Words by Nick Slay
Most people know famed comedian Louis C.K. from his hit television show on FOX owned cable channel FX. After 5 seasons and 2 Primetime Emmy awards, Louie was received as a hit by critics and Louis was easily regarded as a star on the rise. Louis C.K. got his big break due to his longtime friendship with Chris Rock. After a failed stint as a writer for The Dana Carvey Show (which was cancelled after a few episodes on ABC) he called up his good friend and asked if he could still be a writer/producer on The Chris Rock Show on HBO. The comedic late night comedy show garnered Louis an Emmy award for his writing and established him as a major voice in comedy.
Today that career is falling apart at the seams amongst the 5 accusations levied against him by fellow female comedians.
Louis is most known for material dealing with male hypocrisy, so it comes out as a major shocker that he would come under fire for these allegations. Fans of the comedian are all too familiar with his riffs about masturbation, so when the story dropped this news cycle about him masturbating in front of other women in the comedy industry it hit all too close to home. Starting with a shocking story by two then newcomers to the industry, Chicago comedy duo, Dana Min Goodman and Julia Wolov, who landed their big break at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado in 2002.
Afterwards Louis C.K. invited them back to his hotel room for a nightcap and to celebrate after their late-night show. So elated, they didn’t even think twice. He was a comedian they looked up to, so it was a no brainer to take him up for his offer. He seemed genuine and sincere they didn’t think anything of it until the conversation took a darker and weirder tone as the night went on. At some point during their visit, allegedly Louis asked if he could show the young women his penis. Thinking it was part of his outlandish humor the two women say they laughed it off. According to accusers, this lead to the comedian showing his his private parts and eventually getting completely naked.
This would be first the first of many recounts of women in the comedy industry claiming that Louis C.K. either masturbated in front of them or could be heard, “doing it” over the phone. As one those times where fact is stranger than fiction, Louis responded to the women’s claims as posted in the New York Times and addressed they, “were all true.” He went on to admit that at the time he didn’t think what he was doing was so wrong because he always asked for permission first. He followed that as he looks back he didn’t appreciate the power he wielded over these women at the time. He now regrets leaving these women to suffer the repercussions of his actions.
