As the country endures the pandemic, many entertainers have made various attempts to lift the public's collective spirit. Surprise music drops, virtual Q&A sessions, and dance party livestreams are just some of the ways celebrities have tried to use their platforms to provide a little light during this dark time. But not all of these efforts have been welcomed. Case in point? Louis C.K.'s newly released comedy special, Sincerely Louis. C.K.
The unexpected drop was announced Saturday, about three years after C.K.'s last comedy special, 2017, was released. According to a press release obtained by the Hollywood Reporter, the special was intended to help others cope with all the uncertainty and fear brought on by the health crisis. Basically, the release was intended for "those who need to laugh."
"I feel like there are two kinds of people in this world: One kind needs to laugh when things get shitty," C.K. wrote in the release. "In fact, the shittier things get, the more serious, the more dark, the more terrifying, the more dangerous and dire anything is, the more important it is to laugh in the midst of it and often directly in its face ..."
He continued: "The other kind of people feel that it’s important to put aside laughter in times of difficulty and give serious And painful things the respect and the silence due to them. And to bow their heads to the tragic and to show kindness to people who are afraid and hurting by not making light of their fears or pain."
C.K. ended the announcement by saying he was part of the former group but emphasized that he still loved and respected members of the second group.
"For those of you that can’t laugh right now I just wish you all the peace you can grab in this shitty shitty time," he wrote.
The special, which is available on his website for $7.99, comes more than a year after C.K. launched his comeback tour. The 52-year-old was essentially ousted from Hollywood when he admitted to sexual misconduct allegations made by five women. Since then, C.K. has continued to face backlash over his actions as well as his failure to take responsibility.
Of course, C.K. touched on the scandal in the Sincerely stand-up special. And, no, he hasn't changed his unapologetic tune.
"How was your last couple of years? How was 2018 and 2019 for you guys? Anybody else get in global amounts of trouble?" he asked the crowd, as reported by Variety. "I learned a lot. I learned how to eat alone in a restaurant with people giving me the finger from across the room."
He also joked about the measures men must take to ensure they're engaging in consensual sex.
"If you want to do it with someone else, you need to ask first. But if they say yes, you still don’t get to go ‘Woo!’ and charge ahead. You need to check in often, I guess that’s what I’d say. It’s not always clear how people feel," he said. "Men are taught to make sure the woman is OK. The thing is, women know how to seem okay when they’re not OK ..."
He continued: "It’s kind of like a Negro spiritual. It’s sort of similar. So to assume that she likes it is like if they heard slaves singing in the field and you’re like, ‘Hey, they’re having a good time out there.'"
And here's the joke that aims most directly at his sexual misconduct. "I like jerking off, I don’t like being alone, that’s all I can tell you," he said. "I get lonely, it’s just sad. I like company. I like to share. I’m good at it, too. If you’re good at juggling, you wouldn’t do it alone in the dark. You’d gather folks and amaze them."
Yikes.
You can check out some of the reactions to C.K.'s special below.
