I remember that I started calling stand-up comedy, and comedy in general, an art-form after first watching the work of the infamous Louis CK. But CK did something that ruined his career and immortalized him as a gross abuser of power. If I ever met him, I don't think I could shake his hand.
On the other hand, when I have writer's block or just had a tough time on stage, I look to him for guidance. I look up his greatest hits and analyze them for a deeper understanding of my chosen craft. Why do I do this when there are so many great comedians to choose from? I'm not entirely sure. Maybe it's because we have a similar comedic sensibility (his sensibility had a large hand in shaping my own). Or maybe it's because I have a hard time letting go of things from my past that I love. I don't know, but his sins do taint the value of his lessons.
Watching his stand-up adds a whole new layer of context to it. "This masterful joke, this amazing premise, or this beautiful phrase, is coming from a man who has done something horrible." The jokes are still masterful, the premises are still amazing, and the phrases are still beautiful, and as a comedian, I have to analyze them to better understand the enigma that is raw comedy. CK's contributions to the art-form can never be forgotten, because, knowingly or not, they've permeated into the minds of every living comedian. I think CK will be remembered for his sins.
Everyone needs to remember that abuse of power is wrong, unacceptable, and will no longer go unpunished. CK and others like him need to become reminders of these truths. We also need to remember CK as one of the greatest performers and comedy writers of all time. So when he dies, what should the headline be? Should the headline read, "Stand-up Comedy Legend Dies at Age X" or should it read "Disgraced Pervert and Abuser Louis CK Dies at Age X"? It should be a mix of both, without sensationalizing his death? I think an appropriate headline should go along the lines of "Abusive Comedy Legend Louis CK Dies at Age X". Why am I writing about the death of Louis CK or about Louis CK at all since he has long fallen out of the media spin? I don't know why. Maybe it's because I didn't get the chance to express how I felt after he confessed to everything. Maybe it's because I think comedy, like human beings, age poorly. No one laughs at Bob Hope's jokes anymore. Maybe in 100 years, we'll discover that Bob Hope was secretly a serial killer.
Despite both comedy and humans aging poorly, I still feel that in 100, 200, and 1,000 years from now, future students of comedy need to learn about comedy from every era and every source possible. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy states that: "When people are asked what's important in their lives, they often mention humor." Philosophers are concerned about what is important in life but have said so little about humor. Future comedians need to learn what makes comedy tick - not just to get laughs, but to make the world a little less of a sad place.
Sadly, in order to do this, one will most probably need to look for answers from disgraced sources.
