Chelsea Handler banned a controversial actor from her show and we totally get why: "Pain in the..."
Chelsea Handler has been in the entertainment industry for 25 years, meeting many celebrities along the way. However, one actor annoyed her so much that she refused to have him back on her talk show. During her time hosting 'Chelsea Lately' and 'Chelsea' on Netflix, Handler was known for being able to chat with anyone and make them feel comfortable. But comedian Russell Brand tested her patience, and after three appearances on 'Chelsea Lately', she made sure he never returned.
In an interview with Grazia magazine, Handler called Brand a "pain in the a*s" and said, "I would never want him back," Her reported. She explained, "He stopped all of our production schedules because he needed three espressos before he could even come on for his interview." Their interviews followed Handler’s usual style, with both exchanging playful insults. However, knowing that Brand disrupted production and irritated Handler, it seems unlikely that their banter was just friendly. Since then, Handler has moved on from late-night TV, though she guest-hosted 'The Daily Show' in 2023. Meanwhile, Brand’s opportunities in late-night television have become more limited, partly because of his controversies and legal issues.
In the past years, he has been on 'Gutfeld!' and' Real Time with Bill Maher'. In 2021, he also appeared on 'Conan' and 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.' However, he has a history of behavior that has upset many people. In 2001, MTV fired him after he came to work dressed as Osama Bin Laden the day after the 9/11 attacks, as per Yahoo. Between 2006 and 2008, while Russell Brand worked at the BBC, his behavior caused significant discomfort among staff members. An internal review revealed that many employees, particularly those in junior positions, felt unable to voice their concerns, believing that Brand had the support of station management. The review found that staff "felt unable to raise" issues about Brand's conduct, as they believed "Russell Brand would always get his way and therefore they stayed silent," The Independent reported.
Specific incidents during this period included Brand allegedly urinating in the studio, throwing objects in anger, and making inappropriate on-air comments. One notable allegation involved him following a female employee into a bathroom at the BBC's Los Angeles office and exposing himself before a show taping. On-air, Brand reportedly joked about the incident. The review identified the woman as “Olivia” and stated that she “felt embarrassed and did not want to raise it or talk about it, so instead treated it lightly when it came up.” She formally complained more than 10 years later.
According to Johnston’s report, the alleged incident “was fairly common knowledge” among BBC employees in Los Angeles and was “joked about” for years. The review added, “Olivia is understandably concerned about the management accountability for what happened, disappointed that no one came back to her in a satisfactory way in 2019 having finally raised the concern, and is most concerned about why no one picked up on the on-air reference in 2008,” as per the New York Post.