Louis C.K.'s career took huge hit on Thursday (November 9) when HBO announced that it was cutting ties with the comedian, and removing all of his content from its on-demand services. Louis's next engagement with the network was supposed to be on November 18, when he was scheduled to be a part of the "Night of Too Many Stars: America Unites for Autism Programs" special. His participation in the philanthropic Jon Stewart hosted event has been nipped as well, as the veteran comic confronts several sexual misconduct accusations that have come to surface.
Earlier this week the New York Times published an article verifying the claims of at least five women who shared accounts of Louis masturbating in front of them. The incidents allegedly happened on different occasions dating back to the 1990's, with the most recent said to have occurred in 2005. According to their stories, Louis asked some of the women for permission to perform the lewd act, while others say he simply began fondling himself before them without consent.
It has reportedly been a long-standing rumor in the industry that Louis C.K. got off on the behavior described by his accusers. When approached about the allegations in the past he has dismissed them as fabricated, or as is the case with the most recent headlines, has refused to comment. In the hours leading up to the Times article's publication though, there is indication that he was aware of that the story might have had tentacles, as he went on to cancel an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert before it hit the press. The New York City premiere of his new film, I Love You, Daddy was also abruptly canceled.
The timing of Louis' new movie is eerie, considering its subject matter. The feature tells the story of a television producer whose daughter is sexually harassed by an elder filmmaker. One scene actually depicts the predator masturbating for an extended period of time. During an interview with the Times back in September, Louis was asked whether there may have been any correlation between the scene and his reputation, at which time he reportedly responded, "It's funny. I didn't think of that."
Source: businessinsider.com
