Amy Schumer stands with those who have come forward with sexual assault allegations against her fellow comedian Bryan Callen.
Four women made allegations against the Goldbergs star in a bombshell report from the Los Angeles Times on Friday.
Callen denied every allegation, but his critics aren’t buying it — in fact, the Trainwreck star took the opportunity to publicly support the “brave women” who made their claims, writing in a passionate Instagram post:
“The @latimes just published this article by @amykinla about the repeat offenses of Bryan Callen. Thank you to the brave women coming forward and sharing their stories. You are saving the women who may have come after you. And to the comics who are annoyed with me for standing with these ladies what are you so afraid of? Available on my number in my bio if anyone wants to talk about Bryan or any one else who has sexually assaulted you. @bryancallen have a nice day.”
Wow! It’s almost like she knows he’s a creep? What has she seen??
The claims in the story date back to 1999, when the now-53-year-old actor allegedly raped actress Katherine Fiore Tigerman. Katherine told the publication that her father, actor Bill Fiore, gave Callen one of his first jobs in a New York City theater production, and she became friends with him years later when they ran into each other in Los Angeles.
Tigerman claimed that, after a night out, Callen forcibly raped her in his bedroom as she cried and begged him to stop. Later that evening, she said she called her best friend and her then-boyfriend — both of whom corroborated her story with the outlet — and told them what happened.
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The actress said she didn’t go to the police because the thought of a rape kit felt physically invasive to her. Years later, she told her now-husband Gabriel Tigerman and fellow actress Jenny Wade about the incident.
Another alleged incident took place ten years later in 2009, when the actor met an American Apparel employee named Rachel Green. She claimed to the Times that Bryan exited the fitting room wearing only boxer briefs on more than one occasion; he allegedly returned to the store the next day and asked Green to help him while trying on a Speedo when she claims he threw himself at her.
She recalled:
“It was one of those tight gross little [Speedos]. He ran out of the fitting room to grab something, so I went in to get the clothes he’d already tried on. And then he comes in, pushes me against the wall, closes the curtains and starts kissing my neck as he asks me if I’m going to get in trouble.”
Green said she was able to push him away and run downstairs where she immediately told her co-workers what had happened.
The next alleged incident, in 2017, was not of assault but still really gross. Comedian Tiffany King claimed that Bryan asked her to perform oral sex on him in a car after they had dinner together. She alleged that after she said no, the MADtv alum offered her money, which she also rejected before driving home in tears.
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The fourth woman, Claire Ganshert, did not accuse Callen of inappropriate sexual contact; she did, however, admit to pursuing a sexual relationship with him from 2012 to 2016, and she claims she wasn’t aware that he was married to Amanda Humphrey (who filed for divorce from Bryan in February) at the time.
The former NYC barista told the Times:
“I was just a wide-eyed girl starting out in the industry when he swooped in. There were these moments that were so intense, where it felt like he was really seeing me for my sexuality and my mouth and my body. Now, I see that for what it was. … I am not a victim but I’m standing up for that 23-year-old girl by saying that a 45-year-old man should have known better.”
Callen categorically denied all of the allegations, telling the paper:
“Let me be very clear: I have never raped, forced myself upon any woman nor offered to trade stage time for sex. EVER. I know the truth. And I can only hold my head up high, remain true to myself, my family, my audience and know that I will not allow the cancel culture to subvert what I know and as importantly, what they know, is the truth.”
Clearly this defense is not persuasive to many so far.
Callen is perhaps best known for his recent role as gym teacher Rick Mellor in period comedy The Goldbergs; production sources tell Variety he will not be returning for the upcoming eighth season — but they also say that was already happening before the allegations.
What do U think about this, Perezcious readers?
[Image via WENN]
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