When did Russell Brand turn into a kook?

[Quixote1818]

At first he was pushing all this vaccine conspiracy BS and now he is halfway blaming the US for Putin attacking Ukraine. I used to like him but now I can't listen to him at all.

[Caliman73]

1. He has always been somewhat of a kook, but around COVID-19....

He slid into conspiracy territory.

[Stinky The Clown]

2. At birth, I suspect.

[NBachers]

3. Never liked the guy; never could stand listening to him.

He always seemed to me like a pea rattling around in an empty container.

[maxsolomon]

4. Putting the Russian invasion in context isn't necessarily bad.

Saying it's justified because the West hurt Putin's feewings would be, though. I don't know what Brand said, but he enjoys being a contrarian who tells "hard truths". Probably due to his history of overcoming addiction.

I've been learning about the history of Ukraine, and it's labyrinthine and brutal, all the way through to the death of Stalin. After the USSR broke up, Rusher felt they had a commitment from the West to not expand NATO. It was tacit at best.

[brush]

7. Ukraine actually outdates Russia. There's a cathedral in Kyiv...

that dates from the 10th century when Moscow was still a forest. There was a graphic circulating online of it. You may have seen it.

Ukrainians don't want to be Russians, contrary to Putin's lie that Ukraine is part of Russia.

[maxsolomon]

11. The Kievan Rus. It is part of Russia's origin story.

I believe that Putin is claiming that PARTS of Ukraine are rightly part of Russia. Specifically the already-annexed Crimea, and "Novorossiya": the SE of Ukraine, including Odesa and the Steppe.

I don't know what Brand said; the OP doesn't say either.

[obamanut2012]

13. He is a well-known wingnut, bigot, anti vaxxer, and conspiracy nut

[tman]

5. He gave me 'cult leader' vibes 5 years ago, so about then.

[GoneOffShore]

6. He's always been deep in the woo.

[TheBlackAdder]

8. He didn't have to go method when playing in the remake of Arthur. He just played himself.

[Carlitos Brigante]

9. I'd say about the end of the first year of the pandemic. He seemed sensible up until then. He either

lost his shit or, like so many other grifters. Found this persona more profitable. I like his commentary on addiction, income inequality and corruption. But holy shit! He's gone off the deep end.

[CousinIT]

10. AFAIK he's always been a kook. n/t

[NightWatcher]

12. Crazy, drug addled comedian Russel Brand?

Stop being surprised when clowns act foolish.

[obamanut2012]

14. He is a well-known wingnut, bigot, anti vaxxer, and conspiracy nut

And hangs out with the same.

[UTUSN]

15. K& big R#5, yeah I noticed it too late a few months ago, or rather

back when he first barely passed through my radar was when he married that pop star and my only thought was why would she (not a prize herself) link to a comedian freak like him? When the divorce happened it seemed like she was recovering herself for whatever degree. But then he was popping up on the talk shows and came across as somewhat pleasant.

But then his appearances became more "intellectually" serious, with the Brit/European better education lording it over on our American talk show hosts. Then he just faded out of my radar. But then a few months ago I chanced on bits of his podcasts, where he was doing the Hillary bashing and the vaxx stuff. The one I saw was with the AWwRight x 3 dude who was diddling about running for governor in Texas. It was clear that BRAND was bending over backwards to give all possible consideration to the dude, who was totally vague and uninformed and not standing for anything. BRAND was very solicitous and unctuous with him.

So yeah.

[Piasladic]

17. same

It was the podcasts that did it for me.

[Dublin321]

16. Kook and cult leader wannabe.

The poster who said Brand gives them cult leader vibes is spot on. He's always been a kook, along with being a misogynist (1) and homophobe (2)

(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Russell_Brand_Show_prank_calls_row

(2)

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/russell-brand-accused-of-homophobic-slur-after-he-tells-cambridge-students-shut-up-you-harry-potter-p-fs-9058126.html

(3)

&t=678s&ab_channel=BBCNewsnight