Louis C.K. stepped back on the stage for his second surprise appearance in recent weeks — delivering a set on Sunday night at New York City’s Comedy Cellar. The comedian made his first unannounced appearance five weeks ago, triggering a backlash from people who were upset that he might be preparing for a comeback less than a year after he admitted to sexual misconduct.
According to The New York Times , Louis C.K. made an unannounced visit to the Comedy Cellar and performed 20 minutes of material to mixed reviews. Some members of the audience were happy to see him back in action, while others were obviously uncomfortable when he made jokes about his daughter. Two women walked out of the show during the comedian’s set.
The Comedy Cellar was prepared for audience concerns after Louis C.K.’s original return performance in August. That appearance resulted in a swift backlash from people who believed that the comedian was returning too soon, some suggesting that he hadn’t atoned for his behavior.
To warn patrons who might be upset by seeing an unannounced and controversial comedian like Louis C.K., the Comedy Cellar has put a disclaimer on tickets, saying that they will cover the check if an audience member does decide to leave.
“We never know who is going to pop in. If an unannounced appearance is not your cup of tea, you are free to leave,” the disclaimer says.
Not every audience member was upset with the comedian’s appearance. Louis C.K. was greeted with wild applause when he took the stage. At the end of his set, he thanked the audience for the warm reception.
“You’ve been very kind, thank you very, very much,” he said.
Fascinating: The Comedy Cellar, where Louis CK has appeared twice in recent months, now has this disclaimer on its tickets: pic.twitter.com/dnbzsQTzjZ
— Zeeshan Aleem (@ZeeshanAleem) October 2, 2018
In November of last year, Louis C.K. told The New York Times that the sexual misconduct allegations made by five women in the comedy industry were true. According to these women, the comedian asked them if he could take out his penis, and then proceeded to masturbate in front of them.
“These stories are true. At the time, I said to myself that what I did was O.K. because I never showed a woman my d**k without asking first, which is also true. But what I learned later in life, too late, is that when you have power over another person, asking them to look at your d**k isn’t a question. It’s a predicament for them,” he said.
At the time, Louis C.K. said that he would “step back and take a long time to listen,” but returned to the stage just nine months later.
