Louis CK addressing his misconduct in his latest special

The power I had over these women is that they admired me.

His apology reads really well. He sounds contrite and apologetic. I think the whole apology turns on the sentence above and makes it ring somewhat less honest, either with himself, us or both.

His power was as a 'powerful other' in the business. His stature, connections (i.e., agent, venue managers, other famous comics, etc.) could reasonably make these women feel that if they said "no", complained or didn't go along to get along, they might not get gigs, they might become the object of a whisper campaign, etc. They might never know what was being said about them.

Predators tend to attack their victims credibility to discredit them. If they said "no" to Louis CK, or responded with discomfort, would he have gone after them personally with his friends, professional acquaintances? To discredit them in advance? How would they know? How many years would they have to worry in silence?

Louis CK had a hell of a lot more power over these women than just the fact that they "admired" him.

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