High-Profile Sexual Abuse Epidemic

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

Louis CK had been known to do this #### for years though. He only "owned" it once half a dozen women came forward and made a claim in front of the MeToo movement.

In 2015 Gawker did a piece on him - only after someone confronted Louis in 2014 to stop sexually harassing female comedians and he refused. These allegations started in the mid 90's and went on for decades. In 2016, when Vulture asked him about it, he dismissed it as not real. But pretty much everyone in the comedy circle recognized it as an open-secret. And secret might be a bit of stretch considering he did a lot of his comedy on inappropriate masturbation jokes.

I don't know whether he changed or not, if these past 10 months he had some sort of epiphany, only he knows. But what you characterize as "owning it" was just him getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar, and the other one firmly on his penis.

So yeah, good publicity firm.

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

http://gawker.com/5894527/which-belo...h-him-jerk-off



Maybe this should be the next level of topic, about how many complete ####heads exist that would enable a sexual predator like Louis CK. Managers, publicists, festival organizes, all turned a blind-eye at best. Some threatening a woman because she was sexually abused.

Anyways, that report was in 2012. Not that it's a surprise, like I said, open secret about him for decades. It's just that I do have a hard time thinking that for at least 6 years there were stories about people actively trying to get him to stop this type of behaviour and he didn't do anything (except say it wasn't true) and then a month after the MeToo movement accusations hit he has somehow become a changed man. He didn't change, he didn't own it, the times changed - women weren't going to let this slide.

I think this had been coming to a head (tee-hee) for Louis for a long time, and I think he knew it. He always brushed it off, and did so easily because most of the attention paid to it was short and minimal.

I can agree that a better person that really wanted to start the healing wouldn't have denied it or brushed it off in the first place, but if I'm being completely honest I don't blame him for trying. After the wave of MeToo there simply was no way to hide from it.

However, I disagree and think that he actually did own it. They're right, it happened, it was bad, it was damaging. No 'it was a joke', no 'I was intoxicated', no victim blaming, and no denial whatsoever. That is incredibly rare, no matter in which sphere you exist.

He sounds like an intelligent guy that had to be forced into his rock bottom. And like I say, I get the impression that he wasn't in denial and knew this had to happen, but like a majority of people with behavior issues he was too weak and cowardly to do it on his own.

I don't agree at all with what he did and I condemn his behavior with full prejudice. I'm disappointed that it took until MeToo for the victims to have a true voice and for him to own it, but given the abnormal way this all unfolded that is my impression of the man, and I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt from a public perspective.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Yamer

However, I disagree and think that he actually did own it. They're right, it happened, it was bad, it was damaging. No 'it was a joke', no 'I was intoxicated', no victim blaming, and no denial whatsoever. That is incredibly rare, no matter in which sphere you exist.

Please, can we stop saying that. How many times do you get to deny something before it actually counts?

Again, great PR for him that people actually believe the narrative that "Louis CK realized his actions had consequences to those affected and immediately self-reflected and apologized." Of course that's complete horse####.

http://www.vulture.com/2017/09/every...new-movie.html

Unsubstantiated internet rumors of sexual misconduct with female comics gained steam last month when the comic Tig Notaro told The Daily Beast that he should “handle” the rumors. “I Love You, Daddy” tackles similar rumormongering; however, like the auteur in the film, Louis C.K. at first dodged when asked about them.

“I’m not going to answer to that stuff, because they’re rumors,” Louis C.K. said during the Toronto interview, as he told Vulture last year. But he added on Sunday, “If you actually participate in a rumor, you make it bigger and you make it real.”

So it’s not real? “No.” he responded. “They’re rumors, that’s all that is.”

That was from September, 2017.

From (at least) 2012 to September, 2017 he constantly denies and has his managers, publicists, event organizers, inner-circle, etc. threaten those who bring it up.

November, 2017 - He totally owns it and doesn't deny it whatsoever.

Now, I wonder what could have happened in October of 2017 that made him become such a changed man and see the errors of his way that the last two decades didn't.

On October 15, 2017, actress Alyssa Milano encouraged spreading the hashtag #MeToo, to attempt to draw attention to sexual assault and harassment.

He didn't change. Public perception did. We were going to start taking these accusations seriously and no longer have them brushed away as part of the business.

He couldn't deny it. Dozens, if not hundreds, of people knew about it in the comedy circle. Rosanne was even calling him out a couple years ago.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Again. I don't know that I'm qualified to make that assessment.
I do wonder if people are more forgiving of Louis because they like him and he's really damn funny.
Easier to forgive people like that.
What steps has he taken in the last year to address his issues? Why do we think it is fine that he resumes his career now?

Good column on it:
https://www.theatlantic.com/entertai...y-mean/568768/

well, a "good" opinion piece, anyway.

here's one I think is better. also written by a woman.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/ther...back-1.4804228


he Louis C.K.s are more complicated. These are the men who often acted foolishly, stupidly and absolutely unacceptably, but have shown they have capacity to understand that what they did was wrong. C.K. has actually demonstrated that through his comedy; he has joked, for example, about how amazing it is that men still manage to find dates given that the biggest threat to women is ... men. There's empathy in his comedy, but at the same time also a disregard for his actions. That's what makes his case so complex: while he unquestionably did bad things, can we condemn him forever as a bad person?

But what purpose does it serve to cast off as irredeemable people with the capacity to learn from their past? What message does it send about owning up to mistakes if we hold that there be no opportunity for second chances?

C.K.'s reputation has taken a hit, and he will forever live with that stigma, comeback or not. That is his punishment. Ideally, he's come to an understanding about acceptable ways to treat women along with it.

That said, because life is hilariously cruel, there's a possibility he hasn't — and will still be unconscionably successful. In those cases, I find the best thing to do is unwind with a comedian who doesn't play with his penis in front of others.

[Red Slinger]

^^ I agree with your general point. The question still remains: what now? When is a reasonable time for him to come back? What is a reasonable punishment for his behavior? Is there something he specifically needs to do to be welcomed back?

I'm not asking sarcastically. Different people have different thresholds and there are no established rules when it comes to public shaming and (dare I say) internet justice.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by Red Slinger

^^ I agree with your general point. The question still remains: what now? When is a reasonable time for him to come back? What is a reasonable punishment for his behavior? Is there something he specifically needs to do to be welcomed back?

I'm not asking sarcastically. Different people have different thresholds and there are no established rules when it comes to public shaming and (dare I say) internet justice.

I think for a public figure, it has to be about the willingness of the consumer to take him back. if you feel he doesn't deserve his career, don't spend money on him, don't watch him.

Jiri thinks his career should be over forever. I don't.

I have no time for the man and don't think he's funny so I don't watch him.
CK feels it's time to go back to performing, so let him. if people choose to let his past go and enjoy his comedy, that's fine. if enough people don't or can't forgive him, he'll go away soon enough.

[Weitz]

More like Louis J.O., amirite?

[Russic]

I can't imagine netflix would touch him with a 10 foot pole, but what's interesting about Louis is he's already experimented with serving content directly to his fanbase via his own website. If anybody is poised to bounce back it's probably him simply because he doesn't need to rely as heavily on an external company that has shareholders to keep happy.

[GGG]

If you take this out of the entertainment world what should be the consequence of a management level person harassing someone beneath them. Becuase most of the CK allegations were workplace harassment.

I don’t think anyone would argue that the consequence of work place harassment would be never work in your field again but I think it’s reasonable to say that person shouldn’t be placed back in a position of power depending on the severity of the allegations.

So then where does that leave CK? Him doing stand up seems like a reasonable thing for him to do. Him executive producing his own TV show with no oversite does not.

[habernac]

If Louis has a publicist, they should be fired. His first appearance should have been something like a talk show. "I've been doping counselling, working on my issues..." etc. Maybe a nice $$$ contribution to a women's group. I don't know. Just showing up and starting work again seems..... wrong.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by habernac

If Louis has a publicist, they should be fired. His first appearance should have been something like a talk show. "I've been doping counselling, working on my issues..." etc. Maybe a nice $$$ contribution to a women's group. I don't know. Just showing up and starting work again seems..... wrong.

But those things reek of pandering to an audience and buying forgiveness.

I don’t personally think he owes the public an explanation, status update or apology, especially a hollow one.

Making things right with the women he traumatized would be a good start (whatever that means). So would acting like a normal human going forward.

[craigwd]

Originally Posted by habernac

If Louis has a publicist, they should be fired. His first appearance should have been something like a talk show. "I've been doping counselling, working on my issues..." etc. Maybe a nice $$$ contribution to a women's group. I don't know. Just showing up and starting work again seems..... wrong.

How about showing up and working and including a joke about rape whistles.

http://www.vulture.com/2018/08/louis...stle-joke.html

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by craigwd

How about showing up and working and including a joke about rape whistles.

http://www.vulture.com/2018/08/louis...stle-joke.html

There’s a legit and serious discussion about Louis’ future in comedy. But that “article” was nothing short of hilarious. It read like a shameless slam piece you’d read in Us Weekly.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by habernac

If Louis has a publicist, they should be fired. His first appearance should have been something like a talk show. "I've been doping counselling, working on my issues..." etc. Maybe a nice $$$ contribution to a women's group. I don't know. Just showing up and starting work again seems..... wrong.

he does what you suggest and everyone says he probably doesn't mean it and it's all an empty PR stunt to gain forgiveness.

same thing with donating. If he publicly donated money, people would say he's trying to buy forgiveness for what he did.

he's in a no win scenario.

besides for all I know he did get help and donate money and just didn't ramp up the PR machine to tell us about it.
I don't know what he did to improve as a person and don't care. he doesn't have to answer to me.

I think the best way for him to go forward was to start working again without fanfare. what else could he do?
If enough people are disgusted by him, then his career will falter. I'm ok with the public deciding in that way.

for me, I never thought he was funny to begin with so I'll just ignore him and never give him views.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by craigwd

http://www.vulture.com/2018/08/louis-ck-comedy-cellar-women-describe-rape-whistle-joke.html

Oh no, room full of people were at a comedy show and a small number of those people found the jokes off-putting.


THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE!

[CliffFletcher]

If CK wants to make a comeback doing standup, then fine. No doubt he still has an audience, and if they want to pay to see him then that's up to them.

However, I don't think it was cool for him to do this show unannounced. I know other big-time comedians do these unannounced drop-ins to clubs. But this is different. There are clearly a lot of people who aren't ready to see CK perform live and don't want to support him. They should know up front whether or not the show and venue they paid for includes him as an act.

[Tsawwassen]

Asia Argento Says Accuser Jimmy Bennett Sexually Assaulted Her
"The Asia Argento-Jimmy Bennett saga continues."
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/entertainm...id=mailsignout

[Fuzz]

That's why she is paying him off, right? For assaulting her?

[Nyah]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

That's why Anthony Bourdain was paying him off, right? For assaulting her?

FYP.

She seems like such a manipulator.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Tsawwassen

Asia Argento Says Accuser Jimmy Bennett Sexually Assaulted Her
"The Asia Argento-Jimmy Bennett saga continues."
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/entertainm...id=mailsignout

Wow, this woman is a sociopath.

[Yamer]

It was painful watching Norm MacDonald completely out of his element today on The View trying to atone for his recent comments and botched apology. The Tonight Show cancelled his planned appearance last night.

In case you're not up to speed, Norm made a statement empathizing with Louis C.K. and Roseanne, and stated he was encouraged that the Me Too movement was slowing down, referencing Chris Hardwick's situation.

He did a pretty good job apologizing on Twitter...

https://twitter.com/user/status/1039661638629187585

...but then went on Howard Stern and said "that you would have to have Down Syndrome to not feel sorry" for victims of abuse. On The View Norm said the comment was "unforgivable".