The past few days have seen entertainer Russell Brand accused of sexual assault and abuse by multiple women. Before the claims were published in an exposé, Brand released a statement and refuted the rape claims against him. Amid the controversy, past footage as well as interview quotes that reference the Get Him to the Greek star have been making the rounds. One such clip is an appearance he made on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon alongside Katharine McPhee. With that, Fallon took some unexpected shrapnel from the footage himself, following his own highly publicized situation.
What Happens In The Tonight Show Video And What Did Katharine McPhee Say About It?
The interview in question took place in early 2013, during which Katharine McPhee opened up about her experience at the Super Bowl that year. Shortly after McPhee arrived on stage, Jimmy Fallon told Russell Brand that he had to move from his seat to allow the singer to sit down. Though Fallon seemingly tried to dissuade him, Brand welcomed McPhee to sit on his lap, which she did briefly, while the British comic declared, “For the Queen” and bounced her on his lap. The two eventually switched places, as Fallon wiped his face and said, “Russell, look away.” When moving, Brand also said, “I'll just sit here with my sexual charisma.”
The Arthur star later chimed in amid the singer/actress’ Super Bowl story. He declared that he does “find Katharine very attractive” and that he thought “when she said ‘exchange numbers,’ I thought things I'd like to exchange with her. He then went on to list “numbers, genes, genetic info, data” as items he’d like to exchange. The American Idol alum, who was married to Nick Cokas at the time, later brought up her relationship status to the comic. Referencing the actress’ mention of the San Francisco 49ers beating the New York Jets, the Despicable Me star then said, “Look at the way you dropped the Jets. You can drop that guy any day.” The star later admitted to not knowing the songstress was married and said he was going to “fuck off now.” Check out the full video below:
With the video above now circulating across the web, Katharine McPhee released a statement about it. That message, which was shared with DailyMail.com, suggests McPhee didn’t take issue with the televised exchange:
This specific incident was over 10 years ago, and it was harmless.
So it would seem that she holds no ill will against Russell Brand or Jimmy Fallon, by extension, who seemed to be trying to cool down the situation. As mentioned earlier, Fallon is currently coming off a controversial situation involving his show. Though the claims he’s been facing haven't become as extensive as what Brand’s been accused of.
What’s Going On With Jimmy Fallon And Russell Brand Respective Controversies?
Earlier this month, several Tonight Show staff members alleged that Jimmy Fallon contributed to a toxic work environment and allegedly would lose his temper while talking to co-workers. Fallon reportedly apologized to his staffers shortly after the allegations were published. However, a number of individuals have since defended Fallon, saying that the employee accounts don’t accurately reflect the workplace. One unnamed producer praised Fallon while talking about what it’s like to have to deliver bad news to him. Jerry Seinfeld also denied a claim that he scolded the host after he purportedly derided a crew member.
Russell Brand, meanwhile, is facing sexual assault allegations from four women. They claim to have been assaulted by him in separate incidents that reportedly took place between 2006 and 2013. Another woman has since filed a report against the Forgetting Sarah Marshall alum and, just days ago, Brand was also dropped by his management team. The podcaster and former TV presenter admitted that years ago, he was “promiscuous” but also said that the relationships he had were all “consensual.” As of this writing, Brand has yet to be formally charged with any offenses.
It remains to be seen just how Russell Brand’s situation might pan out moving forward. Though what appears to be evident right now is that Katharine McPhee didn’t take offense to his behavior during their joint appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show.
