Russell Brand is preparing to serve 10 and a half years in prison after being found guilty in a London court of various sex crimes. But before the sentence, the actor spent time with President Donald Trump’s administration official, Mehmet Oz, at a September MAHA Action conference, where he made light about the charges.
He was reportedly almost late, as Oz said during his introductory remarks that Brand was “hugging the secretary for agriculture.” The actor replied, “She initiated that contact, I should make clear, doctor!” Both Oz and Brand laughed at the joke. Brand has reportedly been friendly with Oz, MAHA-maven RFK Jr. and other Trump health officials for several years.
According to The Independent’s Holly Baxter, Brand’s own words, in addition to his alignment with Trump, caught up to him. Baxter notes that Brand has a history of joking about the allegations against him, despite the mounting criticism during his public trial. Brand’s decision to double down on the jokes, especially in a time when the public is calling for accountability from those in power, did not help him. In fact, Baxter asserts that his jokes have largely been viewed as creepy and obviously offensive to women. She writes that Brand, and other MAGA supporters like him, made a bizarre misstep in their treatment of women, noting that women make up the majority of the population at 51% and are more likely to be registered as voters in the U.S.
Baxter notes that Brand has been vocal about substance use as much as he has been about his sexual activity, preferences, and desires. Many of his bold statements have gone largely ignored until now. Baxter writes that Brand used his admission of drug and alcohol addiction to play down his sexual activity, seemingly using it as an excuse. But as she asserts, “when someone loudly talks about how much of a malevolent creep they are, they’re not one of the good ones after all — they’re just a malevolent creep.” Baxter also notes that there’s a pattern happening with Trump and his affiliates, one that should be paid attention to. She highlights that those associated with Trump are seeing major public downfalls and ongoing criticism. Baxter writes boldly, “MAGA is flailing; Brand is going to prison; JD Vance is trying to distance himself from a war he defended for two years; and Marco Rubio is telling the public that the war was the right thing to do, even if they don’t like it.”
Brand’s conviction on sex crime charges marks a dramatic fall for the comedian. BBC reports the British entertainer, who built a career on stand-up comedy, has faced mounting scrutiny over allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse. His transformation from mainstream celebrity to an outspoken figure embraced by far-right audiences and online conspiracy circles drew further backlash.
Per The New York Times, during the legal proceedings, Brand has vehemently denied the allegations, insisting that his sexual relationships were consensual and rejecting claims that he had committed any criminal wrongdoing. He previously addressed the accusations in a video posted to social media, describing them as a “litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks” and maintaining that he had never engaged in nonconsensual activity. Despite his repeated denials, the jury ultimately found him guilty on four counts.