Louis C.K. Admits Sexual Harassment

Louis C.K. issued a statement Nov. 10 admitting he sexually harassed the five women who have publicly accused him and noted that he used his celebrity status to do so.

Film distributor The Orchard canceled the release of the comic’s “I Love You, Daddy,” Netflix announced it won’t produce C.K.’s next planned standup special and C.K. has been edited out of HBO benefit “Night of Too Many Stars” in the wake of the allegations published in the New York Times.

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, file – Louis C.K.
Arriving at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills, Calif., Feb. 8, 2016

“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 O.K. 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.”
The multi-Emmy winner expressed remorse, saying he took advantage and left them “feeling badly about themselves and cautious around other men.”

C.K. also pointed out that his conduct has affected people he’s worked with, both professionally and personally.

“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 [sic] 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. Thank you for reading.”

Louis C.K.’s recent live performances include two sellouts at the Bellco Theatre in Denver Jan. 17-18, taking in $503,300.

The comedian became an icon in live touring in 2012 when his DIY approach to selling his video and audio recordings affordably through his website spawned a similar approach to tickets for his tours where the comic kept ticket prices low by including fees in the price, and paying sales tax for fans. He was approached to speak on the concept for the Pollstar Live! conference.

Meanwhile, actor Terry Crews has dropped WME in the wake of his own sexual harassment claim that he recently filed with the Los Angeles Police Department. Crews alleges a WME exec grabbed his family jewels in public last year when Crews and his wife were walking the red carpet for an event.