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'It's not a crime': Amy Schumer on Aziz Ansari claims
Amy Schumer has weighed in on the recent allegations against Aziz Ansari, saying his behaviour wasn't a "crime."
The comedian/actress shared her frank opinion with Katie Couric on her Wonder Women podcast whilst talking about her own experience of sexual assault.
“I’ve been flat-out raped," she said. "But there are so many other kinds of sexual misconduct. We’ve all – every woman I know, every woman in this room – we’ve all had these experiences.
“And in this current climate, it brings these things up and you go ‘God, none of that was OK.’”
Schumer also discussed the sex scandals engulfing Hollywood with Couric, specifically talking about the case of friend and fellow comedian Aziz Ansari.
The Master of None star was accused of sexual misconduct by a 23-year-old woman who chose to remain anonymous.
Schumer, 36, explained that while not every case may be criminal, it’s important that such encounters are brought out into the open.
“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 [Ansari] 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 behaviour’s not acceptable,” she said.
“It’s not a crime, but it’s not cool. And it can still really mess with a woman."
“We just can’t let things continue the way they’ve continued, because there are so many different levels of it.”
“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,” Schumer added.
The actress went onto explain it's all about "showing women that that behaviour is not okay and not only can you leave, but you need to leave."
Despite declaring Ansari is her friend, she doesn't excuse the situation.
“He’s been my friend and I really feel for the woman," Schumer said. "I identify with all the women in these situations. 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 January, Ansari acknowledged in a statement he went on a date with the woman and they "engaged in sexual activity".
"In September of last year, I met a woman at a party," he said in a statement to The Fader. "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."
Ansari admitted he was "surprised and concerned" to learn "she felt uncomfortable".
"The next day, I got a text from her saying that although 'it may have seemed okay,' upon further reflection, she felt uncomfortable," he continued. "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."
"I continue to support the movement that is happening in our culture," he said. "It is necessary and long overdue."
Reports by TMZ and Babe magazine emerged, the woman claimed she went on a date with the comedian last year which ended at his New York City apartment, where she quickly became "uncomfortable" with his sexual advances before he forcibly performed oral sex on her.
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