Louis CK has now issued a statement on the sexual misconduct claims from five women that were published in The New York Times yesterday. These women, four of whom agreed to be named and one who wished to remain anonymous, bravely told their stories of having been accosted by CK, who alternately forced them to watch him masturbate or asked them if he could, despite reportedly having faced intimidation from their peers in the comedy world and CK’s manager, Dave Becky. When the Times asked CK and his reps to comment, they initially declined. But CK has just released a statement in which he admits to the sexual misconduct.
CK owns up to his abuse of power, though he still seems unclear about the extent of his wrongdoing, as that bit about “I never showed my genitals to someone before asking” blithely ignores that he never actually got consent. It’s also a 180 from his previous claims that these were all just rumors. Although it’s a less voluntary move than he seems to think, CK says he’s stepping away from the spotlight: “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.”