The media's past embrace of Russell Brand, particularly by outlets on the Left, is being re-examined in light of serious sexual assault allegations against the comedian and actor. Stephen Glover, writing for the Daily Mail, argues that organizations such as the BBC, Channel 4, and The Guardian, among others, elevated Brand, ignoring his past admissions of drug use and "sexual addiction" detailed in his 2007 memoir, "My Booky Wook."
Brand was notably featured guest-editing The New Statesman in 2013, a moment captured in a photograph that Glover likens to Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper," with Brand depicted as Christ surrounded by journalists. This imagery, Glover suggests, symbolizes the "fawning adoration" he received from progressive circles.
Accusations of sexual misconduct against Brand, including rape and sexual assault, were later the subject of an investigation by The Times and Sunday Times, alongside Channel 4's Dispatches program. However, Glover contends that the progressive media had already established Brand as a significant voice, overlooking what he describes as "grotesque sexual behavior" and a "lack of respect for women."
Specific instances cited include Brand's role alongside Jonathan Ross in leaving obscene messages on actor Andrew Sachs' answerphone in 2008, an event the BBC acknowledged undermined its standards. Despite this, the article claims Brand continued to be treated with leniency by some outlets, including Newsnight, which interviewed him multiple times.
The Guardian is singled out for serializing Brand's "Revolution" in 2014 and promoting events around the book, even though its own reviewer described "the worst of it is beyond parody." Glover suggests this support was an example of "radical chic" and a "bewildering misjudgment" by a publication expected to uphold serious journalistic standards.
Brand's shift towards evangelical Christianity and alignment with the "Trumpian Right" reportedly led to a loss of interest from these media outlets. Glover concludes that the progressive Left engaged in a "betrayal of the clerks" by prioritizing political expediency over intellectual and moral integrity in their promotion of Brand. The author expresses concern over how the country could have celebrated such a figure, especially as Brand awaits sentencing for rape and sexual assault allegations.
