Ronn Torossian On Allegations Against Aziz Ansari

There was a time when a bad date was simply a bad date. These days, a bad date could be career ending. Just ask comedian Aziz Ansari. Not long after receiving Golden Globes for his television program, “,”Ansari is back in the news, having been accused of sexual assault. Regardless of what actually happened in this case, the nature of the narratives almost guarantee it will be headline news, especially these days, so Ansari will have to get his message on point, no matter what.

The accused assault supposedly took place during a date this past fall, at least according to a 3000-word story published on the website, Babe, by an anonymous source. According to the author of the story, Ansari “pressured” her to engage in sexual activity. While she consented to some acts, she did not consent to other acts. After telling Ansari she wanted to stop, he called her an Uber, and she went home, “feeling violated.” Ansari has released a statement saying he thought the acts had been consensual, and that everything they did had every indication of being so. “The next day, I got a text from her saying that although ‘it may have seemed okay,’ upon further reflection, she felt uncomfortable… It was true that everything did seem okay to me, so when I heard that it was not the case for her, I was surprised and concerned.”

While previous allegations of sexual misconduct have been swiftly supported by many women in the media, this time around, some very powerful female voices were lining up on Ansari’s side of the issue. Atlantic contributing editor, Caitlin Flanagan, was especially direct, writing:

“The clinical detail in which the story is told is intended not to validate her account as much as it is to hurt and humiliate Ansari… Together, the two women may have destroyed Ansari’s career, which is now the punishment for every kind of male sexual misconduct, from the grotesque to the disappointing.”

Not long after, published a headline accusing Ansari of being “guilty of not being a mind reader.” In that story, the author stated the obvious: “I am a proud feminist, and this is what I thought while reading Grace’s story… If you are hanging out naked with a man, it’s safe to assume he is going to try to have sex with you.” That article called the “expose” on Ansari, the “worst thing that has happened to the MeToo movement…”

At this point, public opinion is still split over this incident and what impact, if any, it will have on the MeToo movement. Whatever direction that takes, Ansari, who has been a very vocal supporter of the movement, is not out of the woods yet.

About the Author: Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR, a NY PR agency.