Rose McGowan has weighed in on comedian Louis C.K.’s admission that he had engaged in sexual misconduct against multiple women, castigating what she called the “faux-shock” that the industry had expressed over the misconduct.
The actress, who is among the many women who have accused disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct, also called out the “code of complicity” she said surrounded the C.K.’s actions.
In a tweet published Friday after the “Louie” star admitted to acting inappropriately, McGowan said that she had “heard stories” about Louis C.K. years ago, despite being “in no way connected to the comedy scene.”
“I heard stories about Louis C.K. two years ago. I’m in no way connected to the comedy scene, and I’d heard of it. Industry faux-shock is such a tired lie,” McGowan wrote. “I send my strength and love to all women hurt by him & the code of complicity.”
C.K. issued a statement Friday, admitting that the accusations of five women, which were published by the New York Times on Thursday, “are true.”
“These stories are true,” C.K. said in a statement. “At the time, I said to myself that what I did was okay because I never showed a woman my d— without asking first, which is also true. But what I learned later in life, too late, is that when you have power over another person, asking them to look at your d— isn’t a question. It’s a predicament for them. The power I had over these women is that they admired me. And I wielded that power irresponsibly.”
In the Times article, multiple women accused the comedian of either masturbating in front of them or asking if he could do so.
“He proceeded to take all of his clothes off, and get completely named, and started masturbating,” comedian Dana Min Goodman told the Times of a 2012 incident in Aspen, Colorado.
Since the publication of the Times article, distributor The Orchard chose not to go forward with the release of C.K.’s film “I Love You, Daddy.” HBO pulled the comedian from the lineup of the upcoming “A Night of Too Many Stars” special, and removed his series “Lucky Louis” and his comedy specials from HBO’s streaming service. And Netflix has scrapped a forthcoming comedy special by the embattled star.
I heard stories about Louis C.K. 2 years ago. I’m in no way connected to the comedy scene, and I’d heard of it. Industry faux-shock is such a tired lie. I send my strength and love to all women hurt by him & the code of complicity.
— rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) November 10, 2017