The allegations of sexual harassment and assault that have emerged over the past few weeks have mostly seen the accused issue blanket denials, and in some cases, lawyer up. However, Louis C.K. is facing the claims directly.
Following allegations by five women in a report by The New York Times, and the industry swiftly backing away from the director, actor, and writer, Louis C.K. has finally issued a statement that makes his culpability clear: “These stories are true.”
When previously asked about stories that have long been circulated about him, Louis C.K. has been dismissive, saying as recently as September, “I’m not going to answer to that stuff, because they’re rumors. If you actually participate in a rumor, you make it bigger and you make it real.”
The victims of Louis C.K.’s harassment have yet to respond to his statement. His new feature, “I Love You, Daddy” has been pulled from its scheduled release on November 17th and distributor The Orchard has dropped the film. Netflix has also canceled his upcoming stand-up special. Here’s the full statement via THR:
I want to address the stories told to the New York Times by five women named Abby, Rebecca, Dana, Julia who felt able to name themselves and one who did not.
These stories are true. At the time, I said to myself that what I did was okay because I never showed a woman my dick without asking first, which is also true. But what I learned later in life, too late, is that when you have power over another person, asking them to look at your dick isn’t a question. It’s a predicament for them. The power I had over these women is that they admired me. And I wielded that power irresponsibly.
I have been remorseful of my actions. And I’ve tried to learn from them. And run from them. Now I’m aware of the extent of the impact of my actions. I learned yesterday the extent to which I left these women who admired me feeling badly about themselves and cautious around other men who would never have put them in that position.
I also took advantage of the fact that I was widely admired in my and their community, which disabled them from sharing their story and brought hardship to them when they tried because people who look up to me didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t think that I was doing any of that because my position allowed me not to think about it.
There is nothing about this that I forgive myself for. And I have to reconcile it with who I am. Which is nothing compared to the task I left them with.
I wish I had reacted to their admiration of me by being a good example to them as a man and given them some guidance as a comedian, including because I admired their work.
The hardest regret to live with is what you’ve done to hurt someone else. And I can hardly wrap my head around the scope of hurt I brought on them. I’d be remiss to exclude the hurt that I’ve brought on people who I work with and have worked with who’s professional and personal lives have been impacted by all of this, including projects currently in production: the cast and crew of Better Things, Baskets, The Cops, One Mississippi, and I Love You Daddy. I deeply regret that this has brought negative attention to my manager Dave Becky who only tried to mediate a situation that I caused. I’ve brought anguish and hardship to the people at FX who have given me so much The Orchard who took a chance on my movie. and every other entity that has bet on me through the years.
I’ve brought pain to my family, my friends, my children and their mother.
I have spent my long and lucky career talking and saying anything I want. I will now step back and take a long time to listen.
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He should have added that these are 5 of many
There’s a difference between using your power to rape people and this. Drawing no distinction is fascist and ignores complexities of human sexuality.
Non-consensual sexual assault is a continuum and no one is denying that. For example, outright rape is a criminal act with harsh penalties (assuming conviction of course which is easier said than done). I’m not sure anything which CK did is chargeable. Ultimately though your comment makes it sound like you think what he did is no big deal, which is kinda gross.
It goes without saying what CK did is gross and unacceptable.
Let me put it this way: I’ve been groped, fondled, had men and women stick their hands down my pants without consent, I’ve been licked, kissed, even physically chased. I also have had friends, lovers and family members who have been date-raped and even violently raped by multiple people. I’d have to be a sociopath to say them, “Gee we have really suffered haven’t we?” When mainstream media conflates the two they do violence to human sexuality, they create a narrative that is exploitive and false, not because they care, but for clicks.
Couldn’t happen to a more deserving axxhole.
And not just for being an axxhole, he probably did it.
Liberals are perverts and raypsts.
They all do it.
But they’re also bullishters.
They’re all doing the same perverted raypsts stuff, and have been all this time.
They only start playing victim about it when they need attention.
Why didn’t any of these people mention all this stuff until now.
Hmm, I thought it was the conservatives in Alabama who are 37 percent more likely to vote for Moore since he was accused of having sex with a 14 year old.
And these rumours have been around for years. The culture is finally ready to deal with it directly.