Louis C.K.’s Former Manager ‘Profoundly Regrets’ Misconduct Inaction
UPDATE: Pamela Adlon has dropped 3 Arts as her manager following Louis C.K.‘s sexual misconduct admission, reports Deadline.
3 Arts management founder Dave Becky, who represented Louis C.K. for years, has issued a public apology to two of C.K.’s victims, Dana Min Goodman and Julia Wolov. The two comedians told the New York Times they felt intimidated to talk to Becky in 2002 after C.K. masturbated in front of them in an Aspen, Colorado hotel room.
“I profoundly regret and am deeply sorry for not listening to and not understanding what happened to Dana and Julia,” Becky wrote. “If I had, I would have taken this event as seriously as it deserved to be, and I would have confronted Louis, which would have been the right thing to do … This is not an excuse. What I did was wrong, and again, I am extremely sorry.”
Becky wrote in the statement that he perceived the incidents, while “embarrassing,” were consensual and an act of infidelity – C.K. was married at the time – and not misconduct. “Albeit enormously embarrassing, in no way did I interpret the interaction as threatening or non-consensual,” he wrote. “I misperceived the casual way the story was portrayed to me — instead I should have recognized that it must have been a mask for their unease and discomfort in the face of his detestable behavior.”
In addition to Becky, C.K.’s publicist Lewis Kay, of Kovert Creative, announced he no longer represents Louis C.K. APA, which represented C.K.’s touring, has also dropped him. C.K.’s myriad creative endeavors have been unanimously dropped after the article, wherein five women accused C.K. of sexual misconduct. C.K. responded saying: “these stories are true.”
Multiple production companies have pulled out of deals with C.K. following the article. FX canceled its deal with his banner company, Pig Newton, and removed him from producing shows like Better Things and Baskets, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Amazon dropped him from One Mississippi, while TBS halted an in-production comedy C.K. was producing. The Orchard also scrapped distribution plans for C.K.’s new movie, I Love You, Daddy and Netflix and HBO canceled all forthcoming projects with the comedian.
Read Becky’s full statement below:
“I profoundly regret and am deeply sorry for not listening to and not understanding what happened to Dana and Julia. If I had, I would have taken this event as seriously as it deserved to be, and I would have confronted Louis, which would have been the right thing to do.
I am providing this context so that others do not make the same mistake I did. At that time, I heard the story third-hand, and I interpreted the conversation as two women telling a story about a sexual encounter with a then-married Louis. Albeit enormously embarrassing, in no way did I interpret the interaction as threatening or non-consensual. I misperceived the casual way the story was portrayed to me — instead I should have recognized that it must have been a mask for their unease and discomfort in the face of his detestable behavior. My intent was to seek discretion to protect what I thought was a matter of infidelity. I now comprehend that my response was perceived as a threat to cover-up sexual misconduct. This is not an excuse. What I did was wrong, and again, I am extremely sorry.
In hindsight, I was operating blindly from a one-sided place of privilege. Until last week, I knew only of this one isolated incident. Although this may sound naïve, it is true. Never once, in all of these years, did anyone mention any of the other incidents that were reported recently — I am appalled to learn of these. I have come to realize my status wielded an atmosphere where such news did not reach me, or worse yet, that it seemed such news did not matter to me. It does. It matters tremendously.
I am going to take time to reflect on this, to educate myself daily, and to strive towards a more enlightened path. I want to ensure that all voices around me are heard, and that everyone is treated respectfully and empathetically. More than anything, I want to create an environment that is a better, safer and fairer place.”