Latest news with #ThinkingwithoutPermission
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Russel Brand to Give Speech at Florida College Amid Allegations
Veteran comedian is set to deliver a speech at Florida's New College despite the ongoing allegations of sexual assault against him. The Forgetting Sarah Marshall star will give an interview to New College President Richard Corcoran while also talking about cancel culture, censorship, and free speech. However, his legal issues have sparked a discussion on the internet, causing many to question his upcoming appearance at the Florida institution. Here's everything you need to know regarding the Brand's talking arrangement at the Florida college. Content warning: The following contains discussions of sexual assault and rape charges. On April 12, 2025, the Arthur actor will take the stage at the Mildred Sainer Pavilion in Florida's New College. Russell Brand will be discussing cancel culture and other topics in an event titled 'Thinking without Permission: A Conversation with Russell Brand on Free Speech, Censorship, and Cultural Power.' Moreover, interested viewers can catch his speech on YouTube or X (formerly Twitter), as per People. The event will take place eight days after the Metropolitan Police charged the three-time British Comedy Award winner with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. Allegations against Brand first arose in September 2023 after five women detailed their experiences to a collaborative investigation conducted by The Sunday Times, The Times, and Channel 4's Dispatches series. Despite the allegations, New College authorities have decided to go through with Russell Brand's speech, which they confirmed back in February 2025. Explaining the decision, Alexandra Nicole Islas, the Director of Public Policy Events for the Florida institution, stated, 'In a time when public pressure often seeks to silence rather than engage, New College of Florida is reaffirming its role in creating space for open inquiry—not eliminating it.' Acknowledging the allegations, Islas further clarified the college's choice to 'move forward with Brand's scheduled appearance as part of a broader conversation on society, culture, and free speech broader conversation on society, culture, and free speech,' adding 'that even challenging conversations deserve room in the public square.' She also emphasized the importance of having a space where individuals can explore ideas regarding society 'with respect, critical thought, and intellectual integrity.' While Russell Brand has denied the allegations, he will make his scheduled court appearance on May 2, 2025. Originally reported by Apoorv Rastogi on The post Russel Brand to Give Speech at Florida College Amid Allegations appeared first on Mandatory.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Russell Brand Will Speak at Florida College, Despite UK Rape Charges, NYC Suit
British actor and comedian Russell Brand hasn't lost his audience in the wake of troubling accusations about his personal and professional life ... because he's set to speak at a college in Florida this upcoming Saturday, even after he's been charged with sexual assault in London and has been sued for alleged behavior on a movie set in New York. Brand is lined up to appear as a guest speaker at New College of Florida in Sarasota as part of their Socratic Stage series, which is meant to discuss complex and pressing social and political issues. New College confirmed to TMZ ... Brand will speak at the event titled, "Thinking without Permission: A Conversation with Russell Brand on Free Speech, Censorship, and Cultural Power," part of its Spring 2025 series, scheduled April 12. Other notable speakers participating in the series include Tom Homan -- President Donald Trump's border czar -- and attorney Alan Dershowitz. The liberal arts college has beefed up its right-wing faculty and staff in recent years after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis overhauled the school's leadership and steered it sharply in a conservative direction. Alexandra Nicole Islas, Director of Public Policy Events at the school, tells TMZ ... 'In a time when public pressure often seeks to silence rather than engage, New College of Florida is reaffirming its role in creating space for open inquiry—not eliminating it. After thoughtful consideration, we have decided to move forward with Russell Brand's scheduled appearance as part of a broader conversation on society, culture, and free speech." She continues ... "This is a reflection of our commitment to civil discourse and the belief that even challenging conversations deserve room in the public square. While the justice system independently addresses other matters, our responsibility is to ensure a space where ideas—especially those that invite dialogue such as the topic of cancel culture and free speech, can be explored with respect, critical thought, and intellectual integrity.' As you know ... last week, London Metropolitan Police announced Brand has been hit with a slew of charges including one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. Officials say the charges stem from incidents involving four different women that allegedly occurred between 1999 and 2005. Brand quickly denied all allegations in a video he shared on social media, saying he has never engaged in "non-consensual activity." Brand's also been served in a civil sexual assault case in New York stemming from alleged behavior on the set of the 2011 movie "Arthur." Warner Bros. announced this week the company would release outtakes from the making of the movie. To view all content on this page click here. Brand's expected to appear in a UK court on May 2.
