Russell Brand recently admitted to sleeping with a 16-year-old when he was 30.
'Absolutely Sickened': Russell Brand Sparks Outrage After Confessing to Sleeping With 16-Year-Old
Actor Russell Brand has recently admitted to sleeping with a 16-year-old when he was 30.
The 50-year-old spoke at length about his past s*xual encounters when he appeared on the April 22 episode of Megyn Kelly’s podcast.
On the podcast, Brand maintained that his previous intimate encounters were not against the law.
He said, "In Europe and the United Kingdom, where I'm from, the age of consent is 16, and I did sleep with a 16-year-old when I was 30."
"When I was 30, I was a very different person. I was a lot younger, and I was an immature 30-year-old,” Brand stated, who has allegations of r*pe and s*xual assault against him by six women.
He, however, has denied these accusations and will be facing trial this autumn.
Russell Brand opens up about his past s*xual encounters on 'The Megyn Kelly Show.'
'The Ability to Consent Is an Important Thing'
Dubbing his past actions “exploitative,” Brand further added, "Consensual s*x with a lot of people, when there is a strong power differential, as there is when you are a famous man who has the ability to attract women that I had at that time, I think involves exploitation. I think it is exploitative."
Brand then claimed he had been selfish in the past. “I recognize that my s*xual conduct in the past was selfish and I did not apply enough consideration, barely any I suppose, really, to how that s*x was affecting other people," he added.
"While I was transgressing lines of being as a person that was sleeping with people because I had availability to – not only by the way with waitresses and strippers and fans and people, but powerful women as well, powerful professional women that had gravitas and status and power – I was only really thinking of myself."
The comic continued, "I had consensual s*x with lots and lots of women, and you can argue that's not appropriate, but the age of consent is an important thing, and the ability to consent is an important thing."
Brand opined that being famous and charming gives one the ability to “direct consent.”
"That doesn't mean it's right, it's actually not right, it's wrong. It's a sin, it's an expression of selfishness and forced idolatry,” he told Kelly.
Social Media Reacts to Russel Brand’s Admission
Netizens were quick to react to Brand’s comments on Kelly’s podcast.
“I was really on his side, but he openly admitted having s*x with a 16-year-old at 30. A 16 year old can consent, but they don’t have the ability to understand what that really means. That this grown man just wants one thing and will discard right after. No one consents to that,” one person wrote on X.
A second user stated, “Legal age of consent does not mean grown adult men should be able to sleep with teenage girls.”
Another individual's comment read, "Absolutely sickened to hear this."
An X user reacts to Russell Brand's comments on 'The Megyn Kelly Show.'
“It was always clear that Brand was a creep who thought he could do what he wants. Just because something is legal, doesn’t mean you should do it,” wrote a fourth person.
Others also shunned Kelly for platforming Brand and posing for pictures with him at her podcast.
“Megyn Kelly is a nasty person. How can anyone on any side of things trust this chameleon? Her history shows her true character,” stated one user.
Brand has been charged with three counts of r*pe, along with three counts of s*xual assault and one count of indecent assault, RadarOnline reports.
The trial is scheduled to start on October 12, during which all six accusers are expected to present their testimonies.