Comedian Louis C.K. issued a statement Friday responding to and confirming allegations that he exposed himself to several women throughout his career.
The New York Times on Thursday published the accounts of five women who claimed that the comic cornered them and masturbated in front of them. In reaction to the story, the premiere of Louis C.K.'s film I Love You, Daddy and an appearance on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" were abruptly canceled.
The comedian's publicists initially said that they were not issuing a statement. But the following day, Louis C.K. apologized.
Louis CK has put out a statement. "These stories are true," he says. pic.twitter.com/8oCH7YhqnF
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) November 10, 2017
"These stories are true," Louis C.K. wrote. "At the time, I said to myself that what I did was okay because I never showed a woman my dick without asking first, which is also true."
"But what I learned later in life, too late, is that when you have power over another person, asking them to look at your dick isn't a question," he continued. "It's a predicament for them. The power I had over these women is that they admired me. And I wielded that power irresponsibly."
"I've brought pain to my family, my friends, my children, and their mother," he lamented.