Comedian Sarah Silverman has apologised to her friend Rebecca Corry, a fellow comedian who was sexually harassed by Louis CK, after Silverman delivered a very generous take on CK’s admitted history of sexual misconduct.
Taking to Twitter, Corry commented on Silverman’s recent admission that she consented to CK masturbating in front of her when they were both “kids” entering the comedy scene.
Silverman had stated she and CK were friends and equals in the industry at the time; while not clearing him of wrongdoing, Silverman said CK may have misjudged the power dynamic present between himself and other women during later incidents.
Corry, who told The New York Times that CK asked to masturbate in front of her while they were both working on a television pilot in 2005, said she and CK were on equal professional footing at the time – and that it was clearly deliberate and abusive behaviour.
“To be real clear, CK had “nothing to offer me” as I too was his equal on the set the day he decided to sexually harrass me,” Corry said in the tweet.
“He took away a day I worked years for and still has no remorse. He’s a predator who victimized women for decades and lied about it.”
(Corry said CK called her in 2015 to deliver an apology, but did not believe him to be remorseful as he misremembered and misstated key details of the incident.)
In response, Silverman apologised, acknowledging the serious impact of CK’s actions.
“You were equals and he fucked with you and it’s not ok,” she said.
Rebecca I’m sorry. Ugh this is why I don’t like weighing in. I can’t seem to do press 4 my show w/out being asked about it. But you’re right- you were equals and he fucked with you and it’s not ok. I’m sorry, friend. You are so talented and so kind.
— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) October 22, 2018
Corry thanked Silverman after the apology, saying “I know exactly how you feel.
“I can’t seem to live my life without getting rape & death threats, harassed & called a cunt regularly for simply telling the truth. I’m sorry your friend created this situation. We deserve to do our art without having to deal with this shit.”
As Corry, Silverman, and the many other women CK sexually harassed work not to be defined by his actions, CK himself has done a pretty weak job of addressing his misconduct, only obliquely addressing the matter – and remaining silent in this very public discussion – during his rehabilitation into the stand-up scene.
The fact CK is being enabled to reenter the industry despite hurting so many of his peers is another matter entirely.
If you would like to talk to a counsellor about sexual harassment, please contact 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
