Jim Gaffigan Weighs in on Friend Mario Batali's Sexual Harassment Allegations: 'We Should All Work on Forgiveness'

Jessica Fecteau
Updated

Comedian Jim Gaffigan has opened up about his friendship with chef Mario Batali for the first time following five women accusing Batali of sexual misconduct in December 2017.

When asked about the former The Chew co-host, Gaffigan told Confidential he still has a positive opinion of Batali. “I love Mario,” Gaffigan said, praising “the generosity he showed to our family when my wife was in the hospital and when we went to his restaurant and she could only eat soup.”

After the news broke that Batali was accused of groping several different women, the comedian said he didn’t spend much time focusing on the headlines.

“I read a little bit and I made a point of not reading too much because I like him and I know he’s really got a good soul and a good heart,” he told the publication. “Given I don’t know the details. I don’t know. I’m a Catholic. I feel like we should all work on forgiveness.”

Last May, Gaffigan and his wife Jeannie, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor, told PEOPLE Batali sent their family dinner three nights in a row.

“People are so generous, it’s really made me believe that there’s hope for humanity,” Gaffigan said at the time.

In July, Gaffigan took Jeannie to Batali’s Del Posto restaurant in New York City where the chef created a custom 7-course soup menu for their 14th wedding anniversary when she could “not comfortably eat solids.”

I realize we live in strange, maybe even mean times. Like you, I read the news daily shaking my head with horror how humans treat other humans. But there are some amazing people out there. When @jeanniegaffigan was diagnosed with a brain tumor so many friends, family and strangers stepped up to offer meals, help, encouragement and prayers. It really blew me away. Thank you so much for everything. One friend was @mariobatali who with his wife Suzi sent over numerous elaborate gourmet meals to feed me, the kids and our helpers. Last week I emailed Mario asking him to hep me find a place for our 14th wedding anniversary. I was trying to find a nice place for us to celebrate but given Jeannie can not comfortably eat solids I was hoping to find a place that did amazing soups (yes,in July.) I knew Mario was on vacation but I hoped he could point me in the right direction. Mario responded insisting that we come to @delposto and that he would make sure we were well taken care of. When we arrived we saw that Mario had created a custom tasting menu of various gourmet soups with accompanied wines or cocktails. Of course the whole experience was insanely amazing but the generosity of kindness and compassion by Mario was most moving. Thanks Mario

A post shared by Jim Gaffigan (@jimgaffigan) on Jul 26, 2017 at 9:42pm PDT

The allegations against Batali, which were first reported by Eater, involved “inappropriate touching in a pattern of behavior that spans at least two decades.” Three of the accusers worked for Batali, with one former employee claiming that he grabbed her from behind and pressed her against him repeatedly over the course of two years. Two others described incidents where Batali groped them.

In a statement to Eater following the allegations, Batali said: “I apologize to the people I have mistreated and hurt. Although the identities of most of the individuals mentioned in these stories have not been revealed to me, much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted. That behavior was wrong and there are no excuses. I take full responsibility and am deeply sorry for any pain, humiliation or discomfort I have caused to my peers, employees, customers, friends and family.”