It's easy for me to boycott Louis CK because I don't like his work – but what about Kevin Spacey?

If we make excuses for people whose art we respect, we are normalising sexual abuse and propping up those alleged abusers in positions of huge power and influence

Louis CK made a second comeback in New York this week after a string of allegations of sexual misconduct emerged against him (Getty)

“Why am I bothering to find out what a piece of shit I am,” Louis CK said during one of his live shows showcasing his self deprecating schtick. This was, of course, before the world came to understand that it’s not just his comic persona that’s a piece of shit – he really is one.

For those yet to come across the Mexican-American comedian, he engages in shock humour, leavened by a neat line in self-loathing. He very deliberately walks up to the edge of being offensive, crosses it, and then lampoons himself to slide back. This made him a star in the US and then globally, with sell-out live shows, DVDs, a TV series, movie acting gigs, turns behind the camera.

Then it all came crashing down, courtesy of a New York Times report detailing repeated instances of sexual misconduct. So far, so (depressingly) familiar. Except now he’s trying to make a comeback, appearing unannounced for stand-up shows at a New York comedy club – and dividing opinion in doing so. Some cheered when he took the stage this week, for his second such appearance since the allegations were made public. But there were also people who walked out and the barbs were soon flying. The Manhattan club he featured at has ended up warning patrons that entry is at their own risk, adding that they can have a refund if they don’t want to see CK when he next pops up.

This raises interesting debate: in the age of #MeToo can we still appreciate someone’s art if they’re revealed to be utterly despicable in their personal life?

It hit me first when the allegations about Kevin Spacey’s behaviour came to light. He’s had his duds, but on form he’s a fascinating and compelling actor, and he’s been in a lot of things I like: The Usual Suspects, Swimming With Sharks, LA Confidential, Baby Driver, House of Cards. He was cut out of the final season of the latter and Netflix severed all ties with him after actor Anthony Rapp alleged that a drunken Spacey made advances towards him when he was just 14. A string of other allegations followed.

So does this mean I can’t watch him again? Is it possible to separate what I’m seeing on screen from the actor’s vile behaviour in real life; to gloss over the fact that a guy who often played bad guys actually is one?

I don’t much like Louis CK’s work. He’s undoubtedly got talent, and I guess I can see why people like him. But I watched one of his live shows in researching this piece and found his comedy dated. He used the words f****t , n******, and c*** in the first 10 minutes, explaining to the audience that, to him, it’s not the words that are the problem but the way people use those words to hurt others. He highlights how white presenters on news channels including CNN say “the n word”. This, he claimed, puts the actual word into the viewer’s head, serving as a cheap, guilt-free way for them to employ it. That I found an interesting point, but it lost any frisson because he too was basically finding a way to say those words out loud in an attempt to shock and show how daring and dangerous he is. So, easy for me to side with the critics of his reappearance.

Just as easy for me to hit those who deify Woody Allen – “how can you say you love movies and not love Woody Allen?” – with the horrible and credible allegations of abuse made by his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow. Read the 1993 court ruling denying him custody of his three children with Mia Farrow in which a judge declared his behaviour towards her to be “grossly inappropriate” and said “measures must be taken to protect her”.

But when it’s someone whose work I like, and who’s appeared in films and TV shows I like a lot, suddenly it seems… different.

Would I support, say, a Kevin Spacey comeback at some point? No. I can live without seeing him in any future projects. And Louis CK? Do us all a favour and crawl back into your mansion. Let’s give someone new a shot.

But their past work? Well, that’s where it gets troubling. That’s where there’s a true dilemma if you’re in possession of a conscience. And it gets even harder if you take a look at the list of films in which Harvey Weinstein is credited as a producer, or has financed.

To those who sneer, and suggest that I’m indulging in liberal hand-wringing in airing this as a dilemma at all, consider this: in the White House sits a man who has credible allegations of sexual misconduct publicly aired against him. In Brett Kavanaugh, he’s nominated a man for the US Supreme Court who has had also allegations of rape levelled at him (denials have been issued).

So if we make excuses for people like Spacey, Allen, Louis CK because we like their work, if we forgive them, and support their comebacks (if and when they occur), we run the risk of making excuses for this behaviour too. We run the risk of normalising it.

This is what helps people like Kavanaugh and Trump into power. People on their team make excuses for them too.

There are similar instances to be found on the left; this isn’t a partisan point – it’s just that Trump happens to be in power right now. That means he, and Kavanaugh if confirmed, could play a role in shaping the laws that are supposed to protect those victimised by people indulging in sexual misconduct.

Laws that, let’s be honest, do a pretty poor job.