#MeToo 2

Oof... when the other two guys in your band immediately quit upon learning of the allegations, that is not a vote of confidence in your side of the story.

 

Rolling Stone took a deep look at the claims against Marilyn Manson and found a lot.

 

The Marilyn Manson story is a reminder that as a dude there is some stuff I will never, ever understand.

Marilyn Manson invites you into his home and you discover it's decorated with swastikas and blood and vaginas... and then you're dismayed to learn he also has a dark side? There's something going on there I just can't comprehend.

 

Manson appearing with Trump in 3, 2 ...

 

How hard did you try, Rolling Stone?

“Former contributing editor Neil Strauss, who wrote that story and co-authored Warner’s bestselling 1998 memoir, The Long Hard Road Out of Hell, could not be reached for comment for this article.”

 

So Louis CK has a new comedy special and is advertising it on TV, which predictably has social media melting down.

Full disclosure: I’m a big fan, so maybe it colors my view of him and the situation.

Anyway, here’s what I’m trying to wrap my head around: I just read an article that repeatedly described his actions as “sexual assault.”

He jerked off in front of women who had no interest in seeing Louis CK jerk off in front of them. I am in no way defending his actions here. They are disgusting, unacceptable, creepy, you name it.

Are they sexual assault? Because to me that kind of cheapens “assault.” I can certainly see viewing it as sexual abuse, but I struggle with calling something assault that doesn’t involve any physical contact or even a threat or solicitation. Am I wrong here?

 

I guess it depends on if he touched the women in any way. If he physically stopped them from leaving before/during his show, I think that is what makes it assault. But I'm just guessing.

 

While he was certainly creepy or icky, when I read the allegations against him, he seemed to always have asked the women if it were ok for him masturbate in front of them. A number of the women said that they didn’t know how to react, but none of the allegations say that he did it when the women actually said no.

 

I almost feel bad for Pelaton. They got hammered a year or two ago for their ad of the husband buying the hot wife the bike thing. Then Sex and the City kills Big with one. And then the allegations against Noth.

 

I was gonna say "sexual degenerate,"
but then I learned a new word today.

Urban Dictionary: coomer

 

I would understand that. From my understanding he never did.

That's what I've seen as well.

The other thing I've struggled with regarding the allegations: people have suggested all along that the women felt they had to let him do these things because "he's a very powerful man in the business" and they feared for their careers. And... he's a standup comic. He's a very successful one. That doesn't exactly make him powerful, and there was never any threat attached to any of it, real or implied. It feels like an attempt to turn him into Harvey Weinstein when he's much more Pee Wee Herman. But again, I'm a dude and my reading of it may differ significantly from how a woman views it, and I'll gladly defer there.

 

I think the definition of 'assault' depends upon the jurisdiction. In many places, the legal definition of 'assault' includes threatening behavior. For example, it's 'assault' when you throw the punch. It's 'battery' when you connect.

Even within that framework, there are going to be degrees of misdemeanor and felony 'sexual assault' or 'sexual abuse' or 'sexual battery,' or 'sexual contact,' etc.

The sexual harassment allegations against Louis C.K., explained

Thinking he was joking (that's exactly the kind of thing this guy would say), the women gave a facetious thumbs up. He wasn't joking. When he actually started jerking off in front of them, the ladies decided that wasn't their bag and made for the exit. But the comedian stood in front of the door, blocking their way with his body, until he was done.

Which Beloved Comedian Likes to Force Female Comics to Watch Him Jerk Off?

As to whether or not CK is 'powerful,' he's been the executive producer of multiple TV series since at least 2010. So, yes. Powerful. Even without reference to getting female comics blackballed on the club circuit if they came forward.