Paramount+ has removed a stand-up comedy special starring Russell Brand in the wake of sexual assault allegations against the comic.
The 2009 special Russell Brand in New York City was taken off the streamer Tuesday. The removal follows the BBC’s decision to take TV and radio programming featuring Brand off its streaming platforms, with the broadcaster saying it “now falls below public expectations.”
YouTube has also suspended monetization on Brand’s channel (though not the channel itself), saying in a statement, “If a creator’s off-platform behavior harms our users, employees or ecosystem, we take action.” The company said Brand had violated YouTube’s “Creator Responsibility policy.”
Four women have accused Brand of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse between 2006 and 2013, a period that coincided with his growing fame on both sides of the Atlantic. The allegations came via an investigation by The Times of London, The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches. Brand, in a social media video posted before the investigation went public, said he “absolutely refute[s]” the allegations.
Russell Brand in New York City initially aired on Comedy Central, which like Paramount+ is part of Paramount Global. Other works featuring Brand remain available on various streaming services, including the movies Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Hulu) and Get Him to the Greek (Netflix). A 2018 stand-up special, Re:Birth, is also on Netflix; the streaming service declined to comment on Re:Birth.
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