Louis C.K. included ‘rape joke’ in first comedy set since admitting sexual harassment

"It felt like he was being thrust upon the audience without telling them."

Louis C.K. reportedly included a rape joke in his routine as he returned to the stage on Sunday night.

The comedian made a surprise appearance at New York’s Comedy Cellar, his first live performance since admitting sexually harassing five women.

In November last year, he said he was “remosrseful” after admitting the slew of claims which included masturbating in front of female comedians.

Advertisement

Now, two women who were in attendance at the show have described the performance – and how a joke about a rape whistle proved to be extremely divisive.

Although the crowd was said to be “overwhelmingly supportive” of the shamed comic, the divisive gag is believed to have split the room in two.

Speaking to Vulture, one woman recalled how C.K. began riffing about the phrase “clean as a whistle,” which eventually built up to a joke about how rape whistles are not clean.

https://twitter.com/sasimons/status/1034300940789022720

“When he said ‘rape whistle’ people were laughing, and I was just sitting there like oh my fuck. This is so uncomfortable and so disgusting. Everyone around me was laughing. That was just depressing”, the anonymous woman recalled.

Describing the set, one woman said: “It felt like he was being thrust upon the audience without telling them.

Advertisement

“The audience was very loud when Louis C.K. walked in. They were clearly supportive and surprised when he showed up, but there were a number of women sitting in the front row.”

It was also noted that “there were at least four to five females that I could see, and three or four of them were not having it. They were just looking at him, deadpan, straight, not having it.”

The comedian also left the stage to a “frustrating” standing ovation.

“You hear this big, loud guy sitting next to you, yelling, ‘Oh, it’s so great to have you back, Louis,’ and people cheering and giving him a standing ovation,” one woman recalled.

“Our voice is definitely not going to be prioritized in that space…How do you think the women in that room felt? It’s just really frustrating.”

 

You May Also Like

Advertisement

TRENDING

Advertisement

More Stories