The Untold Truth Of Louis CK

Posted by Martina Birk on Saturday, July 20, 2024

One look at Louis C.K.'s IMDb page reveals a long list of writing, producing, and directing credits. Somewhere between all the child-rearing and constant stand-up touring and public exposure, he found time to write and direct a number of surreal, entertaining, and even award-winning cult films.

According to Vulture, Louis first picked up a mic and a camera around the age of 17. His first mini-flick, Trash Day, is an oddball romp about garbage thieves. After his debut, C.K. directed an artsy comedic short, Caesar's Salad, which, as Splitsider notes, landed him on the festival circuit. His next film, Ice Cream, is an absurdist drama influenced by David Lynch and Woody Allen. Before it melted into the pop-culture tableau, his short made the rotation at Sundance and scored its director an award at the Alpine Film Festival. Most importantly, it helped C.K. snag several high-profile writing jobs, including a spot in the Late Night with Conan O'Brien writers' room.

A later scripting gig with The Chris Rock Show set up his first studio picture, Pootie Tang, a feature-length sketch starring the show's faux-Blaxploitation character. The comedian wrote and directed the picture but met with heavy resistance from the studio, since his vision diverged wildly from theirs. Paramount fired C.K. and re-cut the film, but it failed to find an audience, nearly killing his career in the process. If only...

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