Michael Che Defends Louis C.K.: He Has “A Right to Speak and Make A Living”

Emmys host Michael Che is coming to Louis C.K.’s defense. Over the weekend, Louis C.K. returned to the comedy stage for the first time since admitting to sexual misconduct, and people have been roasting him ever since — and for good reason. Many influential comedians stayed silent about the controversy, but yesterday, Che decided to enter the fray via Instagram (he deleted his Twitter years ago), and it went about as poorly as you’d expect. In an Instagram story that has since timed out, Che insisted that Louis C.K. has the “right to speak and make a living” and attacked critics for being jealous of his “fame.”

Che’s Instagram rant started with a reference to a figure he likes to call “Megan,” a stand-in (in his mind, at least) for angry fans on Twitter. “The one thing I do love/miss about Twitter is seeing Megan freakout about the world still turning,” he wrote. “‘Omg! Can you believe that guy went on with his life?!’ Yes, Megan, I can.”

The SNL writer went on to explain that Louis C.K.’s critics are so obsessed with fame that it’s clouding their judgement. “What’s interesting to me about these articles against Louis C.K. performing again is how important fame is to people,” he wrote. “A lot of what I read says that C.K. shouldn’t be a ‘famous’ comedian anymore. Because to them, he’s still winning. Isn’t that strange?”

“Meaning he can be shamed, humiliated, lose millions of dollars, lose all of his projects, lose the respect of a lot of his fans and peers, and whatever else that comes with what he did,” he continued. “But since he can still do a comedy set for free at a 200 seat club a year later, it means he got off easy. THAT’s how coveted fame is.”

Fans immediately came for Che, because, well, it’s a bad take. The burden of guilt here shouldn’t be placed on his critics; it should be placed on Louis C.K., the man who admitted to masturbating in front of women at work.

When someone asked Che what he thinks Louis C.K. “deserves,” he replied, “I don’t know what he’s done to right that situation, and it’s none of my business. But I do believe any free person has a right to speak and make a living.” He then reminded his followers that “just because it looks to you like someone is ‘getting off easy’ cause they still have the perks you would kill to have, doesn’t make it so.”

With less than three weeks to go before the Emmys, it would benefit Che to figure out a better way to discuss issues like these. If he doesn’t take that opportunity (and, let’s be honest, he probably won’t) we’ll likely be suffering through quite the tone-deaf opening monologue.