Seven Years After a Sexual Misconduct Allegation, Where Is Aziz Ansari Now?

There was a time when South Carolinian comedian Aziz Ansari was everywhere. From getting a shout-out in Rolling Stone back in 2005 to starring in NBC's hit comedy series Parks and Recreation in 2008 onward, the stand-up performer's career was on an early upward trajectory.

For the next decade, Aziz's comedy skits and performances would begin to permeate American pop culture, and he became one of the country's most celebrated comedians ... until it all came crashing down in 2018.

Where is Aziz Ansari now, and what happened to send his career spiraling in 2018? Here's what we know.

Aziz's comedy was like a breath of fresh air. A master of working a crowd and quick on his feet in stand-up performances, Aziz also translated well to the small screen as he took on the role of Tom Haverford.

But in 2018, one woman's account of a date night with Aziz turned his reputation upside down. Aziz was accused of acting aggressively and pressuring a woman into a sex act with him, according to NBC.

The comedian took a year-long hiatus after that incident, defending his actions as being "completely consensual." The accusation came just at the crest of the #MeToo movement, and it would seem Aziz felt compelled to step away from the spotlight for a time.

He returned to touring in 2019 and has kept a relatively low profile since then.

2025 was a year of more touring for Aziz and a continuation of his comedy career. Although the sexual misconduct allegation was disturbing, it would seem that Aziz has distanced himself enough both in time and behavior that many people have either forgotten or forgiven him.

TikTok comment sections, on the other hand, tell a less decisive story.

In one video, TikToker @_alexsorcist asks where Aziz is in 2025, wondering why he's suddenly "nowhere." She called Aziz's case "odd," noting that people seemed to forget him much more quickly than others. Louis C.K. — another comedian with several serious sexual misconduct allegations against him — is touring in 2025 as well, and fans are wary of the comedy industry and how it seems to reward poor behavior.

In the comment section of the video wondering where Aziz had gone, some users speculated that he caught as much heat as he did because of his skin color, brushing the encounter off as a "bad date." Another wrote, "Having a man aggressively trying to push you into sexual acts is scary. That’s more than a 'bad date' like so many commenters are calling it." Some users scoffed at the comment, accusing the original respondent of being a "professional victim."

However, many others agreed with the sentiment.

One user wrote, "There’s no way he would have disappeared the way he did if he was white."

Another agreed, writing, "Yes!!! Thank you! It’s crazy how his reputation tanked but all these other white men and Ellen [DeGeneres] continue to get work and come out with 'comeback comedy specials' after being canceled."

While Aziz's 2025 touring schedule shows that he has clearly recovered at least some of his pre-allegation momentum, users seem fairly divided on whether he was unfairly maligned or not held accountable enough.

For now, Aziz seems to be focusing on his career and working behind the camera as much as in front of the camera.