Louis CK won the Grammy for Best Comedy Album at the 2022 Grammy Awardss, sparking widespread outrage among women for his apparent all-is-forgiven status, despite his documented and admitted history of sexually harassing and exposing himself to female comics.
The prevailing sentiment among critics is that his victory is evidence that there is no accountability, so long as an offender is connected or powerful. Or as Stanford professor Michelle Dauber put it, “Women are worth nothing to power. Nothing.”
C.K. won for his self-produced comedy show “Sincerely,” his first since admitting in 2017 to his years of sexual misconduct. Several female comics, including former colleagues, detailed examples which included C.K. locking women in his office and masturbating in front of them after ostensibly asking their permission under circumstances that the women did not feel were consensual. C.K.’s manager also threatened some of the women with career consequences if they went public.
His career ground to a halt after the admission, as he lost his television deal with FX and saw distribution of his film, “I Love You Daddy,” halted, and he vowed at the time to step away and “listen.” He resumed touring less than a year later however and has been supported since by some of the biggest names in comedy.
Comedian Jen Kirkman, who talks about the time C.K. tried to assault her in her latest album, shared a clip from the album and mocked C.K. for “acting like a victim” when he talks about his history.
“There are no consequences for white cishet men,” Dr. Mia Brett said.
Masse, in addition to calling out the lack of support for survivors, also dryly noted that “‘cancel culture’ seems pretty selective, hm?” She also noted the swift, near immediate consequences for Will Smith after he slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars. “Why then, may I ask, are countless sexual abusers still working in Hollywood?”
Read on for other comments on C.K.’s win.