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Russell Brand Slept With a 16 Year-Old?! - The Brett Cooper Show | Wave AI Podcast Notes

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Russell Brand Slept With a 16 Year-Old?!

The Brett Cooper Show

Wed Apr 29 2026

Summary

The Brett Cooper Show – Russell Brand Slept With a 16-Year-Old?!

Episode Date: April 29, 2026
Host: Brett Cooper
Main Theme: This episode delves into Russell Brand’s resurfaced controversies, the shifting responses to his Christian conversion, and the broader implications of media coverage, political shakedowns, and community values.

Episode Overview

Brett Cooper explores the complexities surrounding Russell Brand’s past allegations of sexual misconduct—especially the claim that he slept with a 16-year-old—within the context of his recent public Christian conversion, ongoing criminal trial, and viral media appearances. The episode critically examines how generational and cultural shifts influence public perception, highlights contrasting reactions from the political and online communities, and questions the sincerity of Brand's transformation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Viral Brand Confessions and Media Outrage

Brett opens by referencing a widely-shared clip from Megyn Kelly’s podcast, where Russell Brand admits to sleeping with a 16-year-old when he was 30, highlighting the age of consent in the UK, and characterizing himself as a “very different person” at the time ([00:32]).
Quote:

"The age of consent is 16 and I did sleep with a 16 year old when I was 30, but when I was 30 I was a very different person."
— Russell Brand [00:32]
The host contextualizes this in the larger media storm, mentioning Brand’s press tour (for his new book about becoming a Christian), his impending rape trial, and the polarized online discourse: some heralding Brand’s redemption, others calling him an opportunist using Christianity as a shield ([00:41]).

2. History of Accusations Against Russell Brand

Brett refreshes the audience’s memory on the 2023 Times of London expose, in which four women accused Brand of rape, sexual assault, and abuse. She details each accusation with specifics and notes Brand’s initial apologetic (via text) but also his public refutation and framing of the allegations as politically motivated attacks ([02:30]-[03:00]).
Quote:

"I was very, very promiscuous... the relationships I had were absolutely always consensual... to see that transparency metastasized into something criminal that I absolutely deny makes me question, is there another agenda at play?"
— Russell Brand [03:03]

3. Media & Political Reaction: Cancel Culture and Platform Bans

Highlights suspicions about the timing of the allegations, emphasizing that women came forward after being contacted by journalists, shortly before the coordinated documentary release ([04:14]).
Describes backlash against immediate actions by social media companies and even the UK parliament, which pushed for Brand’s removal from platforms like YouTube and Rumble before any police investigation ([04:40]).

4. Institutional Complicity and BBC Response

Recaps the BBC’s own investigation, which uncovered only one formal complaint but revealed a culture of silence due to Brand’s influence and management backing ([05:10]).

5. Current Legal Standing and Book Promotion

Russell Brand was formally charged in April 2025 and is set to stand trial in October 2026 ([06:10]).
The timing of Brand’s book (“How to Become a Christian in Seven Days”) and press tour—released under Tucker Carlson’s imprint—is seen by many as suspicious ([06:40]).

Notable Moments & Viral Clips

6. The Piers Morgan Interview: Prayers, Pauses, and Viral Awkwardness ([10:39]–[17:46])

A. Opening Prayer Antics

Russell Brand opens the interview by praying for Piers and the production team, in a move Brett suggests is both strategic and disarming ([10:41]).
Quote:

"Let us be in your spirit, Lord. I pray for healing, for Piers, for his hip, for reconciliation and anything that's on his heart, Lord..."
— Russell Brand [10:46]

B. Bible Verses Fumble — The Meme Moment

Piers presses Brand on which Bible passages he brought to court for comfort.
Brand nervously flips through his Bible, unable to find or recite a relevant verse, leading to an excruciatingly awkward silence—a moment that instantly became meme fodder ([12:54]–[14:36]).
Quote:

"The verse that I was looking at that day was not this. I can't actually... I can't actually find the verse."
— Russell Brand [13:07]

Online Reactions:

Brett reads out a selection of viral tweets comparing Russell’s Bible-fumbling to relatable social situations (e.g., pretending to read the menu while always ordering chicken tikka masala) ([14:36]).

C. Intensely Personal Exchange on Faith & Identity

The interview escalates as Piers challenges Brand’s religious commitment and Brand pushes back, questioning Piers’ intentions and journalistic honesty ([16:27]–[17:46]).
Notable exchange:

Piers Morgan: "These are basic facts. You were an atheist. You then became a Buddhist."
Russell Brand: "They're not basic facts, they're information being tailored and collated."
([17:21]–[17:30])

Analysis: Community and Political Split

7. Conservative Discomfort and Hypocrisy

Brett notes the conservative movement’s divided response: Many once embraced Brand’s critiques of mainstream narratives, but now distance themselves as he approaches trial, especially as he aligns himself more with divisive right-wing figures ([18:50]).
She calls out the selective outrage, observing that none of these accusations are new, and that Brand has long been open about his troubled past ([19:11]).

8. Brett’s Personal Take: Complexity and Waiting for Justice

Brett strives for nuance, acknowledging both the disturbing nature of the allegations and the questionable timing/motivation for their resurgence ([22:19]).
She emphasizes the need for due process, cautions against pearl-clutching, prays for both justice and personal growth for Brand, and calls for patience as the trial unfolds ([22:19]).

Timestamps for Key Segments

[00:32] — Russell Brand’s confession about the 16-year-old relationship
[02:30] — Summary of 2023 allegations published in the Times of London
[03:03] — Russell Brand responds to accusations and talks “cancel culture”
[04:14] — Discussion of delays in accusations and media coordination
[05:10] — BBC’s internal report finds culture of silence
[06:10] — Brand’s formal charges and upcoming court date
[10:41] — Start of viral Piers Morgan interview, Brand’s opening prayer
[12:54] — Bible verse gaffe (the “meme moment”)
[16:27] — Fiery exchange about faith, denominations, and personal past
[21:24] — Brand quotes Isaiah, reflects on “grace” in difficulty
[22:19] — Brett’s closing thoughts on balancing justice with growth

Memorable Quotes

Russell Brand (on past conduct):
"During that time of promiscuity, the relationships I had were absolutely always consensual... to see that transparency metastasized into something criminal that I absolutely deny makes me question, is there another agenda at play?" [03:03]
On Piers Morgan Interview:
"Let us be in your spirit, Lord... I pray for healing for Piers, for his hip..." [10:46]
"I can't actually... I can't actually find the verse." [13:07]
On Media and Politics:
"These accusers only spoke up after they were approached by journalists... it smelled fishy, like coordination." [04:14]
Brett Cooper (on conservative response):
"Maybe we hold back on the pearl clutching, we pray for him, we pray for justice, and we just see what happens in court." [22:19]

Conclusion

Brett closes by underscoring the cultural confusion and polarization around Russell Brand. While the allegations are serious and merit a judicial resolution, she reminds listeners to stay skeptical of media motives, be honest about past complicity, and avoid premature judgments. The situation, Brett explains, reflects broader tensions around celebrity redemption, political weaponization of allegations, and the challenge of holding communities accountable while also believing in personal growth and due process.

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Transcript

Podcast Host (0:01)

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Russell Brand (0:27)

Watch only on prime in Europe and in the United Kingdom where I'm from,

Russell Brand (praying/interview segments) (0:32)

the age of consent is 16 and I did sleep with a 16 year old when I was 30, but when

Russell Brand (0:39)

I was 30 I was a very different person.

Podcast Host (0:41)

So I'm sure that you guys saw that clip last week from Megyn Kelly's podcast. Her interview with Russell Brand after essentially every single account on X clipped it and reposted it, every media outlet from Hollywood to politics was talking about it. It was a huge deal. That clip was then immediately followed by the meme of the century when Russell Brand was on Piers Morgan's and was struggling to find Bible verses after telling Piers how important those Bible verses were to him. Now all of this is happening online while Russell is out on a press tour promoting his new book about becoming a Christian while simultaneously gearing up for trial where he is being charged with rape. Some people online see him as this redemptive inspiration. They see these accusations against him as some sort of political shakedown. And others are calling him a grifter, saying that he is just using his faith, his Christianity as a very convenient shield. All right, so to refresh all of our memories, because to be fair, it's been three years since this took place. It's been three years since I talked about it on the old channel back in 2023. In September of 2023, the Times of London published an expose on Russell Brand where four women came forward accusing him of rape, sexual assault and mental and physical abuse. Now, to jog our memories, these were the accusations that were released at that time. One woman alleged that Brand raped her against a wall in his Los Angeles home. She was treated at a rape crisis on the same day, according to medical records. Text messages show that in the hours after leaving his house, she told Brand that she had been scared by him and felt taken advantage of, adding, when a girl says no, it means no, Brand replied, saying that he was very sorry. A second woman, and this is what he was talking about in his interview with Megyn Kelly, alleges that Brand assaulted her when he was 31 and she was 16 and still in school. She said he referred to her as the child during an emotionally Abusive and controlling relationship that lasted for about three months and that Brand once forced his penis down her throat, making her choke. She says she tried to push him off and said that she had to punch him in the stomach to make him stop. A third woman claims that he sexually assaulted her while she worked with him in Los Angeles and that he threatened to take legal action if she told anybody else about her allegation. A fourth described being sexually assaulted by Brand and him being physically and emotionally abusive towards her. Like, guys, I don't even know what's happening. It feels like on the show it is just a daily occurrence that we are having to just hear about this foul sexual deviant behavior. So I'm sorry for that. I was not built for this. Anyway, after that article came out in 2023, this was Russell's response. And understandably, due to the political climate and what he was talking about on his show, he pointed to cancel culture and media hit pieces. Take a listen.

Podcast Host (4:14)

Now, an important thing to note about the story, which I did talk about in 2023, is that the majority of Russell's accusers admitted that they chose to speak speak up years later, like 20 years later in 2023, because he was gaining popularity as a political conspiracy theorist because he had this new career. He was no longer in comedy and the movies. He was in political conspiracy theorist media. And like I said at the time, when I did my first initial episode on this, like, the entire thing because of that just felt fishy. And I was not the only one who thought this, because these accusers only spoke up after they were approached by journalists who were seeking a story, and it was all coordinated with a documentary that was prepped and ready for release around the same time as that article came out. Now, at the the world was very obviously split on the issue of Russell Brand, but people, especially on the right, were willing to stand behind him, especially if they believed this to be a political shakedown. And regardless of whether they actually believed him or not, they were disgusted with how YouTube immediately kicked him off, immediately demonetized him, and that the UK Parliament literally got involved when it was just accusations. It had not even been investigated by the police yet, and yet the UK Parliament got involved. They were sending letters to Rumble saying, you need to take him off your platform again. It smelled fishy. It just smelled like coordination. And I said that at the time. Like, I will be the first to say that I think Russell Brand is a weird dude. He has a very openly torrid past. But I do believe that he has since tried to redeem himself, turn his life around, and he has done a lot of good in the political landscape in helping people wake up to what is actually going on in the world. Now, all of that being said, even though I do feel that way, it does not mean that these accusations necessarily are false. Because even though they were not brought up for more than 20 years, even though they were only really brought to light after journalists approached them. The BBC, where Russell Brand was working at the time that these alleged incidents took place, has now admitted years later that they did receive complaints during his time working there and they chose to ignore them, which apparently they found in their own internal investigation. Listen to this. Thursday's report found that only one formal complaint was made about Brand's inappropriate conduct in the workplace during his stint on air, and that beyond that, there was no evidence that his behavior was raised with management formally at the time. But the BBC acknowledgement Brand was perceived to be too influential for staff to complain about. Many of those interviewed for the internal investigation believed, rightfully or wrongly, that Russell Brand would always get his way, and therefore they stayed silent, the report said they also believed that he had the support of the BBC station management. After this 2023 article came out, all these accusations, then the local police, after that, then they launched their own investigations. And then after 18 months of a formal investigation into him by the police, he was charged last April 2025 with three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault. And he is scheduled to stand trial this year in October. Jumping forward to where we are right now, why he is going viral today, some will see say very conveniently he's coming out with a new book, how to Become a Christian in seven Days, which by the way is the first book coming out of Tucker Carlson's new publishing imprint, his new publishing house for politically incorrect voices. It is the first book coming out of that and so Russell is on a press tour and some people are not so thrilled about this book. Like this person said, in summary, how to become a Christian. And then they added a new subtitle before your criminal trial. I will say the timing is suspect anyway, moving on from that. But this is why he has been doing interviews with people like Megyn Kelly and Tucker himself and Piers Morgan. And the Piers Morgan interview objectively is the most viral because of how absurd it truly was. 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You're thirsty for the sun on your shoulders that perfect hang on the patio sundress, those sandals you can wear all day and all night. And you've had enough of shopping from your couch hoping it looks anything like the picture when you tear open that envelope. It's time for a little in person spring treat. It's time for a trip to Ross. Work your magic. Focus features in Blumhouse Obsession When I have a crush on a guy no one knows. Be careful. I wish Nikki loved me more than anyone in the entire world. Who you wish for obsession is 96% fresh on rotten Tomatoes. I love you so so so so much. It's blood soaked nightmare fuel Brooke's blood you put you have been warned Obsession Rated R under 17 on a minute without parent only theaters May 15 with special engagements in Dolby. Now jumping back in, we have to talk about the Piers Morgan interview. I want to show you these clips and then we will talk about the Internet's reaction and how I feel today about Russell Brand. But first of all, you have to see Russell Stop Pierce and ask to pray over him before the interview even starts. Just watch.

Podcast Host (14:36)

I feel like we are watching a deleted scene from get him to the Greek. Like, we all know that Russell Brand kind of always plays Russell Brand. Like he was a character actor. The character was himself. This does seem like it could have been from one of his movies. And listen, there are a lot of serious things we're going to get into in this episode to talk about in regards to Russell. The accusations, his faith. But if we could just take a moment, if we could just take a break to read some of these responses. Because again, generational meme fodder. Somebody replied and said, looking through the wine list, knowing full well that you are going to order the second cheapest one, but you're doing your due diligence, but you're letting the waiter know that you're considering even if you're not. Somebody else said, trying to find the perfect meme reaction to use in the group chat. Another person said, straight women scrolling through Instagram to find a decent photo when you ask to see their crush. And then of course they're gonna like pull up their phone and be like, but he's way cuter in person. And then this was my personal favorite that I am embarrassed to admit I laughed at way too hard. This person replied and said, me flick through the menu at an Indian restaurant pretending to be open minded when I know full well I'm going to order the chicken tiki masala. I mean, it is just the most perfect accidental hilarity. And Pierce's silence throughout that painful 90 seconds was just masterful journalism. I mean, it was just peak comedy. So good. Somebody posted and said, it is just so perfect. Russell saying, this is from Isaiah multiple times. Like he's about to start reading and then going back to flipping pages. The stone cold silence. Pierce doing an office bit, looking into the camera. 10 out of 10, no notes. Like the fact that it was so silent that you could hear the cameras purring. Like the ac. Whatever it was, it felt like the Bible was literally mic'd up with how much you could hear the pages turning. It was just incredible. But guys, we're still not done because that is not all that transpired. So as they got to the end of the nearly two hour conversation, both men were really seeming fed up with each other. Pierce kept challenging Russell and Russell was pushing right back, which resulted in this final fiery exchange about Russell's faith and Russell not feeling like Pierce was interviewing him honestly. Just listen.

Podcast Host (17:46)

Guys, I think I should start doing my show like this. Scientology. I'm a Buddhist. Don't take the jab. Like, are we watching a mental breakdown? I really don't know what's happening here. Like, I genuinely have no idea what I just watched. But honestly, if we are being real, that is pretty normal for your average confrontation on Pierce's show. Now, people online were very split, and Russell was coming at Pierce seemingly so out of left field that even people who hate Pierce were saying, I don't really see what he's doing wrong. He's asking him questions about faith because he's releasing a book about being a Christian. Those are important questions. I don't see why Russell's getting so angry. And people online were just very split. Like, some saw it as Russell being unhinged, melting down. Like somebody said, I can't believe that after using religion as a shield from his rape allegations, he was lazy and stupid enough not to even think about what church he belonged to or failed to have some handy Bible verses ready to defend himself with an absolute sham from start to finish. But if we're being fair, others online saw this outburst as valid, and they saw it as him being frustrated because of Piers Morgan's interview tactics. So somebody replied and said, there's nothing strange about this. Russell is challenging Pierce's morality by confronting him about his tricks and deception, basically saying that Piers is purposely deceptive and doesn't want true moral positions to take hold. And Russell is 100% correct. Somebody else said, no, I feel like he's extremely passionate about his faith and he's on his journey and struggling with it. Pierce does have the tendency to interrupt as somebody is explaining their point or giving an answer, which was frustrating to watch and obviously for Russell to fear and listen. Like, I understand that point of view. Pierce is an expert rage baiter. That is a fact. He gets amazing content that I thoroughly enjoy because of that fact. And the other fact is that Russell should have known that if you really think that Piers Morgan, of all people, is going to give you some softball interview about your coming to Christ in seven days book, when you're about to be on trial for rape, multiple counts of rape, and sexual assault, you honestly have another thing coming. Especially if you spend the first part of the interview attacking him and his entire operation. Like, if you were worried about your image and how people perceive you as you have all of these awful things going on in your life, this was the interview to come into with maybe some peace and some humility. Maybe not started off with a like sort of passive aggressive pair. I don't know. Just saying that would be my advice to Russell. Anyway, moving on from that, all of these memes and viral clips aside, this really is a complex story, especially in regards to the conservative movement at large, because they really seem conflicted about how they want to deal with Russell Brand now. And I mean he has been one of their darlings for years now. The conservative movement loves when a big celebrity comes over to the right, they embrace them. Whether it is Russell Brand or Amber Rose or Nicki Minaj. Like he was literally on TPUSA's AM Fest stage four months ago. But now some of the same people who for years have celebrated him and his humor and his political bravery are hell bent on dumping him as we inch closer to his October trial. And they can't say that they didn't know about his past and these accusations before because they did. They came out in 2023. He's been open about all the awful things that he did in his previous life and a lot of these same people defended him and said that he could be redeemed and that he was changing. And in my opinion, as I am just observing what people are saying on social media, it seems more like they are moving away from him as he aligns himself more with the Megyn Kelly's and Tucker Carlson's of the world, which in modern politics on the right has started to become sort of a litmus test which I would know now. I do not know Russell. I think I met him backstage at tpusa very briefly. I do not know him well. I do not know if his faith is genuine. For his own sake I hope that it is. Like in my brief time watching his show, watching his videos, talking about it, it does seem like he is passionately trying to get there, that he is on some journey of self discovery. And while it is interesting timing that he got baptized in his tighty whities, I might add, just a year after he was accused, you could also argue that him facing the realities of potential consequences of the things that he did in his past drove him in that direction. And in a lesser viral clip from the Pierce interview because it was less inflammatory, he does seem to understand the potential consequences that he could be facing with a lot of peace. Just listen to this.

Podcast Host (22:19)

Now, obviously that clip is a lot less sensational than the things that have gone viral. But in my opinion as a viewer, it does seem introspective, it seems honest. And I mean, I still believe in innocence until proven guilty. He deserves a trial. Everything needs to be aired out. I do think that a lot of this was probably motivated by a political shakedown. It's very obvious that the mainstream media and that Hollywood knew about all of this. They chose to ignore it, and so it benefited them. I mean, there is a reason why these journalists went to these women, why these women chose to speak out at the time that they did. Now, all of that aside, does that mean that he was not a creep who didn't do all these things? No. Both of those things can be true at once. I hope for justice if justice needs to be served. And I also hope for Russell's continued growth and healing as he confronts the things that he did in his past. I mean, it is open information that he abused drugs, that he was some kind of sexual deviant, that he abused his power and influence to be the womanizer. It is all gross. It's all things that we have known about. It is nothing that he has not been honest about. He has been honest about all of it for years. And he was still elevated and welcomed by the conservative movement. And none of these accusations that he's going to trial for are new equality. And so my opinion right now, since none of this is really new information, maybe we hold back on the pearl clutching. We pray for him, we pray for justice and we just see what happens in court. Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with a message for everyone paying big wireless way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, stop with Mint, you can get premium wireless for just $15 a month, of course, if you enjoy overpaying. No judgments. But that's weird. Okay, one judgment anyway. Give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month required Intro rate first three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full terms@mintmobile.com.