So it is Russell Brand

[Gro]

The biggest news story of the year is about someone who has already written books about all the stuff he has done. I will be surprised if Dispatched can say one thing I didn't already know.

No, I’m saying A. This may have already been reported to the police, you have no idea. And B. Why should women have any faith in the police and report things like this to them?

And for god sake try to read what I’m actually saying rather than getting yourself so worked up, nowhere have I said that YOU are suggesting anyone SHOULD turn a blind eye.

But the sad truth is the police don't always do their job, so investigative journalism has to step in as per Savile.

Must say I’m bemused at this being described as ‘news story of the year’.

Evidently I’m on a different sort of news planet from whoever called it that.

Well they claim to have proof, so….we’ll see.

@Milkkbottles

The Dispatches episode - of course passed their evidence to the police and it resulted in prosecutions and much better outcomes for care home residents. The evidence was irrefutable.

The issue is - an under resourced police force do not, and cannot always act on an individual allegation. The masseuse who made an accusation may not have had the resources to ‘stand up’ to power celebrities.
Good journalism - panorama, dispatches has the power to call out unacceptable human behaviour and that SHOULD happen.

Hang about - i gather he's also not written a book about mass machine-gunning of fans. ergo guilty of same?

For the record have always found him profoundly unfunny and irritating and his career remains a mystery. But there are important norms of justice for everyone - otherwise we would have already strung up a long long list of so called comedians.

I agree if this does result in a court case , or even more than one that would be a result perhaps more alleged victims might come forward. . And I agree that if it results in the police being bought to justice for their failings ( or CPS) for that matter so that women know they will be taken seriously that would be a good result . However actual trial by media is not a good thing IMO

https://amp.theguardian.com/uk/2011/nov/28/winterbourne-view-care-home-panorama

Thought it was Dispatches - it was Panorama. Whether it’s care home residents, or women being abused - good journalism should highlight what’s wrong in our society.

So crimes shouldn't be covered by journalists? * Again, this is conflating entertainment with investigative journalism.*

Journalists - yes.

By a 90 minutes tv programme on channel 4, on a Saturday night? About someone everyone already knows has this kind of reputation?

If there is proper evidence - report it.
Surely this kind of tv show could actually risk damaging any criminal investigation anyway?

If Dispatches have proof both of him having done something and proof of the police having ignored it or not treated the victims properly then I’m happy with journalism like that.

I find it hard to believe given the quality of previous things Dispatches have done that it’ll be a programme that doesn’t have solid proof of what’s it’s alleging. Be it against a celebrity or the police.

And if it is what I expect it to be then the outrage should be that it takes journalism like that to deal with men who commit acts like that. It’ll show that we haven’t actually moved on from the Saville era where everyone knew and fuck all was done.

But with rape that’s where part of the problem lies . The proof .

if a woman goes straight away to the police with the physical injuries I would hope that today they would be treated with respect and believed .

but for past allegations unless it’s on film what proof can you have ?

the fact that it’s multiple allegations ?

To be fair I don’t think it’s only about him .

@Qilin

Issue is - one lone voice may not be listened to by the police - particularly if that allegation is about a powerful person in the media.

Many voices on a program aired to the public will be listened to and is far more powerful.

As if ‘open’ people don’t also conceal, and/or are open precisely to conceal. ‘He/she’s an open book, so it can’t be true!’ is a fabulous defence against allegations of wrongdoing. It’s manipulation 101 tbh, being open about lesser bad behaviours gives credence to denials of more serious ones.

Also manipulation 101 is selling a lie with truth. If 90% of a statement is truth, people are inclined to swallow the 10% that is a lie without much question.

I think we also need to remember that at the time of the breaking story about the TV presenter and the young person earlier this year, Jeremy Vine came out quite assertively to distance and defend himself from the speculation because his name was quite incorrectly being bandied about all over MSM, despite his total innocence. Brand has done the exactly the same, so that doesn’t automatically make him guilty either.
And I’m not fan or an apologist at all of RB, I’ve never got his appeal or humour.

I cannot bear him and wouldn't be surprised to find out he was actually an alien.

Brand has basically said the programme is about him though, he's had letters about the allegations from channel 4 and the Times (he doesn't name them but that's fairly clear.) So it's not the same scenario as Jeremy Vine who had absolutely nothing to do with HE thing.

If they have proof then good. They should go to the law and have him charged.

Absolutely agree with you and I'm horrified that victims of rape are put through a further ordeal when reporting crimes to the police. However strong their evidence might be this still needs to go to police and go through due process before allegations are bandied about in a documentary as he hasn't been given the opportunity to defend himself. Rape cases need to be absolutely watertight to get in to court and to result in a conviction. Putting a documentary before a trial now makes it more difficult for this to result in an unassailable conviction.

@Milkkbottles

But that’s what journalists do! They provide content - they don’t just keep schtum and pass everything on to the police! Andy Verity reporting on Libor is a good journalist. The fact that those convictions may have been wrong needs the exposure and the debate. He can’t just pass on his finding for the police to sort out and never speak about it.

I think the distinction is good journalism and bad journalism. I agree with you that bad journalism makes a sensationalist story with accusations before knowing the facts - and that’s wrong.
Good journalism would ensure it has a watertight case which the public need to be aware of - and is in the best interests of society going forwards. Panorama and Dispatches I would trust more to do this. The likes of other UK press - not so much.

Why would you follow her? This is exactly the kind of celeb crap that is responsible for mindlessness in our society. I can't understand it at all. These people are talentless and earn fortunes on the back of their 'social media' accounts promoting products that idiot followers click on and or buy. It's mindless, has no merit to it. Why would you follow her? The only reason she ever came to public attention was because her father was a well-known golfer. Brand has made a fortune selling his stories about his ADHD, pornography addiction, sex addiction, bullimia, drug use and bipolar. They are seedy, talentless and unworthy and you contribute to their public status and their wealth. Why?