Black Mirror

[BackOfTheNet]

On the plus side, at least the whole Russell Brand affair has meant there's finally something worth watching on GB News....

https://www.thepoke.com/2023/09/18/andrew-pierce-took-fellow-gb-news-presenter-bev-turner-to-task-for-calling-russell-brand-her-hero-and-its-an-extraordinary-watch/

[CobblerForever]

Sir Bob has a way with words 

A colleague of mine told me that Bob was very free with his language when she was trying to explain to him and his band where to get the next train home from Bedford going back to London (they'd been performing at Bedford Corn Exchange).

[guest3587]

A colleague of mine told me that Bob was very free with his language when she was trying to explain to him and his band where to get the next train home from Bedford going back to London (they'd been performing at Bedford Corn Exchange).

That must have been a long time ago!

[CobblerForever]

That must have been a long time ago!

Definitely prior to 2003. I remember thinking when she said it they were well past their commercial peak (I assumed the band was the Boomtown Rats). He was effing and blinding about the last inter city train having already left and he'd have to catch one of the all stops local service trains between Bedford and Brighton.

[Tabasco Kid]

Geldof just tells it like it is. "just send us the fvking money" on live TV during Live Aid.

[singcobb]

As much as I loath and detest Brand it seems funny to me that these allegations known about for years have only surfaced recently to coincide with his exposure of climate and covid hoaxers in the media. It would seem if you are going to take pot shots at the establishment you need to be pretty well bulletproof yourself.

[guest3587]

As much as I loath and detest Brand it seems funny to me that these allegations known about for years have only surfaced recently to coincide with his exposure of climate and covid hoaxers in the media. It would seem if you are going to take pot shots at the establishment you need to be pretty well bulletproof yourself.

Smoke and mirrors

[Bingers]

Again I think a Bingers and Manny coalition would make a better job than Biden and Big T,

I still haven't decided which job you get in my government Manny, but I have ruled out Equality and Diversity Minister.

[606 Parklands_Cobbler]

I still haven't decided which job you get in my government Manny, but I have ruled out Equality and Diversity Minister.

How about deputy prime minister or minister without portfolio?

[606 Parklands_Cobbler]

As much as I loath and detest Brand it seems funny to me that these allegations known about for years have only surfaced recently to coincide with his exposure of climate and covid hoaxers in the media. It would seem if you are going to take pot shots at the establishment you need to be pretty well bulletproof yourself.

Have you wonderered why he positioned himself there? You don't go from calling farage a poundshop enoch to wellness/conspiracy theorist in 10 years.

[EB Claret]

I still haven't decided which job you get in my government Manny, but I have ruled out Equality and Diversity Minister.

Very Wise!

[Peter Frost]

Trial by media once again

No it’s not - getting a conviction for sexual assault is statistically unlikely even if you can get the police to take an interest, couple that with a celeb that’s protected by both his employers and his wealth there is a massive view of being untouchable- without professional investigative journalism like this scumbags will continue to get away with it - is Brand guilty? - none of us can say for certain so it now goes to the DPP to consider if there is a case.

[Peter Frost]

Have you wonderered why he positioned himself there? You don't go from calling farage a poundshop enoch to wellness/conspiracy theorist in 10 years.

Exactly that - position yourself as anti establishment, big Pharma etc and you will automatically get the support of thickos who follow the likes of Laurence Fox, Andrew Tate etc - Brand may be many thinks but he is not stupid.

[DavCobb]

Goes back to the original point of the thread. The ‘power’ now rests with the watching public. We get to decide what is OK, who we like, who is going to be taken down and when, with a little help from press and by the platform of social media.

No-one can condone the alleged behaviour. As for his “coordinated attack” crap….I’m sure there are A-Z listers who are waiting for their turn. Brand was pretty open regarding being a deviant, so this is hardly a stretch. This ‘open secret’ line is wearing thin. So it was that much of an open secret that not one person whistle blew or took action? A familiar line.

Jimmy Carr famously said he’s already told the joke that he’ll be cancelled for.
You can say the same about Gervais and many, many others.
Many people don’t agree or like it but times do change and I’m not a huge fan of retrospective criticism.
You can say how much your were disgusted by Little Britain etc at the time, but it was commissioned and millions watched it. Go back a couple of decades and take your pick.

Whilst the world needs to move forward, improve and learn from previous ‘errors’ , isn’t hindsight wonderful?!

[TPFKA Marvo]

I like Black Mirror, is the episode Fifteen Million Merits the one associated with this thread? There is another I've seen more appropriate but I'm not sure if that was Black Mirror or a Star Trek episode where people had a phone app where they could vote on other people and decide their fate.

[DavCobb]

I like Black Mirror, is the episode Fifteen Million Merits the one associated with this thread? There is another I've seen more appropriate but I'm not sure if that was Black Mirror or a Star Trek episode where people had a phone app where they could vote on other people and decide their fate.

Yeah, most link to an extension or exaggeration of what is actually happening with technology and human behaviour. In 30 years time I’m sure some will be more like a documentary.

[BackOfTheNet]

Personally, I think Russell Brand is vile and that's not based on any recent disclosures. He's very bright but he's a complete bottom feeder; a sleazebag who has always used his fame and dubious talent to sleep with as many women as possible and then brag about it.

Of the cases discussed on Dispatches, while morally questionable, I'd say there was no criminal offence in any of them (with the obvious exception of the alleged rape, and I suspect that would be virtually impossible to get a conviction on). Of course there's also the subsequent sexual assault allegation and I've no idea about that one.

The thing for me on this is I'm not sure how it comes as news to anyone. He's a scumbag and I'm certainly not excusing his behaviour, but he's made a career out of it!  It's not like he's been going around doing all this in secret, they even used footage of him talking about some of the nasty stuff he said to one of the women in his stand up act.

If he's charged and found guilty of something that was a crime at the time he committed it then good, I hope he gets what he deserves. Initially though,  I think there's a big element here of retrospective moral judgement. On the one hand I'm quite uncomfortable with that but on the other.. isn't it nice to watch him squirm?

[guest3587]

No it’s not - getting a conviction for sexual assault is statistically unlikely even if you can get the police to take an interest, couple that with a celeb that’s protected by both his employers and his wealth there is a massive view of being untouchable- without professional investigative journalism like this scumbags will continue to get away with it - is Brand guilty? - none of us can say for certain so it now goes to the DPP to consider if there is a case.

In my opinion it is

[DavCobb]

No it’s not - getting a conviction for sexual assault is statistically unlikely even if you can get the police to take an interest, couple that with a celeb that’s protected by both his employers and his wealth there is a massive view of being untouchable- without professional investigative journalism like this scumbags will continue to get away with it - is Brand guilty? - none of us can say for certain so it now goes to the DPP to consider if there is a case.

It is trial by media IMO. Not a ‘brand’ new phenomenon but the ante keeps getting upped.
When did it become OK to destroy people without police and criminal involvement?
Then the polarisation of “he was always a predator” vs “he was nice because he didn’t try and rape me” commentary.
The biggest change needs to be addressing these issues at the time. Especially when apparently they’re pretty much in the open, apparently. It’s 2023, we wouldn’t put up with such a culture surely? I’m not talking about the direct victims who may struggle to do so for obvious reasons.

One thing is for sure, he will never get a trial (if it goes that way) without the prejudice built during the coverage, so how does that help the justice system? This could go on for two years+. Is it now an acceptable ‘tactic’ to attract potential victims, whilst also tempting out a number of spurned lovers and spurious claims?
Going back to the original subject (Huw Edwards) you’d think he should be doing 10 years after some of the ridiculous claims. Is the world a better place for knowing he used Only Fans? Are his family better off for having his name dragged through the mud? I didn’t see a lot of ‘professional investigative journalism’ there.

[CobblerForever]

With regard to why now (given he appears to have been happily married for some years with young children and a third on the way and no recent concerns of his activity) my thought would be to follow the money. The production company may simply have seen an opportunity to exploit a situation for gain (public interest or otherwise).

Trial by media is repellent but politicians use it as well.