Russell Brand guilty verdict; perspective from TMZ's Michael Babcock

Looking at some of your Hollywood headlines, Russell Brand was just found guilty today in a London courtroom of rape and sexual assault. He is one of Britain's most high-profile broadcasters and notably the ex-husband of Katy Perry. That's kind of what put him on the map a little bit in the United States. I'm actually joined right now by Michael Babcock with TMZ. Michael, thanks so much for joining me today on Fox 6 Now. Hey, Maddie. Thanks for having me. Anytime. Of course. So for people who don't know who is Russell Brand and how did we get here today to this guilty verdict? Yeah, I mean, I think, like you said, a lot of people do know Russell Brand because you go back to 2010. He was dating and then got married to Katy Perry. Now, the wedding or the marriage, excuse me, didn't last all that long. They ultimately get divorced in 2012. So While that was pretty short-lived, I think he has, he was and has still remained a pretty big star. Now, he's not doing as much of the comedy and the movies anymore as he used to. Now he's become very involved in politics, not just in politics in the UK, but also American politics. And you can often see him on YouTube pulling some pretty big numbers, talking about some of the issues that obviously are important politically. So, yeah, a guy started as a comedian, was a very popular comedian. popular, very high-profile relationship, and the guy was really shifted into politics. But there were some pretty disturbing allegations that were leveled against him going back to 1999. So obviously, quite a few years ago, decades ago at this point, but still within the statute of limitations in the United Kingdom. Charges were brought. He was on trial. He was described as a manipulative predator. While on trial, he denied the allegations, said, look, I might not have been an angel back then, but I certainly wasn't a sexual abuser. At the end of the day, though, after deliberating for about two days, the jury finds him guilty on four counts, one count of rape, three counts of sexual And now Russell Brand is looking at potentially. I mean, the rest of his life in prison is is what is actually on the line. Will he get that? No. But that's available to the judge. Yeah. A lot to unpack there from what you were just talking about, Michael. I know you had mentioned how he was found guilty in the verdict because it was only one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. So how do we make sense of the split decision here? Yeah, I mean, look, so he wasn't found guilty on on all charges. But the reality is when you're talking about serious charges like rape and sexual assault, those crimes, obviously, with guilty verdicts carry significant prison time. So, look, it was a I think it's a. It's a polarizing case. A lot of people believe that he is a good guy and that he's changed or, you know, that sort of bygones should be bygones and he's moved on from this and it's not the person that he is anymore. But you've obviously got a lot of people and clearly the jury. Was in this camp here that, you know, just because you might have changed or, you know, found God or you're a better person now, that doesn't mean that everything that you might have done in the past, especially if it was criminal, gets wiped away. And that's why he right now is sitting in a cell and he will remain in the cell until he is sentenced on Monday, Maddie. And we'll see what what that sentence is. Yeah. And I know you had brought up a little bit about what we learned in the courtroom. I know the trial was nearly four weeks long. And then you had also brought up to the, his recent shift in, you know, his social media present on YouTube and as a commentator, a political one mainly as well. Have you seen that shift on social media from his supporters following the verdict? Yeah, it seems like the people who support him and like his content have been supportive of him going through this trial. The reality is only Russell and the women who were involved in this case know what happened back then. We're talking about something again from 1999 and then another incident in 2009. So we don't know. But I do think that it's accurate to say that the people who support him and, you know, You know, the many, many thousands of people who watch his videos on YouTube, they have been. largely supportive of him as he went through something that, you know, will change his life, has already changed his life, and certainly, you know, will dictate what the next couple of years at the very least look like, because a lot of people think he's going to prison for a significant amount of time. Yeah, and I want to get into that as well with the sentencing there, but I also wanted to ask, too, just on the reaction front in Hollywood, because I know before he kind of It's kind of shifted to... podcasting and being this political commentator he was an actor and you know as you had mentioned to his very short-lived marriage to Katy Perry has there been any reaction in Hollywood from former co-stars or his celebrity friends about the news of the verdict? I haven't seen too much. It's really interesting with him because you're right, he was a big deal. Even if most people got introduced to him because of who he was dating, he was a big deal. He was in a movie with Diddy and he had very high profile gigs, comedy hours. He is he is so left that life behind that it's almost like it's it's someone who is just a political commentator who has gone through this. You haven't seen at least that I have witnessed. You haven't seen a whole bunch of. People supporting him. And maybe that's not a rarity. I think you've got celebrities who have gone through criminal trials. Speaking of Diddy, I think Diddy is a good example because he's somebody who was really popular and he was seemingly well-liked by celebrities, fellow celebrities. And then you go through the trial and maybe those friends that you counted on being there for you, maybe they're not there anymore because everybody is so concerned with their own career and they don't want to be perceived as... Having the back of somebody who might have done something really badly. So, yeah, I haven't seen a whole bunch of people to answer your question in a very succinct way here that have come out in support of him. Yeah, and it is interesting that you brought that up, too, because I feel like some celebrities, they can just never bury their past. But I feel like for him, yeah, a lot of people forget that he had this whole life as an actor in Hollywood before he was this political commentator. And I know, too, you were talking about... His sentencing, which we know will be next week. And I know you had said, because we know I was looking in Britain, the max sentence for rape is life imprisonment. But you were saying probably won't get that. Why is that? I just because it's not very often that you see a defendant, even when the crimes are as ugly as as he has now been convicted, that get the maximum sentence. I do believe that the court likely will look at changes that he has made in his life, and I think that they will probably. Give him something significant, then that's what the judge said. Expect something that is significant. You're not going home next week, Russell, I think is the messaging to him. But I would be very, very surprised if he got anything that approached a life sentence, Matty. And if he doesn't end up going to prison for very or if he is in prison and is able to get out, well, he'll be able to go back on YouTube and do all the things that he's been building for the past few years. Yeah. Well, here, if you're if you are one of those fans and you do want to watch Russell Brand on videos and talk about politics, I think the one positive thing that you would say he has going for him is that he doesn't necessarily have. bosses. He doesn't have a network that he has got to appease here. He is sort of a kind of a contractor. He's his own boss when it comes to his YouTube videos. So I do think if, assuming we're not talking about 40 years down the line, if we're talking about he's in prison for five years and then comes back, I would not be surprised if you saw him back on YouTube and people were watching those videos. That wouldn't shock me at all. I've seen this time and time again, not to Russell Brand to O.J. Simpson. But just because that was a high profile case, O.J. Simpson's in prison for quite a while, you know, having to do with the situation in Vegas and the gun and taking his memorabilia back. And you say, surely after everything O.J. Simpson's been through, he's going to be a pariah. Nobody's going to want to do it, have anything to do with him. And then he gets out and it's like he's the mayor of Las Vegas. Everyone wants to take a picture with him. They want to cozy up next to him. So celebrity, for better or worse, is a is It is an intoxicating. And I wouldn't be surprised if he is every bit as famous when he walks out of that prison, whenever that is. Yeah, we'll have to see what the results are and what the sentencing hearing looks like, Michael. Anything else you feel like is important for people to know, whether they've been following this case or they haven't? Yeah, no, just a bottom line, Russell Brand, after, like you said, a near month trial found guilty of one count of rape, three counts of sexual assault and potentially facing up to life in prison. We will find out on Monday what that sentence is. All right. And we'll be sure to update people on Fox 6 Now for any updates. Michael, before I let you go. Somebody saw you on our TV and was very excited. Maybe a familiar face. She wanted to come in and say hello. I don't know if you can see her. Kim Murphy. Is that Kim? It is Kim. Oh, my God. Kim, I don't know if you can hear me. It's been so long. I hope you're doing great, Kim. And I really, genuinely miss you, Kim. Says he genuinely misses you. It's been too long and I hope you're doing great. I feel like the messenger right now. Exactly. And what are his thoughts on the George Michael movie that's coming up? I don't know if I have thoughts. Let me get back to you on that. I said, let me get back to you on that. He doesn't know if he has thoughts. Okay, thank you. Bye. Love you. Bye, guys. Michael, thank you so much for joining us here on Fox 6 Now. We'll have to check in again with your thoughts about that movie. Right, anytime. We really appreciate you coming on. I know Kim was super eager when she saw you on, so I wanted to give her her moment. I was so happy to get to see her. I really do miss her. I used to go out with her all the time. Thank you, Maddie.