In the wake of a NY Times story, published yesterday, documenting claims from five women that writer, director, and comedian Louis C.K. made improper sexual advances toward them—including masturbating in front of them without their consent—the comedian has responded.

We expected some sort of statement would be forthcoming given not only the Times story, but the industry response which included C.K.’s latest film, “I Love You, Daddy” losing its distributor and his removal from HBO’s “A Night of Too Many Stars.” What’s surprising is that the comedian admits that “these stories are true.”

Per The Hollywood Reporter, he goes on to (try to) explain his actions: “At the time, I said to myself that what I did was okay because I never showed a woman my dick without asking first, which is also true. But what I learned later in life, too late, is that when you have power over another person, asking them to look at your dick isn’t a question. It’s a predicament for them. The power I had over these women is that they admired me. And I wielded that power irresponsibly.”

He addresses the women by their names and says that he is “remorseful for his actions” but that he’s also tried to “run from them.” The comedian admits to using his status as a revered figure in comedy to his advantage which “which disabled them [the women] from sharing their story and brought hardship to them when they tried because people who look up to me didn’t want to hear it.” C.K. goes on to apologize to colleagues, his management, and his family and says he will be taking a step back to listen, after a career of saying anything he wants.

You can read C.K.’s statement in its entirety below:

I want to address the stories told to the New York Times by five women
named Abby, Rebecca, Dana, Julia who felt able to name themselves and
one who did not.

These stories are true. At the time, I said to myself that what I did
was okay because I never showed a woman my dick without asking first,
which is also true. But what I learned later in life, too late, is
that when you have power over another person, asking them to look at
your dick isn’t a question. It’s a predicament for them. The power I
had over these women is that they admired me. And I wielded that power
irresponsibly.

I have been remorseful of my actions. And I’ve tried to learn from
them. And run from them. Now I’m aware of the extent of the impact of
my actions. I learned yesterday the extent to which I left these women
who admired me feeling badly about themselves and cautious around
other men who would never have put them in that position. I also took
advantage of the fact that I was widely admired in my and their
community, which disabled them from sharing their story and brought
hardship to them when they tried because people who look up to me
didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t think that I was doing any of that
because my position allowed me not to think about it. There is nothing
about this that I forgive myself for. And I have to reconcile it with
who I am. Which is nothing compared to the task I left them with.

I wish I had reacted to their admiration of me by being a good example
to them as a man and given them some guidance as a comedian, including
because I admired their work.

The hardest regret to live with is what you’ve done to hurt someone
else. And I can hardly wrap my head around the scope of hurt I brought
on them. I’d be remiss to exclude the hurt that I’ve brought on people
who I work with and have worked with who’s professional and personal
lives have been impacted by all of this, including projects currently
in production: the cast and crew of Better Things, Baskets, The Cops,
One Mississippi, and I Love You Daddy. I deeply regret that this has
brought negative attention to my manager Dave Becky who only tried to
mediate a situation that I caused. I’ve brought anguish and hardship
to the people at FX who have given me so much The Orchard who took a
chance on my movie. and every other entity that has bet on me through
the years. I’ve brought pain to my family, my friends, my children and
their mother.

I have spent my long and lucky career talking and saying anything I
want. I will now step back and take a long time to listen.

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