When Louis C.K. made what many thoughts was his first public performance at New York City’s Comedy Cellar this past Sunday, no one realized that if they had made the short trek to Long Island they could have seen the divisive comedian taking his first steps with no publicity at all, with photos of the show just released by TMZ .
C.K. took his first steps out of the shadow the #MeToo allegations have cast on his legacy in Levittown, Long Island, performing at the comedy club Governor’s, where witnesses say he got an overwhelmingly positive reaction complete with a standing ovation. James Dolce, the owner of Governor’s told TMZ that not a soul at the club knew that C.K. was going to be stopping by for a performance, which stretched to about 10 to 15 minutes.
In the photos that TMZ has acquired from the set, it is clear that C.K. is treating it like a warm-up gig for his big return in New York City later that evening, at one point even pulling out a notebook as he tried out material for the first time.
Only a few hours later, C.K. took his performance to Greenwich Village and the Comedy Cellar, surprising another unexpected audience in the much more publicized set and inspiring massive amounts of debate in the media and amongst comedians questioning whether his comeback came too soon.
You just never know who will pop in @ComedyGovs …. Louie C.K. pic.twitter.com/hf5PPl0y51
— GovernorsComedyClub (@ComedyGovs) August 29, 2018
While there was a large amount of backlash towards C.K.’s return, according to Dolce there was none to be found that evening at Governor’s. Fans were ecstatic that C.K. was performing, giving the comedian a standing ovation upon the completion of his set and clamoring for photos with the disgraced comedian. C.K. didn’t stay long enough to take any photos with his fans, heading to New York City almost directly after his performance.
When asked about his opinion on C.K.’s comeback, Dolce expressed the feeling that the comedian deserves a second chance after owning up to the allegations and taking some time away. He also added that C.K. would be welcome at any of his comedy clubs if he wishes to return.
With the public still digesting the return of C.K., there are no announced returns for the comedian, be it with media appearances or comedy sets. Sunday’s performances may have been a one-time thing for the comedian as he tests the waters of public opinion, but it is very clear that when he makes another return, it will likely come in the same unexpected manner.
