FX severs relationship with Louis C.K. after the comedian admits to sexual misconduct

Comedian Louis C.K.  released a statement Friday in response to a New York Times story in which five women accused him of sexual misconduct, saying, "These stories are true."

The Times reported that some women said C.K. masturbated in front of them; others indicated he asked whether he could masturbate in front of them or did so while he was speaking with them on the phone.

"There is nothing about this that I forgive myself for," C.K. wrote. "And I have to reconcile it with who I am. Which is nothing compared to the task I left them with."

FX,  home to C.K.'s Louie television series and his projects where he served as executive producer, released a statement saying it was  ending its relationship with the comedian.

"We are cancelling the overall deal between FX Productions and his production company, Pig Newton. He will no longer serve as executive producer or receive compensation on any of the four shows we were producing with him – Better Things, Baskets, One Mississippi and The Cops," the statement said. "Louis has now confirmed the truth of the reports relating to the five women victimized by his misconduct, which we were unaware of previously. As far as we know, his behavior over the past 8 years on all five series he has produced for FX Networks and/or FX Productions has been professional. However, now is not the time for him to make television shows. Now is the time for him to honestly address the women who have come forth to speak about their painful experiences, a process which he began today with his public statement.

"FX Networks and FX Productions remain committed to doing everything we can to ensure that all people work in an environment that is safe, respectful and fair, and we will continue our review of all of these productions to ensure that was and is the case."

Also on Friday, the release of  C.K.'s new film was canceled, distributor the Orchard announced. The film was scheduled to play in Philadelphia at the Ritz Five in Old City on Nov. 22.

A spokesperson at Allied Integrated Marketing, which handles marketing locally for the Orchard, confirmed the cancellation, adding that it was unaware of a rescheduled future release date.

I Love You, Daddy was initially set for limited release on Nov. 17 in select cities. The Orchard on Thursday also canceled a New York premiere of the film.

The film was directed by and stars C.K. as a television writer whose teenage daughter (Chloe Grace Moretz) begins dating a filmmaker (John Malkovich), who is much older than she is. Reports have indicated there is a scene in the film in which It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Charlie Day mock-masturbates as C.K.'s character speaks on the phone with his girlfriend.

In addition to the film's cancellation, fallout from the allegations against C.K. this week include Netflix's pulling its two-project deal with the comedian, as well as HBO's announcing that it would  remove "Louis C.K.'s past projects from its On Demand services," and drop him from its Night of Too Many Stars benefit.

C.K.'s publicist, Lewis Kay, also said he would no longer be working with the comedian.