Content Warning: This post contains mentions of sexual assault
Jokes that Beef star David Choe made about allegedly sexually assaulting a massage therapist have resurfaced.
According to USA Today, Choe made the comments on an episode of the podcast “DVDASA” in 2014. Journalist Aura Bogado tweeted a clip from the podcast during which Choe describes how he tried to force a Black massage therapist to touch his genitals.
“She’s not into it but she’s not stopping it either,” Choe told co-host and adult film actress Asa Akira on the podcast, according to VICE News.
He added that he forced the woman to perform oral sex.
“You’re basically telling us that you’re a rapist right now, and the only way to get your dick hard is rape,” Akira said, according to VICE News. Choe replied, “Yeah.”
“I just want to make it clear that I admit that that’s rapey behavior,” he added on the podcast. “But I am not a rapist.”
According to USA Today, Choe later claimed that he had made the story up for comedic purposes.
CBS News reported that Bogado said Sunday in another tweet that the clip was taken down. She said someone identifying themselves as Choe had asked for it to be removed on copyright grounds.
Choe did not respond to requests from VICE News, USA Today and CBS News for comment. Advocates are calling for a response from Netflix as well as the show’s two stars Steven Yeun and Ali Wong.
AsAmNews is published by the non-profit, Asian American Media Inc.
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