I worked at Channel 4 during the Russell Brand era. Ask me anything

[Channel4er]

I've thought long and hard about whether do do this AMA because people will probably be after salacious titbits which I neither have nor am interested in however there's been a lot of talk about Channel 4's role in the Brand affair and I thought I might be able to shed some light on what the culture at Channel 4 was actually like around that time.

In order to remain anonymous there may be some questions I can't answer. I've name changed but am a long standing MNer.

The Jimmy Savile cops - are they the ones who used to visit him every Friday in his flat in Roundhay Park for tea and biscuits?

Nah, he’s still an egotistical twat, and just another C list sleb rabble rousing in a desperate attempt to stay relevant. See also Lawrence Fox and most of the GBeebies presenters.

Carnal magnetism = smells like beef

I do miss Germaine Greer.

Nish Kumar peers above the parapet

https://news.sky.com/story/ncomedian-says-presence-of-sexual-predators-in-comedy-is-open-secret-following-russell-brand-allegations-12967261

I listened to the News Quiz this evening. They had a little preface where they decided to toss a coin on whether to dissect showbiz or politics stories. Well whaddayaknow they chose politics, then made a ploy of running out of time to discuss any other r*pey wapey elephants in the room.

It's like when they were in Scotland the WEEK it all went tita up for Nicola Sturgeon and they completely avoided any mention of the meltdown on GRA because they had loads of SNP court jesters In the panel

What is all This about..
https://twitter.com/supertanskiii/status/1704980131998056559

🤔

‘Comedians’ who think it’s absolutely fine to do and say any vile thing they like citing their right to free speech. But very, very happy to get their lawyers to censor and threaten any woman who speaks out against abuse.

“Free speech for me, but not for thee.”

Jackie Clune from 2022

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10902109/Female-comic-says-male-dominated-liberal-comedy-circuit-creeps-misogynists.html

Alright. Back on this thread. How was this girl able to get into nightclubs aged 15 when she seemed so underage, who was letting her in?

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/oct/03/my-babyface-so-obviously-underage-what-i-learned-about-men-power-before-i-could-consent

I was getting served from 14 upwards (late 90s / early 200s)

People have baby faces well into their 20s. FWIW, I don’t think she looks obviously underage in this pic.

Venues don’t like to serve underage drinkers as obviously it exposes them to legal risk.

I guess the ‘Look 25’ rule is there to curb arguments with customers!

Found it funny in the US a few years back how strictly they enforce ID checks. People in their 40s were still required to provide ID!

I think she looks over 18.

To be honest, I’m finding some of this recent crop of articles a bit irritating. Fair enough this person is sharing her own experience. But why presume to speak for everyone?

”people prefer not to talk about this in public, but as these buried, hazy memories of youthful adventures now surface, we look back aghast at what children we were”

I first went out clubbing at 15 and have no regrets, only great memories.

I know in the context of the conversation around RB that kind of experience doesn’t address the issue of a 31 year old forming a relationship with a 16 yo (which I think the majority would agree is inappropriate), but it’s also pissing me off a bit that we were all meant to have been victims now.

Lawsuit against Brand in New York, over his alleged behaviour in 2010 while filming Arthur (trigger warning, etc)

https://nordot.app/1093315221490975549?c=592622757532812385