Stephen Colbert glosses over Louis C.K's sexual harassment controversy to parody Keith Urban's female empowerment song from the CMAs

  • Colbert's Thursday night interview with C.K. was canceled amid accusations
  • Five female comedians have accused C.K. of masturbating in front of them
  • Colbert, who has been friends with C.K. since 1996, announced the cancellation
  • But he moved on quickly to Urban's song 'Female' from Wednesay's CMAs
  • Lyrics included 'Technicolor, river wild, baby, girl, woman, child'
  • Colbert said like it had been made out of inspirational throw-pillows
  • He then offered up his own nonsensical parody, titled 'She-person' 

Stephen Colbert glossed over the controversy surrounding long-time friend and alleged sexual harasser Louis C.K. to mock country musician Keith Urban on Thursday night.

The Late Show host said his planned interview with C.K. had been canceled after five female comedians had accused C.K. of masturbating in front of them without their permission.

After cracking a brief gag, he then went on to mock Keith Urban's cringeworthy Country Music Awards song, which was written in response to the flood of accusations about male sexual abusers in Hollywood.

Scroll down for videos 

Glossing over: On Thursday Stephen Colbert (pictured with fake soul patch) glossed over allegations that pal Louis C.K. had forced women to watch him masturbate
Keith Urban performs 'Female' at the CMAs

Glossing over: On Thursday Stephen Colbert (left) glossed over allegations that pal Louis C.K. had forced women to watch him masturbate, instead choosing to parody Keith Urban (right)

Pals: Colbert and C.K. (both pictured in 2011) have been friends since 1996, when they worked together on the Dana Carvey Show. Colbert's planned interview with C.K. was canceled 

Pals: Colbert and C.K. (both pictured in 2011) have been friends since 1996, when they worked together on the Dana Carvey Show. Colbert's planned interview with C.K. was canceled 

Colbert made his segue onto C.K. after doing a bit on the claim that Alabama judge and would-be senator Roy Moore had groped a 14-year-old girl.

Alabama State Auditor Jim Ziegler had defended Moore by saying that Jesus's mother, Mary, was a teenager when she married Joseph.

Colbert pointed out that Joseph wasn't the father of Mary's child, adding: 'When reached for comment, Jesus said, "Lalalala, I don't want to think about my parents having sex!"'

He then said: 'For those of you tuning in to see my interview with Louis C.K. tonight, I have some bad news. Then I have some really bad news. 

'Louis cancelled his appearance here tonight because The New York Times broke this story today: Five women are accusing Louis C.K. of sexual misconduct.

He added: 'When reached for comment, Jesus said, 'Lalalala, I don't want to hear about it. I was a big fan!"'

The guests on Thursday's show were Shameless star William H. Macy and comedian Jay Pharoah.

It's not clear whether either of them were last-minute replacements for C.K; most of Colbert's shows this season have featured three guests. 

Tough to hear: Colbert had earlier included a joke quote from Jesus about Judge Roy Moore, who has been accused of child abuse. He then included this 'quote' from Jesus about C.K.

Tough to hear: Colbert had earlier included a joke quote from Jesus about Judge Roy Moore, who has been accused of child abuse. He then included this 'quote' from Jesus about C.K.

No love: C.K.'s new film, I Love You Daddy (pictured, with Chloë Grace Moretz), had its premiere and theatrical run canceled in the wake of the allegations against him

No love: C.K.'s new film, I Love You Daddy (pictured, with Chloë Grace Moretz), had its premiere and theatrical run canceled in the wake of the allegations against him

The premiere of C.K.'s film was cancelled Thursday after the news broke, and it was announced on Friday that the movie's theatrical release was being pulled. 

Also on Friday, HBO announced that it will cut the father of two young girls from its November 18 'Night of Too Many Stars' autism fund-raiser.  

Colbert - who has been friends with C.K. since they worked together on 1996's Dana Carvey Show, in which C.K. was the head writer - moved swiftly onto Urban.

He said that the C.K. controversy was 'one of many allegations' against 'powerful men'.

'And a lot of men look at this behavior and they feel like there's nothing they can do,' he said.

'Well, last night one man stepped up to "not do it": country music star and soul-patch safe space Keith Urban.'

Cringey: Colbert parodied Keith Urban's well-meaning but cringeworthy song 'Female', which he performed at the CMAs on Wednesday in tribute to abused women

Cringey: Colbert parodied Keith Urban's well-meaning but cringeworthy song 'Female', which he performed at the CMAs on Wednesday in tribute to abused women

He then played a clip of 'Female', a song performed by Urban in response to the claims by dozens of women that they were raped or sexually harassed by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. 

Urban debuted the song at the CMAs on Wednesday, and later told Rolling Stone: 'I got to hear it fresh out of the oven, and it was instant love for me. I know all three of [the writers] and I think obviously the tone of times right now was weighing on all of them, and compelled them to write this song.

'It affected me not just as a husband but also as a father of two young girls, and a son.'

On Thursday, Colbert highlighted the lyrics 'Sister, shoulder, daughter, lover/Healer, broken halo, mother'.

'It's the first song ever written by dumping out a bin full of inspirational throw pillows,' the host quipped.

He then quoted Urban's collaborator, Ross Copperman, as saying 'We're in a room and we're like, "What can we do about this?" And that's the one thing we can do is write songs.' 

'That... is debatable,' Colbert said, with a pregnant pause.

URBAN'S LYRICS

Below is a section of Keith Urban's 'Female', as debuted at the CMAs; opposite is Colbert's brief parody.

Sister, shoulder, daughter, lover,

Healer, broken halo, mother,

Nature, fire, suit of armor,

Soul survivor, holy water,

Secret keeper, fortune teller,

Virgin Mary, scarlet letter,

Technicolor, river wild,

Baby, girl, woman, child.

Female. 

Advertisement

COLBERT'S PARODY 

Lady, woman, vagina owner,

Lipstick, bangs, organ donor, 

Piano teacher, appletini, 

Burka, one-piece or bikini,

Weird blue liquid, pads with wings, 

Andy Cohen, Nuva rings,

Yonic, yogurt spoon,

Tender goddess of the moon,

Shampoo I'm not supposed to use, 

Spark plugs, women use those too.

She-person.

Advertisement
Old school: Colbert is seen here on a sketch from The Dana Carvey Show
Boss man: C.K. (pictured from the same sketch) was head writer on the show - one of Colbert's first TV credits

Old school: Colbert (left) and C.K. (right) are seen here on a sketch from The Dana Carvey Show. C.K. was head writer on the show - one of Colbert's first TV credits

Rebecca Corry
Abby Schachner claims she could hear the comedian masturbating while they were on the phone in 2003

Abby Schachner (right) claims she could hear C.K. masturbating while they were on the phone in 2003; Rebecca Corry (left) said he allegedly asked to masturbate in front of her in 2005

He wrapped up the segment by donning a fake soul patch and offering his own song 'written in five minutes'.

'Ladies of the world, you've got a raw deal. Too many times your voices have been silenced,' he said. 'Now be quiet while I explain you to you.'

The song consisted of a series of non-sequeturs, including 'Lady, woman, vagina owner, lipstick, bangs, organ donor,' and 'Yonic, yogurt spoon, tender goddess of the moon.'

He ended the song by saying: 'You're welcome ladies, I fixed it.' 

The New York Times quoted five female comedians - Dana Min Goodman, Julia Wolov, Abby Schachner, Rebecca Corry, and a fifth unnamed woman - who said he masturbated on front of them, or over the phone.

None had given him their permission, the women claimed. 

Louis C.K initially declined to comment on the allegations outlined by the five women, but on Friday he released a statement in which he admitted everything.

'These stories are true. At the time, I said to myself that what I did was okay because I never showed a woman my d**k without asking first, which is also true,' he wrote.

'But what I learned later in life, too late, is that when you have power over another person, asking them to look at your d**k isn't a question. It's a predicament for them.'

He also said: '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.'

He apologized to the women, and to the Hollywood colleagues associated with his films and TV shows, as well as acknowledging the 'pain' he's brought to his family, friends, children and ex-wife.

'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,' he concluded. 

LOUIS C.K'S FULL STATEMENT

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 d**k 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 d**k 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.

Thank you for reading. 

Advertisement