Louis CK

True, but it isn't like he died. The reason he may never perform again makes it difficult, for me at least, to continue to celebrate his work.

 

That's a separation of the artist from the act. Mileages vary on that, admittedly.

I saw something on Facebook today that struck me as odd, though. They said that they have more of a problem watching a comedian after such a revelation than they have with watching an actor. For instance, this person said he still can enjoy Mel Gibson movies, but he could never watch Louie the same way again.

 

I've been thinking about that a lot. My wife is facing that dilemma at the moment. She has always loved Louis CK. I enjoy his comedy, too, but she is a much bigger fan. She finds the story disturbing and I don't know if she would want to hear his stand-up act any more.

My mother went through the same thing with Gibson. She adored him, watched any movie she could find with him in it. She enjoyed his acting, though his looks and being Australian also had a part in it. (She was always crazy about Australia.) Then the world found out more about who he is off camera and she didn't even want to watch his movies any more.

 

Transpose the sexual conducts, I suppose.

There's probably some truth to that.

 

Perhaps that's where I am right now, and it ain't an easy place to be in.

 

I agree. He was probably my favorite working comic. I hate that I can't watch his specials or his show anymore without this sick shit in the back of my mind.

 

To take it one step further, if I never watch Louie again, I'll probably wonder in the back of my mind whether it's because I actually can't rationalize enjoying his work anymore, or if I'm concerned of what others will think if I would enjoy his work in the future.

There is quite a bit of that involved in enjoying Penn State football.

 

I think part of the problem here is that even though Louis was incredibly profane and said some terrible (yet hilarious) things, you could feel good watching him because he seemed, deep down, enlightened and progressive and in on the joke. He made it possible to be selective in your beliefs. The great thing about him was that his best bits—like "The Saddest Handjob in the World"—felt true. Now you have to believe that all the weird sex and jerkoff shit is true, too, and that's harder to get a handle on.

I am torn whether he will kill himself or come back in five years with the greatest single standup set of all-time, based entirely on this week.

 

True. Richard Pryor did it.

 

I remember this story at the time it happened.

Lawsuit accuses Mets' Cone of lewd behavior in bullpen National League notes

There was a time when indecent exposure was perhaps viewed as little more than hijinks. I don't remember this following Cone at all, and these women went so far as to file suit.

 

Such a different era though.

 

It was, in many, many ways.

I remember researching a book in which I was scouring sports sections from the '80s and there were Bears stars like Dan Hampton getting DUIs mid-week during the season and the story would lead the briefs on page B6 in the Tribune that day.