...and offers an extra star 'for being fit'

A comedy reviewer has been accused of online sexual abuse after making unsolicited request to see pictures of a comedian’s genitals.

The male writer for a culture website also told Brennan Reece that he would be getting an extra star on his review ‘for being fit’.

Reece – who has appeared on Live At The Apollo and provided the voiceover for ITV2 reality show Survival Of The Fittest – said he was ‘shocked and upset’ by the exchanges, which came after he gave his phone number to the writer for an interview to promote his show at the Leicester Comedy Festival, which the writer also promised to review.  

The interview never took place, nor has any review appeared.

But after the show Reece received messages via Whatsapp asking if he was still in the city, and saying the review would appear the next day.

The writer then said: ‘You can have an extra star for being fit.’

Then, out of nowhere, asked: ‘Dick pic for dick pic?’

When Reece questioned him on it, his response was: ‘You only live once...you in, lad?’

The comic pointed out it wasn’t how people should behave, the ‘critic’ said ‘it won’t affect our review’ – as if not sending the picture might have placed Reece at a disadvantage.

The approach was made in an email using an address from the website nothingbutonline.com using the name Simon.

The site is run by Simon Baines, below, a married father of two whose day job is manager of the Innovation Centre at Leicester’s De Montfort University. He boasts that his site ‘works with the likes of Sky Atlantic… lastminute.com, the BBC and various major PR agencies [which] involves everything from reviewing festivals and theatre shows to interviewing globally recognised celebrities.’

Chortle used the same email address to contact the website to ask for an explanation, and were told: ‘This person doesn't work for us. They have mental health issues.’

When we said that response about their mental wellbeing suggested they knew who the person was, they said: ‘No.’

We again asked how this happened as the initial approach to Brennan’s PR came from the same email address we were using. In response, bizarrely. NothingButOnline offered Reece some free adverts.

 ’I'm mortified if offence has been caused to somebody connected with us,’ they said. ‘I  can't change what happened but can look at running some advertising or something for a tour.’

Reece wondered if the ‘reviewer’ was using his internet platform simply to obtain performer’s personal details. 

He said: ‘I was shocked and upset that someone who claims to have an interest in comedy and runs a popular social media page, would use their status, first of all to get someone’s personal details, and then misuse those details for their own perverse sexual gain. 

‘I hope that bringing this incident to light, will hopefully stop him, and other people like him, from using their status in the industry to make performers feel vulnerable. 

‘There have been lots of accounts in the press, involving female actresses, comedians, writers, singers and artists, becoming victim to online sexual abuse. When it happens to young men, sometimes it can be brushed off as a bit of fun or a laugh. 

‘No matter what gender, race, sexuality or religion someone is, it is not a joke, it is not acceptable, and it needs to be eradicated". 

Although the site insisted there was no link to the reviewer,  NothingButOnline blocked Reece, as did the phone number used in the WhatsApp exchange, as Chortle started making inquiries. Simon Baines also deleted his Twitter profile today.

• Since this article was originally published the NothingBut website has been taken down, while the owner messaged Reece to apologise profusely, adding 'I know sorry isn't enough'.

Published: 28 Feb 2019