Wherever there is even a whiff of scandal, Hollywood knows there are clicks, views, and minutes to be found. Even though he has barely been fitted for his prison jumpsuit, Netflix is already planning to leverage the recent conviction of Russell Brand.
Earlier this week, Brand was sentenced to 7 years in prison for a string of sexual offenses that took nearly two decades to come to light. Public interest has been high, as it always is with celebrity scandal, so now Netflix is planning a new docuseries.
Netflix has an extensive catalog of true-crime documentaries and other docuseries. This brings them millions of views. Suburban wine-moms and cat ladies seem to love a true crime documentary. Maybe it is a gateway drug to a prison pen-pal?
The Crash got more than 65 million views, and Maternal Instinct has 50 million views and counting. Netflix knows this and wants more.
As Brand realises the other side of sex without consent in the showers, a report by Deadline confirms the docuseries is coming. Netflix has declined to comment on the project, but the potential series was referenced during Brand’s trial. Mark Pinheiro, a former friend of Brand, testified at London’s Southwark Crown Court that he had been approached by a producer about the Netflix project.
Interestingly, Netflix has opted to keep Brand’s stand-up special, Russell Brand: Re:Birth, on its platform, despite the comedian making sexually explicit jokes throughout the special. When challenged, a Netflix source told Deadline:
“We prioritize choice and control for our members: the freedom to watch what, how and when you want, with recommendations and ratings to inform those choices.”
Seems sensible and rational. Something must be wrong.
