Amy Schumer speaks out on Aziz Ansari controversy
Amy Schumer has spoken out on the controversy surrounding a woman's sexual misconduct accusations against Aziz Ansari, whom Schumer calls a friend. In an interview on the "Katie Couric Podcast," Schumer called Ansari's alleged behavior "unacceptable."
She said she empathized with the accuser and said of Ansari, "Even if it's my friend, I don't go, 'Oh, but he's a good guy.' I think, 'What would it feel like to have been her?'"
In an online article published in January, a woman claimed Ansari was aggressive toward her during a date last September and pressured her into sexual acts after having dinner at a restaurant. The article, posted on Babe.net, is titled: "I went on a date with Aziz Ansari. It turned into the worst night of my life." Ansari responded that the pair engaged "in sexual activity, which by all indications was completely consensual." He said he was "surprised and concerned" to learn the next day that she felt differently.
Schumer said the fact that Ansari's alleged behavior was not illegal did not negate the woman's story.
"If you have a doctor that makes you uncomfortable, or you get a massage, or you have a date with someone and they coerce you in a situation like the Aziz one, I don't think there's any sort of criminal charge, but I think that it's good for everybody to learn that that behavior's not acceptable," she explained. "It's not a crime, but it's not cool. And it can still really mess with a woman."
Schumer also speculated on why the story sparked such a backlash. "I don't think anyone wants to see Aziz's career ruined or his life ruined or anything like that, but that's where people's minds go. They go 'Does he deserve this?' And it's really not about that. I think it's about expressing and showing women that that behavior is not okay and not only can you leave, but you need to leave. Because then the women who come after you, you're leaving a mark for them too."