Louis C.K. has released his first standup special since he was accused of sexual misconduct during the height of the #MeToo movement.
The special, entitled “Sincerely Louis C.K.,” is available for purchase for $7.99 on C.K.’s website for video download and streaming, and purchase of the special also provides a one-year license to stream other digital content on his website.
The comedian announced the news through his email newsletter to subscribers, which you can see an excerpt of below via Twitter. His last special was “2017” and released not long before the accusations against him came to light.
The comedian was trending on Twitter on Saturday with a mix of backlash for releasing a comedy special amid the coronavirus crisis. He indirectly addressed the pandemic in his email newsletter announcing the special, saying that there are two kinds of people in the world — ones who can laugh in the face of dire times and others who believe it’s important to remain solemn to show kindness to people who are afraid and suffering.
“I don’t think that either one of these kinds of people is right over the other. I can only say that I belong to the first group,” C.K. wrote. “I love and respect many members of the latter group and can’t stand many members of my own. Anyway, for those who need to laugh, I hope my new show will help.”
C.K.’s career reversal began during the launch of the #MeToo movement in 2017, when he was accused of sexual misconduct by five women in a New York Times report. C.K. then admitted to forcing younger female comics to watch him masturbate, confirming years of rumors. At the time he said in a statement he was stepping back from his career to “listen” and learn. He lost representation from his longtime manager and agency, FX Networks severed its production deal with his company, and he was also removed from the leading voice role in Universal’s “The Secret Life of Pets 2.”
However, he began taking the stage at The Comedy Cellar the following summer, and since then he’s been quietly touring comedy clubs across the country and announcing new dates via his website and email newsletters. He also faced internet backlash for material in which he joked about the students and activists who survived the Parkland school shooting. It was later reported that he enforced a cellphone ban at his shows to prevent the leak of other material.
https://twitter.com/ImpactFanChina/status/1246486836844933121