CW: This article discusses sexual harassment.
UPDATE: August 30, 2018
Two women who sat in the audience at Louis C.K.’s surprise set over the weekend have described to Vulture how it created an uncomfortable divide between male and female audience members.
“It was an all-male set to begin with. Then, it’s sort of exacerbated by [C.K.’s] presence,” one woman said. “It felt like there were a lot of aggressive men in the audience and very quiet women. It’s the kind of vibe that doesn’t allow for a dissenting voice.”
They also noted that Louis C.K.’s set included an extremely inappropriate joke about a “rape whistle”.
“When he said ‘rape whistle’ people were laughing,” one of the women said. “And I was just sitting there like oh my f***. This is so uncomfortable and so disgusting.”
ORIGINAL STORY: August 29, 2018.
Over the weekend ‘disgraced’ comedian Louis C.K. gave his first stand-up performance since he admitted to sexual misconduct against five female comedians. That was less than 10 months ago, and C.K. slid right back onto the stage for a surprise set at one of New York’s top comedy clubs, where he was met with a standing ovation.
Turns out the whole ‘disgraced’ thing has trouble sticking when you’re white, male, and well-connected. People are understandably pissed.
E) Louis just went on a long vacation and didn't do anything to show that he has reformed/changed. He's a multi-millionaire who finally got some sleep after working nonstop for years. This is how we are making people are paying penance in the #MeToo era?
Fucking pathetic.
— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) August 28, 2018
Less than a year ago Louis C.K. vowed to “step back and take a long time to listen”. It’s been less than 10 months and he’s done nothing proactive to make up for the damage he caused.
Because yes there are plenty of proactive things he could do – and Jenny Yang has pointed out a mere handful of ideas in this helpful Twitter thread.
So you've admitted to sexually assaulting comedians in a work culture where fellow people of power took actions to keep the victims not working and quiet about the offenses so that you could make millions and keep working. HOW DO YOU ATONE FOR YOUR SINS? A THREAD OF SOLUTIONS.
— Jenny Yang stands w the WGA (@jennyyangtv) August 28, 2018
Less than a year ago Louis C.K. acknowledged the power of “the boys club” in enabling his history of inappropriate behaviour that included masturbating in front of various women without their consent, and it’s the boys club that’s enabling his premature return to the main stage.
And you know how it's clear Louis CK still doesn't get it? Dropping into a show without the audience's knowledge, which could include women who have been victims of this kind of thing. Informed consent still appears to be a remarkably fuzzy concept for him.
— Charlotte Clymer?️? (@cmclymer) August 28, 2018
C.K’s return was defended by fellow comedian Michael Ian Black and facilitated by the Comedy Cellar club owner Noam Dworman.
Dworman told The New York Times that his set consisted of “typical Louis C.K. stuff”, which is fitting. Clearly Louis C.K. does not need to change, or do anything meaningful at all to redeem himself for his behaviour to be back in the game and business as usual.
And stop saying Louis CK 'lost his career.' He didn't remotely lose his career. He took less than a year off.
The women who tried to out him years ago are the ones who lost their careers.
— Julie DiCaro (@JulieDiCaro) August 28, 2018
Honestly it makes me sick. I am sick of having privileged men tell me that the #MeToo movement is a ‘Witch Hunt’ (@LiamNeeson), that it’s taking things “too far” and unfairly hurting men and destroying their careers and their lives.
You wanna talk unfair? Let’s appreciate that it is very f***ing hard to destroy these careers. Let’s appreciate that some of those careers deserve to be destroyed.
Louis CK being "banished" from stand-up comedy wasn't some kind of petty punishment, it was a fucking workplace safety issue.
— KARM (@IanKarmel) August 28, 2018
Let’s appreciate that it is very hard to get an apology that actually takes responsibility for the damage done. Let’s appreciate that over 100 men in entertainment and media have been accused of sexual misconduct and as of yet only Harvey Weinstein has been charged with a crime.
But above all, let’s appreciate that men’s fear of being called out for their behaviour is a mere fraction of the fear we experience of their behaviour.
I wish all the people crying “so Louis CK can never work in comedy again?” felt as strongly about all the women who could never work in comedy again.
— Jennifer Weiner (@jenniferweiner) August 28, 2018
I really don’t have time to care about the sad white men who have been ‘disgraced’ because of their own cruel life choices, especially when it is a myth (and wishful thinking) that they will face consequences that match the damage they’ve done.
Not a long enough time out for Louis CK. Don’t fall for the white redemption fairytale. He’s a first class piece of shit.
— Niesha Trout (@nieshatrout) August 28, 2018
Like many other men, Louis C.K. has a broad community of buddies ready and waiting to welcome him back with open arms and give him sympathy pats on the back for the rough time he’s had for the last 10 months.
Louis CK has decided Louis CK has learned his lesson.
— Quinn Cummings (@quinncy) August 28, 2018
Soon you’ll likely be able to catch a Louis C.K. show after a showing of some Woody Allen movie probably starring Casey Affleck. That’s where we’re at so far with the white-dudes-penance situation, and we need to do better.
By that last ‘we’, by the way, I mean the boys club, which is pretty damn hard to infiltrate – so let’s keep kicking and screaming until some revolutionary change is finally realised.