Whitney Cummings and Amy Schumer react to allegations against Chris D’Elia
Whitney Cummings and Amy Schumer are among those who have spoken out following allegations that Chris D’Elia has inappropriately contacted teenagers and made sexually charged overtures for years.
“I’m devastated and enraged by what I’ve read and learned,†Cummings wrote in a statement posted to her Twitter and Instagram accounts Saturday. “This is a pattern of predatory behavior. This abuse of power is enabled by silence. Now that I’m aware, I won’t be silent.â€
After various accounts of D’Elia reaching out to young women — including underage teenagers — and making sexually inappropriate advances went viral on social media last week, five women spoke to The Times about their experiences with the 40-year-old comedian.
Amid multiple social media allegations against Chris D’Elia, women spoke to The Times about encounters with the stand-up comic and TV actor.
The creator and producer of the comedy series “Whitney,†Cummings starred opposite D’Elia, who played her live-in boyfriend. The show ran for two seasons on NBC, from 2011 to 2013, and marked D’Elia’s first turn as a broadcast series regular.
Schumer did not specifically name D’Elia in her statement, which offered support to those who were speaking out about “the mistreatment they have experienced at the hands of comedians†and others, “[e]specially the ones who aren’t of legal age to consent.â€
“[T]here are men who humiliate and abuse women and girls because of a power dynamic or because when they were that age girls wouldn’t talk to them,†Schumer wrote in a statement Saturday on Twitter and Instagram. “We are watching you and we are all together now and we won’t accept this behavior whether you break the law or not.â€
In a statement to TMZ, D’Elia denied the allegations of impropriety and said he has “never knowingly pursued any underage women at any point.â€
“That being said, I really am truly sorry,†he said. “I was a dumb guy who ABSOLUTELY let myself get caught up in my lifestyle. That’s MY fault. I own it. I’ve been reflecting on this for some time now and I promise I will continue to do better.â€
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