Janeane Garofalo says to leave Louis C.K. alone: 'He has paid heavily’

Andrea Mandell
Updated
Janeane Garofalo is taking a stand in support of her old friend, Louis C.K. She appeared on the podcast "Poptarts," saying C.K. has paid "heavily."

Janeane Garofalo is taking a public stand in support of her old friend, Louis C.K.

While being interviewed on the Bust podcast “Poptarts,” things got heated when Garofalo backed C.K., including his recent appearances at venues like New York City’s Comedy Cellar.

“Leave Louis C.K. alone. Enough with that...there are so many issues we gotta be motivated on. He’s been my friend... since 1985, and I think he has suffered,” said Garofalo.

She added: “And when he performs at the Comedy Cellar and people get all irate, if nothing else, care about his daughters. If nothing else – if you can find no compassion for him, which I think you should – think about how his daughters, who hear all of this stuff, feel. Why don’t you leave him alone, for them, if you’re so women-empowering?”

"Poptarts" hosting duo Emily Rems and Callie Wattson took issue with Garofalo's comments. "Why should I have sympathy for someone because they have a daughter? That's just mind-blowing," retorted a host.

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C.K.'s appearance at the Comedy Cellar last August was met with controversy from many who questioned whether C.K. should be allowed back less than a year after being accused of sexual misconduct during the start of the #MeToo movement. The Comedy Cellar also faced backlash for ambushing guests with the disgraced comedian, though he was invited back to perform in October.

During the podcast, Garofalo called the fraught topic of C.K. "like talking about Israel" – but she also doubled down, saying that C.K. “has paid heavily, heavily, and his family has paid heavily.”

Janeane Garofalo performs on stage during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2018.
Janeane Garofalo performs on stage during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2018.

And she personally doesn't find his Comedy Cellar sets problematic. “Oh my God. Do you know how much offensive material goes on at the Comedy Cellar? If you don’t want to listen to him, get up and leave the room," she said. "You are acting like Mussolini has walked into the room, and it is not. This is a human being."

The comedian also had this to say about the #MeToo movement: "I think it’s okay to question the source. It should transcend gender. It’s human rights. ‘Cause if you don’t, anyone can be accused of anything at any time."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Janeane Garofalo says to leave Louis C.K. alone: 'He has paid heavily’