British comedian Josie Long is recalling a past encounter with Russell Brand that she hasn’t forgotten about.
“I actually had an experience with Russell Brand. Backstage, he would bite my face, and I would tell him I didn’t like it, and he would chase me around,” Long, 44, alleged on the Monday, November 9, episode of Novara Live. “I would giggle because I was 22 and it was overwhelming.”
She continued, “It took a lot for him to stop. It’s funny now to reckon with that and be like, ‘Oh, that was a physical assault, wasn’t it?’”
Us has reached out to Brand’s attorney for comment.
Long chose to share her alleged experience after Brand, 51, was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison following his multiple convictions for rape and sexual assault for offenses that took place between 2004 to 2009.
In her latest interview, Long looked back on her journey in the comedy world and recalled seeing and hearing inappropriate behavior directed towards women.
“Even at the smallest end of this spectrum, the culture was designed to tokenize and sexualize women,” Long alleged, “to only allow young, naive women for a short time to be a part of it and to allow a kind of blokey camaraderie that would include, happily and easily, rape jokes, jokes about brutalizing women and would exclude anything from a different perspective.”
When she reflects on her early 20s, Long said, “I can’t tell you how toxic that culture was back then.”
“I really want this to be a changing point for the industry,” she said. “Please let me say this very clearly: All other misogynists in comedy, we are coming for you, and I hope you never sleep again.”
Brand appeared in a London court on Monday and was sentenced to 10 years and six months behind bars after a jury found him guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
He previously entered a not guilty plea before he was tried on the seven sexual offense charges, all of which he denied. (Brand was found guilty on four of the seven counts.)
The Metropolitan Police told Us on Monday that Brand is under investigation for further allegations of rape, made by two unidentified women.
“The suspect has previously been interviewed under caution in connection with the allegations,” a spokesperson stated. “Files have been submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to both complainants. Detectives remain in close contact with prosecutors as enquiries continue and further investigative work is carried out. Anyone who wishes to speak to detectives or make a report can contact the investigation team by email at CSOU@met.police.uk.”
If you have experienced sexual assault, call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 for confidential support.
