When Russell Brand dedicated an episode of his Trews web series to troubled Sinead O’Connor recently, he probably thought he was just doing a good turn.
But the comedian seems to have got more than he bargained for, with the Irish singer responding by sending him an explicit sexual invitation.
The 50-year-old Dubliner’s Facebook post started innocently enough.
“Message for Russel Brand. Sorry if spelled name wrong. Thank you SO much for your beautiful support. Have always felt a great kinship with you,” she wrote.
But the tone descended rapidly: “Could also do with a jolly good [expletive], frankly. The last man who touched my body took out my reproductive system two years ago.
“So if you really wanna be part of my healing journey……. c’mon, horse it into me, boss.”
Later on, she followed up the post with a caveat for anyone chancing their luck: “In case of a long line forming… it’s only Russell I wanna do, so don’t waste your time.”
Quite what Brand, 42, will make of that is anyone’s guess. Back in 2009, when he was dating Katy Perry, the Essex-born funnyman hinted that he had a crush on Sinead.
In an interview with the Sunday Independent, he said: “One always speculates what it would be like to be in a romance with dear Sinead.
“That would be exciting, wouldn’t it? I have never met her and I don’t think I’d approach her, but I would definitely await an introduction.”
But he’s now engaged to his long-term partner, lifestyle blogger Laura Gallacher, with whom he has a baby, so it’s unlikely he’ll take Sinead up on her offer.
And some fans on social media thought the singer was wrong to make the proposal.
Referring to Brand’s Twitter handle, one person wrote: “Poor @rustyrockets… doesn’t he have a partner & a new baby? This is just the height of vulgarity.”
Another slammed: “She should be embarrassed at 50 asking a man for sex online. Is she that desperate?”
And a third person expressed their feelings by saying, simply: “Ewww.”
Not everyone was critical of the post, though – indeed, one fan was quick to point out that it was tongue-in-cheek: “Clearly on the road to recovery when she’s got her sense of humour back.”
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Earlier this month, Sinead posted a harrowing video on Facebook, in which she spoke tearfully about her battle with bipolar disorder and revealed that she was living a “pathetic” life in a New Jersey motel.
Brand – who has reportedly also suffered from bipolar in the past – responded by saying on his Trews show that Sinead needs “connection, meaning, purpose, love and a bit of time, really”.