On the Road Again — Louis CK
The fallen stand-up comedian is taking to the road after his #MeToo accusations and admission.
The fallen stand-up comedian is taking to the road after his #MeToo accusations and admission.
Last week I got an email from comedian Louis CK.
I’m on his mailing list. In what appears to be an attempt at a comeback he announced some tour dates. Louis appears to be avoiding the coasts right now, which is probably a smart move and playing mostly in the middle United States.
It’s interesting that this is, arguably, the heart of Trump country.
In any event, unlike his pre-#MeToo emails, this one wasn’t rife with snark and imperfection — it was concise and direct and it even provided the opportunity to be removed.
When the #MeToo shite began hitting the fan two years ago, Louis CK became one of the poster men. He was accused by five women of sexual misconduct. His admitted predilection was masturbating in front of, or around, women. The comedian immediately copped to the behavior and said he would “step back and take a long time to listen.”
To the dismay of many people, he began wood-shedding new material nine months later in the comedy clubs around his home base of New York City.
Now Louis CK was one of the few who owned up to his behavior. As a result, he lost his entire creative pipeline. His recent film lost its distribution, his show Louie and his production deal were canceled on the FX Network. The truth be told, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone, including me, who felt that this was too punitive.
I don’t want to upset anyone who has been the victim of abuse but was/is the expectation that he would be banished forever? That as a result of his abhorrent (and odd) behavior, was he to never be able to be work again? To me, that does seem too punitive.
A life-long banishment from preventing a person from making a living seems harsh. In particular, because he did accept responsibility for his behavior, unlike many of the other #MeToo a**holes. An argument could be made that his nine months of reflection and solitude isn’t enough, but that must be considered subjective.
After the news broke of his tour, I was criticized for commenting that what Louis CK did, within the context of the #MeToo offenders, “wasn’t as bad.” I was called out for saying that and “who was I to determine the scale of awfulness.” I was reminded that his emergence could prompt other victims of abuse to react. It was a fair criticism.
I admit my comment and understanding comes from a place of privilege. I was never abused and I’m a white, middle-aged, middle-class man…which places me smack dab in the cross-hairs of everyone. Given my status, by all accounts, I shouldn’t have an opinion…or if I do, I should keep it to myself.
Unfortunately, I can’t do that. My intention was/is not to overstep or cause any undue harm or stir up any unwelcome memories for anyone.
Intellectually, of course, I understand the position of “who am I”…however, I still believe in the power of redemption.
While his behavior was atrocious, I don’t consider Louis CK’s sins mortal. Inasmuch as I can, I understand his emergence may prompt some backlash. And it should. That should be part of the healing. Right?
But, I have to wonder:
Why being a convicted pedophile AND rapist didn’t stop Roman Polanski from working OR winning an academy award?
Why being tried for sexual abuse didn’t prevent Michael Jackson from continuing to record, have hit records and tour to sold-out stadiums around the world?
Why was Harvey Weinstein allowed to work amid years and years of rumors and allegations about his predatory behavior? And win awards?
Why was Bill Cosby allowed to work and be considered “America’s dad” after DECADES of rumors and allegations about his drugging women and abusing them?
Why was Les Moonves allowed to climb the corporate ladder and ascend to become one of the most respected and revered men in media after numerous accusations of “rapey” behavior?
Why was Matt Lauer allowed to continue working amidst numerous affairs and threatening behavior?
Why was Pixar co-founder John Lasseter, the guy behind Toy Story and Cars, allowed to get another high-paying, high-profile job just six months after stepping down from Pixar for “unwanted touching”?
Shall I continue?
Right or wrong (mostly wrong), entertainment may be the only industry on the planet that can look away from horrible behavior…except for maybe politics. And both politics and entertainment relish in a successful comeback — although this time, I hope the momentum from the #MeToo movement holds and will make it more difficult.
Under that lens, it would take real mettle to emerge from banishment.
I’m not saying forgive or even forget Louis CK’s admitted behavior. What I’m asking is have we reached a point where we’re able to separate his art from his behavior?
Recently, I wrote about rock and roll drummer Jim Gordon, the co-author of the classic “Layla”. He is a violent schizophrenic (a rarity) who murdered his mother in 1983. Gordon is currently in prison, where he belongs. When I posed that same question about whether we can separate the art from the behavior, the response was confounding.
A couple of people suggested he should perhaps be re-evaluated (he shouldn’t be) or he should be allowed to teach kids (he shouldn’t be). Gordon has never fully accepted responsibility and has openly admitted he would not take his medicine if released. That’s not a guy I want in public.
However, his creative work, which I hear at least three times a day…I enjoy that.
A comedian who has a strange affinity for whipping out his johnson in public and yanking it? To me, having that guy out in public is much less frightening than a convicted mentally ill murderer who has never accepted responsibility.
The comedians’ behavior was awful, manipulative, gross, idiotic, abusive, etc.
On the atrocities scale, Polanski, Cosby, Jackson, etc. are monsters!
I have a difficult time putting Louie CK in the same category. Is that fair? I don’t know. Is it fair to have degrees of awfulness with this stuff? And if so, who decides? Again, I don’t know. Asking for a friend.
I’ve said before that the men who have committed these acts should be held legally responsible whenever possible. And if that’s not possible, then they should be held culpable in whatever way feels appropriate. And to me, that means banishment in some cases and being held financially accountable in others.
Why should John Lasseter get another high-paying job so quickly, if ever?
Why should Les Moonves get a 100+ million dollar severance package for his decades’ long list of horrendous behavior?
But these things are not so black and white, are they? Isn’t there a very large grey area? For me, Louis CK is in that grey area.
I feel that Louis CK going back out on the road is ballsy.
I suspect the reason why attendees are not allowed to take in phones or take any kind of notes is that he and his “people” have banked on people showing up to express disgust at his re-emergence.
Good! I hope they do. Maybe their attendance and figurative tomato throwing will be part of the healing process — for them, for him and us.
Maybe, just maybe, going back on the road serves a two-fold purpose.
It may allow him to get his career back.
It may prove to be an important step in facing the truth of his behavior and allowing everyone the chance to move past his transgressions.
Isn’t that a good thing? Asking for a friend.
Of course, I fear my attitude and perspective here means I may be drawn and quartered. Here again, what business do I as a white middle-aged, middle class man have in saying anything? However, how can we move forward without taking any steps? His emergence may be premature and he may fail but it had to be done.
What is the determined time frame for his banishment? Two years? Five? Ten? Forever?
Please don’t use the “he has enough money, he should go away” argument. He may be a millionaire many times over but is it fair to take away a man’s livelihood?
And whether I or you, like it or not, having Louis CK go back on the road is a step. Whether we see it as a step forward or backward is up to us.
It may result in two steps back, but even one step forward and two steps back is still movement in the right direction, albeit a stunted movement.
That said, isn’t forward the direction we need to move for healing? Isn’t that the only possible road towards redemption for him? For us?
Asking for a friend.
My article on drummer Jim Gordon:
The Forgotten Drummer Story
Jim Gordon is a drummer. Jim Gordon is the co-author of “Layla”. Jim Gordon is schizophrenic. Jim Gordon is in prison.medium.com
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