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Chris D'Elia is blasting the comedy world that he says deserted him.
D'Elia, 45, accused fellow comedians of being "spineless" while reflecting on the fallout from the sexual misconduct allegations that derailed his career.
In a recent conversation on the "Trying Not to Die" podcast with Jack Osbourne and Ryan Drexler, the comedian said he was blindsided by how quickly people he'd known for years distanced themselves after the scandal unfolded in 2020. Drexler asked D'Elia if it shocked him that longtime peers failed to stand by him during the public backlash.
"It blew my mind kind of because, like comedians are so … community, I thought, was what mattered … but comedians are just so - most comedians are just pretty spineless," D'Elia said.
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"You know their whole life they've been the outcast, and they finally get some recognition because of laughter, and it's like, 'I'm not letting go of that.' And f--- that. I'm not … If that's what a comedian is, then I'll do something else. I'll be something else. I'll be on stage making people laugh, but don't call me that because that's weird to me."
D'Elia said the experience revealed what he believes is a rush to judgment and a drive to tear people down, particularly within the industry.
"I was surprised. Yeah. By a few people … But you know, it is interesting because you really realize that people can't f---ing wait to hate you … it blew my mind, and it still kind of blows my mind, but that's how people are," he said. "And particularly, you know, I can say people at least that I know like in comedians and in the arts, but like, you know, everyone else, they're cool."
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The conversation then shifted to addiction and how different behaviors are judged in the public eye.
"And other addictions, whether it's, you know, gambling or whatever, and sex, you're considered the worst of the worst of the worst," Osbourne remarked.
D'Elia agreed and described the backlash against him as having unfolded during one of the most tumultuous periods in recent history. He said the timing of the allegations - coinciding with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and widespread social unrest - amplified fear and silence across the entertainment industry.
"Yeah. It's weird … Look, 2020 was the craziest time … Period. When it all started with COVID and then George Floyd and then everything, and then people were afraid to say anything wrong, and then that's when my whole thing went down and then everyone's afraid to say anything wrong," D'Elia said.
The comedian then appeared to acknowledge his own misconduct, describing how he viewed his behavior in hindsight and tying it to addiction.
"I was a f---ing liar and I would use sex … looking back now … I think also age has a lot to do with it. Now that I'm 45 … thinking about how I didn't think the other shoe was going to drop, now that I think about that, I'm like, 'Oh, I was crazy. I was delusional … what the f---? Why would - why would that not happen?'"
The remarks come years after D'Elia became embroiled in serious legal allegations.
In March 2021, the comedian was accused in a federal lawsuit of sexually exploiting a minor and soliciting child pornography. The lawsuit, filed in California on behalf of a Jane Doe, alleged that D'Elia sexually abused a 17-year-old girl in 2014 and demanded sexually explicit images from her after they connected on social media.
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According to court documents obtained by Fox News at the time, the accuser - described as a fan - initially messaged D'Elia on Instagram before he suggested moving their conversations to Snapchat. The messages allegedly "became sexual very quickly," with D'Elia accused of requesting nude photos and videos.
"Ms. Doe sent Defendant D'Elia approximately 5-10 sexually explicit photos and videos of herself before she met him in person," the lawsuit states. "Ms. Doe was only 17 years old at the time."
The suit also alleged that D'Elia "psychologically punished" the teen when she refused to comply with instructions regarding the images.
At the time, a spokesperson for D'Elia strongly denied the allegations. The plaintiff later voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit.
D'Elia has kept a relatively low public profile since the accusations surfaced.
