Louis C.K. prepared himself for questions about a controversial episode of his FX series, “Louie,” which was dubbed the “Date Rape” scene.
C.K. first took issue with the use of the word “rape” in this case. “I don’t think you can call it rape, it was a kiss on the mouth. [Rape is] a real serious and bad thing,” he said during Saturday’s Television Critics Association press tour.
On the episode entitled “Pamela (Part 1),” which aired last May, “Louie” delivers a decidedly feminist standup routine, then goes home and wakes his friend Pamela (Pamela Adlon), who has been babysitting his daughters. He forcibly tries to make her stay in his apartment and kiss him. He holds onto her, pulls up her shirt, holds the door shut, and finally makes her accept an unwanted kiss. She rejects him throughout.
TV critics weighed in quickly on the scene, debating what C.K. was trying to say with the scene and wondering if he understood that the scene had overtones of rape.
C.K. said that the scene was supposed to represent his character “trying to figure out what” was going on between him and Pamela.
“Sometimes, you put something out there and it gets a different reaction,” he said.
“To me, it was like a tussle,” he elaborated. “I’m pulling her and she’s pulling me away. We even thought it was funny when we tried it.”
Well, not exactly, Adlon countered. She remembers raising a red flag.
“When we got through the scene, I said I think we might be in trouble. Someone’s going to be mad,” the actress and writer said.
She was right about people getting angry, but didn’t agree with the comparison to rape. “I didn’t’ feel like it was rape-y.”
Although C.K. first claimed that he didn’t read any of the articles written about the scene, he couldn’t stand to lie. Toward the end of the panel, he admitted, “Of course I read all this shit! I’m fascinated with what you write about the show.”
There were other serious moments last season — such as the episode in which Louie dates an overweight girl and she makes an unforgettable speech about how guys treat “fat girls” — enough serious storylines for C.K. to declare it was “a quiet season.” But, he promises the upcoming fifth season, which premieres on April 9, will be lighter.
“I do think this season is more laugh-centric funny than Season 4,” C.K. said.