponsored by some David Lynch Foundation. Russell Brad was affecting disinterest in TM and saying it was all about Twelve Step groups (presumably for his alcohol, drug and sex addiction).The debate wasn't that interesting - David Lynch seriously committed to TM and didn't seem to care if anyone else was interested in it or not.

Home - David Lynch

davidlynchfoundation.org.ua

I tried to locate the video when the Russell Brand scandal broke - but couldn't find it.

Mostly (and perhaps unsurprisingly) Kundalini yoga.

 

[tim]

I was listening to that last night as it happens. I didn’t think they meant his content was algorithmically generated so much as targeted at whatever happened to be trending, and composed in such a way as to be friendly to YouTube and other search algorithms (hence throwing it into as many eligible searches as possible).

Equally cynical either way, anyhow.
That whole “wellness world”, is a right cesspit.

I can’t see any resemblance to Paul Foot’s act, myself. Maybe there’s something there and I can’t get past the monstrous ego.

Paul Foot was Private Eye's public-school-boy, investigative trot. How was he connected to Brand?

 

[Pickman's model]

Paul Foot was Private Eye's public-school-boy, investigative trot. How was he connected to Brand?

There is more than one Paul foot. For example there is Paul foot the comedian who appeared with Russell brand in 2003

 

[cupid_stunt]

Paul Foot was Private Eye's public-school-boy, investigative trot. How was he connected to Brand?

Very different Paul Foot.

Paul Foot (comedian) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Pickman's model]

Paul Foot was Private Eye's public-school-boy, investigative trot. How was he connected to Brand?

Russell brand exhumed Paul foot's body and performed an unnameable deed with it in 2017

 

[Clair De Lune]

The whole.. "they were laughing" defence. I've laughed when in threatening situations. It's called appease and is part of the fight flight response. It's what your brain decides in the split second where we all freeze in the face of threat or danger. Fight flight freeze or appease. But we all freeze for a split second before either continuing to freeze or the others. We don't do it consciously

Yes indeed. The appease is what I've heard more often referred to as the fawn response. I spelled it wrong in my previous post.

[The fawn response is when an individual tries to avoid or minimize distress or danger by pleasing and appeasing the threat. Someone responding in this way would do whatever they can to keep the threat, or abuser, happy despite their own needs and wants.]

I've done a version of this many times in my life, both conciously and unconsciously. I tended towards laughing and lightly mocking the dickhead as a way to make others around me feel more comfortable (by showing I AM aware this person is a dangerous dickhead, but that I have deduced its probably unsafe to call him out too blatantly)
It's definitely been useful at times, the problem is that it can become second nature. I've met so many other traumatised women who have fawning and dissociating as large parts of their personality/communication and coping styles and it keeps them in dangerous situations. It can even make them/us/ definitely past me, attracted to situations and people like that...because they're familiar. Abusive partners can feel like home. Love at first sight/fight/flight.

Ime it's really difficult to retrain your brain to understand that who you are sexually attracted to, more often than not is an abusive, misogynist narcissist. Its taken me decades. And the sexual attraction doesn't just cease because you know better now. You have to forcefully look (and point your genitals) the other way and try to laugh at yourself for your thoroughly terrible taste.
You also have to accept that safety doesn't give the heady highs, racing heart and butterflies you had come to associate with falling in love. Love isn't akin to an extreme sport...who knew.

 

[existentialist]

Yes indeed. The appease is what I've heard more often referred to as the fawn response. I spelled it wrong in my previous post.

[The fawn response is when an individual tries to avoid or minimize distress or danger by pleasing and appeasing the threat. Someone responding in this way would do whatever they can to keep the threat, or abuser, happy despite their own needs and wants.]

I've done a version of this many times in my life, both conciously and unconsciously. I tended towards laughing and lightly mocking the dickhead as a way to make others around me feel more comfortable (by showing I AM aware this person is a dangerous dickhead, but that I have deduced its probably unsafe to call him out too blatantly)
It's definitely been useful at times, the problem is that it can become second nature. I've met so many other traumatised women who have fawning and dissociating as large parts of their personality/communication and coping styles and it keeps them in dangerous situations. It can even make them/us/ definitely past me, attracted to situations and people like that...because they're familiar. Abusive partners can feel like home. Love at first sight/fight/flight.

Ime it's really difficult to retrain your brain to understand that who you are sexually attracted to, more often than not is an abusive, misogynist narcissist. Its taken me decades. And the sexual attraction doesn't just cease because you know better now. You have to forcefully look (and point your genitals) the other way and try to laugh at yourself for your thoroughly terrible taste.
You also have to accept that safety doesn't give the heady highs, racing heart and butterflies you had come to associate with falling in love. Love isn't akin to an extreme sport...who knew.

Not in any way to diminish the significance of this in relation to women, but I think a lot of what you say here - which is spot-on, IMO - applies to men, too. It's just that the consequences are somewhat different for men, and usually less scary/dangerous.

 

[Clair De Lune]

Not in any way to diminish the significance of this in relation to women, but I think a lot of what you say here - which is spot-on, IMO - applies to men, too. It's just that the consequences are somewhat different for men, and usually less scary/dangerous.

Agreed. Maybe less physically dangerous but no less emotionally & psychologically dangerous.

 

[existentialist]

Agreed. Maybe less physically dangerous but no less emotionally & psychologically dangerous.

Thank you for that - yes! Of course, the emotional and psychological element is also present for women, on top of the physical danger, but men tend to be a lot poorer at recognising both the harms they do, and those they experience, particularly in terms of non-physical harms.

 

[Guineveretoo]

The whole 'I always thought he was a cunt' stuff seems pretty pointless tbh. It's not some sign of good judgement or moral purity or whatever. The acknowledgement from some that there were elements about him that they liked is more interesting/relevant imo.

True, but it’s a bit of a relief on the part of the person reporting it, I suspect. “Phew - I never liked him” sort of thing.

Also, it’s quite difficult to hear reports and allegations against someone you liked and respected, I would imagine.

 

[emanymton]

True, but it’s a bit of a relief on the part of the person reporting it, I suspect. “Phew - I never liked him” sort of thing.

Also, it’s quite difficult to hear reports and allegations against someone you liked and respected, I would imagine.

That's exactly how I feel about th fact I never liked any of these people.

 

[Idris2002]

They're only after your pickernick baskets

It's deja vu all over again.

 

[CH1]

This it?

No - the video I saw before was longer and had an audience with audience Q & A.

 

[Elpenor]

Russell brand exhumed Paul foot's body and performed an unnameable deed with it in 2017

While Jonathan Ross laughed in the background and egged him on

 

[Dom Traynor]

It's deja vu all over again.

Deja bubu?

 

[Clair De Lune]

Brand is still posting his stupid videos ffs. He looks kinda crazed..more so than before.
His loyal following is a real harsh light illuminating the power men have. People just believe them, they're happy to give men the benefit of the doubt and feel sorry for them when they think they're being unfairly treated. What a contrast to how women everywhere are treated. 5 or more women making similar claims? That's not enough...they're liars.

 

[kenny g]

Reading between the lines, I’ve got a pretty good idea what the “extreme sex acts” involved are and, if I’m right, it’s some of the worst misogyny imaginable.

I couldn't work it out to be honest. There was mention of antibiotics being prescribed as a result but that didn't really give me a clue.

 

[seeformiles]

I couldn't work it out to be honest. There was mention of antibiotics being prescribed as a result but that didn't really give me a clue.

I reckon him and his mates are defecating on these poor women - complete degradation with racist elements thrown in for good measure. I could be wrong but that’s the conclusion I came to anyway.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Brand is still posting his stupid videos ffs. He looks kinda crazed..more so than before.
His loyal following is a real harsh light illuminating the power men have. People just believe them, they're happy to give men the benefit of the doubt and feel sorry for them when they think they're being unfairly treated. What a contrast to how women everywhere are treated. 5 or more women making similar claims? That's not enough...they're liars.

It’s sickening…

 

[kenny g]

I reckon him and his mates are defecating on these poor women - complete degradation with racist elements thrown in for good measure. I could be wrong but that’s the conclusion I came to anyway.

Thanks. Something did cross my mind but I was worried it was just my imagination. I was thinking he was getting them to eat his excrement hence the antibiotics.

 

[seeformiles]

Thanks. Something did cross my mind but I was worried it was just my imagination. I was thinking he was getting them to eat his excrement hence the antibiotics.

I reckon that was part of it too.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Thanks. Something did cross my mind but I was worried it was just my imagination. I was thinking he was getting them to eat his excrement hence the antibiotics.

Could be urine infection…

 

[Storm Fox]

This interview in The Guardian by Lou Sanders regarding Brand and an unnamed TV producer.

Comedian Lou Sanders: ‘It blows my mind that people still don’t want to believe women’

Off the heels of publishing a memoir, the star of Taskmaster and Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable discusses unhappy readers, deleting Twitter, and outing Russell Brand

www.theguardian.com

Early on in our conversation, Sanders expresses concern that anything she says about the news of Russell Brand being accused of sexual assault by four women – which broke days before we meet – might overshadow discussion of her own career. But mention of her personal experiences naturally brings her on to the topic. “The one thing I will say on the Russell Brand thing is that it blows my mind that people still don’t want to believe women – and that’s why I put that stuff [about assault] in the book – to let people know that it’s more ubiquitous than [it seems].” Brand denies the allegations.

She recently deleted her X (formerly Twitter) account “because there were so many people supporting him”. Brand has been “clever”, she alleges. “For years, he’s known this is going to come out so he’s been going in a different direction,” – essentially, sowing mistrust in the mainstream media. She says people have told her about their experiences with Brand.

Sanders did not keep this information to herself. At a gig this spring, she spoke about it on stage. “I just basically outed Russell Brand [as a predator] but in an amusing way and not at the cost of the victims,” is how she recalls it. In the industry, says Sanders, “everyone knew”. That said, she is keen to stress that this issue is not unique to the television or comedy industries. I ask about a passage in her book where she mentions a TV producer who “has date-raped so many women”, including one of Sanders’ friends, but is still posting “Instagram stories about being at Soho House”. Her response is not what I was expecting.

 

[Dystopiary]

And this:

The one thing I will say on the Russell Brand thing is that it blows my mind that people still don’t want to believe women

I get why people insist "innocent until proven guilty" but the problem is it essentially means "the women are lying until proven otherwise" which given the minuscule conviction rate for rape compared to the number actually happening is clearly bullshit. I don't know what the answer is but denying multiple women's experiences is not it.