Louis CK what a JK

Louis C.K is back.

This time not flashing his sack.

And everyone wants to clap.

Louis CK has already decided enough time has passed to make his first stand up appearance since admitting to sexual misconduct last November. It was reported that he took to the stage in a surprise set at the Comedy Cellar last Sunday and was, according to Noam Dworman the owner of the Cellar, met with ‘standing ovation’ prior to his performance from some members of the audience. Presumably due to his courageous return after admitting to forcing women to watch him masturbate, people felt the need to get out of their seats and applaud.He has after all, spent nine months doing some serious thinking. And He is after all, quite good at comedy. And what’s more important than that? Hmm?

Two women who were at the set to watch another comedian told The Vulture the audience was overwhelmingly supportive of his appearance, yet jokes with ‘rape whistles’ as the punch line fell understandably flat. One woman who asked to remain anonymous when talking to Vulture said ‘it was tense to watch C.K. make jokes in a room so obviously welcoming of him. “You hear this big, loud guy sitting next to you, yelling ‘Oh, it’s so great to have you back, Louis,’ and people cheering and giving him a standing ovation,” she said. “Our voice is definitely not going to be prioritized in that space.”

A source with the pseudonym S.B told the New York times that the audience was predominantly white with lots of couples, and while most of the men cheered for Louis “There were at least four to five females that I could see, and three or four of them were not having it. They were just looking at him, deadpan, straight, not having it.” Yet [the women] agreed that C.K.’s reception was warm, with one man shouting that it was “good to have [C.K.] back.”

His warm welcome back to comedy leaves a bitter taste. How disappointing, how frustrating, how appalling. Yet again, it is painfully clear that a man’s reputation is far more important than a woman’s life, a woman’s safety, right to space, privacy or comfort. There is quite literally NEVER been a rape accusation, a conviction, or admission to sexual assault, that has ever stopped a man from running back onto a football pitch, a red carpet, a comedy stage or even running an entire country.

We’ve got to stop separating the man from his art/career/sport/power, or what’s next? Are we going to make Harvey Weinstein a lovely cottage pie and rub his belly while he eats it? Are we going to whisper softly into Ched Evans ear “oh cheddy do you want a bon Bon?” Are we going to run Kevin Spacey a bubble bath? Are we going to take Trump away for a spa weekend and massage his fat grabbing hands and stroke him with feathers? ARE WE?

This is scary proof that while the #metoo movement was listened and nodded along to, we’ve got a long way to go. Because not only can a sexual predator’s reputation still be restored, it will be STROKED. A standing ovation before Louis C.K. even started his set speaks volumes. It says ‘you are forgiven’ it says ‘it’s no big deal reeeaaaally’ it says ‘look how brave you are! It’s says ‘BRAVO SIR!’

What he should have been met with is silence.