After nearly a 10-month hiatus from the comedy stage, Louis C.K. got 15 more minutes of fame in New York City’s Comedy Cellar last Monday evening. Last year, five women came forward, stating that C.K. had committed sexual misconduct towards them, including attempts to masturbate in front of them, which C.K. later admitted to. It was a huge story that shook the stand-up comedy world to its very foundation. These incidents sparked huge criticism toward C.K. and led to his 10-month absence from the public eye. Now that he has returned though, some have been quick to forgive, while others want him out of comedy for good.

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C.K.’s appearance at The Comedy Cellar had been unannounced by management and came as a shock to many. While the show was routine for C.K. and he did not bring up the allegations, he inserted a rape joke into his 15-minute set for the NYC audience. This left many people questioning whether C.K. had done what he promised to do nine months ago, that is to “...step back and take a long time to listen.”

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Commenting on how easily C.K. came back into comedy, fellow stand-up comedian Kathy Griffin tweeted “Louis just went on a long vacation and didn't do anything to show that he has reformed/changed. He's a multi-millionaire who finally got some sleep after working nonstop for years.” She also touched on how his reappearance contradicts what the ‘#MeToo’ movement attempts to enforce, that being just punishment for those guilty of sexual misconduct.

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Other critics of C.K.’s reappearance have called out his supporters for defending his actions and giving him a second chance so soon. According to Billboard.com, another stand-up comic, Aparna Nancherla, joined in the criticism, stating “Louis CK getting a standing ovation for dropping in to a comedy club less than a year after admitting to sexual misconduct tells you all you need to know about how society applauds powerful men for doing less than the minimum of decency.” Clearly, some think the gratification and forgiveness toward C.K is a bit premature and noncontributory to society’s needs.

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Despite the harsh criticism toward C.K. and his fans, there is a second side to the story that suggests that C.K. has learned his lesson and should be allowed to perform again. The Comedy Cellar owner, Noam Dworman received complaints about putting C.K. on the bill for the evening, to which he responded “And I care about doing the right thing... [But] there can’t be a permanent life sentence on someone who does something wrong.”, according to the New York Times.

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To further this point, Aziz Ansari, who was also accused of sexual misconduct, has also returned to performing. Like C.K., Ansari made his return at the Comedy Cellar and has since been developing a new act. The entertainment world has seemingly welcomed him with open arms: Netflix wants to make a new season of “Master of None,” and he has been booked for several shows in the near future. Ansari has publicly stated that he supports the #MeToo Movement and regrets what he has done.

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In a statement published by the Brooklyn Vegan, Dworman stated that he received “...no complaints…” about Ansari performing at the Comedy Cellar. While C.K. has not exactly received the same welcome Ansari has, he is in a similar situation. It could be a long time before either comedians are forgiven by the public, if ever, but it seems that their careers will march forward relatively unscathed.