Louis C.K. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Louis C.K.
C.K. in August 2022
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 insult comedy cringe comedy surreal humor satire deadpan
Subject(s)	Everyday life human interaction human behavior social awkwardness marriage family gender differences racism self-deprecation current events pop culture
Spouse	Alix Bailey ​ ​ (m. 1995; div. 2008)​
Children	2

Louis Alfred Székely (born September 12, 1967), known professionally as Louis C.K., is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and filmmaker. His stage name "C.K." is how his Hungarian last name, Székely, sounds when spoken in English.

C.K. has won many awards for his work. These include three Peabody Awards, three Grammy Awards, and six Primetime Emmy Awards. He also won a Screen Actors Guild Award. His stand-up specials like Live at the Beacon Theater (2011) and Oh My God (2013) have received high praise. In 2015, Rolling Stone magazine called his special Shameless one of the best stand-up specials ever.

He started his career in the 1990s by writing for famous comedians. These included David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, and Chris Rock. He also directed short films and two movies, Tomorrow Night (1998) and Pootie Tang (2001). In 2001, C.K. released his first comedy album, Live in Houston. He was one of the first performers to sell tickets and videos directly to fans online. He has released many comedy albums and often directs and edits his own specials.

C.K. became very well-known for his TV show Louie (2010–2015) on FX. He created, directed, and starred in this show, which was partly based on his own life. The show won many awards, and C.K. won two Emmys for writing. In 2016, he created his own web series Horace and Pete. He also helped create the shows Baskets and Better Things. That same year, he was the voice of Max in the animated movie The Secret Life of Pets. He also acted in films like American Hustle and Blue Jasmine.

In 2018, he started performing stand-up comedy again. He announced an international tour in 2019. He has also released new comedy specials like Sincerely Louis CK (2020) and Sorry (2021) on his website. He won another Grammy Award for Sincerely Louis CK. In 2022, C.K. also co-wrote and directed the film Fourth of July.

Early Life and Education

Louis Alfred Székely was born in Washington, D.C., U.S., on September 12, 1967. His mother, Mary Louise, was a software engineer, and his father, Luis, was an economist. He has three sisters. His father's family came from Mexico and Hungary. His mother's family was from Ireland.

When C.K. was a baby, his family moved to Mexico, where his father was from. His first language was Spanish. When he was 7, they moved back to the U.S. and settled near Boston, Massachusetts. He then started learning English. He has said he has forgotten much of his Spanish since then.

After moving back to the U.S., C.K. wanted to become a writer and comedian. He looked up to comedians like George Carlin and Richard Pryor. His parents divorced when he was 10. C.K. and his three sisters were raised by their mother in Newton, Massachusetts. He said that seeing only "bad" TV shows inspired him to work in television. His mother raised them as Catholics. C.K.'s father's family still lives in Mexico. His uncle, Dr. Francisco Székely, is an expert on environmental issues and worked for the Mexican government.

C.K. went to Newton North High School and finished in 1985. After high school, he worked as an auto mechanic and at a public access TV station in Boston. He said working in public access TV taught him skills for making his short films and TV shows later. He also worked as a cook and in a video store.

Comedy Career

Starting in Comedy (1984–1997)

In 1984, when he was 17, C.K. directed a short comedy film called Trash Day. He thought about going to film school but decided to try stand-up comedy instead. His first time performing stand-up was in 1985 at an open mic night in Boston. He only had two minutes of jokes for a five-minute slot and felt discouraged. He didn't perform again for two years.

As the comedy scene in Boston grew, C.K. slowly became more successful. He performed with other comedians like Denis Leary. He eventually started getting paid for shows and opened for Jerry Seinfeld. In 1989, he moved to Manhattan. He performed on TV shows like Evening at the Improv and Star Search.

In 1993, C.K. started writing for the late-night talk show Late Night with Conan O'Brien. He also briefly wrote for Late Show with David Letterman in 1995. C.K. said that Conan O'Brien hiring him kept him from quitting comedy. In 1996, he was the head writer for The Dana Carvey Show. He also appeared on the animated show Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist.

From 1997 to 1999, he wrote for The Chris Rock Show. His writing for this show was nominated for an Emmy Award three times, and he won in 1999.

Directing and First Album (1998–2004)

In 1998, C.K. wrote and directed his first full-length movie, Tomorrow Night. It was shown at the Sundance Film Festival. He later released this film himself in 2014. In 1999, he hosted a PBS show called ShortCuts, which showed independent short films.

C.K. also wrote and directed the movie Pootie Tang (2001). This film was based on a sketch from The Chris Rock Show. While it got mixed reviews at first, it has since become a cult classic. C.K. also co-wrote two other movies with Chris Rock. His first comedy album, Live in Houston, came out in 2001.

TV Shows and Stand-up Success (2005–2009)

Louis C.K. performing in Kuwait, December 2008

In 2006, C.K. created, starred in, and wrote the sitcom Lucky Louie for HBO. The show was about family life. HBO canceled it after one season.

C.K. released his first hour-long stand-up special, Shameless, in 2007. It aired on HBO. In 2008, he recorded another special called Chewed Up, which was nominated for an Emmy Award.

C.K. and his wife, Alix Bailey, divorced in 2008. They share custody of their two daughters. C.K. later said that his marriage had been a big part of his comedy, and it took him a year to find new stories to tell.

A clip from C.K.'s appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 2008, called "Everything's Amazing and Nobody is Happy," became very popular online. This helped his stand-up career grow even more.

In 2009, C.K. filmed his special Hilarious. He directed it himself and later sold it to TV channels. It was the first stand-up comedy film to be shown at the Sundance Film Festival. From 2009 to 2012, C.K. also played a police officer named Dave Sanderson in the TV show Parks and Recreation.

Louie and Other Projects (2011–2016)

Louis C.K. speaking in Montreal, July 2011

In 2009, FX picked up C.K.'s new series Louie. C.K. starred in, wrote, directed, and edited the show. It mixed stand-up comedy with stories from his life as a divorced father. The show started in 2010 and was very popular. C.K. was nominated for many Emmys for Louie and won two in 2011.

The show took a break in 2013 so C.K. could act in movies like American Hustle and Blue Jasmine. American Hustle was a big success and was nominated for many awards. C.K. won a Screen Actors Guild Award with the other actors in the film.

C.K. at the 2012 Time gala

In 2011, C.K. released his special Live at the Beacon Theater directly on his website for $5.00. He sold it without special copy protection. This was a new way to sell comedy, and it was very successful, earning him over $1 million in a short time. Other comedians like Jim Gaffigan and Aziz Ansari later used a similar method. C.K. also released audio-only specials this way. His special Oh My God premiered on HBO in 2013 and was also sold on his website.

C.K.'s company, Pig Newton, signed a deal with FX Networks in 2013 to create new shows. He produced and co-wrote the comedy show Baskets, which started in 2016. In 2015, he released another special, Live at the Comedy Store, on his website. He also became the first comedian to sell out Madison Square Garden three times on one tour.

In 2016, C.K. released a drama series called Horace and Pete on his website without any warning. He directed, wrote, and starred in the show with Steve Buscemi. The show was praised by critics. C.K. also voiced the main character, Max, in the animated movie The Secret Life of Pets, which made a lot of money worldwide. He also helped develop the TV series Better Things with Pamela Adlon, which started in 2016.

Career Challenges and Return (2017–Present)

Timothy Simons, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Al Franken, Louis C.K., and Pamela Adlon at the Peabody Awards in 2017

In 2017, C.K. directed a film called I Love You, Daddy. However, its release was canceled due to public concerns. FX Networks and Netflix also ended their partnerships with him. Other projects he was involved in were stopped or had his voice replaced.

In August 2018, C.K. returned to performing stand-up comedy at the Comedy Cellar in Manhattan. His return sparked a lot of discussion among comedians and the public. Some supported his right to perform, while others felt it was too soon.

In October 2019, C.K. announced an international tour. For his shows, audience members are often asked to lock their cell phones in special pouches. This is now common for many comedians. In April 2020, C.K. released a new stand-up special called Sincerely Louis CK on his website. He won a Grammy Award for this special in 2022.

In 2021, C.K. announced another tour across the United States and internationally. In December 2021, he released a new special called Sorry on his website. In 2022, his film Fourth of July, which he co-wrote and directed, premiered. He promoted the film by appearing on several popular podcasts.

On January 28, 2023, C.K. performed a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden. This performance was recorded and released on his website as the special Louis C.K.: Back to the Garden.

Influences

Louis C.K. has said that many comedians have influenced his work. These include George Carlin, Woody Allen, Larry David, Joan Rivers, Robin Williams, Steve Martin, and Richard Pryor.

New Ways to Sell Tickets

C.K. was a pioneer in selling his comedy directly to fans. In 2001, he released his first album, Live in Houston, on his website. He was one of the first to sell tickets to his shows and video downloads of his concerts directly to fans online. This meant he didn't have to use big ticket companies or venues as much.

C.K. believed that selling directly made it easier for people to buy his work than to illegally download it. The success of his direct sales inspired other comedians like Jim Gaffigan and Aziz Ansari to try similar methods.

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

C.K. married artist Alix Bailey in 1995. They have two daughters together. The couple divorced in 2008. C.K.'s mother, Mary Louise Székely, passed away in 2019.

C.K. has been in relationships with other artists, including musician Fiona Apple and comedian Blanche Gardin. In 2022, he mentioned that he and Blanche Gardin had broken up.

Political Views

C.K. has shared his thoughts on politics. He believes that people should not always stick to just one political side, whether it's very conservative or very liberal. He thinks it's suspicious when someone has the same answer for every issue.

He has voted for the Democratic Party presidential candidate in several U.S. presidential elections.

Helping Others

In 2011, when C.K. sold Live at the Beacon Theater on his website, he earned a lot of money quickly. He gave half of it away to his staff and to charities. Some of the charities he supported include the Fistula Foundation, Green Chimneys, the Pablove Foundation, Charity: Water, and Kiva.

In 2016, he chose the Fistula Foundation as the charity to receive his winnings from a special TV game show appearance, winning $50,000 for them. In 2020, C.K. donated $30,000 to help the wait staff at the Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

Religion

Louis C.K. was raised Catholic. He has said that he identifies as an agnostic, which means he doesn't claim to know if God exists.

Film and TV Work

Louis C.K. is known for his work as a writer, director, producer, and actor. He has acted in many television series, including Lucky Louie (2006), Louie (2010–2015), and Horace and Pete (2016). He has hosted Saturday Night Live four times. He has also appeared in other TV shows like Parks and Recreation. C.K. has also starred in films such as Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine, David O. Russell's American Hustle (both 2013), and Trumbo (2015).

Comedy Releases

Specials and Albums

Awards and Nominations

Louis C.K. has received many awards and nominations for his work in comedy, writing, acting, directing, producing, and editing. He has been nominated for 39 Emmy Awards and has won six of them.

C.K. has won the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album three times. He won for Hilarious in 2012, Live at Madison Square Garden in 2016, and Sincerely Louis C.K. in 2022.

He has also been nominated for two Golden Globes and five Screen Actors Guild awards. He won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in 2013 for his role in American Hustle.

Additionally, C.K. has won three Peabody Awards for his TV shows Louie, Better Things, and Horace and Pete. He also won three Writers Guild of America Awards for his writing on Louie with his writing partner, Pamela Adlon.

Images for kids

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  C.K. returned to standup at the Comedy Cellar in August 2018

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  C.K. at the Peabody Awards, 2013

See also

In Spanish: Louis C.K. para niños