Louis C.K. has been a big name in comedy since the '90s. His show Louie on FX garnered him critical acclaim, and his outward vulnerability endeared him to critics and fans alike. This all came crashing down, however, in November 2017 when the New York Times broke a story exposing Louis C.K.'s perverse habit of forcing women - namely female writers, comedians, and industry assistants - to watch him masturbate. The Louis C.K. sexual assault scandal caused an eruption in the comedy world. Netflix, TBS, HBO, and the FX Network all cut ties with C.K. due to the reports of predatory and abusive behavior.

The response of his comedian contemporaries varied, but most fellow shamed C.K. for his actions. Unfortunately, these criminal allegations against Louis C.K. were not news to everyone; rumors of C.K's sick obsession have circled since his younger days as a comedian.

In November 2017, C.K. responded to the allegations, saying "these stories are true," and that he was going to "step back and take a long time to listen." When he returned to the public eye in August 2018 for a surprise set at New York City's Comedy Cellar, fellow comedians and critics alike had very different stances on his come back – he was met with a standing ovation, but others slammed him for returning so quickly.

It's important, then, to take a step back and observe the omnishambles from an objective vantage point.