Trigger Warning: This article contains some discussion of sexual assault.
Yesterday, the internet launched yet another frenzied rumor out into the wild. This time, certain users noted the death of actor and comedian Russell Brand, and many people went with it. So, why exactly did people believe this death claim? Well, the answer lies with Dan Bongino, who posted an oddly chosen image to help remember his late friend, Charlie Kirk. Meanwhile, Russell also happened to be in this image.
If you have no idea what I am talking about, then you might have questions. Luckily, I have most of these answers, but none on why Dan selected the image that he did. Regardless, starting with the comments that quickly rolled in following Dan’s disjointed post, to what Russell is actually doing these days, here’s the tea behind this new and rather misguided viral internet rumor.
Russell Brand is alive despite rumors he’s dead
If you are waking up to this news today, Russell is, by all accounts, still very much alive. But, at first, commenters were still so caught off guard by Dan’s post that, before common sense entered the chat, their remarks combined to create this death-related rumor gone viral.
Early commenters veered toward an all-in vibe. “D*mn RIP Russell Brand, poor guy, just couldn’t bear watching his ex-wife fall in love with the son of Fidel Castro,” one user commented. Meanwhile, others chose to share an image of Russell, penning words like “RIP” in their post.
Thankfully, once other users started chiming in, we finally saw people questioning the conclusions they arrived at on the internet. As one user asked, “Wait … what? Is Russell Brand actually dead??” Then, another rushed to their aid, researching, “@grok Is this news authentic?”
All the while, Dan never chimed in to clarify his misleading post. Meanwhile, his bio on X states, “Just here for the comments.” He did reply to one comment, however. But this one centered around Charlie, not Russell.
Dan Bongino posted a Charlie Kirk tribute, but it featured Russell
Dan, the former Co-Deputy Director of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, who now hosts a podcast, posted a rather confusing image to honor an unnamed individual who recently passed away. The comments that rolled in afterward are not entirely Dan’s followers’ fault, because Dan really did use an image that was just, well, not great.
Dan’s post was about Charlie. Yet, in his chosen picture, Russell was front and center. Yes, Charlie was also present. But he was off to the side. Therefore, at first glance, it’s not hard to understand why people thought that Dan was talking about Russell.
Regarding his words, Dan penned, “There won’t be another. One of the saddest days of my life. He was just different. And everyone who knew him knew it. May God rest your soul.”
Dan did not name who he was speaking about. So, between the image and his words, this was clearly a tricky post for many to decipher. But perhaps Dan designed things this way on purpose, because now this mess is trending.
Some will recall that last year, Charlie was shot and killed while speaking at a TPUSA event on the Utah Valley University (UVU) campus.
Russell Brand continues to face legal issues in the UK
All that said, Russell is currently facing many others over in the UK. According to the UK police, Russell is facing sexual offense charges involving a total of six different women. As their statements claim, they were all sexually assaulted by Russell between 1999 and 2005.
Detectives opened their investigations against Russell in 2023. As they alleged, a woman was raped in 1999 in Bournemouth. Another was indecently assaulted in 2001 in Westminster, London. Then, in 2024, a third woman claimed that Russell orally raped and sexually assaulted her in Westminster, London, while a fourth woman further accused the star of sexual assault in Westminster, London, sometime between 2004 and 2005.
In December 2025, prosecutors added further charges, including an additional count of rape with another count of sexual assault, bringing Russell’s total number of accusers to six. But last month, when answering to all of these charges, Russell entered a plea of not guilty.
Russell’s trial begins on June 3, 2026, at the Southwark Crown Court in London. It will last anywhere from four to five weeks. Before it begins, Russell will also attend a pre-trial review in May.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, support is available through the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
TELL US – CAN YOU SEE WHY PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT RUSSELL HAD DIED? WHY DO YOU THINK DAN CHOSE THIS PARTICULAR IMAGE OF CHARLIE? THOUGHTS ON RUSSELL’S IMPENDING COURT CASE?
