Russell Brand said MSNBC is “propaganda” as is Fox News.
Brand made his views known to MSNBC journalist John Heilemann while appearing on HBO’s Real Time on Friday night.
Heilemann, who appears frequently on both NBC News and MSNBC, discussed with Brand how several Fox News anchors have been accused of intentionally covering voter fraud conspiracies even though they knew they were wrong.
But Brand questioned the effectiveness of Fox News’ condemnation without acknowledging MSNBC’s participation in the exact same game, noting how both networks exhibit bias and act as mouthpieces for their partner owners BlackRock and Vanguard.
Brand emphasized the futility of bickering over which network is worse, with the comic and podcaster suggesting that instead of attacking other networks, efforts should refocus on improving MSNBC to make it a better and more effective platform.
“Makes MSNBC better. Make MSNBC great again!’ Brand explained, echoing former President Trump’s oft-repeated chant.
Comedian and podcast host Russell Brand (right) argued with journalist John Heilemann (left) that MSNBC is no less biased than Fox News, which both described networks as “propaganda” mouthpieces for their owners.
Brand argued that Heilemann, for example, should be more open about MSNBC’s prejudices, rather than just attacking the conservative company.
“It’s hard to argue that this is because these companies aren’t just acting as mouthpieces for their affiliate owners in BlackRock and Vanguard,” Brand told Heilemann. “We have to take responsibility for our own perspective.”
“I was on this MSNBC. Man, that was a propaganda nutcracker over there,” Brand added, referring to his own experience on MSNBC’s Morning Joe.
“Nobody could concentrate, they didn’t understand the basic principles of journalism,” Brand exclaimed.
“No one was willing to stand up for true American heroes like Edward Snowden. Nobody was willing to talk about Julian Assange and what he endured in an attempt to bring real journalism to the American people.
Brand argued that Heilemann, for example, should be more open about MSNBC’s prejudices, rather than just attacking the conservative company
“You don’t really know anything about these organizations you’re talking about,” Heilemann replied. “You were on MSNBC once, dammit! You don’t have a single actual fact.’
“I think it’s ridiculous to sit in the MSNBC castle and throw stones at Fox News,” Brand said.
“Just spiritually, mate — if I may use that word in your great country — we have to take responsibility for our own perspectives,” Brand said.
Heilemann was finally able to speak up to refute some of Brand’s allegations.
“It’s not about bias, it’s a false equivalence because you don’t actually know anything about these organizations you’re talking about,” he began. “You were on MSNBC once, dammit! You don’t have a single actual fact.’
Brand appeared on MSNBC in June 2013.
During the panel discussion, in which Bill Maher remained unusually quiet, Brand attempted to find “evidence” to back up his argument, citing MSNBC’s coverage of alternative COVID-19 treatments as an example of the network’s failure to get the facts straight Report to.
Brand described MSNBC’s disparagement of Joe Rogan’s use of the drug ivermectin as “ridiculous, outrageous” and accused the network of “deliberately labeling this horse medicine when they know it’s an effective medicine.”
Brand then brought up MSNBC host Rachel Maddow, who he claims told her audience, “If you take this vaccine, you’re not going to get it.”
Brand didn’t elaborate on why he believed such incidents were akin to Fox anchors repeatedly promoting conspiracy theories about President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory over former President Donald Trump. Pictured above, a protest outside Fox News last month in NYC
Heilemann dismissed Brand’s examples as simply overly conservative “talking points”.
Brand continued to rant, arguing for “new political systems that truly represent ordinary Americans so that we can transcend cultural differences.”
Brand didn’t elaborate on why he believed such incidents were akin to Fox anchors repeatedly promoting conspiracy theories about President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory over former President Donald Trump.
Fox News founder Rupert Murdoch has admitted in an affidavit that some of the network’s top broadcasters have “endorsed” baseless allegations that now form the basis of a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit that is being filed Dominion Voting Systems filed against the conservative broadcaster.