Comedian Louis C.K. was outed for predatory sexual behavior in a New York Times article in 2017, for which he issued a public apology and a promise to withdraw from public life to reflect. So when he won a Best Comedy Album Grammy last Sunday for Sincerely Louis CK, the soundtrack to his 2020 self-released special, it sent an immediate shockwave through social media and reignited a debate in comedy circles over how much mistreatment men are allowed to get away with.
Among those responding now is Julia Wolov of the comedy team Dana & Julia, who was one of the accusers in the Times article. She told Variety:
“You sort of take that on, knowing that you might be able to help somebody else. That’s part of what makes you come forward, but it’s not fun. We took one for the team… Even talking to you right now, I know this will not work in my favor, but so many people are asking and it’s hard when he’s in the constant news cycle.”
According to Wolov’s allegation, which was later publicly confirmed by C.K., the comedian got the duo alone in a hotel room, stood in front of the door, and asked if he could masturbate in front of them. Which he then did. In the interview, Wolov says she can’t prove that she’s been blackballed in the comedy business as a “troublemaker,” but she believes her career has been impacted by coming forward about her experience:
“Of course, his fans will say it’s because we’re not funny or we’re gold diggers — that’s my favorite, like, we got so rich from this… People will say we want attention. Trust me, this is not the attention that I ever hoped for.”
When asked what message the Grammys were sending by awarding C.K. the top Comedy win, Wolov responded, “Nobody cares. That’s the message this sends. It really does. That’s the truth.”
