Aziz Ansari is using his latest comedy tour to address the claims of sexual harassment made by a woman who said her date with him was "the worst night of her life".
- OPINION: The hideous normality of the Aziz Ansari date encounter
- Journalist who broke Aziz Ansari story attacks news anchor
It's the comedian's first major standup tour since he was accused by a woman using the pseudonym Grace of having repeatedly pressured her to have sex with him.
The 23-year-old photographer told Babe in 2018 that following their date, Ansari stuck his fingers down her throat before performing a sex act on her. She says she used continual verbal and non-verbal indicators that she was uncomfortable, and eventually told him she didn't "want to feel forced".
Anna North, a reviewer for Vox said the Parks and Recreation star's recent attempt to integrate the issue into his set was "both better and worse than I expected".
"I know people are curious how I feel," he reportedly told the audience.
Ansari did not apologise or take direct responsibility for the events of that evening, but North noted he did revisit comments he'd made during a pop up show earlier this year.
"There were times I felt really upset and humiliated and embarrassed, and ultimately I just felt terrible this person felt this way," he said during a one-off performance in February.
"It made me think about a lot, and I hope I've become a better person."
Ansari also noted that some men had rethought their actions since reading the claims against him, and that if that meant they would "make sure someone else is comfortable in that moment, that's a good thing".
The comedian is making sexual misconduct "a major topic of his latest tour" according to the Vox article. In it, he discusses the #MuteRKelly movement and quizzes audience members on whether or not they still listen to Michael Jackson's music.
Newshub.
