FX Networks responded Thursday to allegations against comic Louis C.K., saying that reports of inappropriate sexual behavior are “under review.”
“We are obviously very troubled by the allegations about Louis C.K. published in The New York Times today,” FX said in a statement. “The network has received no allegations of misconduct by Louis C.K. related to any of our 5 shows produced together over the past 8 years. FX Networks and FXP take all necessary actions to protect our employees and thoroughly investigate any allegations of misconduct within our workplace. That said, the matter is currently under review.”
In a New York Times story published Thursday, five women accused C.K. of masturbating in front of them or asking to masturbate in front of them. The report elevated lonsgstanding rumors that C.K. had a reputation for forcing or coercing women in the comedy world to watch him masturbate, often without their consent.
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FX has a deep working relationship with C.K. and his Pig Newton production shingle. In addition to C.K.’s Emmy-winning comedy series “Louie,” the comic, through Pig Newton, produces multiple series for FX, including Zach Galifianakis’ “Baskets,” Pamela Adlon’s “Better Things,” and Tig Notaro’s “One Mississippi,” the last of which FX Productions produces for Amazon.
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Notaro told The Daily Beast in August hat C.K. is not directly involved with the series, and said that he needed to address the rumors of sexual harassment.
“I think it’s important to take care of that, to handle that, because it’s serious to be assaulted,” she said. “It’s serious to be harassed. It’s serious, it’s serious, it’s serious. And that’s what we want to do with [‘One Mississippi]. We of course want to create comedy, but we also really, really feel like we have the opportunity to do something with ‘One Mississippi,’ because it does not stop. And, you know, I walk around doing shows at comedy clubs and you just hear from people left and right of what some big-shot comedian or person has done. People just excuse it.”
In one scene from season 2 of “One Mississippi,” a female character is forced to watch as a male workplace superior masturbates.
FX has never closed the door on a sixth season of “Louie,” adopting the stance that the network would move ahead with another season when and if the star and creator wanted to. But speaking at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour in August, FX CEO John Landgraf cast doubt on prospects for a sixth season.
“I really don’t have any update on Season 6,” Landgraf said. “As I’ve said, I think it’s possible there will never be another season of ‘Louie.’ And I think it’s also possible there will be four or five more seasons of ‘Louie’ over the next 30 years.”
Landgraf continued, “I think that Louis, he’s been very, very active in his overall deal with us. He now has four series he’s executive producing, from ‘Baskets’ and ‘Better Things’ for us, to ‘One Mississippi’ through FXP for Amazon, and ‘The Cops’ through FXP or I guess FXP is a passive, secondary participant with TBS on that. And you saw what he did with ‘Horace and Pete.’ He just did a new standup special. And he has other things that I’m aware of, that he hasn’t announced publicly that he’s working on.”