Brand's backing for pick-up guru comes back to haunt him: Comedian endorsed book by another author in 2007
- Photo emerged of Russell Brand with 'pick up artist' banned from Britain
- Brand declared himself 'wholeheartedly against' Julien Blanc's methods
- But the comedian provided a cover quote for seduction manual in 2007
When a photo emerged of Russell Brand with his arm around the shoulders of a ‘pick-up artist’ banned from Britain, the comedian swiftly distanced himself from his vile techniques.
But while Brand declared himself ‘wholeheartedly against’ Julien Blanc’s methods, he appeared to be on shaky ground yesterday when his links to another self-styled seduction guru came back to haunt him.
Blanc, 25, who runs a company claiming to teach men how to make women ‘beg’ for sex, had been due to conduct a seminar in Britain this week until more than 136,000 people successfully petitioned for him to be refused a visa.
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Criticism: When this photo emerged of Russell Brand with his arm around the shoulders of Julien Blanc, a ‘pick-up artist’ banned from Britain, the comedian swiftly distanced himself from his vile techniques
Brand, 39, said he was ‘100 per cent’ against Blanc’s methods and that any ‘system for chatting up women is in itself questionable’.
However, questions have been raised about his stance after it emerged that he provided a cover quote for a seduction manual called The Rules of the Game by Neil Strauss.
In it, the US author advises desperate bachelors to use techniques such as ‘negging’, in which a man tries to subtly insult a woman and undermine her self-confidence in the hope she will become desperate for his approval.
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Emblazoned on the cover of the 2007 book is a quote from Brand saying: ‘Neil Strauss’s writing turned me from a desperate wallflower into a wallflower who can talk women into sex.’
He also discussed pornography and ‘notches on the bedpost’ when he interviewed Strauss several years ago on a BBC Radio 6 Music show, at one point saying: ‘Okay Neil, teach us more.’
Strauss, 45, who calls Brand a friend, has said the comedian ‘does extremely well as a pick-up artist… When I met him he was intuitively using the principles in the book.’
Endorsement: Brandprovided a cover quote for a seduction manual by Neil Strauss (pictured)
Strauss’s devotees include US-based Blanc, who said his interest in picking up women started when he read one of his books.
Critics say his methods, such as threatening to commit suicide and isolating women from friends, are abusive and controlling.
Footage has also emerged of Blanc using racist language and grabbing women by the throat. One Twitter post says: ‘Dear girls, could you please save me the effort and roofie [spike] your own drink? #JustKidding.’ After he was banned from Britain, Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone said: ‘Julien Blanc’s presence in the UK could have led to an increase in sexual violence and harassment.’
When a picture emerged online of Brand and Blanc together, the comedian claimed he had not known who he was posing with.
He said: ‘I never knew who that was. So many people come up to me all the time.
‘I’m against treating women in a disrespectful way. That whole pick-up thing… seemed appealing to me when I was a kid. Any system for chatting up women is in itself questionable.
‘But any that’s sort of based on objectifying or undermining women I would never, never, never, never, never endorse.
‘So just to be clear, if you’ve got any questions about my attitude towards Julien Blanc or anyone that treats women or anybody disrespectfully, I’m 100 per cent, wholeheartedly against it.’
Blanc was also kicked out of Australia earlier this month when his visa was cancelled after protests about his techniques. He had been due to hold seminars there until December.
As the furore intensified last week, he finally apologised for his behaviour and insisted his ‘intentions were never bad’.
‘I’d like to apologise to anyone I’ve offended in any way,’ he said. ‘It was never my intention… I’m extremely sorry for everything that happened.’
Outrage: Critics of Blanc, pictured, say his methods, such as threatening to commit suicide and isolating women from friends, are abusive and controlling
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