| USA TODAY
The latest comedian Chris D’Elia is accused of sexual misconduct
Actor Chris D’Elia, comedian and “you”, has been accused of sexual misconduct with several underage girls.
USA TODAY, Wochit
Eight months after Chris D’Elia was accused of sexual misconduct, the comedian is addressing the charges in a 10-minute video on YouTube entitled “It’s been awhile”, shared on Friday.
D’Elia started the video by acknowledging his time away from the spotlight by noting that, although he wanted to continue his business as usual, he felt it would be better to take some time to reflect and be with his family. The comedian doubled his statement last year and said that everything he did “was legal and consensual”.
In September 2020, two women came forward to accuse D’Elia of sexual misconduct, claiming that the comedian exposed himself to them without his consent. This follows a flood of accusations that D’Elia received on social media in June that he was involved in inappropriate messages with teenagers. The podcast presenter issued a statement denying the charges at the time, saying that all of their relationships were legal and consensual.
“I know it looks bad and doesn’t show the full scope of what happened. I maintain the fact that all of my relationships were consensual and legal and that’s it. That’s the truth,” said the “You” actor in the video Friday.
The “Good Doctor” actor admitted he has a problem when it comes to sex and said he sought therapy and professional medical help.
“What I came to understand is that it was always about sex for me. My life was … I mean, sex, it controlled my life. It was the focus, it was my focus all the time. And I had a problem, and I have a problem, “said D’Elia. “It’s not like, months later, everything is better. I need to work on it.”
Most: Chris D’Elia accused of exposing himself to two women; comedian denies accusations
The comedian also reflected on how casually he treated sex when he started doing stand-up, noting that it was easy for him because of how many women texted him after his shows.
“I can just do a show and then have sex,” said D’Elia, adding that his outlook has changed since then. “Doing that is treating sex as if it were casual and being petulant with people and this is not the guy I want to be. It’s not okay and I’m sorry for that. It makes me feel ashamed and makes me feel bad.”
D’Elia went on to say that he cheated on most of his relationships, including what he is now with fiancée Kristin Taylor.
“And this is the girl of my dreams, this is the girl I want to be with for the rest of my life and even that would not stop what I was doing,” said D’Elia.
He continued: “I have a chance here to apologize, to the people who got involved in this (expletive). The lies that I would tell my fiance, my friends … I’m sorry.”
In June 2020, accusations that D’Elia was involved in inappropriate messages with underage teenagers flooded social media after Twitter user Simone Rossi accused him of “treating her” when she was 16.
In a statement to USA TODAY at the time, D’Elia responded to the charges in a statement: “I know that I have said and done things that may have offended people during my career, but I have never intentionally sought out any underage women at any point “, he said.” I never met or exchanged any inappropriate pictures with people who tweeted about me. “
Three months later, two more women came forward accusing him of sexual misconduct.
D’Elia’s lawyer, Andrew Brettler, denied the charges in a statement to USA TODAY.
“D’Elia denies these accusations and emphatically states that he never engaged in any sexual conduct with any woman without her consent,” said Brettler.
Contributing: Hannah Yasharoff and Charles Trepany