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Trying to understand Brand supporters

179 replies

mids2019 · 23/09/2023 06:45

I am trying to understand why some people are actually trying to support Russell Brand.

I think a lot of it is down to disappointment that a figure they may have once liked has brought himself into disgrqce. My partner liked Michael Jackson and the accusations by the two men about him at the time really did disillusion them about her youthful admirations; Brand is not Jackson but there may be a similar thought process.

I think it also makes people feel 'who's next' and realise that the media has been adept at covering the behaviour of big star names (Schofiled, Spacey, etc.). Possibly people would rather have

the idea of Brand being innocent than let go of cherished views that we a celebrity circuit of people who are 'the good guys'.

I have noticed that a lot of the celeb circuit in radio and television are a little reluctant to speak about the subjects Brand has brought up. A few programs have touched upon the topic tangentially and it obviously makes the main news but a lot of the morning DJs such as Chris Evans.etc haven't mentioned it all on their shows which I feel is quite strange. It all lends itself to a view that the celebs who we all invest in are fallible and we could be waking up one morning to find another has a strong of allegations against them.

Possibly there is part of human nature that allows the elite to have led way iin their behaviour towards others?.There have been historical cases where rich men (aristocracy) have basically had the right to assault lower class women and maybe this is a modern extension of this?

There are obviously the misogynist conspiracy theorists but I think there are also others that may be looking to defend the antics of men in the 2000s as they were of that period and they don't particular like the whole era being stained in their memories. There are also a few that think Brand is being judged by 2023 standards when a lot of the alleged crimes happened in the 2000s where although the law was the same , in my opinion, the culture wasn't and Brand was maybe an extreme of behaviour shown by many men.

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Disappointedsofa · 23/09/2023 07:19

I don't know, I always feel it's a bit suspicious when they come forward so many years later and then a bunch of them come forward at the same time. But then the same thing happened with Harvey Weinstein and that was true.

SoGladofYou · 23/09/2023 07:19

I don’t support him and have always disliked him. But trial by media without even arrest? And I know all the issues with the police atm. Still.

MotherOfGodWeeFella · 23/09/2023 07:14

I'm no fan of RB nor am I an apologist for rape and sexual assault, I do take issue with the trial by media aspects and cancel culture.

Some of the past behaviour of RB clearly should have been curbed by those employing him. They put media exposure and, ultimately, money above respectful standards of behaviour. The BBC and the production companies C4 contracted gave him a public platform and he behaved appallingly - I'm talking about the Andrew Sachs phone call and other incidents of which there is recorded evidence I have heard.

Is it right that YouTube have stopped him monetising his channel with them? I'm not sure it is without criminal conviction. With social media anyone can have a platform, the due diligence undertaken is nil and reporting mechanisms are weak to useless. There will be others earning money from YouTube who shouldn't be able to.

With great power comes great responsibility. Time and again famous people have used their celebrity to exploit others. Whether those they exploited realise they were indeed being exploited is moot - look at the "groupies" of the 60s and 70s as an example. Some people appear desperate to be famous, even by association, and you have to wonder why.

HooverIsAlwaysBroken · 23/09/2023 07:06

It is an interesting question.

I can think of some reasons maybe…

a) there was a huge group of people who were ok with this and stood by watching him behave like he did (including having sex with a 16 year old - don’t get me started on that). Then suddenly people turned on him. Why now ? Why are they suddenly turning on him when he seems to have changed both his political views and because a monogamous father is two/three?

b) trial by media is uncomfortable. We don’t know. We are just fairly certain.

c) connected to this. There are a huge amount of other sex crimes against women that media not are writing about. Many involving “sacred castes” and quite possibly much worse.

d) people being afraid (mainly men) that they themselves will be called out for creepy behaviour. Things happened in the 2000s which wouldn’t happen now.

e) connected with a), his wife is heavily pregnant. Regardless of the fact that she probably knew a lot of this, regardless of the fact that he may have changed now, she has hormones all over the place her husband is all over the papers and she must be beyond stressed.

These are the arguments I have heard. I can have sympathy for some of them but fundamentally RB seems to have been an absolutely awful person. And now the chickens have come home.

maybe people feel stupid as well? He really did tell people what he was (suggested a sex party for a 16 year old, I mean what was that), he basically harassed women on stage and people wanted to believe that it was some kind of act. I mean really??? This guy was not hiding, he was proud over what he was.