And now we can add Louis C.K. to the list of despicable men who have used their position and their fame to do disgusting things to women that didn’t dare ruin their careers by speaking out.
And while it’s bad enough that this is just another example of the systemic misogyny that plagues Hollywood (can we admit that this is a big problem in our entertainment industry now?), Louis C.K. joins Joss Whedon as someone who was supposedly one of feminism’s biggest allies in the industry.
As reported by the New York Times; https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/09/arts/television/louis-ck-sexual-misconduct.html
Ever wonder why women are always so suspicious of anyone who sounds like they support them? People like this are the reason why. Louis C.K. loved to say all the right things (I once noted that he could get away with a lot of seemingly sexist and racist comedy themes because he knew how to turn it around on himself, and that his “credit was good” on those topics).
And turns out he was as bankrupt as Harvey Weinstein. It would be tough to absorb if there wasn’t a resigned “of course” about it all. It’s no longer a surprise… these revelations are almost to be expected.
Sad thing is… it didn’t have to be this way. When these rumors first began swirling, had Louis’s present been different from Louis past, he could have met them head on, acknowledged what had happened, and been a lesson about how people can grow and change over time. Instead, by hiding behind the anonymity of the accusers, he allowed doubt and scorn to be turned on said accusers… which might have been the idea, really.
Hard not to look back and see Louis’s actions during all of this as an intimidation technique. “Look at what society is going to do to you if you ever come forward and put a name to what I did to you.” It’s an insidious implied threat and fortunately, at least in this case, society didn’t have this man’s back any longer.
On a purely personal level, this is very disappointing. He was a brilliant performer, and had an amazing ability to turn the despicable and/or irrational behaviors of those in power on himself to deliver a message that was equal parts informing and comedic.
One of his best pieces that still had me chuckling the last time I watched it about a month ago is this one:
Now? Well, it’s just further evidence of that age old axiom among creators.
“You write what you know.”
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