If ever there was a career that perfectly epitomized the concept of "momentum," it would be the career of comedian Louis C.K. Though his material as a stand-up was often considered among die-hard fans of comedy to be among the very best of all time, it wasn't until more recently that Louis has started to make in-roads into the mainstream.
First, his new show on FX, "Louie," picked up serious critical acclaim and even a couple of Emmy nominations. Its edgy tone and subject matter made it stand out against a sea of multi-camera sitcoms and more light-hearted fare. Then the second season of the show elevated the material to new heights, making it one of the best new comedies on TV in over a decade. It's rare occasion for a show to consistently improve week after week for two full seasons, but that's precisely what "Louie" did.
Then C.K. struck gold both comedically and financially with his completely self-produced and released special, "Live at the Beacon Theater." Louis has been very open and up-front with his fans about the financial aspects of the special, divulging not only what it cost him to make the special, but what he had earned from sales, which were handled directly on his website for just five dollars, DRM-free. The success of the experiment allowed him to pay for production, bonuses to his staffs and even to give a healthy sum of the profits to both domestic and foreign charities.
As if all of that upward momentum weren't enough, the comedian's companion CD to his stand-up special entitled "Hilarious" won the Grammy for Best Comedy Album. Louis beat out fellow comedians Patton Oswalt and Kathy Griffin as well as perennial favorite "Weird" Al Yankovic for the honor. This award marks the first major award for Louis on his own. He had previously won an Emmy as part of the brilliant writing team for "The Chris Rock Show."
With all this buzz building around Louis, the question is can he keep the momentum going? At the end of last year, he made the top of the list of nearly every magazine or website's "Funniest People Alive" lists. He's certainly past the "sink or swim" part of his career, so the real mystery is whether he can continue to improve "Louie" with each episode, and whether this success will eventually lead to a motion picture, which he's hinted at in the past.
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