TheQuartering [9/25/2023]
Burger King has come under fire after it pulled advertisements from Rumble, which hosts the podcasts of British comedian Russell Brand who has been accused of rape and sexual assault.
The News Movement said the fast-food company, along with Asos and HelloFresh, was among several businesses to pull their advertisements from the video-streaming platform. The fast-food chain has not yet disclosed the exact reasons behind the move, although some on social media have connected it with the accusations leveled at Brand.
Newsweek has contacted Burger King and Brand for comment via email.
The decision follows a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and U.K. broadcaster Channel 4’s Dispatches program reported claims that Brand committed rape and sexual abuse between 2006 and 2013.
Brand, who has strongly denied the allegations, described them as “distressing” in a video shared to Rumble, YouTube, and X, formerly Twitter, on Friday, September 22.
The Times estimated Brand earns around $33,045 a month from his Rumble channel and $1.2 million a year from YouTube. The site banned monetization on his channel this week.
Burger King’s decision to pull its advertisements from Rumble, which describes itself as being “immune to cancel culture,” sparked fury from many who took to X to vent their fury.
Jeremy Dale Hambly,who hosts the YouTube channel TheQuartering, said: “Burger King hates free speech. It will be very easy to never eat there again. @BurgerKing goodbye.”