This 'Damning' Russell Brand 2006 Interview Has Resurfaced Amid Allegations
By Afouda Bamidele on September 20, 2023 at 9:44 AM EDT
Piers Morgan has looked back on the moment in 2006 when he asked Russell Brand if he was a "successful sexual predator."
The reflection comes as Brand faces serious accusations, including rape, sexual assault, and emotional abuse by four women during the peak of his fame. Additionally, he is accused of grooming a 16-year-old girl, who alleges she was taken from school to his home in a car paid for by the BBC.
Piers Morgan Declared That His 2006 Question To Russell Brand Was 'A Joke'
Since the details of these allegations hit the headlines on Saturday, September 16, multiple historic interviews and media appearances involving the embattled Brand have resurfaced and circulated online.
One particular interview was conducted by Morgan in 2006, during which he asked the comedian, "Are you a more successful sexual predator now that you don't drink?" Upon the resurgence of the interview, the 56-year-old journalist reflected on why he asked the question on a recent episode of his talk show, "Uncensored," stating:
"I asked for reasons I'm not entirely sure of, other than it must have been jocular at the time."
The English presenter clarified that even though the interview had occurred in the same year that Brand allegedly had a secret relationship with the aforementioned 16-year-old girl, he had no knowledge of any assault allegations and "meant it as a joke."
He went on to share the conspiracy theorist's response to his question, where he said, "Yes, but I resent the word 'predator.'" The BAFTA Award nominee had explained at the time:
"I like to think of myself as a conduit of natural forces. After all, the most natural thing in the world for people to do is f**k, isn't it? And people want to do it, so all you have to do is remove all the reasons why women don't actually go through with it, like pride and reputation.
Elsewhere in the interview, Morgan asked if Brand's fame translated to him "attracting more women," to which the 48-year-old replied:
"The amount of seduction required has decreased to almost preposterous proportions now I'm famous. I would have devoted a lot of time to the seduction depending on the quality of the target, now I just get on with it. Fame has been very helpful in that respect."
When Morgan declared that Brand's words were indeed "damning," his guest Mariella Frostrup argued that his question was equally "damning." The host promptly concurred, admitting that it was a culture where making jokes about very serious matters was considered acceptable.
The former "Britain's Got Talent" judge is not the only one to seemingly rescind his support for the disgraced "Despicable Me" voice star. As The Blast reported, his YouTube channel has been revoked for what the platform claims is a violation of its "responsibility policy."
With this move, the actor's earnings — which allegedly run into the millions annually, have come to an abrupt halt. During his reign as a YouTuber, Brand had created videos that highlighted his conspiracy theories regarding the coronavirus pandemic, the Ukraine war, and climate change.
Fans Have Risen In Support Of Brand Following His Ongoing Sexual Assault Scandal
Amid the ongoing crisis, fans have rallied around Brand, with many of them asserting that the accusation against him was a ploy to silence him for speaking boldly against the government. Per The Blast, one supporter expressed via X:
"They're just trying to cancel him. Funny do "they" know, you can't stop the people's movement. We stand in solidarity for truth, peace and most of all love. Which is what Russell has been saying to us. From the heart."
A second person shared a similar sentiment, posting, "They go after people who speak out against the MSM narrative They tried it with Trump, Tucker, Elon I support Russell 💯."
"I'm sure he's done a few things in his time that skirted the legal/illegal line, but is it to the extent he's being accused of doing?" a third fan pondered, while a fourth observed, "They are all soooooo concerned about Russell Brand but not one ☝️ person on the Epstein flight log has been arrested."
A more lengthy reaction soon came in from a netizen who believed Brand was going through a trial by media. They began, "Difficult, feels like a trial by media. The worst I think he's actually been accused of is picking up a 16-year-old girl from school and going back to his place."
Going deeper, the X user explained that since "16 is the age of consent in the UK, and so long as she consented to this, no offence has been committed."[sic]
