Louis CK

I am not a Wikipedia junky.  In fact, I typically only reference Wikipedia when I need a link to something in a blog entry.  Before I started to write about the show Louis, I thought I’d take a look at the entry about Louis C.K.

I won’t recap what I read, but I found his heritage somewhat interesting as he’s still a citizen of Mexico…wouldn’t have called that tidbit.  The rest is pretty normal for a comedian…lots of writing for late night shows and other projects.  I did grimace when I read he’s a frequent guest on the Bob and Tom show.  Bob and Tom broadcast from Indianapolis where I live and have a HUGE following.  While some of their team can be funny, I find them offensive and old fashioned.  Furthermore, when a new acquaintance of mine references Bob and Tom, I turn my nose up and judge them rather quickly.  They are two old silly guys who giggle throughout the show and are pretty racist.  When they have an African American comedian on and try to talk “jive talk” to him.  Seriously, I just used jive talk, but it fits these guys.  I digress.

Bob and Tom w Christy and Chick

As mentioned in a prior entry, I discovered Louis the first time on Parks and Recreation and then later as a guest on The Daily Show.  For some reason, TiVo started to tape his 30 minutes comedy show on FX and I became hooked.  Aside from it being such an interesting, uncomfortable funny show, the credits show he writes, directs and EDITS the program.  After discovering this, it made me appreciate him even more as the show is not as simple as it looks.  The sets look real and his shooting style is cinematic.  On top of the great character and writing, the music is lovely and quickly reminded me of Woody Allen’s films.  I think there must be an influence as the credits are simple white words on black.  His artistry is why I wanted to read about him on Wiki as I thought maybe he had film school experience/education.

Genius

Knowing how much creative control he has makes him so much more appealing and talented.  In a world with computers and video at everyone’s fingertips, you can think that creating television or film is easy.  What we seem to forget is that these mediums were once a craft to be studied.  Knowing how to direct, edit and integrate music makes the difference between a YouTube video and art.  The look of this show transcends a sitcom set in a studio and leads the viewer experience a film short or funny documentary.

Louis is set in New York and is about a professional comedian who is divorced and sharing custody of two girls with his ex-wife.  The show blends segments of Louis doing stand-up with his daily life.  Louis’ character holds a multitude of traits….naiveté, darkness, neediness, sex-obsessed, tenderness, tenseness and carefree.  Louis often finds himself in awkward situations and tends to follow his more primal curiosity.  There are times of braveness or tenderness, but he frequently will just make bad decisions.

The episodes have included a female admirer who leads him to her suburb home and wants a three-some with her husband to standing in an airport watching the woman he’s in love with leave for France to be with her baby-daddy’s father.

Pamela Adlon

The first episode I watched had him walking his two little girls around a NYC neighborhood trick or treating and they get mugged.  I think the woman  (Pamela Adlon) who is the subject of his affections is with him in real life as I saw her sitting next to him at the Emmy’s.

The show is artsy, crude, endearing and unique.  Aside from his Bob and Tom appearances, I think Louis C.K. is special and I hope you will either catch his show or pay closer attention when you see him as a guest.

Daily News

I work for a transit agency.  I know it’s not sexy and may not be applicable to many of us with cars, but the for folks who ride the buses in my town, buses are lifelines for their daily lives.  In other words, the people who use mass transit in my town are going to work, medical appointments, school and grocery stores.  This entry is not about my job, but one important point is I oversee marketing and communications (and some other stuff).  Since I work for a quasi-government agency and help “control” messaging, you would think I wake up each day reading the major newspaper and blogs as well as local news reports. 

Uhmmm, no.  I don’t read any newspapers and basically watch local television news reports for traffic and weather.  Even then I fixate on how they speak and what they are wearing.  Since I oversee a Communications Manager, it’s her job to read the articles and send links to news reports.  I tend to read the headlines and think I have the gist of the story.

NPR premium

So, where do I get my news?  Well, I do listen to NPR exclusively in my car and on the weekends.  This way, I get snipits of local stories, a lot of national coverage and some artsy-fartsy factoids along the way.  If I want to see, buy or attend something, it’s usually from a story from my public radio friends.  In addition to NPR, my second source for news is Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show. 

I have not always been a loyal fan of the show.  I think when TiVo entered the house, we must have programmed the show as a “season pass.”  It records the five shows each week and I watch them in the middle of the night when I can’t sleep or when I am killing a little time on my couch.  Sadly, I watch most of them.

Cute photo of Jon

George W. Bush was the president when I started watching.  I think I caught Jon when he was extra jaded and probably was over his show and politics in general.  I almost gave up on him as he was distracted and borderline rude in his interviews and would interrupt his guests (something I really dislike).  Then I noticed a change.  It started with the 2008 elections and the wonderful primary coverage, particularly between Obama and Clinton.  I really think these shows helped me be engaged.  I thought the battle between Obama and Clinton was like a romantic drama – akin to Moonlighting.  Who knew there could be so much sexual tension in politics?

I don’t know if it was the election or a phase, but Jon Stewart seemed rejuvenated by it all and the show became funny and relevant again.  I most enjoy his interviews with authors.  Even when TiVo tells me there’s a famous actor as a guest, it’s the authors who have the most to share.  Even if he doesn’t read the books (who knows), he acts like he has and Stewart seems so academic.

The first two segments of the show are about current news, usually with one of his correspondents doing a piece.  The third segment is the interview.  Certainly there have been great pop culture guests and I enjoy it when he interviews his friends. 

In other words, I get my news from The Daily Show.  I get to see “real” news coverage mixed in with Stewart’s commentary.  I most often agree with the coverage and understand the slants.

Louis Black pointing

Side note.  While I say I like the authors, I do enjoy some of the celebrity guests.  Lewis Black has a pretty regular segment called Back in Black and his appearances made me a fan.  I was most intrigued by Louis C.K.  Not because he was such a great guest, because Stewart likes him so much.  Stewart will often rib fellow comic guests, but with C.K., he really gushes.  When I saw him the show, the only recollection I had of C.K. was his small part on Parks and Recreation.  Fast forward to TiVo, it recorded C.K.’s show for me and I’m hooked.  A future entry.

Another Louis, but CK

In summary, I’m a little dim when it comes to current news affairs, but when it all boils down, I’m in the loop.  Yes, I may not be up on the latest abduction of a child or war stats, but I know about political candidates, world happenings and the economy from my two main sources…NPR and The Daily Show.  I did watch a piece on The New York Times this morning (CBS Sunday Morning) and I know it’s a good paper…but the correspondents from NPR and the writers of The Daily Show are already reading the paper, so I’m good.