LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Burger King is facing calls for a boycott after allegations surfaced that the company pulled its advertisements from the Rumble platform in response to the recent scandal involving Russell Brand. The comedian has been accused of raping and sexually assaulting four women, including a 16-year-old girl.
Burger King has come under fire for reportedly pulling its ads from the platform, a move critics argue was made hastily before Brand was convicted of any crimes.
Russell Brand to continue to post on Rumble amid serious allegations
Brand, known for his show 'Stay Free' on Rumble, which boasts an audience of over 1.6 million, has faced allegations of sexual misconduct, including grooming, and is accused of providing scripts for a 16-year-old to lie to her parents.
Despite the serious allegations, Brand has stated his intention to continue posting weekly content on Rumble, a platform popular among some conservative and far-right groups.
Brand's show titles on Rumble include provocative themes such as "Did This Just EXPOSE Obama’s BIGGEST Secret YET?!" and his latest installment, "ARE WE BEING SILENCED!? The Battle For Free Speech!"
In addition to Rumble, Brand also shares exclusive content on his website, russellbrand.locals.com, accessible to fans for a minimum annual donation of $60.
However, the bulk of Brand's audience appears to be on YouTube, where he has amassed a staggering 6.6 million subscribers. In a recent development, YouTube announced that Brand would no longer be able to monetize his videos on the platform.
YouTube stated that the decision to suspend monetization was due to "serious allegations against the creator" and clarified that it applies to all channels owned or operated by Brand.
This means that Brand will not earn revenue from ads displayed within and alongside his YouTube videos, which have titles including "What REALLY Started the Hawaii Fires?" and "Covid Tsar Admits Lockdowns Were NEVER About Science."
'Time to Bud Light Burger King'
Internet users vigorously criticized the decision, asserting that individuals are considered innocent until proven guilty.
Fellow Rumble host Charlie Kirk tweeted, "Burger King has pulled its ads from Rumble because the free speech platform refuses to play judge, jury, and executioner of Russell Brand after the UK Governor demanded the platform demonetize him. Reminder, Brand has not been convicted of a single crime. Boycott @BurgerKing. They hate free speech and due process, and their food is poison anyways. Stop eating it."
Another added, "Burger King is already in the toilette any way. The only thing left to do is flush it." A third tweeted, "This is why X and free speech is so important This world has changed."
A fourth stated, "Yep! Time to BUD-LIGHT BURGER KING!." "I mean…has he even been charged with anything at this point?? With literally nothing but an accusation, we are seeing all the gears, reach, and power of the suppression machine," read a tweet.
A user mocked, "My digestive system apparently boycotted Burger King years ago." "Cancel Culture has got to go..." read another tweet.
