Alleged Louis C.K. masturbation scandal
So I generally steer clear of the tabloids and don't pay too much attention to celebrities' personal lives. But a few months ago, I was googling C.K. and came across these articles:
http://defamer.gawker.com/louis-c-k-will-call-you-up-to-talk-about-his-alleged-s-1687820755
http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/250286/jen-kirkman-louis-ck-gross-behavior-podcast/
http://flavorwire.com/519544/the-particular-horror-of-hearing-creepy-stories-about-famous-men-who-should-know-better
Now, I have zero familiarity with any of these websites, so I don't know whether they're respected as news sources on any level or not. But I've seen a decent number of other sites pick up on this story. None of them seem to be particularly high profile, but all the same...Cosby has taught us that stuff like this can be "known about", but largely ignored by the media for years.
And sure, what C.K. did isn't as horrific as what we've found out about Cosby. But that doesn't keep it from being horrible in it's own right.
It's not like I ever expected C.K.'s sex life to be super clean-cut. I mean, if he does in fact masturbate in front of random women, then that's kind of pervy, but so long as it's consensual, then it doesn't really bother me that much in and of itself. Even if there was a misunderstanding and he got carried away in a single instance, then okay, whatever - **** happens. So long as no one was hurt.
But what really gets to me is the notion suggested by a lot of these rumors, that he's threatening to end peoples' careers over this. I mean, I think that the public can move past an act of sexual misconduct, so long as no one was physically abused and the perpetrator seems genuinely sorry. But things are always made so much worse, when people try to hide what they did. If C.K. is really going around threatening people, then that pretty much destroys any respect I have for him.
It's really frustrating, because I started watching Louie earlier this year and am only on the second season or so. It's freaking brilliant. One of the best shows I've ever seen. And it can offer great catharsis when I'm feeling down (which is often, haha). But I haven't been able to watch it all summer, because of these rumors.
What do other people think about this?
I hope that I'm not ruining anyone's perception of C.K. by bringing to light something that's only just a rumor at this point.
But do you think that there's any truth to it? And are you still able to appreciate his work, even if you find these rumors to be unsettling?