`One way to look at (comedy) is, `What can I do to get a laugh?’ ” says comic Louis C.K.
Well, that would be a logical way to entertain the audience. But Louis is respected by comics as one of the more bizarre acts around, a man who takes that simple premise a step farther.
“If you ask yourself, `Is there anything I can do to get a laugh?’ you can find a lot of things,” he explains. “And usually they’re things that other people have found.
“But if you take something that’s never going to work and you go, `Wow, I wonder if there’s any way I can get somebody to laugh at this?’ it’s a great challenge.”
Louis, a comedian for 12 years who is never content with just pushing the boundaries of comedy, came up with an idea to stretch them even farther.
The comic loves to take weird premises onstage with a hope that somebody will laugh at them. “But recently I’ve been trying to take the weird things and find ways to make them work for everybody,” the 31-year-old says.
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Here’s an example that killed the audience with laughter on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” which Louis used to write and occasionally perform for: The “racist farm” premise, in which the animals brayed, mooed and barked epithets. The sheep would baa
“blllaaaaack!” for instance, Louis says. He got some “weird energy” from the crowd with that.
But he found a way to expand it so that more people might be able to embrace it, by saying he met a racist who says he got that way . . . growing up on a farm.
What kind of farm would breed a racist? A racist farm! Edgy, yes. Logical? In a strange kind of way. Louis admits his act is “a little bit challenging for some people.”
But that’s Louis, whose last name is Szekely, which is pronounced “C.K.” Louis, who has also written for and performed on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” is currently a writer and producer for HBO’s equally edgy “The Chris Rock Show.” He and Rock have written a screenplay that Rock is interested in starring in, and they’re currently shopping it around.
While Louis is performing at Zanies this weekend (1548 N. Wells St.; call 312-337-4027), he’s also bringing a feature film he wrote and directed, “Tomorrow Night.”
Considering the source, that the plot is weird is easy to understand: In the film, a hateful photo store owner (played by former Chicago comic Chuck Sklar), who loves to spend his days sitting naked in a bowl of ice cream, seeks female companionship.
“This movie has a kind of cult appeal to it,” says Louis, which makes a weird kind of sense.
Louis has shown “Tomorrow Night” at film festivals around the country, including Sundance. This Friday it’s premiering at the Village Theatre, 1548 N. Clark St. (312-642-2403), and Louis will run over between Zanies sets to introduce it. It will eventually play as a midnight feature at the Village.
The standup lineup
Here’s who’s working comedy. Lineups are subject to change.
– Political pundit and song parody master Mark Russell should be doing a lot of Monica Lewinsky jokes Friday in a special performance at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. For reservations, call 847-673-6300 or 312-559-1212.
– Making special appearances Friday and Saturday at Zanies-Vernon Hills (230 Hawthorn Village Commons; 847-549-6030) is John Pinette, who will be acting with new Los Angeles Laker star Dennis Rodman in the movie “Simon Sez.”
– Iowa native Don Reese performs at Riddles Comedy Club (15750 S. Harlem Ave.-Continental Shopping Center, Orland Park; 708-444-0234) this weekend.
– Tim Joyce is one of the stars at the Laughing Matters Comedy Club Saturday at the Sherman Street Pub, 1501 Sherman Ave. in the Evanston Holiday Inn; call 773-259-6040.