Louis C.K.'s former manager Dave Becky is expressing "profound regret" after failing to take the comedian's sexual misconduct seriously.
Becky dropped C.K. as a client last week (ends10Nov17) after a bombshell New York Times article detailed the accounts of five women he sexually harassed - stories he subsequently confessed were all true.
Among his victims were comics Dana Min Goodman and Julia Wolov, who revealed the star forced them to watch him masturbate in 2002.
On Monday (13Nov17), Becky apologised for partaking in a "perceived cover-up" of C.K.'s lewd behaviour, claiming he did not recognise the severity of the situation.
"I profoundly regret and am deeply sorry for not listening to and not understanding what happened to Dana and Julia," he wrote in a statement. "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."
He continued, "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."
Becky understands how his actions may appear "as a threat to cover-up sexual misconduct" and he has now vowed to work towards change.
"I am going to take time to reflect on this, to educate myself daily, and to strive towards a more enlightened path," he added. "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."
Following the publication of the New York Times story, C.K. released a statement admitting to inappropriate conduct.
"These stories are true," he confessed, before expressing regret for his actions.
"The power I had over these women is that they admired me," he shared. "And I wielded that power irresponsibly. I have been remorseful of my actions. And I've tried to learn from them. And run from them. Now I'm aware of the extent of the impact of my actions."
In the wake of the scandal, the married father-of-two was also dropped by his agent and publicist, and had projects dumped by TV bosses at HBO, FX, and Netflix, hours after distribution officials behind his latest film, I Love You Daddy, announced they would no longer be releasing the movie. He has also been dropped as the lead vocal talent in the sequel to his 2016 animated comedy The Secret Life of Pets, which had been due to hit theatres in 2019.
