Megyn Kelly pushed back on the “knee-jerk instinct” to support Russell Brand and denounce those accusing him of rape and sexual assault as “liars” — saying that the allegations are “extremely detailed” and thus leave open “the possibility that the women are telling the truth.”
Kelly took time during her SiriusXM podcast “The Megyn Kelly Show” on Monday to weigh in on the scandal roiling the UK, where news organizations have devoted significant coverage to the alleged sex crimes committed by Brand.
Brand, the 48-year-old comedian and actor who has reinvented himself as an online commentator and podcaster, has been accused of assaulting four women whom he dated.
The women made the allegations as part of an investigation by The Times and Sunday Times newspapers as well as Channel 4.
In a video statement released Friday in response to the media claims, Brand said that his relationships were “always consensual.”
High-profile personalities such as Tesla mogul Elon Musk, social media influencer Andrew Tate, and former Fox News prime time anchor Tucker Carlson have voiced support for Brand.
“I realize that the knee-jerk instinct now by so many is, ‘Russell Brand is wrongly accused. These women are all liars’,” Kelly told her SiriusXM listeners on Monday.
“I’m sorry, this is extremely detailed.”
One woman alleges that Brand raped her against the wall in his Los Angeles home while another who says she started dating him when she was 16 years old claims he “forced his penis down my throat,” causing her to choke.
The legal age of consent in the UK is 16.
Brand has denied the claims. The Post has sought comment from Brand’s representatives.
Kelly noted that one of Brand’s alleged victims sought treatment at a Santa Monica medical facility on the day that the actor-comedian raped her while not wearing a condom.
The alleged victim, “Nadia,” told The Times that Brand sent text messages in which he was apologetic and “embarrassed by my behavior.”
“Could you please for a second stay open-minded to the possibility that the women are telling the truth?” Kelly said, citing the text messages and the fact that the alleged victim sought treatment.
Kelly added: “We don’t need to so overcorrect from the #MeToo movement that every woman gets completely disregarded and called a liar when she finds the guts to come forward and make an allegation.”
“They may be telling the truth!”
The #MeToo movement is named after the social media hashtag that went viral in 2017 in which women were encouraged to share stories of being victimized by powerful men in Hollywood, the media, finance, and other industries.
Kelly said that perceived excesses of #MeToo should not prevent a deeper look into Brand’s alleged behavior.
“It’s worth investigating,” she said. “We don’t need a knee-jerk condemn him. And we don’t need the knee-jerk condemn them!”
Kelly slammed those who are rushing to take Brand’s side.
“I’m just pissed because of what I’ve seen is like a rash of guys coming out to be like, ‘It’s bulls–t’,” she said. “You don’t know whether it’s bulls–t or not!”
“Did you read the report of this woman?” Kelly said, referencing Nadia.
“Did you read the alleged rape details? Did you read the text message that she has from Russell Brand begging for forgiveness?”
“There’s at least enough for us to want more facts. That’s it.”
NEWS CREDIT
