Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 20:41, 4 May 2021

The neutrality of this article is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met. (Learn how and when to remove this message)

{{POV}}

Louis C.K.
C.K. in 2012
Birth name	Louis Alfred Székely
Born	(1967-09-12) September 12, 1967 (age 57) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Medium	Stand-up television film
Nationality	American Mexican
Years active	1984–present
Genres	Observational comedy black comedy blue comedy insult comedy cringe comedy surreal humor satire deadpan
Subject(s)	Everyday life human interaction human behavior social awkwardness sex masturbation marriage family gender differences racism self-deprecation current events pop culture
Spouse	Alix Bailey ​ ​(m. 1995; div. 2008)​
Partner(s)	Blanche Gardin (2018–)
Children	2
Website	louisck.com

Louis Alfred Székely (/ˈluːi ˌseɪˈkeɪ/; born September 12, 1967), best known by his stage name Louis C.K. (/ˈluːi ˌsiːˈkeɪ/), is an American stand-up comedian, writer, actor, and filmmaker. C.K. won a Peabody Award in 2012 and has received six Primetime Emmy Awards, as well as numerous awards for The Chris Rock Show, Louie, and his stand-up specials Live at the Beacon Theater (2011) and Oh My God (2013). He has won the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album twice. Rolling Stone ranked C.K.'s stand-up special Shameless number three on their "Divine Comedy: 25 Best Stand-Up Specials and Movies of All Time" list and ranked him fourth on its 2017 list of the 50 best stand-up comics of all time.

C.K. began his career in the 1990s writing for comedians including David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Dana Carvey, Chris Rock, and Saturday Night Live. He was also directing surreal short films and directed two features—Tomorrow Night (1998) and Pootie 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 and DRM-free video concert downloads via his website. He has released nine comedy albums, often directing and editing his specials as well.

He had supporting acting roles in films such as David O. Russell's American Hustle, Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine (both 2013), and the Hollywood blacklist drama Trumbo (2015). C.K. created, directed and starred in Louie, an Emmy Award winning semi-autobiographical comedy-drama series aired from 2010 to 2015 on FX. In 2016, C.K. created and starred in his self-funded web series Horace and Pete. He also co-created the shows Baskets and Better Things for FX and voiced the protagonist Max in the animated film The Secret Life of Pets in the same year.

In 2017 he admitted to several incidents of sexual misconduct. This resulted in widespread criticism and caused his 2017 film I Love You, Daddy to be pulled from distribution prior to its release, a halt in his stand-up career, and many significant professional repercussions. In 2018 he returned to stand-up comedy and in 2019 announced an international tour. In 2020, C.K. released his comeback special, Sincerely Louis C.K., on his website.

Early life

C.K. was born Louis Székely in Washington, D.C. on September 12, 1967, the son of software engineer Mary Louise (née Davis) and economist Luis Székely. C.K. has three sisters. C.K.'s father is of Mexican and Hungarian descent. C.K.'s Jewish grandfather, Géza Székely Schweiger, had immigrated from Hungary to Mexico, and to appease his Mexican wife raised Luis in the Catholic faith. C.K.'s mother, an American, is Irish-Catholic.

When C.K. was an infant, his family moved to his father's home country of Mexico, where his father had earned a degree from the National Autonomous University of Mexico prior to graduating from Harvard. C.K.'s first language was Spanish; 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. When C.K. left Mexico with his family, they moved back to the United States and settled in Boston, Massachusetts area, initially for a year in Framingham, Massachusetts.

Upon moving from Mexico to suburban Boston, C.K. wanted to become a writer and comedian, citing George Carlin, Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor as some of his influences. 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 father converted to Orthodox Judaism, the faith of his new wife. C.K. and his three sisters were raised by their single mother in Newton, Massachusetts. The fact that his mother had only "bad" TV shows to view upon returning home from work inspired him to work on television. C.K.'s mother raised her children as Catholic and they attended after-school Catholic class until they completed communion. 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).

C.K. attended Newton North High School, and graduated in 1985. He graduated with future Friends star Matt LeBlanc. After graduation, C.K. worked as an auto mechanic and at a public access TV cable station in Boston. 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. He also worked for a time as a cook and in a video store.

Career

1984–1997: Career beginnings

In 1984 at 17, C.K. directed the comedic short film Trash Day. The New 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. C.K.'s first attempt at stand-up was in 1985 at an open mic night at a comedy club in Boston, Massachusetts, during the apex of the comedy boom. He was given five minutes of time, but had only two minutes of material. He was so discouraged by the experience that he did not perform again for two years. As Boston's comedy scene grew, C.K. gradually achieved success, performing alongside acts such as Denis Leary and Lenny Clarke, and eventually he moved up to paid gigs, opening for Jerry Seinfeld and hosting comedy clubs until he moved to Manhattan in 1989. He performed his act on many televised programs, including Evening at the Improv and Star Search. C.K.'s short film Ice Cream (1993), was submitted to the Aspen Shortsfest in 1994.

In 1993, he unsuccessfully auditioned for Saturday Night Live, although he did later work with Robert Smigel, writing on the TV Funhouse shorts for the program. C.K.'s earliest writing job was for Conan O'Brien on the late-night talk show Late Night with Conan O'Brien from 1993 to 1994, before briefly writing for Late Show with David Letterman in 1995. 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 for Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

Throughout the spring of 1996, C.K. served as the head writer for The Dana Carvey Show; its writers also included Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Robert Smigel, and Charlie Kaufman. It was cancelled after seven episodes. In 1996, HBO released his first half-hour comedy special. C.K. appeared several times on the animated show Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist.

From 1997 to 1999, he wrote for The Chris Rock Show. His work on the show was nominated for a Primetime 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 for Late Night with Conan O'Brien. He has been quoted as describing his approach to writing as a "deconstruction" that is both painful and frightening.

1998–2004: Focus on filmmaking

In 1998, C.K. wrote and directed the independent black-and-white film Tomorrow Night, which premiered at Sundance, marking his feature film directorial debut after making several shorter films, including six short films for the sketch comedy show Howie Mandel's Sunny Skies (1995) on the Showtime cable network. C.K. self-released Tomorrow Night in 2014. He hosted the PBS show ShortCuts in 1999, which featured independent short films, including some made by C.K. himself. Also that year, C.K. devised and starred in The Filthy Stupid Talent Show, a mock talent show television special. He had an early acting role in the independent comedy Tuna, alongside Nick Offerman, in 2000 and performed on the stand-up showcase series Comedy Central Presents the following year.

C.K. wrote and directed the feature film Pootie Tang (2001), which was adapted from a sketch that was featured on The Chris Rock Show and featured Chris Rock in a supporting role. The film received largely negative reviews from critics, but has become a cult classic; in a half-star review, Roger Ebert declared it a "train wreck" and felt the film was "not in a releasable condition". 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. C.K. has since co-written two screenplays with Rock: Down to Earth (2001) and I Think I Love My Wife (2007). His first comedy album, Live in Houston, was released in 2001. In 2002, he voiced Brendon Small's estranged father, Andrew Small, in the animated sitcom Home Movies. C.K. was among the writing staff of the sketch comedy show Cedric the Entertainer Presents (2002–03).

2005–2009: Lucky Louie and standup breakthrough

In August 2005, C.K. starred in a half-hour HBO special as part of the stand-up series One Night Stand. Inspired by the work ethic of fellow comedian George Carlin, who had committed to dropping all of his existing material and starting over every year, in June 2006, C.K. starred in and wrote Lucky Louie, a sitcom he created. The series premiered on HBO 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. C.K. was also a part of Opie and Anthony's Traveling Virus Comedy Tour with other comedians in 2007. 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. During an interview with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on the show, C.K. repeatedly asked Rumsfeld whether he is in fact a reptilian space alien who "eats Mexican babies". Rumsfeld declined to comment and the video has since gone viral.

He appeared in three films in 2008: Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, Diminished Capacity, and Role Models. C.K. launched his first hour-long special, Shameless, in 2007, which aired on HBO and was later released on DVD. In March 2008, he recorded a second hour-long special, Chewed Up, which premiered on Showtime Network on October 4, 2008, and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy or Variety Special.

C.K. and his wife Alix Bailey divorced in 2008, with C.K. and Bailey sharing joint custody of their children. 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." One element in his preparation for stand-up was training at the same boxing gym as Lowell, Massachusetts fighter Micky 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."

A clip from an appearance by C.K. on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in October 2008 titled "Everything's Amazing and Nobody is Happy" became a viral hit on YouTube in 2009, helping his standup career to propel forward.

On April 18, 2009, C.K. recorded a concert film titled Hilarious. Unlike his previous specials—which had all been produced for television networks—Hilarious was produced independently, directed by C.K. himself, and sold to Epix and Comedy Central after it was complete. As a result, it was not released until late 2010. It was published on DVD and CD in 2011. It is the first stand-up comedy film accepted into the Sundance Film Festival. From 2009 to 2012, C.K. played Dave Sanderson, a police officer and ex-boyfriend of Leslie Knope (played by Amy Poehler) in the sitcom Parks and Recreation. He also co-starred in the romantic comedy fantasy film The Invention of Lying, directed by and starring Ricky Gervais, in 2009.

2011–2015: Louie, FX deal and film roles

FX picked up C.K.'s series Louie in August 2009, which C.K. stars in, writes, directs, and edits. The show features stand-up routines blended with segments partially based on his offstage experiences which address his life as a divorced, aging father. The show premiered on June 29, 2010. In season three, episodes dealt respectively with a date with an unstable bookshop clerk (played by Parker Posey); a doomed attempt to replace a retiring David 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. These episodes were ranked in critic Matt Zoller Seitz's favorite 25 comedy episodes of 2012. Seitz called the episode "New Year's Eve" "truly audacious". C.K. has been nominated five times for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (2011–2015) for his work in Louie, and won two Emmys in 2011 – for the Louie episode "Pregnant" and for his special Live at the Beacon Theater.

In 2011, C.K. joined fellow comedians Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, and Ricky Gervais for a discussion of comedy in Talking Funny, a one-hour television special that aired on HBO.

The show was renewed for a fourth season; with a 19-month hiatus after season 3 to accommodate C.K.'s roles in David O. Russell's American Hustle and Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine in 2013. During the 2014 Television Critics Association presentations, FX Networks' John Landgraf reported that Louie would return in spring 2015 for a shortened fifth season of seven episodes—compared to the 13 episodes of prior seasons. The fifth season premiered in April 2015 and an announcement said the series would take an "extended hiatus" in August 2015; C.K. stated in January 2016 that he "just doesn't know" whether it would return or not. 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. In 2018, however, FX CEO John Landgraf stated to Variety, “I love ‘Louie’ 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 for “Louie” season six".

On December 10, 2011, C.K. released his fourth full-length special, Live at the Beacon Theater. Like Hilarious, 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 without DRM, hoping that these factors and the direct relationship between the artist and consumer would effectively deter illegal downloading. At the end of the special, the release of a new album, recorded at Carnegie 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. C.K. hosted Saturday Night Live on November 3, 2012 and was subsequently Primetime Emmy Award-nominated for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.

The success of the special prompted other comedians, including Jim Gaffigan, Joe Rogan, and Aziz Ansari, to release their own specials with a similar business model. 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 first HBO stand-up special, Shameless), as well as an audio-only version of Live at the Beacon Theater. C.K.'s fifth one-hour special, Oh My God, was recorded at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona, and premiered on HBO April 13, 2013. It was also sold and distributed using the same model as C.K. used for Live at the Beacon Theater.

In 2013, C.K. appeared in critically acclaimed films the first being Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine where he played the romantic interest of Sally Hawkins' character. C.K. originally auditioned for the role that went to Andrew 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".

Later that year, C.K. starred in David O. Russell's black comedy crime film American Hustle, which was released in December 2013. C.K. played the role of FBI supervisor Stoddard Thorsen, the boss of Bradley Cooper's character. The film was a financial and critical hit, earning 10 Academy Awards nominations including Best Picture. C.K. earned a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture.

C.K.'s production company, Pig Newton, where he works with producer Blair Breard, signed a contract to develop and executive produce pilots for FX Networks in 2013. In January 2014, an announcement said C.K. would produce and co-write a Zach Galifianakis-created comedy pilot for FX Networks. The 10-episode single-camera comedy, titled Baskets, premiered on January 21, 2016. It features Galifianakis as the main character, a struggling clown named Chip Baskets in a pilot episode written by Galifianakis, Louis C.K. and Jonathan Krisel. C.K. released his sixth one-hour special Live at the Comedy Store to his website in January 2015, which, unlike his past few specials, was recorded at a club, The Comedy Store in West 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. The special premiered exclusively on FX on May 28, 2015.

He returned to host Saturday Night Live on March 29, 2014 and May 16, 2015 and received Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for both episodes. C.K. also attended the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special, where he was chosen to introduce a montage of the pre-recorded sketches.

In May 2015, it was announced that C.K. would write, direct, and star in the film I'm a Cop, to be produced by Scott Rudin, Dave Becky, and Blair Breard, with a budget of $8 million, although he later canceled the project. C.K. became the first comedian to sell out Madison Square Garden three times in a single tour in 2015. Audio from the tour was released by C.K. on his website as Louis C.K.: Live at Madison Square Garden through the pay what you want model. In November 2015, C.K co-starred in the biographical drama film Trumbo as a composite character based on five different screenwriters who were blacklisted in Hollywood for their alleged ties to the Communist party during the 1940s.

He executive-produced the pilot for the Amazon Video black comedy series One Mississippi, starring Notaro, in November 2015. It was ordered for a full season by Amazon.

2016: Horace and Pete and continued success

The media announced in January 2016 that C.K. and actor/comedian Albert Brooks would create, write, executive produce, and provide the voices for the two main characters in an animated series pilot for FX. The following January, the series was announced to instead be premiering on TBS in 2018 and is titled The Cops, following two Los Angeles patrolmen. On January 30, 2016, he released the first episode of the tragicomic drama series Horace and Pete to his website, without any prior announcements. C.K. directed, wrote, and starred in the series as bar owner Horace, alongside Steve Buscemi, who portrays co-owner Pete. Horace and Pete pioneered the genre of 'sadcom'. James Poniewozik of The New York Times said the series "may best be described as a Cheers spec script by Eugene O'Neill: a snapshot of a family—and a country—suffering a hangover decades in the making." 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, and Jessica Lange and C.K.'s writing. C.K. has expressed his interest in a second season. C.K. next voiced the lead, Max, a Jack Russell Terrier, in the animated comedy film The Secret Life of Pets. The film was co-directed by Chris Renaud of the Despicable Me series, and was released on July 8, 2016. It grossed over $875 million worldwide. C.K. developed the series Better Things with its star Pamela Adlon, who had appeared on Louie. C.K. co-wrote, co-produced, and directed the pilot. The show is about a single working actress mother and her struggles to raise three daughters. It premiered in September 2016 on FX. His stand-up special 2017 was filmed in Washington, D.C. and released on April 4, 2017, through the streaming service Netflix.

Barry Crimmins's stand-up special, Whatever Threatens You, directed and produced by C.K., was released through his website in 2016.

On April 8, 2017, he hosted Saturday Night Live for a fourth time, where he received strong reviews for his opening monologue which in which he tackled white privilege, and bits about a racist chicken, and talking animals. A critic from The A.V. Club wrote " no one's better at taking a joke to the edge and tiptoeing nimbly along it". C.K. also honored fellow comedian Don 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".

C.K. directed the film I Love You, Daddy in secret, shooting entirely on black and white 35 mm film in June 2017. The film follows a television producer and writer played by C.K. called Glen Topher whose teenage daughter, played by Chloë Grace Moretz, is seduced by a much older film director (John Malkovich), causing Topher to become disconcerted. The film also features Charlie Day, Adlon, Rose Byrne, Edie Falco and Helen Hunt. It premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival in September, whereupon The Guardian film critic Peter Bradshaw gave the film a four-star review, calling it a "very funny and recklessly provocative homage to Woody Allen, channeling his masterpiece Manhattan."

2017: Sexual misconduct revelations

In 2015, rumors about C.K.'s personal life began to appear on various websites, starting with comedian Roseanne Barr, who told The Daily Beast in an interview that she had heard stories of C.K., "locking the door and masturbating in front of women comics and writers". Barr added in a subsequent tweet that she had no idea if C.K. was a sexual offender or not, but said that given the number of accusations, he should address the rumors. Two years later, in a September 2017 Vanity Fair interview, comedian Tig Notaro announced that she was cutting ties with C.K., a one-time collaborator and producer on her show One Mississippi, saying that he should address the rumors of sexual impropriety, and alluding to an unspecified "incident" between herself and C.K. C.K. dismissed these allegations in a September 2017 New York Times interview, saying "They're rumors, that's all that is. I don't know why she said the things she's said, I really don't. I don't think talking about that stuff in the press and having conversations over press lanes is a good idea."

On November 9, 2017, The Orchard, distributor of C.K.'s upcoming film I Love You, Daddy, canceled the New York premiere of the film due to "unexpected circumstances", while a scheduled appearance by C.K. on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert promoting the movie was also canceled. The Hollywood Reporter ran an article claiming that a very damaging story on the comedian was about to be published in the New York Times, and the premiere was canceled to mitigate the damage. Later that day, the Times did indeed publish allegations of sexual harassment against C.K. by five women. These included comedy duo Dana Min Goodman and Julia Wolov, who claimed that they had been invited to C.K.'s hotel room in 2002 during the US Comedy Arts Festival, where he asked them if he could take out his penis. According to their accounts, C.K. then removed all of his clothing and began masturbating in front of them. The story claimed the two women initially laughed at C.K.'s behavior, and then they left the hotel room and called ImprovOlympics founder Charna Halpern and relayed the experience. The article included a separate allegation from comedian Abby Schachner who said that during a 2003 telephone conversation, she could hear C.K masturbating after she had invited him to one of her performances. In another instance, comedian Rebecca Corry described how, on the set of a television pilot in 2005, C.K. had asked for permission to accompany her to her dressing room so that he could masturbate in front of her. Corry and Schachner both added that C.K. reached out to them several years later and apologized for this past behavior.

C.K. initially declined to answer the allegations in public. In a subsequent statement on November 10, after the Times article, C.K. admitted to behavior that he initially thought "was okay because I never showed a woman my dick without asking first", and went on to express remorse stating, "the power I had over these women is that they admired me. And I wielded that power irresponsibly". Later that week, one of C.K.'s managers, Dave Becky, dropped C.K. as a client and apologized for a perceived "cover up".

Consequences

In the wake of 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. The Orchard announced it would not distribute the film I Love You, Daddy, and co-stars Chloë Grace Moretz and Charlie Day said they would not participate in the film's promotion. FX Networks announced it was cutting ties with C.K., and Netflix announced that it would not be moving forward with a second planned stand-up special featuring the comedian. HBO dropped C.K.'s appearance on an upcoming Night of Too Many Stars autism television special and removed his content from their on-demand services. TBS suspended production of, and eventually scrapped, its animated series The Cops. Illumination, about to produce the animated children's film The Secret Life of Pets 2 in which C.K. was to reprise his starring role from the previous film, terminated their relationship with him and hired Patton Oswalt as his replacement. The Disney Channel also removed C.K. from reruns of Gravity Falls, redubbing his character's voice with series creator Alex Hirsch.

2018–2020: Return to stand-up comedy

On August 26, 2018, C.K. made an unannounced appearance at the Comedy Cellar in Manhattan, 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.

His return to stand-up comedy was criticized by comedians including Aparna Nancherla, Ian Karmel, Allie Goertz, and Judd Apatow as being premature, whereas Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Bill Burr, Michael Che, Jim Gaffigan, Janeane Garofalo, Sarah Silverman, Wanda Sykes, Judy Gold, Marlon Wayans, Joe Rogan, and Kurt Metzger supported C.K.'s right to continue standup. Comedian Jerry 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." Edie Falco, who starred in C.K.'s Horace and Pete and I Love You, Daddy, expressed her hope that he would receive a second chance saying: "He's someone who admitted that he did what he was accused of doing and admitted that it wasn't right" and that "people who are committed to becoming aware of what they've done and changing, they can be our strongest proponents in an issue like this."

On December 31, 2018, an audience member secretly recorded C.K. working out new material and posted it online. The comedy set included controversial topics such as Auschwitz, non-binary people and victims of the 2018 Parkland shooting. The jokes drew condemnation from Parkland survivors and a divided reaction from fellow comedians. Ricky Gervais defended C.K.'s jokes saying " got nothing against those kids. It was him pretending to be angry for comedy."

In October 2019, C.K. announced in an e-mail to subscribers of his website an international tour of his new material. Following the leak of his new material in December 2018, his future shows would require audience members to lock cell phones and other devices in Yondr cases.

In January 2020, C.K. performed an unannounced set, receiving a standing ovation for the eighth annual benefit show for late comedian Patrice O'Neal, a yearly benefit in which comedian Bill Burr is the organizer.

2020–present: Sincerely Louis C.K.

On April 4, 2020, C.K. self-released a new stand-up special entitled Sincerely Louis C.K. through his website without advance notice. In the credits, C.K. thanked various people, including comedians Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Bill Burr, and Joe Rogan, and his girlfriend Blanche Gardin, and dedicated the special to his mother who died in 2019. The special drew a divided response from audiences including fellow comedian Amy Schumer, who admitted she watched the special saying, "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."

C.K. donated $30,000 to the wait staff at the Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of a GoFundMe program called "Tip Your Wait Staff" according to fellow stand-up comedian Mike Birbiglia. Birbiglia said that C.K. donated $10,000 in early April, 2020, and then another $20,000 on April 15. C.K. has regularly performed at the Cellar since the late 1980s. The club is featured in the intro to his show, "Louie".

In July 2020, C.K. announced the release of an audio series of conversations between himself and girlfriend Blanche Gardin titled Long Distance Relationship. Proceeds would go toward the Fistula Foundation and French charity Fondation Abbé Pierre.

On August 4, 2020, C.K. was invited by his longtime friend Dave Chappelle to join him in an installment of his standup series "An Intimate Socially Distanced Affair" at the Wirrig Pavilion in Yellow Springs, Ohio, during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Photos emerged from the event of C.K. with Chappelle, Sarah Silverman, Michelle Wolf, Tiffany Haddish and Common.

In October 2020, C.K. appeared in a docu-series titled The Comedy Store about the Los Angeles comedy club of the same name, directed by Mike Binder.

Influences

C.K. has cited many comedians who have had an influence on him, including George Carlin, Woody Allen, Larry David, Joan Rivers, Robin Williams, Steve Martin, Richard Pryor and Bill Cosby.

Ticketing innovation

C.K. innovated direct-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 as DRM-free video concert downloads. In this way, C.K. sold tickets for his stand-up tour, circumventing large ticket outlets, bypassing their overhead and the venues they control. C.K. has said the ticket outlets create barriers to consumers, whereas direct distribution is easy—and has effectively "closed the gap between how easy it was to steal it how easy it was to buy it". The success of the special prompted other comedians, including Jim Gaffigan, Joe Rogan, and Aziz Ansari, to release their own specials with a similar business model.

Personal life

Marriages and relationships

C.K. married artist Alix Bailey in 1995. Together, they have two daughters: Katherine "Kitty" Szekely (b. 2002) and Mary Louise Szekely (b. 2005). The couple divorced in 2008. C.K.'s mother, Mary Louise Szekely, died on June 3, 2019.

C.K. had a brief relationship with musician Fiona Apple.

C.K. confirmed he was dating Blanche Gardin in 2018.

Political views

About political partisanship, C.K. stated, "Some things I think are very conservative, or very liberal. 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."

In March 2016, C.K. sent an email to those subscribed to his mailing list which was critical of the 2016 presidential race. C.K. stated he hoped for a conservative president but likened Republican Party presidential candidate Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler. He labeled Trump an "insane bigot" also adding, "He's not a monster. He's a sad man." C.K. later referred to the e-mail as "irrational". 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 the Late Show audience.

In March 2020, C.K. donated to the Joe 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.

Philanthropy

In 2011, by selling Live at the Beacon Theater on his website, C.K. earned a "million dollars in a matter of days, half of which he away to his staff and charities." Recipients included the Fistula Foundation, Green Chimneys, the Pablove Foundation, Charity: Water, and Kiva.

In 2016, he selected the Fistula Foundation as the beneficiary of his Jeopardy! Power Players Week appearance, and won $50,000 for the charity.

Filmography

Film and television

Louis C.K. is known as a writer, director, producer and actor who has acted in many television series, including Lucky Louie (2006), Louie (2010–2015) and Horace and Pete (2016). He also hosted Saturday Night Live four times in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017. He has also appeared in television shows such as Parks and Recreation and Portlandia. C.K. has also starred in a number of critically acclaimed films such as Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine, David O. Russell's American Hustle (both 2013) and Jay Roach's Hollywood blacklist drama Trumbo (2015).

Comedy releases

Specials and albums

Appearances

Awards and nominations

For his work performing stand-up, writing, acting, directing, producing and editing, C.K. has received several awards and nominations. Among them are 39 Emmy Award nominations, with six wins. C.K. has won two Grammy Awards for Best Comedy Album for Hilarious in 2011, and Live at Madison Square Garden in 2015. C.K. has also been nominated for two Golden Globes, and five Screen Actors Guild Awards winning one with the ensemble cast of American Hustle in 2013. C.K. has won three Peabody Awards in the area of Excellence in Entertainment for his shows, Louie, Better Things, and Horace and Pete. For his work on Louie C.K. earned three Writers Guild of America Awards alongside his writing partner Pamela Adlon.

Notes

1. C.K.'s stage name is an approximate English pronunciation of his Hungarian surname, Székely [ˈseːkɛj], as he explained on The Tavis Smiley Show on September 25, 2009.
2. His character, Arlen Hird, is a composite character based on Alvah Bessie, Lester Cole, John Howard Lawson, Albert Maltz, and Samuel Ornitz.

References

1. "MARY SZÉKELY Obituary (1940 - 2019) - Boston, MA - Boston Globe". www.legacy.com.
2. "Louis C.K." PBS. September 25, 2009. Archived from the original on March 11, 2011. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
3. Lais Jr., C.J. (August 18, 2006). "Louis C.K.: Home is where the angst is". The Times Union (Albany, New York). p. D1.
4. LaRue, William (June 11, 2006). "HBO's New Comedy: Swear Words and All: 'Lucky Louie' Feels Like a Good Bet for Its Producer from CNY". The Post-Standard (Syracuse, New York). p. H1.
5. Louis C.K.: Friday, 9/25. PBS. September 25, 2009. Event occurs at 07:41.
6. ^ C.K., Louie; Rose, Lacey (April 8, 2015). "Louis C.K.'s Crabby, Epic Love Letter to NYC: "Everyone's Dealing with the Same S— … Elbow to Elbow"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
7. "Louie (FX)". The Peabody Awards. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
8. ^ "Louis C.K." Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
9. "Louis C.K. – Awards". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
10. Ciabattoni, Steve; Fear, David; Grierson, Tim; Love, Matthew; Murray, Noel; Tobias, Scott (July 29, 2015). "Divine Comedy: 25 Best Stand-up Specials and Movies". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
11. Love, Matthew (February 14, 2017). "50 Best Stand-Up Comics of All Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
12. "C.K. and 'SNL': Louie's 19-Year Backstory with the NBC Sketch Show". Vulture. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
13. ^ Haglund, David (May 9, 2014). "Watch Louis C.K. Chat for Half an Hour About Comedy, Parenting, and Failure". Slate (Embedded Hulu video of Charlie Rose Show appearance). Retrieved May 26, 2014.
14. "Louis C.K. Reveals How to Write, Direct, Edit and Star in Every Episode of a Hit Show (and Not Go Crazy)". The Hollywood Report. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
15. "Protestors Turn Out for Louis C.K.'s First Publicized Comedy Cellar Set". IndieWire. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
16. "Louis C.K. announces new 14-city tour in email to fans". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
17. "Louis C.K. Drops a Comeback Special". The New York Times. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
18. "Louis C.K. Drops Surprise Comedy Special on His Website". IndieWire. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
19. ^ "Louis C.K.: Comedian (1967–)". Biography.com (FYI / A&E Networks). Archived from the original on November 10, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
20. Parker, James (April 2, 2012). "The Filthy Moralist: How the comedian Louis C.K. became America's unlikely conscience". The Atlantic. The Atlantic Monthly Group. Retrieved August 19, 2012. All of which suggests that Louis – born Louis Székely on September 12, 1967 – has struck a nerve.
21. ^ "June Wedding Was Held In Traverse City". The Owosso, (Mich.) Argus-Press. June 26, 1961. Retrieved May 23, 2014. Mary Louise Davis...became the bride of Luis Szekely...
22. ^ Knutzen, Eirik. "TV Close-Up: Louis C.K." Copley News Service. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
23. ^ Weiner, Jonah (December 22, 2011). "How Louis C.K. Became the Darkest, Funniest Comedian in America". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
24. "Coming to Jerusalem: Louis C.K. and his Jewish Root". Jewish Press. Jerusalem, Israel. July 24, 2016. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
25. ^ Hiatt, Brian (April 25, 2013). "Louis C.K. Comes Clean". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
26. "Louis C.K.: I'm an Accidental White Person". Rolling Stone. April 11, 2013. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
27. ^ Vogel, Laura (May 27, 2007). "Hot Seat: Louis C.K." New York Post. Archived from the original on April 25, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
28. "Louis C.K. On His 'Louie' Hiatus: 'I Wanted The Show To Feel New Again'". NPR. May 19, 2014. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
29. ^ Gross, Terry (May 19, 2014). "Louis C.K. On His 'Louie' Hiatus: 'I Wanted The Show To Feel New Again'". Fresh Air (Audio interview). NPR. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
30. ^ Hagan, Joe (2005). "Can HBO Save the Sitcom? Louis CK Says Yes". The New York Observer. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
31. "Biography: Dr. Francisco Székely" (PDF). Ecologic Institute. 2004. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
32. Radksen, Jill (September 20, 2015). "Louis C.K. and Matt LeBlanc, way back when". The Boston Globe. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
33. Fitz-Gerald, Sean (May 28, 2015). "How Louis C.K. Became a King of Comedy". Vulture.com. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
34. ^ CK, Louis. "Louis C.K.'s Bio". Louis C.K. Archived from the original on April 13, 2008. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
35. Bromley, Patrick. "Louis CK – Biography". About.com. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
36. Adelman, Kim (April 13, 2012). "Aspen Shortsfest Turns 20: Watch 5 of the Best Films They've Ever Shown". IndieWire. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
37. Robison, Joanna (April 8, 2015). "Why Louis C.K. Is Glad He Didn't Get Hired at S.N.L." Vanity Fair. New York City. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
38. Yakas, Ben (February 28, 2015). "'90s Flashback: Louis C.K., Robert Smigel & Adam Sandler Do Silly Dog Voices On Conan". Gothamist. Archived from the original on April 27, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
39. Knoblauch, Max (May 20, 2015). "8 comedians who worked for David Letterman before they were big". Mashable. Retrieved May 27, 2016. After writing for Conan's Late Night between 1993 and 1994, C.K. briefly wrote for Letterman's Late Show in 1995
40. O'Brien, Conan (September 19, 2013). "The Fast and the Bi-Curious". Conan. Episode 466. TBS. I just wanted to say before you show it , 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 hired me, I was going to quit like, comedy and everything, so thanks.
41. Crouch, Ian (October 23, 2017). "The Unfortunate Genius of "The Dana Carvey Show". The New Yorker. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
42. ^ Rabin, Nathan (February 25, 2004). "Pootie Tang: A Look Back With Director Louis C.K." The A.V. Club. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
43. ^ "Television Academy Bios: Louis C.K." Emmys. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. 2011. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
44. Haglund, David (January 7, 2014). "Louis C.K. Finally Releasing His First Movie". Slate. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
45. Evans, Bradford (March 19, 2012). "The Short Films of Louis C.K". Spitslider. Archived from the original on July 1, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
46. Marantz, Andrew (February 7, 2014). "Louis C.K.'s Motivating Anxiety". New Yorker. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
47. Laughspin Authors (June 27, 2012). "Watch Louis C.K. host 'ShortCuts' from 1999 and his film 'Ice Cream'". Laughspin. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
48. Chagollan, Steve (July 15, 2000). "Louis C.K." Variety. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
49. "Louis C.K., Nick Offerman Co-Starred In 'Tuna The Movie' 13 Years Ago (VIDEO)". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
50. "Louis C.K." Comedy Central. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
51. Tobias, Scott (July 23, 2009). "The New Cult Canon: Pootie Tang". The A.V. Club. Retrieved March 21, 2011.
52. Raab, Scott (May 23, 2011). "Louis C.K.: The ESQ+A". Esquire. Hearst Men's Network. Retrieved July 29, 2011.
53. Ebert, Roger (June 29, 2001). "Pootie Tang". Chicago Sun-Times (via RogerEbert.com). Retrieved November 6, 2017.
54. Molloy, Tim (January 16, 2012). "Louis C.K. Talks 'Pootie Tang' – 'a Very Huge Mistake'". The Wrap. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
55. Kennedy, Lisa (March 16, 2007). "It's hard to like "I Think I Love My Wife"". The Denver Post. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
56. Lyons, Margaret (August 4, 2011). "A Primer on the Dane Cook–Louis C.K. Joke-Stealing Beef". Vulture.com. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
57. Adams, Erik (March 26, 2013). "Home Movies: "Dad"/"Therapy"". The A.V. Club. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
58. "Louis C.K. "I'm Doing Exactly What He Taught Me To Do"". Huffington Post. September 6, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
59. Marsh, Steve (June 29, 2010). "Louis C.K. on the Importance of Acting Like an Asshole". Vulture.com. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
60. Brawley, Eddie. "Louis C.K.'s 'Dianetics': Inside His Weird and Wild Three-Hour Radio Show". Splitsider. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
61. ^ McGlynn, Katia (February 25, 2011). "Louis C.K. Asks Donald Rumsfeld: Are You A 'Lizard From Outer Space'? (AUDIO)". The Huffington Post. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
62. French, Phillip. "Review: Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins". The Guardian. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
63. Fitz-Gerald, Sean. "How Louis C.K. Became a King of Comedy". Vulture.com. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
64. Tung, Cameron (November 13, 2012). "Revisiting 'Shameless', Louis CK's First Stand-up Special". Splitsider. Archived from the original on April 24, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
65. Chapman, Glen (November 12, 2009). "Louis C.K. Chewed Up DVD review". Den of Geek. Dennis Publishing. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
66. "Louis C.K.: 5 Things You Don't Know". Us Weekly Magazine. September 21, 2012. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
67. Lovell, Joel (August 2011). "That's Not Funny, That's C.K." GQ. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
68. ^ Gross, Terry (July 7, 2010). "Comedian Louis C.K.: Finding Laughs Post-Divorce". Fresh Air (Transcript). NPR. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
69. "Louis C.K. Talks 'Everything's Amazing And Nobody Is Happy' Clip, His Comedy Tour & More | TIME" – via www.youtube.com.
70. Deusner, Stephen M. (June 20, 2011). "Interviews: Louis C.K." Pitchfork. Pitchfork Media Inc. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
71. Rabin, Nathan (June 29, 2010). "Louis C.K." The A.V. Club. Chicago, Illinois: Onion, Inc. Retrieved August 19, 2010.
72. "'Parks and Recreation': Louis C.K. Returns (PHOTOS)". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
73. Kettle, James (March 18, 2011). "Meet Louis CK: the nicest guy in massively offensive comedy". The Guardian. London, England: Guardian Media Group. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
74. Itzkoff, Dave (August 20, 2009). "New Comedy Series for Louis C. K." The New York Times. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
75. Sepinwall, Alan (January 24, 2011). "Interview: 'Louie' creator/star Louis CK on season 1, drunken Sarah Palin tweets and more". HitFix.com. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
76. Littleton, Cynthia (August 19, 2009). "More laffs in FX lineup". Variety.
77. Hibberd, James (July 28, 2012). "FX renews 'Louie'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
78. Seitz, Matt Zoller (July 27, 2012). "Seitz: Parker Posey Has Revealed the Even Greater Show Hiding Within Louie". Vulture.com. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
79. ^ Seitz, Matt Zoller (December 31, 2012). "Seitz: On Louie, 'New Year's Eve,' and Respecting the Mystery". Vulture.com. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
80. ^ Seitz, Matt Zoller (December 11, 2012). "Matt Zoller Seitz's Favorite Comedy Episodes of 2012". Vulture.com. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
81. Etkin, Jaimie (September 23, 2012). "Louis C.K. Wins Best Comedy Writing at Emmys 2012 For 'Louie'". The Huffington Post. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
82. ^ Itzkoff, Dave (April 4, 2013). "The Joke's on Louis C.K." The New York Times. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
83. Barrett, Annie (April 23, 2011). "HBO's 'Talking Funny': Are you having a laugh?". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
84. Sheffield, Rob (May 6, 2014). "Why Can't Louis Be Happy? Despite all his incredible success, Louis C.K. is only getting darker". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
85. Corsello, Andrew (May 2014). "The 15 Funniest People Alive: Louis C.K. Is America's Undisputed King of Comedy". GQ. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
86. Gaffney, Adrienne (April 30, 2014). "Louis C.K. Explains the Break Before 'Louie's' Fourth Season". Variety. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
87. Fienberg, Daniel (July 21, 2014). "FX's renews 'Louie' for a shortened Season 5". Hitfix. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
88. Kreps, Daniels. "Louis C.K. Taking 'Extended Hiatus' From 'Louie'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
89. Wagmeister, Elizabeth. "Louis C.K. on the Future of 'Louie': 'I Just Don't Know'". Variety. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
90. "Why FX Cutting Ties With Louis C.K. Is a Big Deal". TIME Magazine. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
91. "FX Boss Misses Louis C.K. and Would Bring 'Louie' Back, but Season 6 Depends on Society Accepting 'Second Chances'". IndieWire. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
92. Gross, Terry (December 13, 2011). "Louis C.K. Reflects On 'Louie,' Loss, Love And Life". Fresh Air (Audio interview). NPR. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
93. ^ C.K., Louis (December 21, 2011). "Another Statement from Louis C.K." Louis C.K. (blog). Retrieved May 23, 2014.
94. Hartsell, Carol (October 21, 2012). "Louis C.K. To Host SNL With Musical Guest Fun November 3". The Huffington Post. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
95. ^ Holiday, Ryan (May 1, 2012). "Inside the Reddit AMA: The Interview Revolution That Has Everyone Talking". Forbes. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
96. Marche, Stephen (April 15, 2013). "Louis C.K. Is Our New American Preacher". Esquire. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
97. Miler, Julie (December 11, 2013). "Blue Jasmine's Sally Hawkins on the Mystery of Woody Allen: 'No One Can Work Out Woody'". Vanity Fair. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
98. "Watch: New Clip From 'Blue Jasmine,' Louis C.K. Talks Potential Movie With Woody Allen". IndieWire. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
99. Denby, David (December 16, 2013). "Grand Scam". The New Yorker. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
100. "'American Hustle' Wins SAG Ensemble Cast Award". Variety. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
101. O'Connell, Michael (December 3, 2013). "Louis C.K. Inks Overall Deal at FX Productions". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
102. Goldberg, Lesley (January 14, 2014). "Zach Galifianakis to Star in FX Comedy From Louis C.K." The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
103. Goldberg, Lesley (August 27, 2014). "FX's Zach Galifianakis, Louis C.K. Clown Comedy 'Baskets' Ordered to Series". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
104. Fienberg, Daniel (August 27, 2014). "Zach Galifianakis makes FX a 'Baskets' case for 2016: Louis C.K. and Jonathan Krisel co-created the comedy with the 'Hangover' star". HitFix. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
105. Zoller Seitz, Matt (January 30, 2015). "'Louis C.K. Live at the Comedy Store' Is Loose With Flashes of Brilliance". Vulture.com. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
106. Busis, Hillary (March 30, 2014). "'Saturday Night Live' recap: Louis C.K. does his thing". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
107. Busis, Hillary (May 16, 2015). "Louis C.K. hosts the Saturday Night Live finale this weekend: Talk about it here!". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
108. "The 'S.N.L.' 40th-Anniversary Show: Very Funny, Except When It Wasn't". The New York Times. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
109. "'SNL' 40th Anniversary Show: Complete Guest List With Arcade Fire, Kanye West, Taylor Swift, Jack White". Billboard. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
110. Kit, Borys (May 4, 2015). "Louis C.K. to Direct, Star in Indie Film 'I'm a Cop' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
111. Davs, Edward (April 13, 2016). "Louis C.K. Says He's Scrapped His Next Movie & There Will Be No More 'Louie' On FX For Now". IndieWire. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
112. Russell, Scott (August 11, 2015). "Pay What You Want for Louis C.K.'s New Live Album". Paste. Retrieved July 9, 2016.
113. Rapold, Nicolas (November 4, 2015). "'Trumbo' Recalls the Hunters and the Hunted of Hollywood". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
114. Guerrasio, Jason (August 11, 2015). "Louis C.K. is completely unrecognizable in this poster for the new Bryan Cranston movie". Business Insider. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
115. Wright, Megh. "Tig Notaro and Louis C.K.'s Pilot 'One Mississippi' Is Now on Amazon". Splitsider. Archived from the original on April 27, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
116. Kit, Borys (January 4, 2016). "Louis C.K., Albert Brooks Team for Animated FX Pilot". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
117. Hibberd, James (January 14, 2017). "Louis C.K. to star in animated cop comedy". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
118. D'Orazio, Dante. "Louis C.K. surprises fans with new show Horace and Pete, co-starring Steve Buscemi". The Verge. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
119. Poniewozik, James (January 30, 2016). "Review: Louis C.K.'s 'Horace and Pete,' Mournful and Unshakable". The New York Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
120. Heritage, Stuart (April 13, 2016). "Want to help Louis CK out of debt? Four great reasons to watch Horace and Pete". The Guardian. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
121. "Horace and Pete: Season 1 (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
122. D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 16, 2016). "Louis C.K. On Potential 'Horace And Pete' Season 2: "I Have Ideas On How To Continue The Series"". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
123. Fleming, Mike Jr. "Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet & Kevin Hart To Voice Animated 'Pets' Movie". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
124. Ryan, Patrick (July 7, 2016). "Louis C.K. is unleashed in animated 'Secret Life of Pets'". USA Today. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
125. "The Secret Life of Pets (2016)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
126. D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 15, 2017). "'The Secret Life Of Pets 2' Will Be Unleashed A Month Earlier". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 24, 2017.
127. Chow, Andrew (January 19, 2015). "FX Picks Up a Pilot From Louis CK and Pamela Adlon". The New York Times. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
128. D'Allesssandro, Anthony (June 16, 2016). "Louis C.K.-Pamela Adlon FX Comedy Series 'Better Things' Sets Fall Premiere Date". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
129. Schwindt, Oriana (February 22, 2017). "Louis C.K. Inks Deal With Netflix for Two Stand-Up Specials". Variety. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
130. Logan, Brian (December 16, 2016). "An American original: comic Barry Crimmins is as radical as ever". The Guardian. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
131. Czajkowski, Elise (April 9, 2017). "Saturday Night Live: Louis CK in top form with redeeming monologue". The Guardian. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
132. "Louis CK returns for a refreshingly odd Saturday Night Live". Retrieved April 5, 2020.
133. "On 'S.N.L.,' Alec Baldwin Is Trump, Bill O'Reilly and Trump (Again)". The New York Times. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
134. Rife, Katie (August 15, 2017). "Louis CK Announces Surprise New Film, I Love You, Daddy". The A.V. Club.
135. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (September 10, 2017). "I Love You, Daddy review – Louis CK's brazen comedy is a screwball success". The Guardian. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
136. Zeitchick, Steven (August 15, 2017). "Stealth Louis C.K. movie to make world premiere at Toronto Film Festival". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
137. Yamato, Jen (June 30, 2016). "Roseanne Barr Calls Out Louis C.K.: 'I've Heard So Many Stories'". The Daily Beast. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
138. ^ Redden, Molly (November 9, 2017). "Louis CK accused by five women of sexual misconduct in new report". The Guardian. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
139. Desta, Yohana (August 23, 2017). "Tig Notaro Distances Herself from Louis C.K., Says He Should 'Handle' Sexual Misconduct Rumors". Vanity Fair. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
140. Buckley, Cara (September 11, 2017). "Asking Questions Louis C.K. Doesn't Want to Answer". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
141. Schaffstall, Katherine (November 9, 2017). "Louis C.K.'s Movie Premiere Canceled in Advance of N.Y. Times Story". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
142. ^ Ryzik, Melena; Buckley, Cara; Kantor, Jodi (November 9, 2017). "Louis C.K. Crossed a Line Into Sexual Misconduct, 5 Women Say". The New York Times. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
143. Elahe, Izadi (November 10, 2017). "Louis C.K. responds to sexual misconduct allegations: 'These stories are true'". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
144. Desta, Yohana. "Louis C.K.'s Former Manager Dave Becky Apologizes for "Perceived Cover-Up"". HWD. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
145. Andreeva, Nellie (November 13, 2017). "Ex Louis C.K. Manager Dave Becky On Scandal: 'What I Did Was Wrong'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
146. ^ Sharf, Zack (October 26, 2018). "Jerry Seinfeld weighs in on Louis C.K.'s comedy comeback". IndieWire. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
147. D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 10, 2017). "The Orchard No Longer Moving Forward With Release Of Louis C.K.'s 'I Love You, Daddy'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
148. Yamato, Jen (November 9, 2017). "'I Love You, Daddy' stars drop out of film promotion after Louis C.K. allegations; FX, HBO weigh in". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
149. McDermott, Maeve; Deerwester, Jayme (November 12, 2017). "Louis C.K. scandal: 'Pets 2,' FX cut ties with comedian over sexual misconduct". USA Today. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
150. Hipes, Patrick (November 9, 2017). "Louis C.K. Dropped From HBO's 'A Night Of Too Many Stars' Special, On-Demand Offerings". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
151. Petski, Denise; Andreeva, Nellie (November 10, 2017). "TBS Suspends Production On Louis C.K. Animated Comedy Series 'The Cops'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
152. Amidi, Amid (January 10, 2018). "TBS Scraps Louis C.K.'s Animated Series 'The Cops'". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
153. Goldberg, Lesley (January 8, 2018). "Louis C.K. Animated Comedy 'The Cops' Scrapped at TBS in Latest Harassment Fallout". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
154. McNary, Dave (November 11, 2017). "Louis C.K. Dropped From 'Secret Life of Pets 2' by Universal, Illumination". Variety. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
155. Shanely, Patrick (December 21, 2017). "Disney Redubs Louis C.K.'s 'Gravity Falls' Character After Sexual Misconduct Admission". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 23, 2017. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
156. "Louis C.K. returns to the stage for first time since admitting sexual misconduct". CBS News. August 28, 2018. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
157. ^ Evans, Patrick (August 28, 2018). "Fellow comedians hit out at Louis CK's stand-up return". BBC News. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
158. "Louis C.K.'s Return to the Stage Incites a Range of Emotions". The New York Times. August 28, 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
159. "Comedians Defend Louis C.K." YouTube. March 20, 2018. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
160. Price, Joe (August 29, 2018). "Marlon Wayans Is the Latest Comedian to Defend Louis C.K.'s Return". Complex. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
161. Siegler, Mara (October 25, 2018). "Louis C.K. gets support from Chris Rock at latest stand-up gig". Page Six. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
162. Wilstein, Matt (August 28, 2018). "SNL's Michael Che defends Louis C.K.: he has the "right to speak and make a living"". The Daily Beast. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
163. Stern, Marlow (March 1, 2019). "Jim Gaffigan Uncensored: On Louis C.K.'s 'comeback', ruling Sundance and popping Amazon's comedy cherry". The Daily Beast. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
164. Yang, Rachel (January 11, 2019). "Janeane Garofalo defends Louis C.K.: 'He has paid heavily'". Variety. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
165. Fang, Marina (October 22, 2018). "Sarah Silverman defends Louis C.K.: 'I believe he has remorse'". The Huffington Post. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
166. "Female Comics Sound Off on Kevin Hart, Louis C.K. and Comedy in the Age of Trump". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
167. Jones, Nate (March 30, 2018). "Edie Falco Interview". Vulture.com. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
168. Sharf, Zack (March 30, 2018). "Edie Falco Hopes Louis C.K. Gets A Second Chance". IndieWire. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
169. Criss, Doug (December 31, 2018). "Comedian Louis C.K. mocks Parkland shooting survivors in leaked audio". CNN. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
170. Capobianco, Anthony (January 2, 2018). "Listen To The Leaked Louis C.K. Set That Has People In an Uproar". WAAF. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
171. "Ricky Gervais is hosting the Golden Globes. Expect controversy". Vox. January 4, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
172. Furdyk, Brent (October 27, 2019). "Louis C.K. Reveals Plans For Comeback Tour 2 Years After #MeToo Scandal". ETCanada.com. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
173. Trock, Gary (November 29, 2019). "Louis CK Dropped a Holocaust Joke in Israel and the Crowd Went Wild". Yahoo.com. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
174. ^ Salam, Maya (August 29, 2018). "Louis C.K., Back on Tour, Looks to Accelerate His Comeback". The New York Times. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
175. Barbie Latza NadeauCorrespondent-At-Large (January 29, 2020). "Louis C.K. Receives Standing Ovation at Surprise Gig in New York City". Thedailybeast.com. Retrieved February 12, 2020. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
176. ^ "Sincerely Louis CK". louisck.net. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
177. "Amy Schumer Misses Stand-Up. ('I Should Have Said My Dad, but That's Not the Truth.')". The New York Times. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
178. ^ "Louis C.K. donates $30,000 to Comedy Cellar staff". Page Six. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
179. "Underground At The Comedy Cellar: A Look Inside Louis C.K.'s Favorite Comedy Club". Huffington Post. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
180. ^ Staff, Interrobang (July 2, 2020). "Louis CK Announces and Releases Conversations With His Girlfriend".
181. "Louis C.K. Joins Dave Chappelle for Socially-Distant Standup Show". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
182. "Louis C.K. Makes "Surprise Appearance" at Dave Chappelle's Summer Camp Comedy Show". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
183. "Dave Chappelle apparently brought Louis CK to his socially distant comedy shows in Ohio". A.V. Club. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
184. Garcia, Leonardo Adrian; Garcia, Leonardo Adrian (October 2, 2020). "'The Comedy Store' Review: Showtime's Doc Squanders a Great Premise on Too Few Punchlines".
185. Mumford, Gwilym (July 28, 2012). "Why isn't Louie on UK TV?". The Guardian. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
186. "How Larry David Changed Comedy Forever". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
187. "Louis C.K. reflects on 'Louie', love, loss and life". NPR. December 13, 2011. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
188. Ryan, Patrick (August 12, 2014). "Robin Williams' enduring influence on comedians". USA Today. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
189. Henry (December 19, 2014). "Richard Pryor created Chris Rock and LouisC.K." Salon.com. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
190. "Louis C.K.'s idol worship: Comic talks Woody Allen and Bill Cosby". CBS News. July 23, 2013. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
191. Nussbaum, Emily (July 9, 2012). "Black And Blue". The New Yorker. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
192. Knutzen, Eirik (June 19, 2006). "Louis C.K." Copley News Service.
193. "Who is Louis C.K.'s daughter Kitty Szekely? Wiki, Age, Birthday, Actor, Comedian, Father, Parents". July 6, 2020.
194. "Louis C.K.'s ex-wife, painter Alix Bailey Wiki: Art, Actress, Divorce, Net Worth". June 18, 2020.
195. Singer, Matthew (November 17, 2008). "Louis CK talks America off the ledge—then kicks it in the balls". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2009.
196. Lovell, Joel (August 2, 2011). "That's Not Funny, That's C.K." GQ. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
197. "MARY SZÉKELY Obituary - Boston, MA | Boston Globe". Legacy.com. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
198. Nussbaum, Emily. "Fiona Apple's Art of Radical Sensitivity". The New Yorker. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
199. Druckerman, Pamela (November 24, 2018). "Opinion | The Woman Who Still Finds Louis C.K. Lovable". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
200. Rosenberg, Alyssa (January 16, 2012). "Louis CK on His Political Philosophy and the Value of Curiosity". ThinkProgress. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
201. Reilly, Katie (March 5, 2016). "Louis C.K. on Donald Trump: 'The Guy Is Hitler'". Time. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
202. Krieg, Gregory (March 5, 2016). "Louis C.K.: 'Insane bigot' Donald Trump 'is Hitler'". CNN. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
203. Gilbride, Tricia (March 6, 2016). "Louis C.K. wants a conservative president, calls Donald Trump 'Hitler'". Mashable. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
204. Hughes, Gregg, Norton, Jim, and C.K., Louis (April 18, 2016). "Louis C.K. Interview". Opie with Jim Norton. XM Satellite Radio, Sirius Satellite Radio.
205. "Louis C.K. Calls Trump A 'Gross Crook Dirty Rotten Lying Sack Of'... - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
206. "Joe Biden's Campaign Says It Has Refunded Donation From Louis C.K." Time Magazine. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
207. ^ Molloy, Tim (December 23, 2011). "How comedian Louis C.K. made $1M and gave half away". Reuters. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
208. Grant, Kate. "Angel in Disguise". Huffington Post. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
209. "2016 Power Players Week Contestants Announced". Jeopardy!. March 30, 2016. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
210. ^ One Night Stand (Liner notes). Louis C.K. HBO Home Video. 2006. 93317.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
211. Shameless (Liner notes). Louis C.K. HBO Home Video. 2007. 94247.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
212. Stand Up America (Liner notes). Various Artists. Laughing Stock Productions. 2000. 5022739011329.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
213. Comedy Central Stand-Up Vault #3 (Liner notes). Various Artists. Comedy Central, Paramount. 2015. D59170694D.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
214. "Louis CK - Stand Up In Montreal (03)". Dailymotion. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
215. "Louis C.K. Stand Up - 2007". Dailymotion. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
216. We Just Landed! (Liner notes). Bob & Tom. Friggemall Records. 2007. FRIG 2007-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
217. Comic Relief: The Greatest...And The Latest (Liner notes). Comic Relief USA. Shout! Factory. 2008. SF 10746.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
218. ^ "Just for Laughs - Comedy Kings 5". Tubi. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
219. Lafflink's Platinum Comedy Series Vol. 4 (Liner notes). Lafflink. First Look Studios. 2010. FLP-13179.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
220. "Just for Laughs - Comedy All-Stars, Vol. 4". Apple Music. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
221. "Just for Laughs - The Nasty Show, Vol. 3". Apple Music. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
222. "Louis C.K. - Emmy Awards, Nominations, and Wins". Emmys.com. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
223. "Louis C.K. - Artist". Grammy.com. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
224. "'American Hustle' Wins SAG Ensemble Cast Award". Variety. Retrieved May 27, 2020.

External links

• Official website
• Louis C.K. at IMDb

• 1967 births
• 20th-century American comedians
• 21st-century American comedians
• 20th-century American male actors
• 21st-century American male actors
• Actors from Newton, Massachusetts
• American agnostics
• American comedy writers
• American male actors of Mexican descent
• American male comedians
• American male film actors
• American male screenwriters
• American male television actors
• American male voice actors
• American people of Hungarian-Jewish descent
• American people of Indigenous Mexican descent
• American people of Irish descent
• American people of Spanish descent
• American philanthropists
• American stand-up comedians
• American male comedy actors
• American television directors
• American television editors
• American television producers
• American television writers
• American writers of Mexican descent
• Comedians from Massachusetts
• Former Roman Catholics
• Grammy Award winners
• Kerrang! Awards winners
• Living people
• Male actors from Massachusetts
• Male actors from Mexico City
• American male television writers
• Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners
• Primetime Emmy Award winners
• Showrunners
• Writers from Newton, Massachusetts
• Writers Guild of America Award winners
• Mexican people of Irish descent
• Screenwriters from Massachusetts
• Newton North High School alumni
• Screenwriters from Washington, D.C.
• 21st-century American screenwriters
• 21st-century American male writers
• American people of Mexican-Jewish descent