Social Media Furious About Louis C.K.’s Return to Stage
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Louis C.K. returned to the stage at New York’s infamous Comedy Cellar this week.
Club owners and hardcore comedy fans and the majority of the audience in attendance at the Cellar seemed comfortable with Louis’ return to the stage. At the very least, many have expressed that it is inappropriate for the public to expect them to police comics off stage behavior, and then serve as judge, jury and probation officer. We’ve all heard enough off-internet conversations to know many more people want to see Louis back at work, or at least want to permit him to work and let audiences decide if they want to show up.
Social media does not agree. Many people on twitter today are furious at Louis’ return, expressing that it has not been long enough and that it may never be long enough. Comedians and those in the business weighed in, with most anti-CK back in comedy. Anyone who expressed otherwise was subject to immediate backlash. The anger feels as fresh and as furious as it was in November 2017. The outrage, of course, stems from confirmation that in the years 2002-2005, Louis C.K. asked several women for permission to masturbate in front of them. One of those incidents took place on the set of a television show- a workplace environment.
Tweeters seem to be particularly upset that CK made his return under “unannounced” conditions, pointing out that he once again removed choice from those who might not choose to watch him perform, drawing parallels to the behavior he was initially accused of. Of course, most celebrity appearances at The Cellar and other comedy clubs in New York City and around the country are unannounced, and anyone would be free to leave the room upon hearing that C.K was taking the stage. Aziz Ansari, has been doing planned but unannounced spots around town and audiences are wildly enthusiastic, greeting him with such thunderous applause that he has to ask the audience to lower their expectations before starting to work on new material. Jeremy Piven and T.J. Miller have also being doing spots around town and audiences seem happy to see them. Would be surprised if Louis CK received any less from the room Sunday night.
Tweeters are also angry that Louis hasn’t done anything to make up for his conduct during his time off, with womens rights advocate Nell Scovell asking for CK to be a leader in supporting women in comedy by donating proceeds and demanding that women be on the bill at the club in 50/50 numbers with men.
Read the Tweets below, just a small representation of what you’ll find on Twitter with a search.
Will take heat for this, but people have to be allowed to serve their time and move on with their lives. I don't know if it's been long enough, or his career will recover, or if people will have him back, but I'm happy to see him try. https://t.co/QmqdGJnIjy
— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) August 28, 2018
The #metoo movement is incredibly powerful and important and vital. One next step, among many steps, has to be figuring out a way for the men who are caught up in it to find redemption.
— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) August 28, 2018
And Louie CK. Whether you like it or not. https://t.co/0Fvbg7o7hd
— Bonnie McFarlane (@bonniemcfarlane) August 28, 2018
The fact that Louis, a comedian whose whole thing is plumbing the depths of his own psyche, apparently didn’t mention his most recent, famous news in his surprise set tells you all you need to know about his desire for “redemption,” right?
— Paul F. Tompkins (@PFTompkins) August 28, 2018
louis ck getting a standing ovation for dropping in to a comedy club less than a year after admitting to sexual misconduct tells you all you need to know about how society applauds powerful men for doing less than the minimum of decency
— Aparna Nancherla (@aparnapkin) August 28, 2018
You know how white people sound when they tell black people, "just do what the cop tells you to do"? That's how men sound when they tell women to "just leave" if they're cornered in a room by a famous guy who starts masturbating.
— Laurie Kilmartin (@anylaurie16) August 28, 2018
Questions for Louis CK::
1. Is he donating proceeds to @RAINN or other orgs?
2. Were there 50/50 women on the bill? If Louis CK started saying he'd only perform w/gender parity, that would be cool.
3. Does he still think women looked at his dick bcuz they "admired" him? pic.twitter.com/4cIdI4bKZB— Nell Scovell (@NellSco) August 28, 2018
I hear this a lot re: #MeToo: "But what about forgiveness?" I believe in forgiveness…when joined w/restitution. It's not enuf for offenders to "think about what they did." Louis CK & Matt Lauer etc… shd use their voices & $ to support & promote women & change the system
— Nell Scovell (@NellSco) August 28, 2018
I agree with you. The obvious thing to do when you hurt people and disappear for a while is to return and talk about what you learned and tell people how you are going help victims and others going forward. That hasn’t happened here or with ANYONE who has been accused. https://t.co/Bd6pb7E3SQ
— Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) August 28, 2018
Louis CK, the comic known for "exploring reality", last nite ".. performed 'typical Louis C.K. stuff' -racism, waitresses’ tips, parades." WTF? Well, all bullies are cowards, aren't they? You've done nothing that merits forgiveness, and this bs insults truth in comedy.
— Elayne Boosler (@ElayneBoosler) August 28, 2018
Remember episode 1 of Better Call Saul where Saul is forced to work at Cinnabon under a new name, twitching and afraid, going home to watch his old commercials with pathetic reverence? That's better than Louis CK deserves. Get the fuck offstage.
— Dan Telfer (@dantelfer) August 28, 2018
Yeah-no mention of his material. “But he decided to just rip the Band-Aid off.” Bc he was the one wounded I presume? https://t.co/ujMMIQ4ont
— Beth I Hear You Callin (@jackiekashian) August 28, 2018
I believe in redemption and that people can change but a year isn't enough for a powerful person who masturbates in front of women against their consent and then threatens to blacklist them and other women from comedy if they speak up about it. #LouisCK
— Charlotte Clymer?️? (@cmclymer) August 28, 2018
guys Louis CK has been volunteering for survivors' causes for years now and has written a bunch of books about his philosophical transformation and [touches earpiece] I'm now being informed he actually just chilled at home for a little while so completely nevermind
— Johnny McNulty (@JohnnyMcNulty) August 28, 2018
Louis CK is back! You lose, @SteveRannazzisi. I'm researching your role by talking to dudes outside a bath house in Croatia. @NealBrennan and I are gonna make you a star!
— Ari Shaffir (@AriShaffir) August 28, 2018
we don't need Louis CK. we don't need sexual predators. if you're willing to forgive a sexual predator because he made you laugh a few times, maybe you need to reassess your priorities.
— Imogen?? (@iscoppie) August 28, 2018
While everyone cries about Louis Ck doing stand up one time in forever Chris Brown just sold out a 30 date concert tour. Any outrage from the PC crew on that? Anyone…..hello……outrage…..why isn’t anyone tweet about that meanie?
— Sam Tripoli (@samtripoli) August 29, 2018
Dumb tweet about Louis CK. If they blocked the exit preventing people from leaving then that would be a problem. https://t.co/aCG2S5ashV
— opie radio (@OpieRadio) August 28, 2018
There’s no practical way to stop Louis CK from performing. He’s too rich. If the gatekeepers ban him, he could buy his own club like he buys a boat. It will be the audience’s job to not support him. But for that to happen, he needs to announce his appearances and never “drop in.”
— John Levenstein (@johnlevenstein) August 28, 2018
Men (and the very few female perpetrators) are not ”caught up in” #MeToo. They CAUSED the Me Too movement. They are its architects, not its victims. #LouisCK
— Wendy Molyneux (@WendyMolyneux) August 28, 2018
More people are tweeting about #LouisCK than #JordanEdwards – fucking sad.
— bert kreischer (@bertkreischer) August 28, 2018
https://twitter.com/scharpling/status/1034580208563769344
I was shocked, saddened and outraged when I first heard what Louis C.K. did and I’m still shocked, saddened and outraged nine months later.
— Ted Alexandro (@tedalexandro) August 29, 2018
Allowing Louis CK on your stage is like inviting the creepy uncle over to your kid’s bday party. It’s only a matter of time until a dick gets whipped out again.
— Queefimae (@JessimaePeluso) August 28, 2018
A month ago I followed 3 men in a row that had #metoo jokes and how hard it is for men to deal with and how they’re not gonna compliment women anymore and it’s gone too far, I wonder if they’re still gonna do those jokes with Louis following them with a standing ovation?
— Liza Treyger (@GlitterCheese) August 28, 2018
I wanted to share my thoughts on the Louis thing, but lo and behold my bud @IanKarmel wrote it out perfectly. Read below. https://t.co/BGwugZf0mR
— Matt Braunger (@Braunger) August 28, 2018
Let me go on the record with this.
I'm happy he's back. https://t.co/zoiBQfZtDc— Pantelis (@BigP4H) August 29, 2018
I got molested by my babysitter when I was 8, but he was the best babysitter, like the "babysitter of a generation," so my parents kept using him. Which I can only respect. https://t.co/UVckReAS2o
— 2HAYNEZ (@imandyhaynes) August 28, 2018
And some comics are gonna be like “takes balls for him to show up again!” You know what else takes balls? Showing your balls. I bet he cups his nuts like a fat little squirrel when he jacks off. #LouisCK
— Queefimae (@JessimaePeluso) August 28, 2018
never imagined louis ck could stress me out like this
— Open Mike Eagle (@Mike_Eagle) August 28, 2018
And the crowd goes ape shit https://t.co/Sape8ER9Di
— Luis J. Gomez (@luisjgomez) August 28, 2018
And also: do you/we know the comics name that he do this to? No, we mostly don’t. But we know Louis. Has she been redeemed back into comedy?
— rhea butcher (@RheaButcher) August 28, 2018
I love Louis CK and I'm glad he's back.
— Frank (@RitaFires) August 28, 2018
If Louis CK had stolen jokes, he’d be a fucking pariah. But instead he stole careers and passion and trust from possibly brilliant comedians – women that we’ll never get to hear from – and that is worse. Or it should be.
— Jason Filiatrault (@jfiliatrault) August 28, 2018
You want me to be ok with Louis CK coming back? Has he:
-been to therapy?
-asked the forgiveness of his victims individually ?
-asked his powerful friends to give opportunities to victims?
-donated meaningfully to MeToo related causes?
-Become educated on female harassment?— Jessica Ellis (@baddestmamajama) August 28, 2018
Louis CK being "banished" from stand-up comedy wasn't some kind of petty punishment, it was a fucking workplace safety issue.
— Louis Karmstrong (@IanKarmel) August 28, 2018
Multiple women Louis CK pulled his dick out in front of lost opportunities to pursue their careers because this guy and his enablers wanted to keep them quiet https://t.co/1muHlsXr9T
— dan solomon (@dansolomon) August 28, 2018
My empathy isn't for Louis. It's for the recognition that we're in a cultural moment in which some men who do terrible things have no pathway for redemption. That lack of a pathway creates a situation in which we are casting people out but not giving them a way back in. 1/2 https://t.co/9o4U8TfniW
— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) August 28, 2018
To all of the LA hipster douchebags currently melting down because Louis CK dared to make a public appearance-
FYI: you look ridiculous to a good chunk of the country.
— Moot Point (@Julianpox1) August 28, 2018
Restorative justice means more than simply disappearing for a couple months and then returning to public life and being (literally!) applauded for it like Louis CK apparently was. If abusers want "redemption" they need to do more than that. This should not be confusing.
— Emma Gray (@emmaladyrose) August 28, 2018
At least a handful of people at Louis CK’s “drop in” performance wanted to leave but felt like they couldn’t, which is his “thing.”
— Ryan Case (@film114) August 28, 2018
Fuck Louis CK. And fuck Michael Ian Black for defending him. Keep your dicks in your pants boys, it’s 2018.
— Monica (@Monicann86) August 28, 2018
One of my fondest memories is singing my song about loving Louis CK right before he did a drop-in. The idea of him doing a drop-in now feels awful.
I believe people can grow and change, but this urgency to bring him (and others) back SO soon just sends such a bad message.
— Allie Goertz (@AllieGoertz) August 28, 2018
It seems I missed the part when Louis CK “served time”. I just remember him living quietly as a millionaire for a less than a year. https://t.co/Z5STGzpOu0
— KB (@KaraRBrown) August 28, 2018
My concern is that, if Louis CK isn't welcomed back on stage, it could start a chain of events where we can't see Woody Allen play the clarinet.
— John Levenstein (@johnlevenstein) August 28, 2018
https://twitter.com/hevanlyy/status/1034428791530110976
https://twitter.com/RichardAFleming/status/1034333836526669824
Louis CK is spearheading the #MeTooSoon movement
— melinda hill (@melindahill) August 28, 2018
Louis CK is back after 9 months, meanwhile, it took Winona Ryder 20 years to get out of celebrity shoplifting jail.
This will never not bother me.
— Geek Girl Diva (@geekgirldiva) August 28, 2018
And you know how it's clear Louis CK still doesn't get it? Dropping into a show without the audience's knowledge, which could include women who have been victims of this kind of thing. Informed consent still appears to be a remarkably fuzzy concept for him.
— Charlotte Clymer?️? (@cmclymer) August 28, 2018
Fuck Louis CK.
Fuck TJ Miller.
Fuck Chris Hardwick.
Fuck anyone who has more sympathy for abusers than victims. This is why women don't come forward.— Ang Ferraguto (@MagnaFarta) August 28, 2018
My take on Louis CK's return to comedy is that we (still) live in a society in which women are demolished for speaking up while even the most monstrous men earn redemption on the merits of continuing to have dicks. In other words, call your Senators & tell them to #StopKavanaugh.
— Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) August 28, 2018
I knew Louis CK was gonna emerge from this unscathed bc his whole shtick is how big a piece of shit he is so his redemption tour is just gonna consist of him saying "Guys. C'mon. I'm a piece of shit" in a stand-up to uproarious applause
— Beyonce has an uncle named Larry Beyince. Bruh…. (@DragonflyJonez) August 28, 2018
Congrats to Louis CK for not doing something truly terrible that Michael Ian Black couldn't see past, like if he'd criticized Meghan McCain.
— maura quint (@behindyourback) August 28, 2018
"Hasn't Louis CK been punished enough?" is framework that asserts:
– the prescription was punishment
– taking a 10 month vacation while keeping your tens of millions of dollars is punishment
– people should eventually be okay with offenders after punishment
— Peter Coffin(?) (@petercoffin) August 28, 2018
Fuck Louis CK and fuck the Comedy Cellar.
— brian abrams (@BrianAbrams) August 28, 2018
If you are at a comedy club or a music venue and a celebrity accused of sexual harassment or assault like Louis CK shows up for a surprise performance, it is your ethical duty to LEAVE. Walk out. Punish him, and the business that hosted him, by removing your patronage.
— ella dawson (@brosandprose) August 28, 2018
Louis CK returning to comedy is like a rat that runs away for 3 seconds when you turn the lights on and then returns, shits on your floor, and just stares at you
— Stephen Li (@stephenli_) August 28, 2018
"Separate the art and the artist."
I didn't buy that with Woody Allen, Mark Wahlberg, Chris Brown, R. Kelly or Aziz Ansari.
I am not buying it with Louis CK.
— Abdul R. Siddiqui (@PakistaniPepper) August 28, 2018
michael ian black's defense of Louis CK right now shows that men have more compassion for each other's embarrassment than they do for women who have been sexually assaulted
— Aimée Lutkin (@alutkin) August 28, 2018
among the many problems w/ the push to welcome Louis CK back is the idea he’s owned up to what he did. he acknowledged he did the things in the NYT article… he HASN’T acknowledged the fifteen years he & his team spent lying, story-killing and (in at least one case) intimidating
— Owen Ellickson (@onlxn) August 28, 2018
Fuck Louis CK. Sexual assault is a serious crime that women face everywhere.
Anyone who abuses someone and puts them in an unsafe situation deserves no forgiveness, no redemption, and zero tolerance.
And the fact that people who stand up to it often aren't supported is bullshit.— Michael (@Home_Halfway) August 28, 2018
Louis CK has enough money for six lifetimes. He’s gotten opportunities people would kill for, more praise than Jesus and James Joyce combined. And he wasted them. No, his life will never be that good again, but most lives are never that good.
— Sady Doyle (@sadydoyle) August 28, 2018
It's not that I think redemption is impossible, but he's literally done nothing to redeem himself. Louis CK last said, less than a year ago, "I will now step back and take a long time to listen," but it wasn't fucking long enough, buddy, and you didn't do shit to fix anything.
— Chuck Wendig (@ChuckWendig) August 28, 2018
Louis CK returns to comedy: “outrage.”
Asia Argento grooms a child to have sex with since age seven and then does: “Italians are weird.”
Listen to yourselves.— Josh Denny (@JoshDenny) August 28, 2018
Counteropinion: Louis CK, once one of my favorite comedians, joked about his privilege and white dudeness on stage while, behind the curtain, using that privilege and white dudeness to sexually harass and harm women and their own careers in comedy. So he can stay in the shed.
— Chuck Wendig (@ChuckWendig) August 28, 2018
ATTN LA COMICS..All of you claiming moral outrage against #LouisCK would climb over each other to open for him and probably jack off with him after your set* you sexually charged 2 faced fat slobs.
*by set I mean you eating a shit burger for 5-6 minutes pic.twitter.com/6y4Ra50YU0— Earl Skakel (@EarlSkakel) August 28, 2018
