Louis C.K. accuser Julia Wolov speaks out: “What C.K. did was not done with consent”
On November 8th, Toronto comedy club owner Mark Breslin wrote an op-ed for Canadian Jewish News titled “Why I Brought Louis C.K. Back From The Dead.” Breslin was attempting to explain why he booked the comedian at his club after Louis C.K. was accused of—and admitted to—indecent exposure against “four women” (there were actually five) in 2017. In the piece, he said C.K. had been treated “unfairly” by the public, and that his wrongdoings were reportedly consensual. Now, one of C.K.’s accusers is speaking out against the piece and refuting its point about consent.
On Tuesday, November 12th, comedian and actress Julia Wolov responded to Breslin’s piece in her own Canadian Jewish News op-ed titled “Counterpoint: I Didn’t Consent To Louis C.K. Masturbating In Front Of Me.”
“I am one of the women from the comedy team in the 2017 New York Times article about Louis C.K.,” she began her response. Wolov is one half of the comedy team Dana & Julia. She then corrected Breslin’s piece, stating that there were five women who accused Louis C.K. of sexual assault, which took place in 2002, not 2005, as Breslin wrote.
"Contrary to Breslin’s accounting, what C.K. did was not done with consent," Wolov wrote. "We never agreed nor asked him to take all his clothes off and masturbate to completion in front of us. But it didn’t matter because the exciting part for him was the fear on our faces."
Louis CK performed stand up tonight?! Wow!
What about Dana Min Goodman & Julia Wolov? Did they get 15 mins in the Comedy Cellar?
They did not. Their careers were derailed by Louis CK after they spoke up about him cornering them and masturbating in front of them.
So, fuck him.
— Andy Greskoviak (@Andy_Greskoviak) August 28, 2018
“What if this had happened to your daughter or son? Or your wife? How would you feel?” Wolov asked. “How would you feel about them getting consistent hate mail from Louis C.K. supporters who tell them to kill themselves?”
“So, when you pat yourself on the back for Louis C.K.’s career resurgence and helping your business thrive, maybe think about the human beings encumbered in this story,” Wolov concluded.
Wolov also wrote that she and her fellow accusers also work in comedy, and will most likely “never make tens of millions of dollars to lose,” as C.K. has. In fact, as Wolov points out, C.K. is still touring, “and he will be fine.”
Although they may never see the same level of success that C.K. has, Wolov assures Breslin and those on his side, “we will continue to navigate our careers the best we can.”
I’m with Dana Min Goodman, Julia Wolov, Abby Schachner, Rebecca Corry & Tig Notaro.
You are brave.
— Cameron Esposito (@cameronesposito) November 9, 2017
You can read Wolov’s full Canadian Jewish News response here.