Aziz Ansari addresses sexual misconduct allegations in new comedy special
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Aziz Ansari started his new comedy special by addressing the sexual misconduct allegations made against him in early 2018.
The Netflix project, titled "Aziz Ansari Right Now" and directed by Spike Jonze, dropped on Tuesday morning and the actor-comedian walked out to a cheering New York crowd before getting serious.
"You know, I haven't said much about that whole thing, but I've talked about it on this tour, 'cause you're here and it means a lot to me," Ansari, 36, said. "I'm sure there are some of you that are curious how I feel about that whole situation."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}AZIZ ANSARI ANNOUNCES FIRST TOUR DATES SINCE SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS
The "Parks and Recreation" star was accused by an unidentified woman who claimed that she felt pressured to perform oral sex after they went on a date. The woman adds in the Babe.net article, that she texted Ansari the next day to express how upset and uncomfortable she was about the encounter.
The comic responded to the allegations in a statement:
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"In September of [2017], I met a woman at a party. We exchanged numbers. We texted back and forth and eventually went on a date. We went out to dinner, and afterwards we ended up engaging in sexual activity, which by all indications was completely consensual.
"The next day, I got a text from her saying that although 'it may have seemed okay,' upon further reflection, she felt uncomfortable. It was true that everything did seem okay to me, so when I heard that it was not the case for her, I was surprised and concerned. I took her words to heart and responded privately after taking the time to process what she had said.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}I continue to support the movement that is happening in our culture. It is necessary and long overdue."
The woman's accusations and Ansari's response sparked debate about behavior and consent during the #MeToo era and if this encounter was at the same level as other alleged abusers such as Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer, and Louis C.K.
Ansari told the audience that during that period in his life, he felt "scared."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"There's times I felt humiliated, there's times I felt embarrassed, and ultimately I just felt terrible that this person felt this way," he added. "After a year or so, I just hope it was a step forward. It moved things forward for me, made me think about a lot. I hope I've become a better person."
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He explained the experience made him have some serious conversations with friends about their dating practices and hoped those talks have made "other people be more thoughtful" about their conduct.