episode 163

WGA Deal, Kendi’s Collapse, Russell Brand Fallout, “Karen” Backlash

Boston University's Center for Antiracist Research, which is run by prominent scholar, activist, and author Ibram X. Kendi, announced it will scale back operations amid allegations of poor management. Are Kendi’s ideas to blame? The fallout continues for Russell Brand after claims of sexual assault and rape became public earlier this month. YouTube has demonetized his videos, the BBC has removed some of his programs, and upcoming tour dates have been canceled. Rikki and Ravi discuss the claims and whether this is another example of “trial by media.” Finally, the hosts look at the backlash to the “Victoria's Secret Karen” viral video. What actually happened, and was anything taken out of context?

SHOW NOTES

Updates: WGA Deal & North Carolina ESAs [00:45]
Kendi’s Collapse [06:51]

An Ambitious Antiracism Center Scales Back Amid Allegations of Poor Management (New York Times, 9/23/23)
What I Saw While Working at Ibram Kendi’s Center for Antiracist Research at Boston University (The Daily Beast, 9/23/23)
Is Ibram X. Kendi a Racist? (National Review, 9/21/23)
Read: Ibram X. Kendi addresses allegations about BU’s antiracist center (Boston.com, 9/25/23)
Ibram X. Kendi responds to Boston University’s antiracist center layoffs (Fox News, 9/24/23)
Ibram Kendi Anti-Racism Center Produced Just Two New Research Papers Since Founding (National Review, 9/20/23)
What Exactly Happens at the Center for Antiracist Research? (Wall Street Journal, 9/21/23)
Conservatives Hail Culture War Victory in Ibram X. Kendi Layoffs (Newsweek, 9/15/23)
Amid mass layoffs, BU Center for Antiracist Research accused of mismanagement of funds, disorganization (The Daily Free Press, 9/21/23)
The Ibram Kendi Videotape … Finally Revealed (Fairfax Schools Monitor, 5/18/22)
DEI programs in universities are being cut across the country. What does this mean for higher education? (CNN, 7/14/23)

Russell Brand Fallout [23:38]

Russell Brand and why the allegations took so long to surface (The Guardian, 9/24/23)
Russell Brand Posts First Video Since Sexual Assault Allegations: ‘It’s Been an Extraordinary and Distressing Week’ (Variety, 9/22/23)
YouTube CEO defends decision to demonetize Russell Brand’s channel amid sexual assault allegations (CBS, 9/22/23)
British Government Accused of Muzzling Media Coverage of Russell Brand (The Daily Beast, 9/25/23)
Russell Brand Fallout Continues: Australian Tour Canceled As YouTube, BBC, Publisher Back Away (Forbes, 9/20/23)
Rumble Faces Its Biggest Test in Russell Brand Fight (Newsweek, 9/21/23)
The Unspeakable Truth about Russell Brand (The Spectator, 9/22/23)
Russell Brand’s Timeline of Scandal and Controversy (New York Times, 9/19/23)
Russell Brand Content Removed From BBC Because ‘It Now Falls Below Public Expectations’ (Variety, 9/19/23)
Russell Brand: trial by media? (The Week, 9/18/23)
UK police open investigation after allegations of sexual offenses against Russell Brand (CNN, 9/25/23)
Is Russell Brand “innocent until proven guilty”? In a court of law, yes; in the court of public opinion, probably not. Sometimes that’s how justice must be done. (Words For the Wise, 9/18/23)

“Karen” Backlash [36:07]

‘Victoria’s Secret Karen’ Video: Lawsuits Show What Viewers Didn’t See (New York Times, 9/23/23)
‘Citi Bike Karen’ viral video shows why we shouldn’t rush to judgment (USA Today, 5/23/23)
Don’t Call Her ‘Karen’ (New York Times, 7/27/23)
A Nigerian American woman raised $85,000 after she appeared to be chased by a white woman
in a New Jersey Victoria’s Secret
 (Insider, 7/14/23)
Lawsuit Claims There’s More to ‘Victoria’s Secret Karen’ Story (The Daily Beast, 9/24/23)
Viral, Out-Of-Context Clips Make Victims Like Pregnant Citi Bike Woman Into Villains Because They’re White (The Federalist, 5/19/23)
The right’s new viral video fixation (Semafor, 5/24/23)
A Racial Slur, a Viral Video, and a Reckoning (New York Times, 12/25/20)