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A routine by stand-up comedian Daniel Sloss has resurfaced after he became the “only comedian” to speak publicly about Russell Brand.
On Saturday (September 16), actor Brand was accused of sexually assaulting four women between 2006 and 2013. The allegations were made as part of a joint investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches.
Brand has vehemently denied the allegations, insisting that his previous relationships were “absolutely always consensual.”
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Scottish artist Sloss appeared in both the Dispatches documentary and the Times report, where he said he first heard rumors about Brand’s alleged behavior more than a decade ago.
The 33-year-old said female comedians have created online groups to warn each other about men to avoid in the comedy industry.
“I’ve known for many, many years that women have been warning each other about Russell,” he said. “I know that there are comedians who have made references to Russell’s alleged crimes in jokes and have then either been asked or told to stop making those jokes.”
In response to his involvement in the report, fans called Sloss a “rare actual ally” in the comedy industry.
Many have shared a clip from his 2019 HBO special X in which Sloss talks about the importance of speaking out about sexual assault.
At the end of the special, Sloss talks about an incident in which his girlfriend was raped by another girlfriend. The attack is not related to the allegations against Brand.
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“I knew this man for eight years and he fucking made it,” Sloss said. “There are monsters among us and they look like us.”
Sloss then said that men need to “step up” and actively call out their friends for misogynistic behavior.
“Don’t make the same mistake I made for years, which is to just sit back and say, ‘Well, I’m not part of the problem, so I have to be part of the solution,’ because that’s just not how it is.” “Fucking shit works,” he said.
Sloss spoke about Brand in the documentary
(Russell Brand: In Plain Sight, Dispatches/Channel 4)
“I believe and deep down I know that most men are good, of course we are. But if one in ten men sucks and the other nine don’t do anything, they might as well not be there. Being good on the inside absolutely counts for me. You have to actively do good and get involved.”
In the clip, Sloss continued, “Instead of having this hero complex and saying, ‘I’m going to beat up a rapist’ – f***ing prevent one, stop one.” I know it’s doable because I know what shit I failed.
“Because if I’m 100 percent honest with myself, have there been signs in my girlfriend’s behavior around women over the years that I’ve ignored?” The answer is yes, and then he raped my boyfriend, and that weighs on me until the day I die.”
Sloss began performing comedies as a teenager and was mentored by Frankie Boyle at his first run at the Edinburgh Fringe at the age of 17.
At 19, the Fife comedian was the youngest comedian to perform a solo season in London’s West End. He has two Netflix specials titled Dark and Jigsaw and has appeared on US chat shows such as Conan.
Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk.
If you are in the US, you can call Rainn at 800-656-HOPE (4673).