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Subscribe to RSSJason Russell, the co-founder of the non-profit Invisible Children and the creator of the viral-video campaign KONY 2012, is speaking out for the first time since his very public meltdown.
Russell gained worldwide attention early this year with his campaign calling for the arrest of Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony. In March, he drew attention of a different kind when a video out of San Diego showed him naked, slapping the street and acting strangely. He was eventually detained and taken to a medical facility, and at the time, exhaustion was blamed.
Now, Russell talks to Oprah Winfrey in a new episode of "Oprah's Next Chapter," saying that the person people saw in the moments before he was detained was not really him.
In an excerpt of the interview obtained by USA Today, Russell says that he only has "a little memory" of what happened, though he remembers "flipping off cars" and running around a lemon tree, and cites "reports" of stopping cars and laying in the street. "It's really hard to explain if people have never had an out-of-body experience, but it really wasn't me. That wasn't me, that person on the street corner ranting and raving and naked is not me, that's not who I am."
Russell goes on to acknowledge, according to USA Today, that he was "walking around snapping my fingers up and down" and "slapping my hands on the ground as hard as I can. Just slapping them on the ground. Talking to myself. Ranting. Raving. Talking about good versus evil, God and the devil. I mean it was just very out of control."
The complete interview airs on OWN Sunday at 9 ET. Russell is due to appear on TODAY Monday, Oct. 8.
Related content:
- Video: Maker of KONY 2012 video deflects critics, urges action
- Video: KONY 2012 creator: 'It's not about the money
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