Louis CK’s “these stories are true” statement contains "several deliberate lies"

Slate

"Nestled into CK's admission of fact—'these stories are true'—are several deliberate lies," says Christina Cauterucci. The statement the comedian released Friday represented the “lowest possible bar,” which seemed to appease some reading his statement, she adds. “We have become so accustomed to powerful men calling accusers liars, money-grubbers, and too ugly to assault that a simple admission of truth strikes us as alarmingly mature,” she says. But Cauterucci says if you parsed Louis CK’s statement, you would see that his “phrasing is cunning and specific: Perhaps he did ask each woman if he could take out his penis before he showed it to them, but he doesn’t say they said yes, because many didn’t.” She adds: “What makes this statement even worse is CK’s carefully crafted reputation as a self-aware, self-deprecating guy who’s given a lot of thought to gender dynamics and exploitation.” And to top it all off, she adds, “C.K. never says he’s sorry in his statement. The closest he comes to apologizing is 'I have been remorseful of my actions.' His decision to blanket over his history of abuse with explanations and justifications instead of offering a straightforward apology probably means he’s looking for a way back into the good graces of his audience.”

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