Vice is reviewing its relationship with the artist David Choe after he recounted a detailed story about sexually assaulting a woman — a story he later said was a fictional "extension of his art."
Choe, an accomplished graffiti artist perhaps best-known for making a $200 million windfall on stock he earned for work in Facebook's office, has written for Vice, hosted videos for the website, designed the January 2012 cover of the magazine, and is a correspondent on the media company's HBO show.
In the story told on a March 10 episode of his podcast, Choe said that during a massage he physically forced the masseuse to perform oral sex on him even though she had repeatedly said no. "She said yes with her eyes," he said during the segment.
His co-host on the podcast, porn actress Asa Akira, told him: "You raped."
(The story had been largely overlooked until xoJane posted excerpts from the podcast last week.)
When questioned as to whether or not Vice would air the episodes of the HBO show that feature Choe and continue to work with the artist, Vice spokeswoman Cappi Williamson told BuzzFeed it is reviewing Choe's story and still considering whether or not to work with him in the future.
"Vice staffers are aware of it [David Choe's story] and reviewing the situation internally," said Williamson, who didn't offer a date for the completion of the review.
The next episode of HBO's Vice airs this Friday, April 25, and features Choe, who is also listed as a cast member on the show's website.
The trailer for the April 25 episode. You can also watch it on HBO's website.
Since Choe first told the story on his podcast in March, Vice has aired the April 1 video below, which features Choe, as well as this March 28 episode hosted by the artist.
