Louis C.K. is back—whether you like it or not, unfortunately. On Sunday night, the comedian who admitted to numerous acts of sexual misconduct made a surprise appearance at the Comedy Cellar in New York City.
Now it isn’t uncommon for famous comedians to make unannounced appearances at comedy clubs to try out new routines. What Is uncommon, however, is for a famous comedian to have a propensity for masturbating in front of women against their will—and publicly admit to it. Before he had disappeared from the scene for nine months, he said “I have spent my long and lucky career talking and saying anything I want. I will now step back and take a long time to listen.”
His several months away from the spotlight don’t seem like a very long time—especially if he’s been working on new material he’s been eager to show. It’s doubtful he’s spent enough time listening if his comeback performance was done in front of an unsuspecting audience. Club owner Noam Dworman told the New York Times that one audience member called on Monday to complain about not getting the option. He also took the time to say many customers emailed and thanked them for the opportunity. It’s a shame how forgiving we are when it comes to unapologetic abusers.
It’s also important to note that only did the audience not consent to his appearance, but people working there didn’t get a choice in the matter, either. One woman tweeted she’ll never work at the comedy club again.
There’s a real conversation to be had about redemption and how to handle people who’ve done serious wrong in the past. However, Louis C.K. is not the person to spark those issues. As Dr. Judith Herman writes in Trauma & Recovery, “True forgiveness cannot be granted until the perpetrator has sought and earned it through confession, repentance, and restitution.”
If Louis C.K. is already thrusting himself on stage without an audience’s consent—with no mention of why he hasn’t been in the spotlight to begin with—it sounds like he’s trying to do a bit of gaslighting instead of fully trying to atone for his sins, show that he’s learned, and create lasting change. What does true repentance look like? Well, Louis C.K. should start by reading fellow comedian Jenny Yang’s Twitter thread. Here are just a couple of her great suggestions: