MEAWW.COM / ENTERTAINMENT / REALITY TV

Russell Brand’s behavior during Jimmy Fallon interview is still disturbing to watch even years later

Russell Brand faced a legal case involving allegations of serious misconduct, which he has publicly denied

An interview featuring Russell Brand on a 2013 episode of ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ has resurfaced in the wake of new allegations against the comedian. And, in retrospect, his behavior towards fellow guest Katharine McPhee made many cringe—and host Jimmy Fallon had to interject. During the segment, Russell grabbed Katharine, pulled her onto his lap, and made suggestive remarks. An uncomfortable Katharine got up quickly while Jimmy tried to diffuse the situation. Jimmy looked shocked as he told Russell to stop, saying, "Russell, please stop." Despite Jimmy’s attempts, Russell continued to joke about Katharine, making comments about her marriage and flirting with her before leaving the stage.

At the time, the moment was seen as awkward but it is now viewed in a harsher light amid the allegations against Russell Brand. These include accusations of sexual assault, emotional abuse, and misconduct from 2006 to 2013—claims Russell has strongly denied. As the video has gone viral online, many are looking back at his behavior and wondering if incidents like this were red flags of problematic patterns. Many have criticized Russell for not respecting boundaries, while others praised Jimmy Fallon for intervening. Russell Brand is now a married man with children. He has admitted to being 'very promiscuous' but emphasized it was always with consent. With the allegations against him still coming out, moments like his Jimmy Fallon interview are now scrutinized.

However, Katharine McPhee later spoke about the controversial moment, where she was visibly caught off guard. The clip recently went viral, but McPhee downplayed the incident, calling it 'harmless.' “This specific incident was over 10 years ago and it was harmless,” McPhee posted on Instagram. Though the video has incensed debate online, McPhee has clarified that she didn’t view the interaction as predatory at the time. Her remark comes after allegations against Brand, which range from serious claims of sexual assault to emotional abuse, continue to headline.

For the unversed, Russell Brand has been hit with some serious allegations from multiple women of rape, sexual assault, and emotional abuse; the actions allegedly took place between 2006 and 2013. One woman alleged Brand raped her against a wall in his Los Angeles home in 2012. Another accuser, then just 16 years old, accused Brand of being emotionally abusive and controlling during their three-month relationship. She also alleged he forced himself on her in ways that left her deeply uncomfortable and scared.

The allegations surfaced through an investigation by ‘The Sunday Times’ and a Channel 4 documentary. Brand has denied the claims, saying they were “egregious and aggressive attacks” and that all his relationships were consensual. Since the publicizing of the allegations, old videos of Brand making inappropriate jokes and remarks have surfaced, adding fuel to the fire.

But despite the allegations and scrutiny, Russell has spoken of the serious claims against him, calling them “very, very painful,” while he also denied accusations of what he described as “the most appalling crimes.” He appeared in a YouTube interview with Tucker Carlson, where he addressed the impact of the allegations. Brand did say that he lived a very promiscuous lifestyle, but that is not how he is now. He denied the allegations and added that he now values family and faith. “Of course, I deny any allegations of the kind that have been advanced - and what I have seen is the significance of family and the importance of beliefs that are transcendent of this,” he said.

Brand even went as far as to speak about his personal struggles during this time. His son was having heart surgery when the allegations surfaced, so this experience made things even more difficult for him. He called the situation a “public concoction” and said it made him reflect on what's really important in life, such as family and personal beliefs. “My son was born with a heart condition and while this [the allegations being made] was happening he was undergoing heart surgery. He was 12 weeks old and I suppose what that did, Tucker, is it revealed that what we were experiencing was a public concoction,” he said.