Update (November 10, 2017, 4:50 p.m.): Following his admission that the allegations of sexual misconduct against him were true, FX has officially ended its relationship with Louis C.K. (HBO and Netflix have also done the same). The network released the following statement on Friday afternoon:
"Today, FX Networks and FX Productions are ending our association with Louis C.K. We are cancelling the overall deal between FX Productions and his production company, Pig Newton. He will no longer serve as executive producer or receive compensation on any of the four shows we were producing with him – Better Things, Baskets, One Mississippi and The Cops.
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Louis has now confirmed the truth of the reports relating to the five women victimized by his misconduct, which we were unaware of previously. As far as we know, his behavior over the past 8 years on all five series he has produced for FX Networks and/or FX Productions has been professional. However, now is not the time for him to make television shows. Now is the time for him to honestly address the women who have come forth to speak about their painful experiences, a process which he began today with his public statement.
FX Networks and FX Productions remain committed to doing everything we can to ensure that all people work in an environment that is safe, respectful and fair, and we will continue our review of all of these productions to ensure that was and is the case."
The original post continues below.
"The stories are true," writes Louis C.K.
In a statement released today by the New York Times, C.K. has confirmed the allegations in a lengthy exposé published yesterday by the Times. Five women, four of whom went on the record with their names, and detailed instances in which, among other, C.K. forcibly masturbated in front of them. Another victim claimed that she heard the comedian and director masturbating over the phone during a conversation.
C.K. states that the allegations are true. His statement further tries to explain some of his motives: "At the time, I said to myself that what I did was okay because I never showed a woman my dick without asking first, which is also true." But he writes that he realizes that the power he held over women is put them in a "predicament" and that he "wielded that power irresponsibly."
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He says that he feels remorse for his actions. "The hardest regret to live with is what you've done to hurt someone else. And I can hardly wrap my head around the scope of hurt I brought on them." C.K. then explains that he recognizes that he's "brought hurt" to the cast and crew of the various comedy projects he's worked on throughout the years. He specifically "deeply regrets" the "negative attention" he brought to his manager, Dave Becky, as well as his family, friend, children, and his children's mother.
"I have spent my long and lucky career talking and saying anything I want. I will now take a step back and take a long time to listen," he writes.
You can read the entire statement below, which New York Times culture reporter David Itzkoff tweeted.
Louis CK has put out a statement. "These stories are true," he says. pic.twitter.com/8oCH7YhqnF
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) November 10, 2017
If you have experienced sexual violence and are in need of crisis support, please call the RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).