Two days before 18-year-old Ben Cowburn committed suicide in 2010 by drug overdose, he told friends he was feeling “belittled and humiliated” at the hands of a male television comedian.
Now an official judicial inquest has been made into the circumstances behind the death.
The story has all your typical teen grooming red flags — Cowburn was allegedly showered with gifts and fed a steady stream of drugs and booze.
The inquest (which keeps the comic’s name private for now) is looking into it all, including some more unsavory anecdotes — one describing the comedian persuading Cowburn to strip in front of a group of men, and how Mr. Funnyman would creep into Ben’s bed at night for sex.
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Ben was set to work as the comic’s stylist, but the two had a falling out and the unnamed comedian refused to answer the teen’s calls, leaving him confused and desperate. Add that to a base of serious depression supported if not fueled by the comic’s actions, and it’s understandable why Ben’s family would seek answers.
We have to wonder how long it’ll take for his name to come out.
h/t: Pink News
Zodinsbrother
It is worth stressing that the comedian in question, you can find out who if you look, is NOT one of the top ranking Gay comedians that people would automatically think of.
The comedian in question has been on TV but if he’s famous for anything, it’s being a failure.
mmedesevigne
Didn’t this happen in the U.K.? And, I believe, that a Member of Parliament is raising a stink about the secrecy.
Charlie in Charge
one thing to bear in mind: people often create fictional relationship with celebrities.
DarkZephyr
@Zodinsbrother: Found the name. You’re right. Never heard of the guy.
DarkZephyr
@Charlie in Charge: This individual has put it on Twitter that he knew the dead boy, so they for sure knew each other.
vive
Apart from the drugs (who knows if it is true) I don’t see anything particularly sordid here. That is such a UK tabloid word for “we are afraid of yet fascinated by sex.”
dazzer
Currently, there are four out gay comedians regularly on UK TV: Graham Norton, Paul O’Grady, Alan Carr and Stephen K Amos. Additionally, there are two other gay comedians who were either seen on TV a lot or is still seen from time to time: Julian Clary and Michael Barrymore (Barrymore’s career effectively ended when a young man was found dead in his swimming pool).
You can pretty well dismiss Stephen K Amos, because as far as I know he doesn’t have a stylist and, if he did, the stylist would probably have been murdered for crimes against fashion. You can also dismiss O’Grady and Cleary, because this lad wasn’t to their taste. And they also don’t go for the big drink and drug-fuelled parties.
I’ve got very strong suspicions as to who the comedian might be, but I’d need to know the name of the pub where they met.
Also, it’s worth pointing out that the poor kid had a history of mental problems before even meeting the comedian in question, so it’s unfair to blame him for all this young man’s demise.
alterego1980
@dazzer: Care to revise your second paragraph, first line?
jar
@dazzer: you can find the answer on teh google.
dazzer
@alterego1980:
@jar:
Can you give me search terms please. I’m not disagreeing with you, I just can’t find the information you’re giving me on Google.
That said, gentlemen, consider me gobsmacked if what you say is true.
Zodinsbrother
@dazzer:
You just need to search on twitter and it will become obvious.
And just to clarify the main successful gay British comedians who all have their own shows or recent successes are Graham Norton, Matt Lucas, Alan Carr, Paul O’Grady, Julian Clary, Stephen Fry and Simon Amstell. It’s none of them.
DarkZephyr
@dazzer: Dazzer, you do need to revise your first sentence. I found it with little difficulty. That individual tweeted a dedication to the boy and called him a “light” and thanked him for being a part of his life. Plus he was on the kid’s facebook friend’s list. None of the other names you mentioned were.
dazzer
@Zodinsbrother:
You’re dealing with a Grade A moron with me. I don’t have a Twitter account. Basically, I’m old and it’s not the person I thought it would be – based on past experience.
What do I look for on Twitter or Google to confirm what you say? I’m not being deliberately obtuse here and I don’t want you to name names, but I’d be grateful if you could give me a bit more direction in how to research better.
And, thank you again for taking time to point me in the right direction.
Like I said above, if it is the person that other people here are suggesting it is, my gob is on the floor. I’ve worked with him in the past and I would never, ever think he was that kind of human being.
I’m seriously astonished here.
David
It is Stephen K Amos.. google revealed that pretty quick.
tricky ricky
damn you benny hill!
dazzer
Thank you David.
I appreciate that.
I’m also surprised beyond surprised. I’ve worked with Amos in the past and he’s one of the good guys in this world. Well, he was as far I was concerned until half an hour ago.
I really don’t know what to say here.
I’m shocked more than you can probably comprehend. I’ve known this guy professionally for years and he’s not one of the bad guys.
While I still try to digest this, I’m still going to point out that the poor lad who killed himself had mental problems before he came to London. Amos didn’t create the problems, he just didn’t deal with them well.
But that’s pretty scant as reasoning goes.
I have to go away and get my head around this. But thank you to everyone who tried to point me in the right direction and then hit me round the head with a slippery cod to get the information in my brain.
I’m seriously, seriously, seriously shocked.
Not sure where to go from here.
eddie
Uhmm Stephen K Amos is looks like a dirty a** man. The things ppl will do for fame or to keep a job. (sick).
NodrogUK
Some facts to think about:
In the UK the age of consent is 16;
at age 18 you become an adult;
the young lad had mental health issues prior to meeting the comic.
Now some questions:
Why the use of inflammatory descriptors like “grooming, “sordid relationship”, “teenager” – technically correct, but Ben Cowburn was an adult and not an underage minor. as implied?
Why do we need an inquest at all? Queerty has given its verdict – the unnamed comedian drives teen to suicide amidst sordid relationship – allegedly!!
Faggot
@Charlie in Charge
“one thing to bear in mind: people often create fictional relationship with celebrities.”
The celebrities who have created (fictional) relationships with me are innumerable.
Zodinsbrother
@NodrogUK:
A lot of that is true. The kid had problems and he was well over the age of consent in the UK. Some of the coverage is clearly using specific language to imply something that wasn’t the case.
@Faggot:
Well, tell us then.
Lvng1tor
@tricky ricky: Innapropriate but funny. That’s comedy!
vive
@NodrogUK, yeah, that’s typical tabloid “journalism” for you.
Nancy D.
Stephen K Amos allegedly tweeted a tribute to Ben Cowburn: @stephenkamos Tonight I dedicate this incredible Woking gig to a shining light that will stay in my world, Ben cowburn. Thanks for knowing you. – Does this say enough?
ashleylover56964
Well Stephen K Amos is a likely suspect as he successfully sexually assaulted my boyfriend at the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He would of gone further as his group circled my boyfriend, took his wallet & phone, but my boyfriend then informed mr Amos that they had a mutual acquaintance. At this news mr Amos quickly broke up the circle around my boyfriend, return his belongings & said his very quick goodbyes.