Norm Macdonald got himself uninvited from the Tonight Show on Tuesday for appearing to undermine #MeToo in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter. He said he was happy that the pace of controversy seemed to be “slowing down” and revealed that he was still sympathetic to his scandal-ridden friends Louis C.K. and Roseanne Barr.
Jimmy Fallon called Macdonald Tuesday night before they were set to film a segment to promote his new non-political talk show, saying he had senior producers “crying” over Macdonald’s disregard for the movement—which, to be fair, definitely hasn’t slowed down from the perspective of network TV producers: CBS chairman Les Moonves just exited his post over mounting allegations of sexual harassment, and, also on Wednesday, the executive producer for 60 Minutes resigned for “violating company policy.”
What the controversy over Macdonald’s interview tells us is that—though they’re far from over— there’s still no way to talk about #MeToo’s excesses without also incurring its wrath. Until now, the line on #MeToo entering its second year was that comebacks were nigh.
Take, for instance, stand-up appearances by comics Aziz Ansari and Louis C.K. this summer. Ansari was banished from show biz temporarily over an anonymously sourced play-by-play of a bad date. A recent New York Times story on his South Carolina show included interviews with fans who hadn’t heard about the scandal, and others who knew only—and not incorrectly—that the allegations against Ansari were among the year’s least egregious. One fan hoped he would address the scandal, and was disappointed when he didn’t.
Neither did C.K., whose attempted comeback set was far more controversial: He walked onstage, to a standing ovation, at an old haunt and performed a 15-minute set. His unexpected presence, though not his comedy, won mixed reactions and ample opprobrium online. Women who said the surprise set made them uncomfortable, “should get their money back,” Macdonald said in an interview with USAToday, when he was asked about C.K.’s set. “The Comedy Cellar should give them their money back and $200 each,” he joked, likely doing C.K. no favors with his unwavering critics, “I think they could get through the trauma if they were paid $200 and could buy some nice shoes.” USAToday published the interview, which took place earlier in the week, once scandal was brewing on Wednesday—when Macdonald only dug himself deeper, deadpanning on the controversy with Howard Stern.
If it’s judged too soon to joke about, it’s not too soon for plenty accused harasser to work again. Hip hop superstar R. Kelly reportedly leads a cult of underage female fans, making them virtual slaves, but he’s playing Madison Square Garden again. Mad Men creator Matt Weiner, Talking Dead host Chris Hardwick, and James Franco all weathered allegations of abuse and went back to—or never left—prestige TV projects.
Charlie Rose wants to try, too. Still a presence in D.C., he attended Senator John McCain’s funeral and earlier this year rumors swirled that he was working on a redemption-themed interview show, which industry sources promptly told THE WEEKLY STANDARD no one would work on. There’s a not-dissimilar pitch—for a game show on which men who’ve fallen to scandal will bet on others’ contests and comebacks—floating around, I’ve heard. (But, like Rose’s rumored idea, it’s hard to imagine it will land anywhere.) Matt Lauer, who told fans “I’ll be back on TV” and was spotted dining with a former producer, floated his eventual return as far back as January.
Bill O’Reilly likewise wants back onscreen, and is reportedly coming to Newsmax. Former Fox News executive Bill Shine, never personally accused of abuse, made a comeback of sorts cracking down on the press as President Trump’s communications honcho after leaving the network’s top post amid allegations he’d enabled and protected Roger Ailes’s abuses.
Former Minnesota senator Al Franken, also Macdonald’s former Saturday Night Live colleague, resigned in disgrace but sees a path back to political office—which another former colleague, Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar, said she hopes he’ll take. His resignation was partly due to intense pressure from female colleagues in Congress, chief among them New York senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who’s faced mounting criticism from within her party for forcing him out too soon: While the #MeToo fervor may have slowed down a bit since then, the midterms are only heating up.
All of this to say, the anticipated comeback phase is clearly underway. And in the months ahead, intolerance even of mild, partial dissents like Macdonald’s is going to present an ever-greater problem for the not especially flexible movement. Making it through this series of second acts will require a certain degree of nuance—and maybe a bit of humor.
