Louis CK accused of sexual misconduct by 5 women in 'NY Times' article

Tonight’s (11/9) NYC premiere of Louis CK‘s new film I Love You Daddy was cancelled after news broke that The New York Times would be a running a possibly “damaging” story on CK. That story was just published. The headline is ‘Louis C.K. Crossed a Line Into Sexual Misconduct, 5 Women Say’ and it reads, “…after years of unsubstantiated rumors about Louis C.K. masturbating in front of associates, women are coming forward to describe what they experienced.” Here is one excerpt:

Ms. Corry, a comedian, writer and actress, has long felt haunted by her run-in with Louis C.K. In 2005, she was working as a performer and producer on a television pilot — a big step in her career — when Louis C.K., a guest star, approached her as she was walking to the set. “He leaned close to my face and said, ‘Can I ask you something?’ I said, ‘Yes,’” Ms. Corry said in a written statement to The New York Times. “He asked if we could go to my dressing room so he could masturbate in front of me.” Stunned and angry, Ms. Corry said she declined, and pointed out that he had a daughter and a pregnant wife. “His face got red,” she recalled, “and he told me he had issues.”

Ms. Corry’s story continues…

In 2015, a few months before the now-defunct website Defamer circulated rumors of Louis C.K.’s alleged sexual misconduct, Ms. Corry also received an email from Louis C.K., which was obtained by The Times, saying he owed her a “very very very late apology.” When he phoned her, he said he was sorry for shoving her in a bathroom. Ms. Corry replied that he had never done that, but had instead asked to masturbate in front of her. Responding in a shaky voice, he acknowledged it and said, “I used to misread people back then,” she recalled.

The call confounded her, Ms. Corry said: not only had he misremembered the incident, which made her think there were other moments of misconduct, he also implied she had done something to invite his behavior. “It is unfair he’s put me or anyone else in this position,” Ms. Corry said.

Here is one more excerpt:

A fifth woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect her family’s privacy because she has not been publicly linked to the incident with Louis C.K., also has disturbing memories about an incident with the comedian. In the late ’90s, she was working in production at “The Chris Rock Show” when Louis C.K., a writer and producer there, repeatedly asked her to watch him masturbate, she said. She was in her early 20s and went along with his request, but later questioned his behavior.

“It was something that I knew was wrong,” said the woman, who described sitting in Louis C.K.’s office while he masturbated in his desk chair during a workday, other colleagues just outside the door. “I think the big piece of why I said yes was because of the culture,” she continued. “He abused his power.”

The article also points out that Tig Notaro is one of the few in the comedy world to speak out against Louis CK. She told NYT that she feels “trapped” by her association with CK (who is listed as an executive producer on Tig’s Amazon series “One Mississippi” and released her 2012 comedy album). She added, “[My fear is that] he released my album to cover his tracks. He knew it was going to make him look like a good guy, supporting a woman. Sadly, I’ve come to learn that Louis C.K.’s victims are not only real, but many are actual friends of mine within the comedy community.”

Louis CK’s publicist, Lewis Kay, told NYT, “Louis is not going to answer any questions.”

You can read the rest of the lengthy, detailed story here.