Okay, time for some probably dumb and poorly ageing takes on the Russell Brand situation:

- We're reading about it now because it's a circus meant to sell newspapers / clicks

- However, seems likely that the sources/victims in the original revelations are credible .. but there's a wide range of possibilities for what really happened given how long ago it was and the situations in which they occurred

- Regardless of the facts, it's amazing observing "the machine" turn on him: every newspaper demonising him and choosing unflattering photos; conflation of his anti-establishment views with his alleged sex crimes; YouTube demonetising him (first step); sponsors and colleagues turning on him to save face; already a documentary out; arch-lefties like Corbyn pandering to pressure to distance themselves before any allegations proved

- Even if this ever goes to trial and he's exonerated, his reputation is now irreversibly tied to this and there will always be doubt

- I don't think it's some kind of CIA-mainstream-media-axis-of-evil conspiracy, but I think reasonable to assume that the outlets who broke the story knew it would be a big deal and then prepared to cash-in by priming / coordinating other content

Think I'm going to try and ignore the story from here on out and check back in a while. But, one final comment: even if these allegations are true, he has said some very important things about power that I agree with, and I hope his message is not ignored because of these orthogonal actions.