Louis C.K. | |
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 C.K. onYour Mom's House podcast in 2022 | |
| Born | Louis Alfred Székely (1967-09-12)September 12, 1967 (age 58) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Nationality | |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Comedy Career | |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Medium | |
| Genres | |
| Subjects | |
| Website | louisck |
Louis Alfred Székely (/ˈluːiˌseɪˈkeɪ/;[2] born September 12, 1967), known professionally asLouis C.K. (/ˈluːiˌsiːˈkeɪ/),[a] is an American stand-up comedian, actor and filmmaker.[4][5] C.K. has won sixEmmy Awards, and threeGrammy Awards, threeCritics' Choice Awards, threePeabody Awards and aScreen Actors Guild Award as well as nominations for twoGolden Globe Awards.[6][7][8] He was listed as one ofTime Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2012 andRolling Stone ranked him fourth on its 2017 list of the 50 best stand-up comics of all time.[9][10]
C.K. began his career in the 1990s writing for comedians includingDavid Letterman,Conan O'Brien,Dana Carvey,Chris Rock, andSaturday Night Live.[11] He was also directing surreal short films and directed two features—Tomorrow Night (1998) andPootie Tang (2001). In 2001, C.K. released his debut comedy album,Live in Houston, directly through his website and became among the first performers to offer direct-to-fan sales of tickets to his stand-up shows andDRM-free video concert downloads via his website.[12] He became prolific releasing nine comedy albums, often directing and editing his specials as well.[13] These specials includeShameless (2007),Chewed Up (2008),Hilarious (2010), andOh My God (2013).
He gained prominence and widespread acclaim for hisFX semi-autobiographical comedy-drama seriesLouie (2010–2015), which he created, directed and starred in. The series receivednumerous accolades with C.K. winning twoPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series. In 2016, he created and starred in his self-funded web seriesHorace and Pete, and co-created the showsBaskets andBetter Things forFX. In film, he acted inAmerican Hustle (2013),Blue Jasmine (2013),Trumbo (2015), andThe Secret Life of Pets (2016).
In 2017, he admitted to several incidents of sexual misconduct following the release of an article inThe New York Times. This resulted in widespread criticism and caused his 2017 filmI Love You, Daddy to be pulled from distribution prior to its release. In 2018, he returned to stand-up comedy, and in 2019, he announced an international tour.[14][15] He has also released the specialsSincerely Louis C.K. (2020) andSorry (2021) on his website, receiving aGrammy Award for Best Comedy Album for the former. C.K. also co-wrote and directed the filmFourth of July (2022).[16][17]
Louis Alfred Székely[18] was born inWashington, D.C.,[19] on September 12, 1967,[19][20] the son ofsoftware engineer Mary Louise (née Davis) and economist Luis Székely.[19][21][22] He has three sisters.[23] His father is ofMexican andHungarian-Jewish descent.[19] C.K.'sJewish paternal grandfather, Géza Székely Schweiger, had immigrated fromHungary toMexico; he and his Mexican wife, Rosario Sánchez Morales, raised their children in theCatholic faith.[24] C.K.'s mother, an American, was a Catholic withIrish ancestry.[19]
When C.K. was an infant, his family moved to his father's home country of Mexico,[19] where his father had earned a degree from theNational Autonomous University of Mexico prior to graduating from Harvard.[21] C.K.'s first language wasSpanish; it was not until after they moved back to the U.S. when he was 7 that he began to learn English. He has said that he has since forgotten much of his Spanish.[25][26] When C.K. left Mexico with his family, they moved back to the United States and settled in theBoston area, initially for a year inFramingham, Massachusetts.[25]
Upon moving from Mexico to suburban Boston, C.K. wanted to become a writer and comedian, citingGeorge Carlin,Bill Cosby andRichard Pryor as some of his influences.[27] When he was 10, his parents divorced. C.K. said that his father was around but he did not see him much and when he remarried, C.K.'s fatherconverted toOrthodox Judaism, the faith of his new wife.[28][29] C.K. and his three sisters were raised by their single mother inNewton, Massachusetts.[30] The fact that his mother had only "bad" TV shows to view upon returning home from work inspired him to work on television.[30] C.K.'s mother raised her children as Catholic and they attended after-school Catholic class until they completed communion.[29] C.K. has said that his father's whole family still lives in Mexico. C.K.'s paternal uncle Dr. Francisco Székely is an academic and an international consultant on environmental affairs who served as Mexico's Deputy Minister of Environment (2000–2003).[31]
C.K. attendedNewton North High School and graduated in 1985. He graduated with futureFriends starMatt LeBlanc.[32] After graduation, C.K. worked as an auto mechanic and at a public access TV cable station in Boston.[22] According to C.K., working in public access TV gave him the tools and technical knowledge to make his short films and later his television shows. "Learning is my favorite thing", he said.[12] He also worked for a time as a cook and in a video store.[23]
In 1984 at 17, C.K. directed the comedic short filmTrash Day. TheNew York University Tisch School of the Arts showed an interest in him as a filmmaker, but he instead decided to pursue a career in stand-up comedy.[33] C.K.'s first attempt at stand-up was in 1985 at anopen mic night at acomedy club inBoston, Massachusetts, during the apex of the comedy boom. He was given five minutes of time, but had only two minutes of material.[34] He was so discouraged by the experience that he did not perform again for two years.[35] As Boston's comedy scene grew, C.K. gradually achieved success, performing alongside acts such asDenis Leary andLenny Clarke, and eventually he moved up to paid gigs, opening forJerry Seinfeld and hosting comedy clubs[22] until he moved toManhattan in 1989.[34] He performed his act on many televised programs, includingEvening at the Improv andStar Search. C.K.'s short filmIce Cream (1993), was submitted to theAspen Shortsfest in 1994.[36]
In 1993, he unsuccessfully auditioned forSaturday Night Live,[5] although he did later work withRobert Smigel, writing on theTV Funhouse shorts for the program.[37] C.K.'s earliest writing job was forConan O'Brien on the late-night talk showLate Night with Conan O'Brien from 1993 to 1994,[38] before briefly writing forLate Show with David Letterman in 1995.[39] C.K. has stated that Conan O'Brien kept C.K. in comedy by hiring him, as he planned to quit comedy the following day if he had not been hired forLate Night with Conan O'Brien.[40]
Throughout the spring of 1996, C.K. served as the head writer forThe Dana Carvey Show; its writers also includedSteve Carell,Stephen Colbert,Robert Smigel, andCharlie Kaufman. It was canceled after seven episodes.[41] In 1996,HBO released his first half-hour comedy special.[34] C.K. appeared several times on the animated showDr. Katz, Professional Therapist.
From 1997 to 1999, he wrote forThe Chris Rock Show.[42] His work on the show was nominated for aPrimetime Emmy Award for writing three times, winning "Best Writing in a Variety or Comedy Series" in 1999. He was also nominated for an Emmy for his work writing forLate Night with Conan O'Brien.[43] He has been quoted as describing his approach to writing as a "deconstruction" that is both painful and frightening.[23]
In 1998, C.K. wrote and directed the independent black-and-white filmTomorrow Night, which premiered atSundance, marking his feature film directorial debut after making several shorter films,[44] including six short films for the sketch comedy showHowie Mandel's Sunny Skies (1995) on theShowtime cable network.[45] C.K. self-releasedTomorrow Night in 2014.[46] He hosted thePBS showShortCuts in 1999, which featured independent short films, including some made by C.K. himself.[47] Also that year, C.K. devised and starred inThe Filthy Stupid Talent Show, a mock talent show television special.[48] He had an early acting role in the independent comedyTuna, alongsideNick Offerman, in 2000 and performed on the stand-up showcase seriesComedy Central Presents the following year.[49][50]
C.K. wrote and directed the feature filmPootie Tang (2001), which was adapted from a sketch that was featured onThe Chris Rock Show and featuredChris Rock in a supporting role. The film received largely negative reviews from critics, but has become acult classic;[51][52] in a half-star review,Roger Ebert declared it a "train wreck" and felt the film was "not in a releasable condition".[53] Though C.K. is credited as the director, he was fired at the end of filming with the film being re-edited by the studio.[54] C.K. has since co-written two screenplays with Rock:Down to Earth (2001) andI Think I Love My Wife (2007).[42][55] His first comedy album,Live in Houston, was released in 2001.[56] In 2002, he voiced Brendon Small's estranged father, Andrew Small, in the animated sitcomHome Movies.[57] C.K. was among the writing staff of the sketch comedy showCedric the Entertainer Presents (2002–03).[42]
In August 2005, C.K. starred in a half-hour HBO special as part of the stand-up seriesOne Night Stand. Inspired by the work ethic of fellow comedianGeorge Carlin, who had committed to dropping all of his existing material and starting over every year,[58] in June 2006, C.K. starred in and wroteLucky Louie, a sitcom he created. The series premiered onHBO and was videotaped in front of a studio audience; it was HBO's first series in that format.Lucky Louie is described as a bluntly realistic portrayal of family life. HBO canceled the series after its first season.[59]
C.K. was a part ofOpie and Anthony's Traveling Virus Comedy Tour with other comedians in2007. In 2007, he hosted a three-hour phone-in show on the service at the request of Opie & Anthony, during which he advised callers on their relationship troubles.[60] During an interview withSecretary of DefenseDonald Rumsfeld on the show, C.K. repeatedly asked Rumsfeld whether he is in fact areptilian space alien who "eats Mexican babies".[61] Rumsfeld declined to comment and the video has since gone viral.[61] He appeared in three films in 2008:Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins,Diminished Capacity, andRole Models.[62][63]
C.K. launched his first hour-long special,Shameless, in 2007, which aired on HBO and was later released on DVD.[64] In 2015,Rolling Stone ranked C.K.'s stand-up specialShameless number three on their "Divine Comedy: 25 Best Stand-Up Specials and Movies of All Time" list[65] In March 2008, he recorded a second hour-long special,Chewed Up, which premiered onShowtime Network on October 4, 2008, and was nominated for aPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy or Variety Special.[6][66] C.K. and his wife Alix Bailey divorced in 2008,[67][68] with C.K. and Bailey sharingjoint custody of their children.[69] In a 2010 interview, C.K. talked about how, after his divorce, he thought, "well, there goes my act." He alluded to the way that his marriage had been central to his act and his life, and he said that it took him approximately a year to realize "I'm accumulating stories here that are worth telling."[69] One element in his preparation for stand-up was training at the sameboxing gym asLowell, Massachusetts fighterMicky Ward, trying to "learn how to ... do the grunt work and the boring, constant training so that you'll be fit enough to take the beating."[69] A clip from an appearance by C.K. onLate Night with Conan O'Brien in October 2008 titled "Everything's Amazing and Nobody is Happy" became aviral hit onYouTube in 2009, helping his standup career to propel forward.[70]
On April 18, 2009, C.K. recorded a concert film titledHilarious. Unlike his previous specials—which had all been produced for television networks—Hilarious was produced independently, directed by C.K. himself, and sold toEpix andComedy Central after it was complete. As a result, it was not released until late 2010. It was published on DVD and CD in 2011.[71] It is the first stand-up comedy film accepted into theSundance Film Festival.[72] From 2009 to 2012, C.K. played Dave Sanderson, a police officer and ex-boyfriend ofLeslie Knope (played byAmy Poehler) in the sitcomParks and Recreation.[73] He also co-starred in the romantic comedy fantasy filmThe Invention of Lying, directed by and starringRicky Gervais, in 2009.[74]
FX picked up C.K.'s seriesLouie in August 2009, which C.K. stars in, writes, directs, and edits.[75][76] The show features stand-up routines blended with segments partially based on his offstage experiences which address his life as a divorced, aging father.[69][77] The show premiered on June 29, 2010.[78] In season three, episodes dealt respectively with a date with an unstable bookshop clerk (played byParker Posey);[79] a doomed attempt to replace a retiringDavid Letterman; an aborted visit to C.K.'s father; and a dream-reality New Year's Eve episode in which C.K. ends up in China.[80] These episodes were ranked in critic Matt Zoller Seitz's favorite 25 comedy episodes of 2012.[81] Seitz called the episode "New Year's Eve" "truly audacious".[80][81] C.K. has been nominated five times for thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (2011–2015) for his work inLouie, and won two Emmys in 2011 – for theLouie episode "Pregnant"[82] and for his specialLive at the Beacon Theater.[83]
The show was renewed for a fourth season;[84] with a 19-month hiatus after season 3[29] to accommodate C.K.'s roles inDavid O. Russell'sAmerican Hustle andWoody Allen'sBlue Jasmine in 2013.[85][86] During the 2014Television Critics Association presentations, FX Networks'John Landgraf reported thatLouie would return in spring 2015 for a shortened fifth season of seven episodes—compared to the 13 episodes of prior seasons.[87] Thefifth season premiered in April 2015 and an announcement said the series would take an "extendedhiatus" in August 2015;[88] C.K. stated in January 2016 that he "just doesn't know" whether it would return or not.[89] In November 2017, in the wake of the misconduct allegations against C.K, FX cut ties with the embattled comic and filmmaker, ending their partnership.[90] In 2018, however, FX CEOJohn Landgraf stated toVariety, "I loveLouie and I love Louis C.K.'s work and I miss him, and I miss it," and that "the network is ready to welcome C.K. back and is eager forLouie season six".[91] In 2011, C.K. joined fellow comediansJerry Seinfeld,Chris Rock, andRicky Gervais for a discussion of comedy inTalking Funny, a one-hourtelevision special that aired onHBO.[92]
On December 10, 2011, C.K. released his fourth full-length special,Live at the Beacon Theater. LikeHilarious, it was produced independently and directed by C.K. However, unlike his earlier work, it was distributed digitally on his website, foregoing both physical and broadcast media. C.K. released the special for $5.00 and withoutDRM, hoping that these factors and the direct relationship between the artist and consumer would effectively deter illegal downloading.[93] At the end of the special, the release of a new album, recorded atCarnegie Hall the previous year, is mentioned. By December 21, 2011, the sales of the special from C.K.'s website had already earned him over $1 million.[94] C.K. hostedSaturday Night Live on November 3, 2012, and was subsequentlyPrimetime Emmy Award-nominated forOutstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.[43][95] The success of the special prompted other comedians, includingJim Gaffigan,Joe Rogan, andAziz Ansari, to release their own specials with a similar business model.[96] On May 11, 2012, C.K. additionally made two audio-only downloads available for $5.00 each:WORD – Live at Carnegie Hall (and the audio version of his firstHBO stand-up special,Shameless), as well as an audio-only version ofLive at the Beacon Theater.[94] C.K.'s fifth one-hour special,Oh My God, was recorded at theCelebrity Theatre inPhoenix, Arizona, and premiered on HBO April 13, 2013.[97] It was also sold and distributed using the same model as C.K. used forLive at the Beacon Theater.
In 2013, C.K. appeared in critically acclaimed films the first beingWoody Allen'sBlue Jasmine where he played the romantic interest ofSally Hawkins' character.[98] C.K. originally auditioned for the role that went toAndrew Dice Clay, and Allen offered Louie the role that ended up in the film. Of the experience, C.K. stated, “I had this three-day part and I figured I'm a tourist on this movie. All I want is a little Woody moment to take home with me. It was so fun, and we had lunch, and I thought having lunch with him was my rewarding moment. And then after lunch, we shot one more scene and I got a big laugh on the set, and I thought, that's my Woody moment".[99] Later that year, C.K. starred inDavid O. Russell's black comedy crime filmAmerican Hustle, which was released in December 2013. C.K. played the role ofFBI supervisor Stoddard Thorsen, the boss ofBradley Cooper's character.[100] The film was a financial and critical hit, earning 10Academy Awards nominations includingBest Picture. C.K. earned aScreen Actors Guild Award forOutstanding Cast in a Motion Picture.[101]
C.K.'s production company, Pig Newton, where he works with producer Blair Breard, signed a contract to develop and executive produce pilots forFX Networks in 2013.[102] In January 2014, an announcement said C.K. would produce and co-write aZach Galifianakis–created comedy pilot for FX Networks.[103] The 10-episode single-camera comedy, titledBaskets, premiered on January 21, 2016.[104] It features Galifianakis as the main character, a struggling clown named Chip Baskets in a pilot episode written by Galifianakis, Louis C.K. andJonathan Krisel.[105] C.K. released his sixth one-hour specialLive at the Comedy Store to his website in January 2015, which, unlike his past few specials, was recorded at a club,The Comedy Store inWest Hollywood. C.K. said he intended the material as an exercise in creating an act that hearkened back to his early days in comedy clubs.[106] The special premiered exclusively onFX on May 28, 2015.
He returned to hostSaturday Night Live on March 29, 2014, and May 16, 2015, and receivedEmmy Award nominations forOutstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for both episodes.[6][107][108] C.K. also attended theSaturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special, where he was chosen to introduce a montage of the pre-recorded sketches.[109][110] In May 2015, it was announced that C.K. would write, direct, and star in the filmI'm a Cop, to be produced byScott Rudin,Dave Becky, and Blair Breard, with a budget of $8 million,[111] although he later canceled the project.[112] C.K. became the first comedian to sell outMadison Square Garden three times in a single tour in 2015.[5] Audio from the tour was released by C.K. on his website asLouis C.K.: Live at Madison Square Garden through thepay what you want model.[113] In November 2015, C.K. co-starred in the biographical drama filmTrumbo as acomposite character based on five screenwriters who wereblacklisted in Hollywood for their alleged ties to theCommunist party during the 1940s.[b][115] He executive-produced the pilot for theAmazon Video black comedy seriesOne Mississippi, starring Notaro, in November 2015. It was ordered for a full season by Amazon.[116] In January 2016 C.K. and actor/comedianAlbert Brooks were rumoured to create, write, executive produce, and provide the voices for the two main characters in an animated series pilot for FX.[117] The following January, the series was announced to instead be premiering onTBS in 2018 and titledThe Cops, following twoLos Angelespatrolmen.[118]
On January 30, 2016, he released the first episode of thetragicomic drama seriesHorace and Pete to his website, without any prior announcements. C.K. directed, wrote, and starred in the series as bar owner Horace, alongsideSteve Buscemi, who portrays co-owner Pete.[119]Horace and Pete pioneered the genre of 'sadcom'.James Poniewozik ofThe New York Times said the series "may best be described as aCheers spec script byEugene O'Neill: a snapshot of a family—and a country—suffering a hangover decades in the making."[120] The self-financed series received a significantly positive reaction from critics, who largely focused on the performances of the veteran cast that includes C.K., Buscemi,Edie Falco,Steven Wright,Alan Alda, andJessica Lange and C.K.'s writing.[121][122] C.K. has expressed his interest in a second season.[123]
C.K. next voiced the lead, Max, aJack Russell Terrier, in the animated comedy filmThe Secret Life of Pets. The film was co-directed byChris Renaud of theDespicable Me series, and was released on July 8, 2016.[124][125] It grossed over $875 million worldwide.[126][127] C.K. developed the seriesBetter Things with its starPamela Adlon, who had appeared onLouie. C.K. co-wrote, co-produced, and directed the pilot.[5] The show is about a single working actress mother and her struggles to raise three daughters.[128] It premiered in September 2016 on FX.[129] His stand-up special2017 was filmed in Washington, D.C., and released on April 4, 2017, through the streaming serviceNetflix.[130]Barry Crimmins's stand-up special,Whatever Threatens You, directed and produced by C.K., was released through his website in 2016.[131] On April 8, 2017, he hostedSaturday Night Live for a fourth time,[132] where he received strong reviews for his opening monologue in which he tackledwhite privilege, and bits about a racist chicken, and talking animals. A critic fromThe A.V. Club wrote " no one's better at taking a joke to the edge and tiptoeing nimbly along it".[133] C.K. also honored fellow comedianDon Rickles who died that week, saying during the goodnights portion stating, "I just want to say, Don Rickles was the funniest man in the world and he was also a lovely, beautiful guy. I'll miss him for the rest of my life".[134]
C.K. directed the filmI Love You, Daddy in secret, shooting entirely on black and white35 mm film in June 2017.[135] The film follows a television producer and writer played by C.K. called Glen Topher whose teenage daughter, played byChloë Grace Moretz, is seduced by a much older film director (John Malkovich), causing Topher to become disconcerted. The film also featuresCharlie Day, Adlon,Rose Byrne,Edie Falco andHelen Hunt.[136] It premiered at the2017 Toronto International Film Festival in September,[137] whereuponThe Guardian film criticPeter Bradshaw gave the film a four-star review, calling it a "very funny and recklessly provocative homage to Woody Allen, channeling his masterpieceManhattan."[136]
In 2015, rumors about C.K.'s behavior toward women in his professional life began to appear on various websites, from high-profile names such asRoseanne Barr,Jen Kirkman, andTig Notaro.[138][139] Two years later, in a September 2017Vanity Fair interview, comedian Notaro cut ties with C.K., a one-time collaborator and producer on her showOne Mississippi, saying that he should address the rumors of sexual impropriety, and alluding to an unspecified "incident" between herself and C.K.[140] As he had in the past, C.K. denied the allegations in a September 2017New York Times interview, saying: "They're rumors, that's all that is ... I don't think talking about that stuff in the press ... is a good idea."[141] On November 9, 2017,The Orchard, distributor of C.K.'s upcoming filmI Love You, Daddy, canceled the New York premiere of the film due to "unexpected circumstances".[142]
Later that day, theNew York Times published allegations of sexual misconduct from five women against C.K.[143][144] The women who spoke out in the article included comedy duo Dana Min Goodman and Julia Wolov, who claimed that C.K. had invited them to his hotel room in 2002 during theUS Comedy Arts Festival where he masturbated in front of them. They relayed the incident toImprovOlympics founderCharna Halpern. The comedianRebecca Corry stated that when they were on the set of a television pilot in 2005, C.K. offered to masturbate in front of her and she declined. Corry reported the incident and no action was taken.[143] Comedian Abby Schachner alleged that C.K. masturbated while they were on the phone describing the conduct as "unprofessional and inappropriate".[143] Both Corry and Schachner stated that C.K. privately apologized for his past behavior several years later.[143][145]
In response toThe New York Times reporting, C.K. released a statement apologizing and admitting guilt, writing, "These stories are true" and saying that while he initially thought "it was okay because I never showed a woman my dick without asking first", he went on to express remorse, stating, "the power I had over these women is that they admired me. And I wielded that power irresponsibly."[139] He stated: "I have spent my long and lucky career talking and saying anything I want. I will now step back and take a long time to listen."[146][147]
Following the scandal, C.K. suffered severe repercussions, stating in 2018 that the fallout had taken him through "hell and back" and cost him approximately $35 million in lost income.[148] The release and distribution of his filmI Love You, Daddy was cancelled,[149][150] andFX Networks andNetflix cut ties with C.K.[151]HBO dropped C.K.'s appearance on an upcomingNight of Too Many Stars television special and removed his content from their on-demand services.[152] C.K.'s manager Dave Becky, who was under fire for allegedly making threatening statements, dropped C.K. as a client.[153][154][155][156][157] TBS suspended production of, and eventually scrapped, its animated seriesThe Cops, co-created withAlbert Brooks.[158][159][160] His voice was either replaced or removed from projects such asIllumination'sThe Secret Life of Pets 2 andDisney Channel'sGravity Falls.[161][162]
On August 26, 2018, C.K. made an unannounced appearance at theComedy Cellar inManhattan, New York. It was reported that he received an ovation from the audience and performed a typical set, making no reference to the sexual controversy.[163][164] His return to stand-up comedy was criticized by comedians, includingAparna Nancherla,Ian Karmel,Allie Goertz, andJudd Apatow as being premature,[164][165] whereasDave Chappelle,Chris Rock,Bill Burr,Michael Che,Jim Gaffigan,Janeane Garofalo,Sarah Silverman,Wanda Sykes,Judy Gold,Marlon Wayans,Joe Rogan, andKurt Metzger supported C.K.'s right to continue standup.[166][167][168][169][170][171][172] ComedianJerry Seinfeld also supported C.K.'s return to standup but opined that the public may have felt that C.K. had not owned up to his actions enough, saying in October 2018, "We know the routine: The person does something wrong. The person's humiliated. They're exiled. They suffer, we want them to suffer. We love the tumble, we love the crash and bang of the fall. And then we love the crawl-back. The grovel. Are you going to grovel? How long are you going to grovel?" Seinfeld added, "We, the court of public opinion, decided if he's going to come back, he'd better show a lot of pain. Because he denied (the public) that."[148]Edie Falco andAlan Alda who starred in C.K.'sHorace and Pete expressed their hope that he would receive a second chance.[173][174][175]
On December 31, 2018, an audience member secretly recorded C.K. working out new material and posted it online, which drew media controversy.[176][177] Included in his set were jokes about school shootings, which drew a divided reaction from fellow comedians.[178]Ricky Gervais defended C.K.'s jokes, saying "[C.K.'s] got nothing against those [Parkland] kids. It was him pretending to be angry for comedy."[179] In October 2019, C.K. announced in an email to subscribers of his website an international tour of his new material.[180][181][182] Following the leak of his new material in December 2018, his future shows would require audience members to lock cell phones and other devices inYondr pouches, which has become the norm, with comediansDave Chappelle,John Mulaney, andAziz Ansari using them as well.[182] Canadian comedianMark Breslin, owner of Canadian comedy club chainYuk Yuk's, defended his decision to book C.K. again inToronto, citing sold out tickets for five shows[183] and a lack of controversy.[184]
In January 2020, C.K. performed an unannounced set, receiving a standing ovation for the eighth annual benefit show for late comedianPatrice O'Neal, a yearly benefit of which comedianBill Burr is the organizer.[185] Beginning in March 2020, most of C.K.'s shows were canceled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in the United States.[186] On April 4, 2020, C.K. self-released a new stand-up special entitledSincerely Louis CK through his website without advance notice.[187] The special drew a divided response from audiences, including fellow comedianAmy Schumer, who said, "I laughed at a lot of it. But it's hard to not think of what he has done, what he has and hasn't learned, but I definitely laughed."[188]
In July 2020, C.K. released an audio series of conversations between himself and then-girlfriendBlanche Gardin titledLong Distance Relationship.[189] Proceeds would go toward theFistula Foundation and French charity Fondation Abbé Pierre.[189] On August 4, 2020, C.K. was invited by his longtime friendDave Chappelle to join him in an installment of his standup series "An Intimate Socially Distanced Affair" at the Wirrig Pavilion inYellow Springs, Ohio, during theCOVID-19 pandemic in the United States.[190][191] Photos emerged from the event of C.K. with Chappelle,Sarah Silverman,Michelle Wolf,Tiffany Haddish andCommon.[192] In October 2020, C.K. appeared in a docu-series titledThe Comedy Store about the Los Angeles comedy club of the same name, directed byMike Binder.[193] In May 2021, following the easing of restrictions in New York City due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, C.K. made an unannounced stop at the Village Underground.[194] He then announced upcoming tour-dates for summer 2021 inAtlanta,Nashville andMinneapolis.[195][196][197]
In August 2021, C.K. announced a tour of the United States in the year 2021 and international dates for the year 2022.[198] American dates include two nights at theHulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.[199] The tour rescheduled dates canceled due to COVID-19, acknowledging the ongoing pandemic and safety concerns.[200][201] OnThe Joe Rogan Experience in November 2021, comedianShane Gillis revealed that C.K. had filmed a new special at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.[202] On 18 December 2021 C.K. announced the release of a new stand-up comedy special, titledSorry. The special was released for sale through his website, similar to other releases he has done in the past. He also offered a bundling of previous specials for a larger fee.[203] In April 2022, C.K. won theGrammy Award for Best Comedy Album for his specialSincerely, Louis C.K.[204]
In April and May 2022, C.K. appeared as a guest in a series of episodes ofMatt and Shane's Secret Podcast, a podcast hosted by comedians Shane Gillis and Matt McCusker. The series is a four-part, six-hour-long discussion on the stories of each U.S. president in order.[205] June 2022 saw the premiere of C.K.'s filmFourth of July, which he produced, directed, and co-wrote with fellow comedianJoe List. The film is a comedy drama that stars List as a recovering alcoholic jazz musician who confronts his emotionally abusive family.[206] To promote the film, rather than using traditional talk shows, C.K. appeared on a number of well-knownpodcasts,[207] such asThe Joe Rogan Experience,[208]Your Mom's House,[209]Long Days with Yannis Pappas,Ari Shaffir's Skeptic Tank,Flagrant 2, andAre You Garbage?.[210]
On January 28, 2023, C.K. performed at a sold-out performance atMadison Square Garden.[211] The event was live recorded and aired on his website as the special,Louis C.K.: Back to the Garden. Following the Madison Square Garden show, C.K. took an extended break.[212]
In March 2025, C.K. announced hisRidiculous tour with dates across the world.[212]
C.K. announced his debut novelIngram to be released November 11, 2025.[213]
In a September 2025 podcast interview onTheo Von'sThis Past Weekend, C.K. confessed ongoing remorse for his past sexual misconduct[214] saying "I really wish I could have a simple kind of watershed where I can say just 'Yes' to everything that happened, and I'm sorry. I really am. And I'm just trying to do better, and I don't think I can prove that to everybody, 'cause it's a private thing. It's a one-to-one man thing. It's not a famous guy act."[215] C.K. also admitted to regularly attendingSex and Love Addicts Anonymous meetings.[216]
In September 2025, C.K. performed at theRiyadh Comedy Festival, which faced criticism in part due toSaudi Arabia'shuman rights record.[217][218][219]
C.K. has named many comedians whom he admired or who influenced his work, includingGeorge Carlin,[27]Woody Allen,[220]Larry David,[221]Joan Rivers,[222]Robin Williams,[223]Steve Martin,[22]Richard Pryor[224] andBill Cosby.[225][226] As a filmmaker C.K. has been influenced by theFrench New Wave,American New Hollywood &Surrealist cinema.[227] C.K. has cited filmmakers who have influenced him as being Woody Allen,[228]David Lynch,[229]John Waters,[230] andLuis Buñuel.[231]
C.K. innovateddirect-to-consumer distribution, in 2001, when he released his debut comedy album,Live in Houston, directly through his website. He became one of the first performers to use his website to offer direct-to-fan ticket sales for his shows, as well asDRM-free video concert downloads.[12] In this way, C.K. sold tickets for his stand-up tour, circumventing largeticket outlets, bypassing their overhead and the venues they control.[83] C.K. has said the ticket outlets create barriers to consumers, whereas direct distribution has effectively "closed the gap between how easy it was to steal it [versus] how easy it was to buy it".[12] The success of the special prompted other comedians, includingJim Gaffigan,Joe Rogan, andAziz Ansari, to release their own specials with a similar business model.[96]
C.K. married artist Alix Bailey in 1995.[232] Together, they have two daughters.[233] The couple divorced in 2008.[234] C.K.'s mother, Mary Louise Székely, died on June 3, 2019.[18]
C.K. had a brief relationship with musicianFiona Apple.[235] C.K. confirmed he was datingBlanche Gardin in 2018.[236] In August 2022, he mentioned that they had broken up.[237]
About political partisanship, C.K. stated, "Some things I think are veryconservative, or veryliberal. I think when someone falls into one category for everything, I'm very suspicious. It doesn't make sense to me that you'd have the same solution to every issue."[238]
In March 2016, C.K. sent an email to those subscribed to his mailing list which was critical of the2016 presidential race. C.K. stated he hoped for aconservative president but likenedRepublican Party presidential candidateDonald Trump toAdolf Hitler. He labeled Trump an "insane bigot", also adding, "He's not a monster. He's a sad man."[239][240][241] C.K. later referred to the email as "irrational".[242] But he clarified to Stephen Colbert in April 2017 that Trump is not "some new kind of evil" but rather "a gross, crook, dirty, rotten, lying sack of shit", to boisterous approving applause from theLate Show audience.[243]
In March 2020, C.K. donated to theJoe Biden 2020 presidential campaign. However, the campaign said that it has refunded the $2,800 donation from C.K. Neither Biden nor C.K. have released statements regarding the matter.[244]
C.K. is on the record as having voted for theDemocratic Party presidential candidate in the 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016United States presidential elections.[245][246]
In 2011, by sellingLive at the Beacon Theater on his website, C.K. earned a "million dollars in a matter of days, half of which he [gave] away to his staff and charities."[247] Recipients includedthe Fistula Foundation,[248] Green Chimneys,the Pablove Foundation,Charity: Water, andKiva.[247]
In 2016, he selected theFistula Foundation as the beneficiary of hisJeopardy! Power Players Week appearance, and won $50,000 for the charity.[249]
In April 2020, C.K. donated $30,000 to the wait staff at theComedy Cellar inGreenwich Village during theCOVID-19 pandemic in the United States as part of aGoFundMe program called "Tip Your Wait Staff".[250][251][252]
Louis C.K. was raised Catholic and has identified as anagnostic.[253]
Louis C.K. is a writer, director, producer and actor who has acted in many television series, includingLucky Louie (2006),Louie (2010–2015) andHorace and Pete (2016). He has hostedSaturday Night Live four times, in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2017. He has also appeared in television shows, such asParks and Recreation andPortlandia. C.K. has also starred in a number of films such asWoody Allen'sBlue Jasmine,David O. Russell'sAmerican Hustle (both 2013) andJay Roach'sHollywood blacklist dramaTrumbo (2015).
| Year | Title | Studio | Formats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Live in Houston | louisck.com | LP/CD/download/streaming (audio only) |
| 2007 | Shameless | HBO, louisck.com | Broadcast/DVD/video & audio download/streaming |
| 2008 | Chewed Up | Showtime/Image Entertainment, louisck.com | Broadcast/DVD/CD/video & audio download/streaming |
| 2010 | Hilarious | Epix,Comedy Central, louisck.com,Netflix | Theatrical/broadcast/DVD/CD/video & audio download/streaming |
| 2011 | Live at the Beacon Theater | louisck.com,FX, Netflix | Broadcast/DVD/video & audio download/streaming |
| 2012 | Word: Live at Carnegie Hall | louisck.com | Download/streaming (audio only) |
| 2013 | Oh My God | HBO, louisck.com | Broadcast/DVD/LP/CD/video & audio download/streaming |
| 2015 | Live at the Comedy Store | louisck.com, FX, Netflix | Broadcast/DVD/video & audio download/streaming |
| Live at Madison Square Garden | louisck.com | LP/download/streaming (audio only) | |
| 2017 | 2017 | Netflix | LP/streaming |
| 2020 | Sincerely Louis CK | louisck.com | Video & audio download/streaming |
| 2021 | Sorry | ||
| 2023 | Louis C.K. at The Dolby | ||
| Back to the Garden | Video download/streaming |
| Year | Title | Studio | Track Information | Formats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Young Comedians Special" | HBO | Special feature ofOne Night Stand DVD[254] | Broadcast/DVD (2006) |
| 1996 | "HBO Comedy Half-Hour" | Special feature ofShameless DVD[255] | Broadcast/streaming/DVD (2007) | |
| 2000 | "Stand Up America" | Laughing Stock | Track 8: "Louis CK"[256] | CD/download (2005)/streaming (2009) |
| 2001 | "Comedy Central Presents" | Comedy Central/Paramount | Stand-Up Vault #3 DVD[257] | Broadcast/download/streaming (2010)/DVD (2015) |
| 2003 | "Just for Laughs" | Just For Laughs (JFL) | Episode: "Louis CK"[258] | Broadcast/streaming (2010) |
| 2005 | "One Night Stand" | HBO | Includes deleted scenes on DVD[254] | Broadcast/streaming/DVD (2006) |
| 2007 | "Just for Laughs" | JFL | Episode: "Louis CK II"[259] | Broadcast/streaming (2010) |
| "We Just Landed!" byBob & Tom | Friggemall Records | Track 6: "One of Those Couples"[260] | CD | |
| 2008 | "Comic Relief: The Greatest...And The Latest" | HBO/Shout! Factory | "Comic Relief 2006"[261] | Broadcast/streaming/DVD |
| 2009 | "Just for Laughs" | JFL | Episode: "Whoopi Goldberg"[262] | Broadcast/streaming |
| 2010 | "Lafflink's Platinum Comedy Series Vol. 4" | First Look Studios | Chapter: "Louis CK"[263] | DVD/streaming |
| 2013 | "Best of Just for Laughs" | JFL | Episode: "Comedy Kings 5"[262] | Broadcast/streaming |
| 2017 | "Just for Laughs – Comedy All-Stars, Vol. 4" | Tracks 1-3:Jfl 2009[264] | CD/download/streaming | |
| 2018 | "Just for Laughs – The Nasty Show, Vol. 3" | Track 10:Sexual Expression (Jfl 1994)[265] | ||
| 2021 | "Caroline's Comedy Hour, Vol. 1" | Clown Jewels | Track 7:Guy from the Thing | Download/streaming |
| "Caroline's Comedy Hour, Vol. 5" | Track 18:Diverse Culture | |||
| "Caroline's Comedy Hour, Vol. 8" | Track 13:Do You Ever Feel Stupid? |
For his work performing stand-up, writing, acting, directing, producing, and editing, C.K. has received several awards and nominations. Among them are 39Emmy Award nominations, with six wins.[266] C.K. has won theGrammy award for Best Comedy Album three times—forHilarious in 2012,Live at Madison Square Garden in 2016, andSincerely Louis C.K. in 2022.[267]
C.K. has also been nominated for twoGolden Globes and fiveScreen Actors Guild awards, winning the award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picturein 2013, together with the other cast members ofAmerican Hustle.[268]
Additionally, C.K. has won threePeabody awards in the area of Excellence in Entertainment for his showsLouie,Better Things, andHorace and Pete, as well as threeWriters Guild of America awards for his work onLouie, alongside his writing partner,Pamela Adlon.
All of which suggests that Louis – born Louis Székely on September 12, 1967 – has struck a nerve.
Mary Louise Davis...became the bride of Louis Szekely...
After writing for Conan's Late Night between 1993 and 1994, C.K. briefly wrote for Letterman's Late Show in 1995
I [Louis C.K.] just wanted to say before you show it [a clip], we were talking about how I started on the show, I just want to thank you for giving me the shot, because I was really desperate. I was literally hungry all the time, I had no trajectory that showed me I would—I was about to—the day before you guys [Late Night with Conan O'Brien] hired me, I was going to quit like, comedy and everything, so thanks.
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