The “will they, won’t they” trope refers to when a TV show traces the blossoming romance of two central characters — such as Jim and Pam from the U.S. version of The Office cast or the two original lead Cheers characters, Sam and Diane. But, what about the characters who led a major storyline that involved the end of their relationship and, more specifically, the end of a marriage? We thought we would give some of the most iconic divorced TV characters their due by highlighting our favorites below.

Ross Gellar (Friends)

The ultimate TV divorcee — in sitcoms, at least — is easily Ross Gellar (David Schwimmer), who is splitting from his first wife, Carol, in the Friends pilot. In Season 4, his marriage to Emily Waltham (Helen Baxendale) is ruined during the ceremony because of his oft-debated history with Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), who later becomes his third wife by a drunken mistake in Vegas. 

Joyce Byers (Stranger Things)

Before Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) and the rest of the Stranger Things cast faced off against Demagorgons and other creatures, she had another monster to contend with: her husband. The selfish, deceitful, and abusive Lonnie (Ross Partridge) did not even care about the disappearance of his own son, Will (Noah Schnapp), in Season 1 of the Netflix sci-fi drama and blamed Joyce, who eventually — and quite thankfully — found romance with longtime friend, Jim Hopper (David Harbour).

Don Draper (Mad Men)

The seemingly picture-perfect union of Don Draper and Betty Hofstadt (Mad Men cast members Jon Hamm and January Jones) came to an end by the AMC period drama’s fourth season after unsuccessful attempts to reconcile amid each other’s affairs. However, it was not the ad executive’s last or even first marriage. Previously, his union with Anna Draper (Melinda Page Hamilton) — widow of the man whose identity he stole — was annulled and he and his third wife, Megan Calvet (Jessica Pare), began to grow apart in the penultimate season.

Reba Hart (Reba)

One of the best country music singers-turned-actors, Reba McEntire, became sitcom royalty with her Golden Globe-nominated performance as the lead of her own comedy on The WB (and, later, The CW). Lasting six seasons, Reba was the story of a Southern single mother of three struggling to maintain a relationship with her ex-husband (played by Christopher Rich) and the woman he left her for (Melissa Peterman). Luckily, as the theme song says, she’s a survivor.

Seong Gi-hun (Squid Game)

In one of the best Netflix TV shows, Squid Game, the central protagonist Seong Gi-hun (Emmy winner Lee Jung-jae) chooses to leave for the deadly tournament after surviving the first round. But, after learning that his daughter is about to move to the United States with his ex-wife and her new husband, which is what convenes him to reenter the games. However, in the Season 1 finale, he ditches his chance to reconnect with his daughter in favor of taking down the tournament, which we will see playing when Season 2 of the South Korean hit premieres.

Frasier Crane (Cheers, Frasier)

On Cheers, Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) meets and eventually weds fellow psychiatrist, Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth). After she left him for another man before later pleading reconciliation, the long-running series ended with their marriage facing an uncertain fate. When Frasier’s self-titled spin-off premiered, it was revealed that he had left for good before packing up for Seattle, where they would sometimes reunite, including on Paramount+’s revival series in 2023.

Toby Flenderson (The Office)

The HR representative at Dunder-Mifflin’s Scranton branch, Toby Flenderson (The Office writer Paul Lieberstein), is divorced — a fact his self-described enemy, branch manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell), often uses to taunt him. Toby and his ex-wife had a daughter named Sasha (Delaney Ruth Farrell), whom we meet in one of the most cringe-worthy episodes of The Office, “Take Your Daughter to Work Day.”

Dorothy Zbornak (The Golden Girls)

What led Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur) to move in with her mother, Sophia (Estelle Getty), Blanche (Rue McClanahan), and Rose (Betty White) is her split from Stan (Herb Edelman). Nonetheless, Dorothy’s ex-husband would remain a recurring staple of The Golden Girls, and the former spouses’ lasting, yet imperfect, affection for one another made for a uniquely charming pair.

Bobby And Pam Ewing (Dallas)

The only thing as captivating as the mystery of who shot J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) on Dallas was the marriage of Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) to Pamela (Victoria Principal), who comes from the rival Barnes family. The Romeo and Juliet-style romance which turned many against them was initially the central focus of the primetime soap (one of the most popular TV shows of its time), until the couple ended up turning against each other.

Kirk And Luann Van Houten (The Simpsons)

In Season 3 of The Simpsons, we meet Milhouse’s parents, Kirk (Hank Azaria) — one of the most popular Simpsons characters to enter the series late — and Luann Van Houten (Maggie Roswell). In Season 8 — after a disastrous game of Pictionary at Homer and Marge’s dinner party — the couple called it quits and Kirk’s many efforts to salvage their union — including penning a song called “Can I Borrow a Feeling” — could not redeem it, unfortunately.

Grace Adler (Will & Grace)

Interior designer Grace Adler (Will & Grace cast member Debra Messing) almost got married in the pilot before finally finding her match in Dr. Leo Marcus (Harry Connick, Jr.), until his one-night-stand on a Cambodian Doctors Without Borders assignment ruined things. While they managed to work things out, remarry, and raise their daughter together in the finale, the 2017 revival series (which ignores the previous series’ ender) reveals that Grace, unable to trust Leo for his past mistake, left him again.

Michael And Jane Mancini (Melrose Place)

At the beginning of Melrose Place, the heart and soul of the Beverly Hills, 90210 spin-off was surgeon Michael (Thomas Calabro) and fashion designer Jane Mancini (Josie Bissett). However, by Season 2, Michael’s suddenly villainous transformation — complete with a terrible attitude and adulterous habits — saw the end of the marriage.

Matt Foley (Saturday Night Live)

When Chris Farley’s most famous SNL character, Matt Foley, made his SNL debut — in a beloved sketch written by Bob Odenkirk — the motivational speaker provided three important facts about his life: he is 35, divorced, and lives in a van down by the river. In subsequent editions of the bit, we learn he has actually been married “thrice” and even winds up in jail for failing to pay alimony at one point.

Cleveland Brown (Family Guy)

One of the funniest Family Guy characters, Cleveland Brown (Arif Zahir, who replaced Mike Henry) was married to Loretta (Alex Borstein) until she was caught cheating with Quagmire (Seth MacFarlane). When he got his own spin-off, The Cleveland Show, he reunited with his childhood friend and secret crush, Donna Tubbs (Sanaa Lathan), and his dreams came true when they married.

Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

After years of putting up with the neurotic and selfish behavior of her husband, Larry David (creator Larry David), the final straw for Cheryl (Cheryl Hines) came late in Curb Your Enthusiasm’s sixth season when he was too preoccupied with a TiVo installer to comfort her during a turbulent flight over the phone. Larry would later attempt a few schemes to win her back, including casting her as the wife of a character he inspired, George Costanza (Jason Alexander), for an in-show Seinfeld cast reunion special. 

Alan Harper (Two And A Half Men)

Initially, the premise of the long-running CBS sitcom, Two and a Half Men, saw Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen) reluctantly take in his brother, Alan (Jon Cryer), and nephew, Jake (Angus T. Jones), after Alan’s wife, Judith (Marin Hinkle) kicks him out. Alan later meets and marries the young, ditzy Kandi (April Bowlby) in an impromptu ceremony, but she splits with him because of — as it is eventually revealed — their differing opinions on having children… and his ear, nose, and chest hair.

Selina Meyer (Veep)

For, just about, the entire duration of their 12-year marriage, Andrew Meyer (David Pasquesi) cheated on his wife, Selina (Emmy winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus) almost constantly. Still, upon their reunion on Veep — a show Parks and Rec fans will love —  the attraction between them remains strong, which results in some increasingly ridiculous hijinks behind the scenes of Selina’s political career.

Lucious And Cookie Lyon (Empire)

We learn at the beginning of Empire that Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) divorced Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) while she was still in prison — kicking off a volatile personal and professional relationship between the music industry magnates upon her release. While they would remarry in Season 4, the sixth and final season began with them separated before, eventually, finalizing their second split.

Maura And Shelly Pfefferman (Transparent)

At the beginning of Amazon’s Emmy-winning dramedy, Transparent, Maura Pfefferman (Jeffrey Tambor) — then known as “Morton” — revealed to her wife, Shelley (Judith Light) that she was transgender, Shelley could not accept this news and opted to split up. Eventually, however, despite a brief chance at rekindling their romance, they prove to be much stronger friends.

Jules Cobb (Cougar Town)

After the series finale, Friends cast member Courteney Cox’s most successful follow-up was an ABC (later TBS) original sitcom called Cougar Town. She played Jules Cobb: a single, forty-something mother to Travis (Dan Byrd) — whom she had with ex-husband, Bobby (Brian Van Holt) — who eventually remarries when she falls for her neighbor, Grayson Ellis (Josh Hopkins).

Lou Grant (The Mary Tyler Moore Show)

One of the first TV characters depicted as a divorcé was Lou Grant, portrayed by the late Ed Asner to multi-Emmy-winning acclaim on The Mary Tyler Moore and on his more dramatic self-titled spin-off. The TV news producer’s marriage to Edie (Priscilla Morrill) ends roughly halfway through the series, but they remain in touch and Lou even attends Edie’s nuptials to Howard Gordon.

Erica Kane (All My Children)

One of the most notorious divorcés in TV history is Erica Kane, played by the legendary Susan Lucci on All My Children. Over the course of four decades on the ABC daytime soap opera, the businesswoman was seen tying the knot a staggering eleven times.

Angela Bower (Who's The Boss?)

Years before Judith Light portrayed a divorcé on Transparent, she played single mother Angela Bower on the hit ABC sitcom, Who’s the Boss? The advertising executive would eventually find love again with her widowed live-in housekeeper, Tony Micelle (Tony Danza).

Rhoda Morgenstern (Rhoda)

When Valerie Harper left the Mary Tyler Moore Show to star in her own spin-off, Rhoda, the title character would meet and marry a divorced man named Joe Gerard (David Groh). Their relationship would only last a couple more years and we discovered much later in a 2000 TV movie called Mary and Rhoda that she found a new French husband named Jean-Pierre Rousseau, but that marriage did not last either.

Niles Crane (Frasier)

Arguably the funniest recurring gag in Frasier is that Niles Crane’s (David Hyde Pierce) wife, Maris, is never once seen — due to the characters’ increasingly bizarre descriptions making her impossible to cast — even after their marriage falls apart in Season 4. Thankfully, Niles would later fall in love with his brother’s housekeeper, Daphne (Jane Leeves).

Angela Martin (The Office)

After her engagement to Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) ends due to her affair with Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson), Angela Martin’s (Angela Kinsey) marriage to state senator Robert Lipton (Jack Coleman) ends due to his affair with Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nunez) in the final season of The Office. Soon after, she and Dwight finally and openly admit their love for each other and wed in the series finale, which actually counts as their second after Dwight fooled her into a marriage while she was still engaged to Andy.

Alexis Morrell (Dynasty)

Much of the most intense drama on the long-running primetime soap opera, Dynasty — which was later rebooted for The CW — stemmed from the relationship between former spouses Alexis Morrell (Joan Collins) and Blake Carrington (John Forsyth). The marriage was actually the first of four for the socialite, who also went on to marry Cecil Colby, Dex Dexter, and Sean Rowan.

Bill Dauterive (King Of The Hill)

For all 13 seasons of King of the Hill, Bill Dauterive (voiced by Stephen Root) never quite got over his ex-wife, Leonare (Ellen Barkin). There was a time in Season 5 when he had a chance at finding love again with former Texas governor Ann Richards (voicing herself), which ultimately went nowhere, but was almost ruined by one of Leonare’s schemes.

Mike and Gloria Stivic (All In The Family)

The conservative Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor) would constantly butt heads with the more liberal Mike Stivic (future filmmaker Rob Reiner), who was married to his daughter, Gloria. However, by the end of the groundbreaking run of All in the Family, the couple separated. Archie initially assumed it was by Mike’s doing, until Gloria admitted to her own infidelity.

Mr. Big (Sex And The City)

The classic “will they, won’t they” relationship between Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and the City cast lead Sarah Jessica Parker) and John James “Mr. Big” Preston (Chris Noth), would eventually result in marriage (until his death, as revealed in the sequel series, And Just Like That…), which was the entrepreneur’s third. He was previously married to a woman named Barbara and, during a time when he and Carrie were apart, married a younger woman named Natasha (Bridget Moynahan).

Louie (Louie)

Much like in real life, Louis C.K.’s fictionalized version of himself in the acclaimed FX series, Louie, is a divorced comedian. In fact, one of its sharpest elements is its almost tragically hilarious depiction of single parenthood from his perspective.

Henry VIII (The Tudors)

Borrowed straight from the history books, Showtime’s The Tudors incorporates a truly heinous depiction of a marriage ending. Because divorce is against her religion, Catherine (Maria Doyle Kennedy) has her marriage to King Henry VIII (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) annulled due to his obsession with Anne Boleyn (Natalie Dormer). As a result, she is exiled. 

Breaking up is hard to do, but in the case of these divorced characters, it made for great television.

Five years ago, there was a point when it was impossible to seek out pop culture news without Roseanne Barr's controversial fall from sitcom grace taking over headlines, with Roseanne's high-profile cancellation giving way to The Conners' existence. Now, she’s made her small-screen return in a way that has embraced her comedic roots, with the recent debut of Fox Nation’s stand-up comedy special Roseanne Barr: Cancel This! Understandably, it has sparked quite a bit of looking back at that tumultuous period, and she brought up Dave Chappelle and others when speaking to how peeved she still is about it all.

To promote the special, Barr talked with the L.A. Times all about being fired for her firestorm of a tweet about former White House advisor Valerie Jarrett, and how she was subsequently fired from the high-rated ABC revival and fell out of the spotlight. While other comedians have certainly taken hits from “cancel culture,” as it were, Barr views herself as being the only one who really lost everything, as opposed to certain others. In her words:

Roseanne Barr brought up Dave Chappelle as being protected by Netflix against the array of complaints made against him and his comedy specials for jokes targeted at the trans community, among others. While he didn’t have a network sitcom that was in danger of being axed, Chappelle followed up his own controversy by hosting SNL, which definitely wasn’t an option for Barr. 

Louis C.K., meanwhile, followed his FX show’s cancellation with self-released albums and specials, all while touring and addressing his past transgressions involving unwarranted masturbating in front of women. The comedian also won the 2022 Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album for Sincerely Louis C.K., and was nominated in the same category this year for the album Sorry, which lost to Dave Chappelle’s The Closer.  

At this point, perhaps Roseanne Barr is on the path to her own Grammy success with her Fox Nation special, but that’s for the future. For now, she’s just trying to get comfortable being back on stage, and shared how pumped she was for this to be her most offensive stand-up set yet, which is certainly saying something. Barr says she wasn’t given the platform by ABC to properly apologize and explain herself in the past, and she definitely doesn’t seem all too interested in playing nice now. 

When asked about making a return to performing after everything imploded at ABC, which included a 2019 touring stint with Andrew Dice Clay, she answered:

While The Conners has definitely referenced the character Roseanne Conner in the years since killing her off via overdose, the show obviously hasn’t ever invited the flagship series’ titular matriarch back in any capacity. (Presumably via flashback, but this IS a series that is familiar with retconning past storylines.) Maybe it’ll happen before it’s all over with, though. Or maybe she’ll start touring with both Dave Chappelle and Louis C.K. later this year. 2023 is wild. 

Check out a trailer for Roseanne Barr: Cancel This! below. 

The special can be streamed now via Fox Nation, while classic Roseanne episodes are available to stream now with a Peacock subscription.

Secret Life of Pets’ Max now has something in common with Ratatouille’s Remy: both were voiced by the incomparable Patton Oswalt. The actor replaced Louis C.K. in the sequel to the highly-successful 2016 film that takes audiences into the double lives of our furry friends.

When Chris Renaud, the director of the animated franchise, was tasked with finding a new actor to take on the role of the friendly Terrier in The Secret Life of Pets 2, he thankfully found a perfect fit in Patton Oswalt. In his words:

Recasting a role can be “ruff” stuff, but Patton Oswalt made the transition a smooth one for Secret Life of Pets 2, per the director’s words to Collider. The actor was a great choice to step into the paws of Max and continue his story in one of Illumination and Universal’s biggest hits.

A couple years ago, the studios cut ties with Louis C.K. in light of the sexual harassment allegations against him. Five women spoke out about the comedian exposing himself and masturbating in front of them. Louis C.K. later confessed to committing these acts, leading to many of his connections with Hollywood being dropped, such as the home network to his five-season series Louis, FX, and his movie I Love You, Daddy.

While the actor took some time away from the public eye, recent events have kept him in the spotlight. A leaked standup set back in December contained many offensive jokes targeting transgender people and school shootings. SNL’s Pete Davidson also recently opened up about a time when Louis C.K. tried to get him fired from the sketch show because of his marijuana use.

He’s certainly become a voice many parents wouldn’t want associated with lovable characters in The Secret Life of Pets. When news broke of Louis C.K’s firing, it was unclear what the fate of Max would be, but the sequel found a great alternative to getting rid of the central character.

Secret Life of Pets 2 follows Oswalt’s Max, along with the return of Kevin Hart’s Snowball, Eric Stonestreet’s Duke, Jenny Slate’s Gidget, and Lake Bell’s Chloe. Harrison Ford also joins the star-studded cast as a farm dog named Rooster, with Tiffany Haddish as a Shih Tzu named Daisy. The movie is in theaters now.

Weeks after a troubling Instagram post made Pete Davidson's mental health more discussed than the actual Saturday Night Live episode he was mostly absent from, the comedian is now making completely different kinds of headlines. Davidson performed a year-ending stand-up set in Boston this week, where he claimed that Louis C.K .tried to get him fired over marijuana use when the once-celebrated comedian guest-hosted SNL back in 2017. In Davidson's words:

Of all the people to go after for getting stoned, Louis C.K. apparently picked the current SNL star who has perhaps been the most open and public with recreational habits of that nature. Pete Davidson has discussed his weed and alcohol use in interviews the past, both when trying to go clean and sober and when opening up about the details of his Crohn's disease and depression, with the latter linked to his borderline personality disorder.

After making those allegations on stage, Pete Davidson then called out Louis C.K. for his own highly publicized actions that definitely made people uncomfortable, namely masturbating openly in front of different women. The former FX star had admitted to committing the acts that were alleged against him by multiple women, and spent much of the past year in relative silence as many others in the entertainment world were also rocked with sexual misconduct allegations.

The episode in question was Louis C.K.'s fourth time as SNL's guest host, happening seven months ahead of the New York Times story in which the comedian's accusers came forward with their stories. It's pretty clear that Lorne Michaels and others producers weren't plagued with worry over Pete Davidson's marijuana usage getting out of hand, since the star didn't appear to be in danger of losing his job at any point around that time.

Pete Davidson did get into some awkward SNL trouble of his own in recent months after tastelessly mocking a former Navy SEAL who was running for Congress. However, that situation was quickly resolved, with the congressman-elect Pete Crenshaw appearing on the show to do some name-calling of his own.

Meanwhile, Louis C.K. returned to the anti-spotlight in the latter months of 2018 by making surprise appearances at various comedy clubs as part of his "Ready or Not, Here I Come" tour, all while largely failing to address his downfall. C.K. recently drew harsh criticisms after audio from a December set was leaked onto YouTube, and he could be heard making jokes about the Parkland High School shooting survivors, as well as complaining about modern gender identification.

Stand-up stages are currently the only places where Louis C.K. can get his opinions across, with his TV and film career having both imploded after the masturbation scandal went wide. Meanwhile, Pete Davidson is still enjoying his career as an SNL star, since his job obviously wasn't sacrificed over C.K.'s pot-laced complaints to Lorne Michaels. (The Louie creator wasn't the only comedian that Davidson went off on in the past year, either.)

On that note, you can find Pete Davidson back on NBC when Saturday Night Live returns from its winter hiatus. While waiting to find out who will be hosting, head to our midseason premiere schedule to stay current on all the new and returning shows coming soon.

Louis C.K. is certainly no stranger to controversy. The famous stand-up comedian/filmmaker has been at the center of several media firestorms, and his career found itself in disarray when numerous allegations of sexual misconduct were made public.

Shortly after that explosive news story came out, C.K. took a break from the public spotlight, suggesting he would spend time listening to others and self-reflecting. But it was only earlier this year when the comic returned to the stage to perform new, contentious sets. It's during his newest set that C.K. earned some of his biggest comedy criticism yet.

As you would expect, the material that will be discussed is pretty graphic. Keep that in mind as you continue reading this story.

In leaked audio from Louis C.K.'s most recent stand-up set, the comedian can be heard making jokes centered on the younger Millennial generation. In the much-discussed stand-up segment, C.K. calls the younger generation "boring" and he pokes fun at how critical they are about anyone saying inappropriate comments. From there, C.K. claims Millennials are "like royalty," in that "they tell you what to call them" -- referring to non-binary people who are gender neutral and wish to be called "they/them." At that point, C.K. jokes he wants to be called "there" because he identifies "as a location."

From that point, Louis C.K. continues with his comedy rant by claiming that the location in which he identifies as is "your mother's cunt." But then C.K. claims afterward that "it doesn't have to be that nasty," only to later retort that "it can be." It's at this point that Louis C.K. jokes about the survivors of school shootings. He's seemingly alluding to the Parkland shooting survivors in particular -- though C.K. never references them by name in his new set.

Louis C.K. talks about how the younger generation is talking in front of Congress now, to which C.K. comedically asks, "What are you doing?!" As C.K. says, they're young and "they should be crazy" and "unhinged." It is then that C.K. says "fuck you" to these high school students for wearing suits and addressing Congress. He then claims they are "not interesting" because "they went to a high school where kids got shot." It's then that Louis C.K. asks why he needs to listen to these high school students at all, once again asking why this much-publicized massacre makes these students interesting.

At the end of the clip, Louis C.K. claims that the kids didn't get shot, they "pushed some fat kid in the way" and "now I gotta listen to you talking?" It is safe to say that, while C.K. wasn't at the height of his career before this audio was released, it didn't help him earn respect from his most vocal critics.

You can listen to the controversial stand-up set from Louis C.K. that is making its rounds on the Internet today below.

There will likely be more controversies to report about Louis C.K. in the future, especially if he continues performing fresh stand-up comedy. For the latest news in film, television, pop culture, video games and a whole lot more, be sure to check back with CinemaBlend to hear the newest scoop.

As more allegations of sexual misconduct continue to spread like wildfire amidst the actual wildfires surrounding Hollywood, networks and studios are taking steps to distance themselves as far as possible from those accused. Louis C.K. is one of those people, as the comedian's self-admitted actions have cost him a film along with some television deals, and now, Disney has completely redubbed two Gravity Falls episodes to remove his voice from the hit animated series. Now, in future airings, The Sweaty One-Armed Monstrosity will no longer be voiced by C.K.

The first appearance of Louis C.K.'s fantastical character was in the 2015 episode titled "Weirdmageddon: Part 1," and the character would appear again in an episode not long after, titled "Weirdmageddon: Part 3." It was revealed that series creator Alex Hirsch filled in as the replacement Monstrosity voice, and while the news about the redub is recent, a Disney rep told Deadline that Alex Hirsch rerecorded his voice work on the Gravity Falls character a month ago. C.K.'s name has been removed from the credits of both episodes, and while the character still vaguely resembles the ousted comedian, the voice dub now sounds different enough that future generations will likely forget the character had anything to do with C.K.:

The move to expunge Louis C.K. from Gravity Falls doesn't necessarily offer up hope for the actor's in-limbo comedy on TBS. Titled The Cops, the animated show had its production suspended in the aftermath of C.K.'s accusations and admission. This is a different situation, though, since C.K. was a co-creator, co-writer and star on The Cops, while Gravity Falls just had to change a few lines in a couple of episodes. But we've still yet to see what will happen with the promising project, which also had Albert Brooks as co-creator.

Louis C.K. is not the only Gravity Falls voice actor to recently get accused of sexual misconduct. T.J. Miller, who voices Robbie Valentino on the series, has far more episodic roles than C.K., and while Miller and his wife have denied the allegations lodged against him, the situation is still ongoing. While Miller has lost his own television series since those allegations made headlines, it has been stated it had nothing to do with the accusation. It's safe to say if Alex Hirsch attempted to remove Miller's voice acting, it would be a much more substantial undertaking, and would likely impact the show more than removing C.K.'s contribution will.

Having wrapped up its run in 2016, Gravity Falls airs repeats on Disney XD sporadically at various times. For a look at other upcoming television in what remains of 2017, head on over to our fall premiere guide. Those wishing instead to see what's due to return or premiere in 2018 can find out by visiting our midseason premiere guide. Anyone curious as to which shows were canceled in 2017 and why can find out at our cancellation guide.

Hollywood is severing ties with comedian Louis C.K. following his admission of guilt regarding the allegations of sexual misconduct lodged against him by several women. So far he's lost his new movie, his role in The Secret Life Of Pets 2, and any involvement with the FX network, and he may be losing yet another show. TBS announced last week they're suspending production on his upcoming animated comedy The Cops, and it's now coming out that the animation team was laid off as well. With the animation team not working, it looks like TBS may be dropping the show.

The news comes from Deadline, who report the animation team for The Cops received their walking papers earlier in the week. With the layoffs coming so close to Thanksgiving, word came from the show's art director, Francis Giglio, that many on the team were frantically searching for other projects to join. Giglio, who also expressed concern about the losing of his job, posted an open-letter on Facebook to Louis C.K. written on the box he packed up his belongings in. The letter, which makes mention of the hardship C.K. has put on the animation team as well as his victims, can be found transcribed below:

The official word is that TBS is still deciding what to do in regards to The Cops, but Francis Giglio's public letter appears to indicate which way the animators think the network is leaning. The series, which is centered on two cops doing their job throughout Los Angeles, was slated to star Louis C.K. and comedian Albert Brooks. The series was a co-production with FX (who has severed ties with C.K), and now that the comedian is officially out of the project, discussions are being had about whether or not another voice actor could portray the character Lou. With the character made to resemble and act like Louis C.K., it sounds as though that will be a difficult feat to accomplish.

That said, it's not entirely impossible, and provided the series could convince another cynical comedian with red hair to get involved (maybe Bill Burr), it's possible they could move on as planned. Then again, with all the controversy surrounding Louis C.K. and everything he's attached to, TBS might just find it better to drop the series to prevent any chance of public outcry despite C.K.'s removal from the project.

The fate of TBS's The Cops is still up in the air, but it seems safe to speculate that the series will have some sort of delay in production should the networks choose to continue on with another actor. In the meantime, there are still plenty of great shows that are premiering every day. Keep up with the latest offerings via our fall premiere guide, and for a list of shows that didn't make it out of 2017, visit our cancellation guide.

It's a sobering time in the entertainment industry, as formerly respected figures in Hollywood are being accused of sexual misconduct on almost a daily basis. After allegations began pouring in about Harvey Weinstein, resulting in his firing from both his company and the film academy, the floodgates truly opened. A bevy of actors, directors, and producers have now been accused of using their power to influence, assault, or harass others, with their careers seemingly being ended in the process. And now Star Trek actor and pop culture icon George Takei has been accused of assaulting a former model in his home in 1981.

News broke yesterday at THR, with Scott R Brunton detailing how he became disoriented after a night of drinking, temporarily losing consciousness in George Takei's home. He claims that he regained consciousness to find Takei groping him and undressing him. Afterward, he fled the residence. He allegedly told friends about the situation over the years but is just now coming forward in a more public capacity with his story. You can read an excerpt below...

George Takei has since taken to social media to refute this claim, claiming he doesn't even remember Scott R Brunton at all. On his Twitter thread response, Takei said this:

So far Scott R Brunton is the only one to accuse George Takei of sexual assault, and it's not clear exactly how this will affect his career moving forward. That being said, these type of accusations often change the trajectory of a variety of projects, so it's certainly something that is being taken seriously in the industry.

That's definitely shown to be the case with some other high profile entertainment professionals in the past few weeks. After Harvey Weinstein was ousted from his various positions, Star Trek: Discovery actor Anthony Rapp accused Kevin Spacey of sexually harassing him at the age of 14. A variety of other accusers, many of which were on the crew of House of Cards, have since come forward, and Netflix has cut ties with the Academy Award winning actor. And just yesterday comedian Louis CK admitted to allegations of sexual misconduct, claiming that consent means something else when you're in a position of power. Since then, CK's movie I Love You, Daddy has been canned, with FX cutting ties and The Secret Life Of Pets sequel dropping him from the lead role.

Disclosure: CinemaBlend's parent company, Gateway Blend, has a working relationship with George Takei.

Louis C.K. is the latest Hollywood figure to be hit with sexual harassment allegations over the last few weeks in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. Five women accused the comedian of exposing himself and masturbating in front of them, and C.K. confirmed today that their accounts are true. As a result, Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment have announced that C.K. will no longer be participating in their upcoming movie, The Secret Life of Pets 2.

Although Louis C.K. was originally supposed to reprise his character Max the Jack Russell terrier for The Secret Life of Pets 2, Universal and Illumination said in their statement (via THR) that they have "terminated their relationship" with him . Given the character's importance in the first movie, presumably the role will simply be recast, though it's possible that Max could end up being removed from the movie altogether should there be any script alterations in the near future.

Universal and Illumination aren't the only movie companies that have cut ties with Louis C.K. Yesterday, the premiere of his upcoming film, I Love You, Daddy, was cancelled shortly before the report about C.K. sexual misconduct, though the official press statement simply cited "unexpected circumstances" for the cancellation. C.K. subsequently cancelled his appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Then earlier today, Orchard Pictures announced that it was scrapping I Love You, Daddy's release, and that includes ensuring that it doesn't come out as a straight-to-video feature. The movie starred C.K. as the father of a 17-year-old girl (played by Chloe Grace Moretz) who catches the fancy of a much older director.

But it isn't just the movie industry that's distancing itself from Louis C.K. FX has announced that it is "ending its association" with the comedian, which includes canceling the deal between the network and C.K.'s Pig Newton production company, relieving him of his executive producer status on the TV shows he was producing with them (Better Things, Baskets and One Mississippi) and ensuring he no longer receives any compensation for said shows. This also includes the upcoming TBS animated series The Cops, which has suspended production. No doubt there will be more repercussions to follow.

The Secret Life of Pets came out in 2016, and along with Louis C.K., its main cast included Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, Ellie Kemper, Dana Carvey, Bobby Moynihan, Lake Bell, Hannibal Burress, Steve Coogan and Albert Brooks. No plot details for the sequel have been released yet, but Chris Renaud will be back in the director's chair and Brian Lynch is returning to pen the script.

The Secret Life of Pets 2 is still slated to hit theaters on June 7, 2019. For movies being released sooner, browse through our 2018 premiere guide.

The news in recent months has been filled with allegations of sexual misconduct against high profile figures in the entertainment industry, ranging from prominent news personalities to big name movie and TV stars. Actor/writer/producer Louis C.K. was accused earlier this week of misconduct in the form of exposing himself and masturbating in front of a number of women. C.K. actually came out and confirmed that the allegations are true earlier today, and FX acted quickly to cut ties with the man who was closely tied to a number of its productions. The network released a statement, saying this:

Given the number of projects Louis C.K. was contributing to for FX, cutting ties with him so completely was a big move by the network. Execs at FX were bound to take serious action once C.K. himself confirmed the allegations, and he didn't mince any words when he released his statement about what he'd done. The statement (which he posted on social media) literally began its second paragraph with "These stories are true" with regard to the accusations from the five women who spoke out. Not many of the men accused of sexual misconduct recently have come right out and confirmed what their accusers have to say, and C.K.'s admission likely took many by surprise.

The statement from FX went on to specifically address why the decision was made to cut ties with Louis C.K.:

We'll have to wait and see if Louis C.K. does indeed come out to "honestly address the women who have come forth." FX clearly considers his public statement to be a step in the right direction. Still, it sounds like a lot of people at the network were taken by surprise by the allegations in light of their professional working relationship with him.

One of those who most frequently collaborated with Louis C.K. at FX was Pamela Adlon, who worked with C.K. on Louie. She then went on to create her show Better Things with C.K., and he was on board the series as an executive producer prior to getting the boot from FX. Adlon has released a statement of her own regarding the sexual misconduct of Louis C.K.:

Pamela Adlon chose not to go into detail on her specific reaction to the news about Louis C.K., although it's apparent that she was shocked by what she didn't know about her "friend and partner." She may have another statement or more comments once she has processed what must have been a very big bombshell for a woman who spent many years working with C.K., evidently unaware of what had happened with his accusers.

Louis C.K. has faced repercussions for his behavior on the film scene as well as with FX. The premiere of his move I Love You, Daddy was cancelled ahead of the New York Times story that broke the news of the allegations to the public. The release of the movie was cancelled altogether by independent film company The Orchard.

It's been a harrowing few weeks in the world of TV and film. Following the myriad allegations against producer Harvey Weinstein, we've seen the floodgates open in regards to sexual harassment and assault cases from powerful Hollywood men. These types of accusations have led to the demise of various projects and entertainment professionals like Kevin Spacey. And the past few days saw a handful of women came forward, claiming that comedian Louis CK exposed himself and masturbated in front of them. This has resulted in CK's projects being shut down, and now the actor/comedian has spoken out about the accusations. He's admitted to it all.

Louis CK issued a personal statement via social media, confirming the behavior detailed in the allegations against him. He wrote up a lengthy post (via USA Today) taking ownership for his actions, and apparently taking pause to truly listen to the alleged survivors. You can see some of his statement below.

Unlike the response from some of the other recently accused Hollywood royalty, Louis CK seems to really own up to the accusations made against his behavior throughout the years. And while taking responsibility is sure to be a bit of a relief for the accusers, it's unclear how exactly Louis CK's career could possibly move on from here.

Louis CK is the latest in a line of male Hollywood figures that have been accused of being sexually inappropriate with potential actors, crew members, or fans. While the comedian hasn't been accused of putting his hands on anyone, he was accused by five women of behavior including masturbating in front of them. He's since admitted to his wrongdoings, and seems ready to face the backlash that has already come down upon him.

And in just a day or two, we've seen all of the actor's projects shut down in quick succession. His independent film I Love You, Daddy has been cancelled indefinitely, just days before it was set to release. The film contains a fair amount of content that is unacceptable given Louis CK's behavior in the past, including a myriad of jokes about masturbation. Additionally, he has been dropped by both Netflix and HBO. Plus, FX has had to take action as well, despite the long working relationship he's had with the network through his show Louis.

But Louis CK certainly isn't alone as he watches his career decline in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations. Kevin Spacey has been disowned by Netflix and film studios, and Harvey Weinstein has been removed from both his company and the Film Academy. Accusers have also come out against Jeremy Piven, Dustin Hoffman, Brett Ratner, and Charlie Sheen. And while its sobering to hear about the misconduct that was permitted for years in Hollywood, hopefully this will lead to a change in perspective and shift for the landscape of entertainment.

Following the cancellation of the premiere of the film, independent film company The Orchard has made the decision to scrap the release of Louis C.K.'s I Love You, Daddy entirely. The company announced its decision in a statement that was brief and to the point.

Yesterday The New York Times published a major report which alleges that Louis C.K. pressured at least five women into watching him masturbate. Following the publication, The Orchard made the decision to cancel last night's premiere of I Love You, Daddy. The film is written and directed by Louis C.K. and also stars him as the father of a young woman who catches the eye of a much older film director, played by John Malkovich. The film also co-starred Chloe Grace Moretz as the daughter.

The Orchard spent $5 million for the distribution rights to Love You, Daddy, following its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. According to Variety, the company spent most of yesterday trying to decide what to do about the movie overall. There was some consideration to releasing the movie directly to DVD and streaming services, similar to what happened with The Interview following theater chains' decision to not screen the film, but ultimately the decision was made here to kill the release entirely, The Orchard apparently feeling that simply stopping the theatrical release wasn't enough.

The movie company isn't the only one distancing itself from Louis C.K. following the allegations. HBO has begun removing all of the comedian's projects with them from their on-demand services. FX, the cable channel where Louie airs, has announced they will conduct a review. There was no expectation that more episodes of the series would be filmed, but the door was seen as being open, though now that may no longer be the case.

At this point, it appears the plan is for I Love You, Daddy to simply sit on a shelf, unreleased. The odds of the film ever seeing a theatrical release are now fairly close to zero. There's a slim chance the movie could eventually see a DVD release once the controversy has run its course and tensions have subsided. Though whether that's even a possibility will largely depend on where the story of Louis C.K.'s alleged conduct goes from here.

It's entirely possible that I Love You, Daddy could just be a movie that never sees release even though the movie has been completed, and even screened at a major film festival. It could be that those who were in attendance in Toronto when it premiered will be the only people to ever see the finished film.

Louis CK fans didn't get a new season of the comedian's unconventional, self-parodying FX program Louie. In its place, shot in secret and screened in Toronto, is a new feature film I Love You, Daddy -- which plays, to me, like a "Very Special Episode" of Louie, brimming with the same sardonic insight into parenting, show business, and all of the things that make up Louis CK's day-to-day life. It's also structured like a Woody Allen picture, photographed in beautiful black-and-white and (on the surface) deeply personal. Which is odd, because if I'm reading I Love You, Daddy right, it's all kind of about Allen, and his reputation for lusting after much younger women.

This isn't a mistake.Louis CK all but admitted this in a post-screening Q-and-A before brushing off the obvious accusation with "but it could be anybody." It's not. The character played by John Malkovich on screen in Louis CK's new comedy is probably a stand-in for Woody Allen. And he ends up courting Louis' 17-year-old daughter (Chloe Moretz), causing as much strife as you'd imagine.

I'm jumping ahead. I Love You, Daddy delivers what you've come to expect from Louis CK's storytelling, mainly on display in episodes of th longform Louie. Here, CK plays Glen Topher, a successful TV writer and a divorced father who, at the start of the film, gets his teenage daughter, China (Moretz), for the end of the school year. China loves her dad... because he's rich, he doesn't discipline her, and -- well, he's rich. Glen just sold a new TV program to the network, and agrees to have it ready by Fall, though he hasn't written a single episode and thinks the show might be about nurses. He's trying to juggle things at home and at work, both of which get complicated when China meets and starts hanging out with an iconic film director (Malkovich) with a checkered reputation.

What I mean by calling I Love You, Daddy a "Very Special Episode" of Louie is that the comedian is obviously experimenting with tricks of his film medium -- the gorgeous cinematography, shot on 35mm film, with a sumptuous, orchestral score accompanying his scenes -- while still staying in his Louie comfort zone. Pamela Adlon, for example, stops by to do her court-appointed "shit on Louie for 10 minutes" shtick. Her character serves no other purpose. And I Love You, Daddy allows CK to comment on all forms of entertainment chicanery, no doubt pulling stories from his own experiences in the Hollywood trenches. It's here that Charlie Day and Edie Falco thieve whole scenes by bringing their own patented humor to Louis' situations.

But the elephant in the room will be the film's use of the pedophile filmmaker in a vehicle made to resemble early Woody Allen movies (Manhattan, in particular). Coincidence? Fans can unpack it for years. Without that controversy, Louis CK's secret project I Love You, Daddy conjures the neurotic anxiety that this comedian always brings to conversations on parenting and surviving in the back-stabbing world of show business. And if Louis is transitioning from a cable show to personal, independent movies like this, I guarantee his fans will follow.

Archie Comics has gone through a number of changes on the printed page in recent years, from Mark Waid's more grounded comic book series to weird mash-ups like Archie vs. Predator. Later this month, The CW will contribute to this trend with Riverdale, a show putting a dark, Twin Peaks-like twist on the source material. It definitely looks like a strange take on the Archie lore, but surprisingly, a proposed Archie movie could have been a lot stranger because of two simple words: time travel.

Earlier this week at the Television Critics Association (via TV Guide), Riverdale creator and Archie Comics chief creative officer Robert Aguirre-Sacasa talked about how back when an Archie movie was being considered, he was working with his friend and Pitch Perfect director Jason Moore on making that happen. However, during their pitch meeting at Warner Bros, a vice president from the company had his own suggestion. According to Aguirre-Sacasa:

Picture it in your heads, folks: the red-headed Archie getting into shenanigans across history on the big screen. Yeah, it doesn't sound right, does it? Granted, Archie Comics has gone in some unusual creative directions, like Afterlife with Archie, which depicts Archie, Jughead, Veronica, Betty and the other characters dealing with a zombie apocalypse. As a movie though, this is too radical a departure from what Archie should be.

Needless to say the time travel idea didn't sit well with Robert Aguirre-Sacasa and Jason Moore, but this Warner Bros executive had a back-up idea ready. Aguirre-Sacasa continued:

You probably think it can't get any weirder than time travel and portals to another dimension, but it does. This Warner Bros executive than gave his pick for who should play Archie: Louis C.K. So now the main protagonist has gone from an optimistic teenager to a middle-aged comedian. Truly bizarre. Robert Aguirre-Sacasa said that he and Jason Moore tried for a month to make this story work, but they eventually decided this wasn't something with wanted to work on. Fortunately for Aguirre-Sacasa, he was approached a year later to work on a television series more in line with what he originally envisioned, which lacks any temporal-manipulating or parallel universe elements.

That television project became Riverdale, which premieres Thursday, January 26 at 9 p.m. EST/PST on The CW. And hey, maybe somewhere down the line we'll get an Archie movie that's more in line with the classic stories and not nearly as sci-fi.

At the center of many great TV comedies is a well-defined and sharpened point of view, and a show creator's perspective is often best displayed when that person is also the star. FX, which has given us fitting series like Jim Jefferies' Legit and Donald Glover's recent magnum opus Atlanta, is arguably best represented in this respect by comedian Louis C.K., who teamed with frequent collaborator Pamela Adlon in creating Better Things, one of the most hilariously candid and unflinching comedies of this or any other TV season.

His own series' future up in the air, Louis C.K. does not craft an onscreen presence here, and Pamela Adlon capitalizes on a long overdue leading role. (She was C.K.'s co-lead in HBO's sitcom Lucky Louie, but this is on another level.) With Better Things, Adlon continues to prove herself a gifted and captivating actress by playing, get this, a gifted and captivating actress named Sam Fox who is constantly in the middle of juggling her fluctuating career and her duties as the mother of three daughters who seem to thrive on making her rue each of their conceptions.

While men do have roles in this show, Better Things is all about that female power, even when it's just about the power to get through the day without tearing anyone's head off their shoulders. (If, by chance, you think the concept of a series centered on a working mother sounds stereotypical, try to come up with a respectable assortment of examples.) To that end, Sam is such an effective character as strengthened by Adlon's utter genuineness every second she's on the screen. One would imagine this is how the real actress would complain about a deadbeat ex-husband, or how she would react to having a daughter walking in as she unsuccessfully tries to find porn. Partly based on Adlon's own life, Better Things is like Louie in making hysterical mountains out of life's menial and gnawing molehills, and one sympathizes with Sam every time one of her daughters begins to speak. Because rarely does anything good come from it.

Yes, this is not a show that poses children as God's special creatures, though I suppose the youngest sister Duke (Olivia Edward) isn't necessarily the bane of anyone's existence yet. (But wait until puberty.) On the other hand, Sam's aggro tendencies shine through both her daughters. The angst-ridden mid-teenager Max (Mikey Madison) is the kind of person who slams her mother for not finding her weed or supporting her sexual awakening, both nightmare scenarios for parents. Then there's the preteen Frankie, who is also at the center of her own universe, and it's one in which Sam is a constant embarrassment. And Better Things shies away from neither the bursts of aggravation intrinsic to parenting nor the glee in knowing few things are worse to adolescents than embarrassment. (One early episode features an awkward highlight scene involving Sam giving a speech in a school.)

All three generations of Fox women are accounted for in Better Things, with British actress Celia Imrie starring as Sam's mother Phillis, Phil for short. She lives across the street from her daughter and granddaughters, and while Phil's relationship with Sam feels the familiar strains from both real-life and TV parent-child pairings, their friendship is quite lovely and relatable for this writer. (At least with a mother-son relationship, as I can't relate to being anyone's daughter, for better or worse for society.)

Even though her kids are always on her mind - especially after situations as extreme as those where they may or may not have completely destroyed the house - Sam does get away from them. While many shows featuring the acting craft will send up celebrities and take shots at the filmmaking industry, Adlon keeps the understated tone going here as well, mirroring Hollywood's faults without hyperbole. So when the show takes aim in that way, such as when Lenny Kravitz shows up for a charming guest spot as a "famous director," the starfucking isn't winking at audiences, and it exists mostly for the characters. (A super bizarre exception here is a cameo from her former Californication co-star David Duchovny exuding absurdist narcissism.) Plus, a lot of these situations are close to Adlon's heart, such as Sam being a voice actress - Adlon voiced Bobby Hill on King of the Hill, for one - and a particular scene that throws back to the actress' appearance on an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

To round up the rest of the things that make Better Things stand out, there's Orange is the New Black's Alysia Reiner as Sam's friend Sunny, whose buster of a husband gives Adlon one of the better scenes in the first half of the season screened for critics. As well, there's something magical about how the pacing of the editing meshes with the direction - both C.K. and Adlon got behind the camera for episodes - that allows for emotionally meaningful juxtapositions between what's being said and what's being shown. Sometimes those emotions cut deep, and sometimes they'll make you snort water out of your nose, even if you weren't drinking anything.

Knowing that FX head honcho John Landgraf thinks Peak TV is a bad thing, I have no problem keeping my disagreement moot, since the network's hit-to-miss ratio should be envied by most. Better Things is without a doubt a hit as far as the content is concerned. It's layered, it's smart, it's refreshing, and it lives up to the "better" in its name. Pamela Adlon is exactly what TV needed to kick off the fall season with spunk and style, and I can't wait to hear stories about mothers watching it with their daughters and laughing hysterically about how hectic their own pasts were.

Better Things premieres on Thursday, September 8, at 10:00 p.m. on FX. Don't miss it, and don't forget to tell your friends about it. Both the women and the men. To see what else is coming to FX and elsewhere, check out our fall TV schedule.

Jeopardy! has all sorts of gimmicky programming going on throughout the year. Week long tournaments, including the Teen Tournament, the College Tournament and more are meant to bring a vibrancy to a show that is often the same sort of thing week in and week out. Soon, the network is putting together a Power Players Week which will feature a slew of celebrities from different fields duking it out on the small screen.

You would think that there wouldn’t be a lot of big celebrities who would commit to a Jeopardy! tournament, but as it turns out, a few more big names than expected have signed on. Longtime CNN newsman Anderson Cooper will appear during the big taping, as will the star of Horace and Pete and FX’s Louie, Louis C.K., CBS News’ Lara Logan and Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner. The rest of the Power Players Tournament cast includes author Jonathan Franzen, Melissa Harris-Perry, Michael Steele, Kate Bolduan, Chuck Todd, Sunny Hostin, Ana Navarro, David Gregory, Jonathan Capehart, S.E. Cupp and Senator Al Franken.

A lot of these names are somehow involved in the journalism field, and while I would expect our country’s prominent newspeople to have the smarts to take on this sort of gig, I’m still a little surprised that so many of them are diving in for Power Players Week. You have to wonder if other celebrities in different fields were asked but couldn’t pass the dreaded Jeopardy! test. Still, some of these names—especially Al Franken and Louis C.K.—are totally unexpected. Al Franken is pretty busy acting as a Junior Senator in Minnesota, so I’m pleasantly surprised to see the former SNL writer on the list. Louis C.K., on the other hand, does what he wants, and if Jeopardy is something he’s interested in, I’m all for it.

Per a release from the show, we know the Power Players Week will kick off on Monday, May 16 with a battle between NBC News’ Chuck Todd, political commentator S.E. Cupp and Jonathan Franzen. On Tuesday, Anderson Cooper, Lara Logan and Michael Steele will face off. On Wednesday, Louis C.K., Kate Bolduan and Washington Post journalist Jonathan Capehart will face off. Thursdays’ battle will feature Franken, Republican commentator Ana Navarro and ABC News’ Sunny Hostin. Friday will see Elle’s Melissa Harris-Perry, political analyst David Gregory and Matthew Weiner battle it out. During each episode, the players will play for a specific charity. Episodes were taped in Washington, D.C.

While normal episodes of Jeopardy! feature a $2,000 and $1,000 prizes for the second and third place contestants, the Power Players Week will be a little different. The winner will get to give $50,000 to a charity of choice and the second and third place individuals will get $10,000 for a charity. Not bad way to help those in need. Now, we just have to wait and see which of these contestants are more competent at Jeopardy! than others.

If you’d like to catch new episodes of Jeopardy, you may do so on weekdays in syndication. Check your local listings for times, and see what else TV has coming up here.

For years, FX was the home of the bizarre niche comedy Louie. The show only ever worked because of the comedic talents of Louis C.K., who created the show. He served as writer, director, actor, and standup comic for the series, so there’s no Louie without Louis C.K. Unfortunately for Louie fans, C.K. isn’t particularly interested in more episodes. Here's what he had to say in a recent interview:

Louis C.K.’s explanation to THR about why he may not have any more material for Louie is a bummer, but it does make sense. Louie was unfailingly funny in its five seasons, but the status quo of the premise may not have been able to carry on much longer without getting stale. It’s better for Louis C.K. to call it quits on Louie for now than to stretch the series to the point that there’s just not enough humor left.

FX president John Landgraf has given Louis C.K. leeway on Louie, and a return to the project is possible. The network has had enough success with Louie that more episodes would almost certainly be welcome, so knowing that Louis C.K. isn’t being pressured for more episodes may mean that he’ll be inclined to come back to FX at a later date for a continuation.

Of course, this isn’t the first time that FX has given Louis C.K. plenty of leeway when it comes to producing new material. Louis C.K. has openly admitted that smoking pot completely altered how Season 5 unfolded. Season 5 ended up with a shortened episode count due to a lack of budget after C.K. argued for the production schedule to be moved up. Season 5 wasn’t any less entertaining for being shorter, but getting a few more episodes to tide us over now that a Season 6 isn’t in the works would have been nice.

The news that Louis C.K. isn’t interested in more Louie anytime soon does not come as a huge surprise. C.K. took a break from Louie due to scheduling, and then John Landgraf revealed that C.K. hadn’t promised any more seasons to come. His explanation of why Louie is done for now can at least help us to stop wondering.

Luckily, Louie coming to an end doesn’t mean that Louis C.K.’s brand of humor is gone from the airwaves. He had a hand in the creation of the Zach Galifianakis FX series Baskets, and he stars in a web series called Horace and Pete with Steve Buscemi and Alan Alda. To see what shows you’ll be able to watch that don’t feature Louis C.K., check out our summer TV premiere schedule.

Entertainment is a risky business, and comedian Louis C.K. has had plenty of success in front of and behind cameras. His unique brand of humor has turned him into a master of stand up, and his triumphs on the small screen led FX to give him plenty of control on his series Louie. Recently, however, C.K. took a big risk himself when he funded the web series Horace and Pete out of his own pocket, and that apparently has him in a bit of a financial pickle at the moment.

Louis C.K.’s debt-revealing story to Howard Stern on The Howard Stern Show is so forthright that it’s almost hard to believe. It’s not every day that we hear famous folks come right out and cop to details of their finances, and Louis C.K. is going to need to do more than scrounge around his couch cushions for loose change to fix this situation. Luckily, he has enough faith in his project that he doesn’t seem too worried about recovering his funds.

As much as Louis C.K. seems to have made a big gamble with putting his own cash into producing Horace and Pete, there’s no reason to believe that he won’t pull off the minor miracle of turning a respectable profit off the web series. This particular series boasts a cast of C.K., Steve Buscemi, and Alan Alda. Series co-creators C.K. and Buscemi play the titular Horace and Pete, who run a bar in the heart of Brooklyn, and episodes combine the oddities of C.K.’s and Buscemi’s humor in the best way, with Alda elevating every scene in which he appears.

With such a cast, Horace and Pete seems like a series that wouldn’t necessarily have to struggle to find investors, but the twist was that nobody seemed to know that it was in the works. The official announcement came via Louis C.K.’s website when the first episode was available, and it seems that the creative control remained entirely with the creators. If all goes well over the next couple of months, C.K.’s gamble may well pay off both monetarily and with more creative projects in the future.

Ten episodes of Horace and Pete are available for viewing on Louis C.K.’s website, although you’ll have to shell out a few dollars for each installment. C.K. has to make back those millions somehow. Check out our list of summer premiere dates to see what you can catch on primetime once you’ve seen all there is to see of Louis C.K. and Steve Buscemi on Horace and Pete.

Stand up comedian Louis C.K, is nothing if not an innovator. Over the last few years he has developed not only a signature brand of humor, but myriad ways of delivering it. Between his amazing standup sets, and equally amazing forays into the world of television, he's one of the most reliable sources of comedy working today. Now it seems he has teamed up with actor Steve Buscemi to bring audiences comedy in a new format: a web series.

The announcement came from an update on Louis C.K’s official website. His new series, which he and Steve Buscemi co-created, is called Horace and Pete. Centering on bar owners Horace (C.K.) and Peter (Buscemi) the series follows them as they run a 100-year-old bar in the heart of Brooklyn. The whole thing plays out like a demented, depressing episode of Cheers. Throughout the course of the first episode the characters remark on current events, such as Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, with a sense of defeat; this is where the country is headed, so we might as well sit back, drink, and accept it. In addition to Buscemi and C.K, the series features acting legend Alan Alda, who lends a sense of gravitas and prestige to the overwhelmingly somber affair.

Check out the clip below to get a sense of the series' tone:

What’s arguably most interesting about the web series is the fact that everyone involved was able to keep its production a closely guarded secret. Despite all of the big names associated with it, no one on the outside had any idea what was going on. It appears the Louis C.K. has wanted to keep himself busy after walking away from his massively popular FX series Louie. The intent with Horace and Pete seems to be a fulfillment of the desire to cut out the middleman and produce content that can be given straight to audiences through the Internet without any intervention by a network. FX already gives C.K. incredible levels of creative freedom with how he operates on his self-titled series, but it seems that with Horace and Pete he wanted to create something that possessed an even greater grassroots feeling. As long as we’re getting more Louis C.K. we’re in no position to complain.

Horace and Pete is currently available online at Louis C.K’s official website. The first episode is 67 minutes long and costs $5 to download. We will keep you updated with any and all information related to the show – or to any of Louis C.K’s other projects – as they become available to us. Stay tuned.

Comedian Louie C.K. has done something undeniably special with his self-titled FX series, Louie. Over the course of five seasons he’s managed to craft a semi-autobiographical show that continuously strikes an impeccable balance between comedy and overwhelming darkness. The tone and style of Louie resonates with audiences in a major way, but lack of concrete details about the show’s future has left us wondering if a sixth season will ever come to air. New details have just come forward that may prove somewhat disheartening for Louie fans, so prepare yourselves.

A new report from TVLine has indicated that FX CEO John Landgraf discussed the future of the series – and Louie C.K.’s willingness to do so – during the TCA winter press tour yesterday:

We know: that answer is ambiguous as hell. Landgraf goes on to admit that he and the powerhouse standup comedian talk regularly about the possibility of bringing Louie back to air, but they have yet to sit down in order to officially develop any new seasons. Although demand for more seasons of Louie – from fans as well as FX – has become incredibly apparent, C.K. himself has taken a major step back from the series in order to focus on other facets of his life and career.

This essentially leaves Louie in the same place as another beloved comedy series: Curb Your Enthusiasm. Similar to Louie, Larry David’s critically acclaimed HBO show is in limbo; it has not ended in any definitive fashion, but also has shown no guaranteed signs of returning. FX has granted Louie C.K. freedom to come and go from the series as he pleases because they care about the show and are more than willing to work around him. During the TCA panel for his upcoming FX series Baskets, C.K. himself admitted that he feels unsure as to when Louie will return to FX. He even went so far as to joke that it’s not outside the realm of possibility that he could simply wait until he becomes an old man to call up FX in order to get the ball rolling on more seasons – although none of us want that joke to become a reality.

So if you’re a fan of Louie, this news will likely come as bittersweet. While the show has not decisively come to an end or experienced any sort of cancellation, the ball remains firmly in Louie C.K.’s court as to when it will return. This could be years, or it could be decades. We will bring you any and all details related to a possible return for Louie as they become available to us.

A lot of people were a part of last year’s SNL 40 anniversary special and a lot of those big names brought up stories from the set after the now-famous event happened. Recently during an episode of Late Night with Seth Meyers, former Vice President hopeful Sarah Palin revealed her own story from her big night over at Studio 8H. Apparently, before the episode happened live, comedian Louis C.K. came up to the politician and apologized for a mean-spirited comment he made years ago. Here’s the full story:

Louis C.K., what a stand up guy, pun intended. It’s interesting that the comedian is not really one to apologize, but went out of his way to say some nice things to a lady who was the brunt of a lot of jokes when she was on the national stage. After telling the story, though, Meyers actually has an interesting take on what may have prompted the comedian to go out of his way to be so nice to Sarah Palin, noting that SNL 40 episode was an extremely special time for all of the celebrities who were involved. Just being kind and “in it together” was one of the “energies” of the SNL 40 special, which shouldn’t come as a surprise for those who witnessed people like Jimmy Fallon and even Melissa McCarthy telling stories after the big event. You can check out more of Palin's impressions from the night, below.

Obviously, it was a night of fun throwback sketches that nodded at various generations of Saturday Night Live cast members. Most memorable among them were probably Bill Murray’s “Jaws” theme song rendition, a new “Wayne’s World” sketch, a digital short from Andy Samberg and Adam Sandler, and one more round of “Celebrity Jeopardy.” The sketches were obviously a good time, but there was so much fun behind-the-scenes stuff happening, too, that new stories should continue to come out about the big event in the years to come. Just don’t expect Louis C.K. to apologize to anyone else anytime soon.

New episodes of Late Night with Seth Meyers air weeknights at 12:35 p.m. ET, only on NBC.

The Oscars are welcoming new blood into the producing chairs of next year’s show. David Hill and Reginald Hudlin have been announced as the producers in charge of the 88th Academy Awards, and they’ve already gone on record stating that they want a duo to host the show next year. Now while this is hardly breaking ground, there’s one duo they already claim to have in mind for the job, and four more that we think would be perfect for the job. Picture any one of the following five duos as the hosts on Oscar Night 2016, and try not to agree.

Keegan Michael Key & Jordan Peele

In a perfect world, the duo that David Hill and Reginald Hudlin have already pegged for possibly hosting duties would be Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele. If they manage to land this pair, they’ve pretty much sewn up Oscar night for the younger demographic - or anyone who loves to laugh. With Key and Peele hosting the Oscars, you’ve got two hosts who work like well-oiled machinery - both in the writing room and on the stage. They know the edge of comedy, and they aren’t afraid to play around with material from both sides. But edgy can make producers nervous. Still, it’s the perfect time to book the pair as their show is ending soon, because the iron is hot.

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler

Admit it… you knew this was coming. The moment Tina Fey and Amy Poehler’s hosting gig with the Golden Globes was over, the Oscar-night talk heated up faster than a Hot Pocket on the surface of the sun. Fey and Poehler’s awards show schtick is a network friendly, meme-creating possibility that could boost viewership to heights the networks haven’t been seen in years. Much like Key and Peele, Fey and Poehler have experience working together as writers and presenters, and they’ve got years of Golden Globes experience to back it up. While we’re on the subject of former Golden Globes hosts, another possibility comes to mind.

Ricky Gervais and Louis CK

The other name people have been throwing about for the Oscars gig is, of course, Ricky Gervais. His acerbic wit, mixed with his risk-taking attitude, could bring the edge of Seth MacFarlane’s infamous night back into the picture, but with a flare that audiences have come to accept on much better terms. With good friend, and fellow snark master, Louis CK in the mix alongside him, a Gervais / CK pairing could usher in an era of laughter and comedic riffs that'd replace extravagant musical numbers. You can sign us up if this pairing ends up becoming a reality, but there’s another twosome that tops even these two jokesters.

Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert

Right off the bat, Jon Stewart has points in his column as an Oscar host because not only does he have more time on his hands to take the gig, he’s hosted the show twice before and did it extremely well. With Stewart’s grounded, reality-driven patter in the driver’s seat, this gives Stephen Colbert the perfect opportunity to jump into the passenger’s side and take full control of the nutty part of the night. There could be costume changes, sniper-precision one liners, and Colbert's set of pipes, which would elevate any musical number. These two showmen would brighten the proceedings infinitely. Still, all of these options might not be "safe" enough for first time producers to keep their jobs - which means it’s time to call in the experts.

Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin

With three hosting gigs under his belt, and two of them being solo flights, Steve Martin has the most Oscar experience of anyone on this list. That’s not by accident, as he can keep his jokes sharp and short, knows how to work the audience into the act without drawing out the show, and commands a great amount of respect from the artistic community. Bringing back Alec Baldwin, his previous Oscar co-host and faux "arch nemesis," to help steer the ship is merely icing on the cake - as the two compliment each other’s sense of one-upmanship without distracting from the night’s events. If you want a safe, yet amusing option for two Oscar hosts, hire these guys. Though let’s be honest, if you’re hiring these guys, you should at least consider bringing Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in for a couple gags - so the Internet can officially love the Oscars to death.

This poll is no longer available.

The 88th Annual Academy Awards will take place on February 28, 2016. We wish the producers and their prospective hosts all the luck in the world, seeing as that’s what really counts on Oscar night.

Things can get a little crazy when it comes to live TV. Things can also get crazy pretty much anytime Louis C.K. is involved. It turns out the man who closed out Saturday Night Live’s 40th Season on NBC this year has a history of butting heads with producer Lorne Michaels over his monologues. Before he went after every offensive topic in the book, he just talked to damn much.

Uproxx has the story, which comes from Judd Apatow’s new book of interviews with comedians Sick in the Head. In it, Louis C.K. relates a story that when he hosted the show back in 2014, he and Michaels got into an argument over the length of the monologue. During rehearsal Louis C.K’s opening clocked in at 12 minutes, and Louis wanted to perform the entire thing for the live show. Michaels was having none of it and wanted Louis to cut five minutes out of the set. He didn’t think that all 12 minutes were quite as golden and C.K. apparently did. This led to some heated four letter words from the stand-up comic, though he did go back and work on editing it down to the requested length. But, due to the time constraints of dealing with a live scheduled broadcast, they were apparently dangerously close to the wire before it was done. The final product, which was raised to eight minutes after it turned out that the show was running 60 seconds short, turned out pretty well overall, at least in our opinion.

Apparently it worked out in the long run as C.K. returned this year for the show’s season finale. In that case he came up against criticism again, although this time it was much more focused on the content rather than duration. His monologue dealt with a number of controversial topics including racism and child molestation. You know, those old chestnuts. While many weren’t laughing at the choice of topics, Saturday Night Live is obviously still going strong after 40 years as we’re still talking about it.

SNL will be back for Season 41 in the fall. Whether Louis C.K’s FX series, Louie will be back for Season 6 is still unknown at this point. You can hear, but not see Louis in the new trailer for the animated film The Secret Life of Pets that will be out next year.

Much in the same way that Toy Story taught us what our toys get up to when we have our backs turned, The Secret Life Of Pets plans to showcase what our housebound critters partake in as soon as we leave the house. It turns out that the cats, dogs, birds, and any other beast that you have locked away in your abode make the home their own as soon as the door closes. You can see exactly what they get up to thanks to the first trailer for The Secret Life Of Pets.

I’ll tell you what, there were an awful lot of adorable pets to behold in that two-and-a-half-minute spell. Even though, admittedly, it looks overly cartoony and childish, there was enough cuteness and humor in the teaser trailer to suggest that The Secret Life Of Pets could be worthwhile.

I mean the sight gag of the cat repeatedly opening up the fridge and giving off different reactions as he contemplated eating the chicken certainly worked. In fact, it was topped by the shot of the cake on the bottom shelf after she’d eaten it. Plus, the dog getting a massage from an electric whisk, while incredibly unhygienic, was a joy to see, as was the revelation that the poodle preferred rocking out to some heavy metal instead of listening to classical music.

All of these cutesy quips suggest that The Secret Life Of Pets will be a bright, fun, and energetic addition to the animation genre. If you agree, your excitement for the project will only increase tenfold once you learn of the film’s esteemed cast. Taking the leading vocal role in the film is non-other than comedy sensation, television innovator, and all-round adorable misanthrope Louis CK. I’m guessing that certainly piqued the interest of some of you naysayers out there.

Louis CK voices Max, a terrier who adores his easy life in a Manhattan apartment, where he is the favorite pet of his owner. However, Max’s life is flipped upside down when his owner brings home a sloppy mongrel named Duke (Eric Stonestreet). But they have to put their differences aside when they learn that Kevin Hart’s Snowball, an adorable white bunny, plans to take revenge on pets that have happy lives, and he’s amassed an army of abandoned animals to help him. Yeah, I know, it’s ripping off Toy Story in pretty much every way imaginable, but at least they’re stealing from the best.

Joining Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, and Kevin Hart, which is already a sensational trifecta, The Secret Life Of Pets is a cavalcade of impressive comedic talent. There’s acclaimed stand-up and Broad City star Hannibal Burress, Saturday Night Live’s Bobby Moynihan, In A World’s Lake Bell, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s Ellie Keeper, Obvious Child’s Jenny Slate, Wayne’s World’s Dana Carvey, and the comedy hero that is Albert Brooks (Finding Nemo). It remains to be seen if this esteemed cast will be given the platform to showcase their undeniable comedic gifts, but if they are, I’ll be first in line when The Secret Life Of Pets is released on July 8, 2016.

By many accounts, comedian Louis C.K. is one of the brightest minds in comedy today, using self-deprecation as his porthole to waxing on about the world and lifestyle trends. But as C.K. has proven on occasion, his thought process can easily be fallible. For instance, the reason why Season 5 of his FX series Louie received a shortened episode order was the fault of his brain being swayed by the soothing clouds of marijuana.

As part of Louie’s recent For Your Consideration panel to promote its Emmy chances, Louis C.K. and other cast and crew members showed audiences a couple of episodes and talked about the show as a whole, and it was here that the comedian explained why Season 5 got only eight episodes instead of 13 or 14 like seasons past. According to HitFix, C.K. had originally wanted to delay the production for Season 5 until the fall in order to escape the harsh New York winters, but the day before FX head John Landgraf was going to go public with the news about the delay, the balding ginger comic got completely baked and churned out many pages of material for potential storylines. He was so impressed with his ideas, he got in touch with Landgraf and reneged on the delay, and even though Landgraf told him most of the show’s original allotted budget had gone to other projects, C.K. agreed to chop the season in half.

So, you might be asking, which of Season 5’s hilarious segments and stories came from that pot-addled writing session? Was it the diarrhea on the street scene, or the nightmare episode? Nope and nope. It turns out that once C.K. passed a sober eye on everything he had written, he didn’t think any of it worth putting into the series, so it was all discarded. Surprising, really, since ending the season on a discussion about fart jokes seems like a sequence that could only be born of booming bong rips.

C.K. also shared other anecdotes, such as why Season 4 featured extended storylines, and that season’s recurring guest star Ellen Burstyn was even in the audience. But nothing really topped that herb-based story.

Check out this scene from Season 1 in which C.K. gets blazed with Josh Hamilton.

All in all, I’m perfectly happy with everything that Louie did in Season 5, even if it means we lost out on a handful of episodes. Here’s hoping he decides to come back for Season 6, red-eyed or clear-eyed.

When comedian Louis C.K. dropped by Saturday Night Live this weekend to host the Season 40 finale, he presented a daunting monologue that pulled no punches in its dark subject matter. And while there are some offended folks out there who probably thought it should have been cut, a digital sketch about joke plagiarism (featuring fan favorite Bruce Chandling) was excised instead. Good timing, SNL. Check it out below.

All in all, it’s not an amazing short, although Kyle Mooney is as excellent as ever as the schmoozy Chandling. It basically presents the idea that Louis C.K. is guilty of ripping jokes from Chandling over the course of his career, which Chandling accuses him of with his signature nervous energy. Considering copycatting is an issue that has come up for both C.K. and Saturday Night Live in the past, though from different standpoints, it’s somewhat telling that C.K. is, in fact, the one to blame in this fictional situation.

Just last week, Saturday Night Live aired a sketch about Muhammad that seemed to clearly be a copied version of a shorter sketch created by the Canadian series This Hour Has 22 Minutes back in January. There hasn’t been much of a resolution to that situation, though, beyond some enjoyable ribbing from the 22 Minutes guys on social media. It would seem like SNL cut the sketch as to not draw any more ire from detractors, who have been accusing the long-lasting series of sketch robbery for a long time. But then why put it online at all?

It’s a little different from C.K.’s angle, as he had something of a feud going on with former comedy king Dane Cook a few years back over some material that C.K. claimed Cook stole from him. That dispute was seemingly put to rest in an incredible and awkward episode of Louie, but it’s obvious that the comedian hasn’t forgotten about it or other situations like it. On last week’s Louie, Jon Glazer plays a comic called Crazy Glazy that blatantly steals a riff from Louie about being a beekeeper. (“Too many bees!”) So it’s obvious that the concept of stage-based plagiarism is still on C.K.’s mind, and we can probably expect to hear more about it in the future. Perhaps on a spinoff of some kind?

While Saturday Night Live is finished until next season, you can catch an all new episode of Louie on FX this Thursday.

With Louis C.K. hosting the season finale of NBC’s Saturday Night Live last night, expectations were high. And while the majority of the night left us a bit disappointed, the one segment that truly shown through wasn’t even a sketch, it was Louis C.K.’s monologue. When a stand-up comedian takes on SNL, it is their opening monologue that usually gets the crowd going. It’s a time where they can test out new material in front of millions of viewers at home. And Louis C.K. didn’t hold back, tackling all the offensive topics from racism to the Middle East to child molesters, all in less than 10 minutes. Take a look:

The SNLmonologue is that Louis C.K. brand of comedy you’ve either grown to love or hate. He has no problem exploring topics that would otherwise be deemed too offensive to talk about aloud, and he won’t hold back on exactly what he thinks. The bits about being mildly racist and his young daughters optimizing the conflict in the Middle East are just the start. It’s the child molester portion where you can really hear the crowd react with hesitation to laugh.

The running theme throughout the monologue is that Louis C.K. grew up in the 70s. He explains it as an era that shaped his mild-racism, his annoyances with the fighting in the Middle East, and a time where child molesters were easily pointed out. He explains what it means to be mildly racist through a set of real-life examples. One in particular was the difference between a white male in a hoodie vs. a black male in a hoodie. C.K. uses the analogy to acknowledge his mildly racist attitude, explaining that while he’s not outright racist, he still thinks about these things.

Then the sketch moves towards the Middle East, which C.K. compares to his two young daughters fighting, calling them “a couple of selfish little bitches who won’t fix anything” while he (representing the U.S.) has to try to settle their disputes. But while these topics walked the line of offensive, it was the child molestation portion of his set which really sent him over the edge. C.K. starts with a story about a child molester who lived in his neighborhood growing up (who C.K. was a bit upset about the child molester not taking interest in him). The story turned into the comedian trying to imagine why child molesters commit their crimes, though. And for some, this was where it really went too far.

C.K. acknowledged the controversy of the subject, joking that this bit would probably make this his last show, but he went on to imagine why child molesters take the risk, and he concludes that it must be because molesting is amazing. The Louie creator compared the act of molesting to eating his favorite candy, Mounds bars, saying that at least if someone were to tell him to stop eating Mounds or he would be arrested, he would stop. And with that, C.K. deems that child molesting must be really, really good (but not for him).

It was definitely a controversial opening to a show that fell short on many of its sketches. And while the uproar following the monologue was negative, it did get people noticing, and that, if nothing else, is what Louis C.K. does best. You can see Louis C.K. on his own FX show, Louie Thursdays at 10:30pm ET.

While Louis C.K. is now an actor and producer starring in his own stand-up specials, as well as FX’s Louie, that wasn’t always so. C.K. used to write for other people, and on last night’s Late Night with Seth Meyers, the comedian recounted the filthiest joke he ever managed to get on the air while working for Conan O’Brien. If your workplace is not alright with dirty jokes, it’s probably NSFW. Otherwise, check it out.

Louis C.K.’s story has a lot of backstory to get to the punchline. Back in the day, the comedian was a writer for Conan O’Brien, and instead of trying to figure out how to write for the late night host, he instead learned how to sneakily get jokes onto TV without anyone being the wiser. One day, he realized no one fact-checked the announcer’s one-liners, and as soon as the opportunity arose, C.K. snuck in a very naughty joke.

Obviously, most of the time when we think of pearl necklaces, we think of the lovely necklaces worn to church and other classy-but-old-school functions. That type of necklace was obviously not what C.K. was referring to, but he later says even the head writer on Conan’s show at the time didn’t get the joke, thinking it was more innocuous than hyper-sexualized. If you're still confused, you can get the slang definition here, at your own risk.

In the time since his days writing on O’Brien’s series, Louis C.K. has cobbled together a comedy personality that is both frank and hilarious. On FX’s Louie, the comedian can get away with much wilder jokes. This season, in fact, there is a whole scene where Louie is out shopping with his daughters and realizes he has to poop really badly. He can’t leave his kids alone, so he brings them on an epic poop journey through town, trying to find a restroom. The cold open is crass and hysterical and like nothing that would ever make network television, that is, unless the joke is snuck in.

TV’s come a long way since the days of pearl necklace jokes, but I’d still give anything to see a late night sidekick slip in a joke of that ilk, today. You can catch more stories like these on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers, weekdays at 12:35 a.m.

Louis C.K. famously had an extremely tough time behind the scenes when trying to make his directorial debut with Pootie Tang back in 2001, but evidently enough time has passed that the famed comedian is ready to try and make a feature once again. New reports are coming in that the filmmaker is now preparing to make his second film - I'm A Cop - which will be an indie that he will star in as well as direct and produce.

News of this project comes to us from The Hollywood Reporter, which doesn't seem to have a time frame for production, but does offer an interesting plot synopsis. In the movie, Louis C.K. will star as a depressed volunteer policeman who has spent his adult life "living in the shadow of his mother, a highly decorated retired officer." This all changes, however, when she dies, and C.K.'s character feels compelled to try and becoming a real police officer - despite never actually having any passion for the work.

Louis C.K.'s experience making Pootie Tang was a rather tough time for the famous stand-up comedian, as Paramount actually took him off the film during post-production. Of course, that was a long time ago, and things have definitely changed for C.K. in that time. Not only does he have his own series on FX - Louie - that he has complete creative control over, but in recent years he has also had the chance to work with great filmmakers like Woody Allen and David O. Russell on award-winning films like Blue Jasmine and American Hustle, respectively. In addition to having a lot more clout than he did 14 years ago, Louis C.K. will also have a lot more power with I'm A Cop simply by not going through the studio system.

Knowing Louis CK's style and sensibilities, this project should definitely be fascinating. The guy has always found a magic balance between hilarious and utterly depressing, and this material looks like it could be a perfect medium for that special tone. Let's not forget that this is a movie pitch that he tossed out on an episode of Louie:

In addition to Louis C.K., famed Academy Award-winning producer Scott Rudin is also involved with I'm A Cop, which is a pretty great support system for C.K. to have. Hopefully we'll have more updates on this project in the near future, so stay tuned!

Season 40 has been one for the ages for Saturday Night Live. Not only did it earn the mostly hilarious retrospective SNL 40, but this season has seen some of the biggest stars of the big and small screen stop by for hosting duties, such as Dwayne Johnson, Chris Pratt and J.K. Simmons. To be expected, the show is closing the season out with three major stars, including Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson and Louis C.K, and each will be teamed up with mega-popular musical guests.

Witherspoon will take over hosting duties on May 9 as part of the promotional campaign for her new comedy Hot Pursuit, co-starring Sophia Vergara. This will be her second time front-and-center on SNL, as she also hosted a 2001 episode around the time Legally Blonde hit theaters. The musical guest for this episode will be Florence + the Machine, who will be making their third SNL appearance to promote their upcoming album How Big How Blue How Beautiful, which comes out on June 2.

A week earlier, on May 2, Scarlett Johansson will be taking over the host spot to promote a little movie you may or may not have heard of called Avengers: Age of Ultron. (One has to wonder if there will be anyone not in theaters watching it when Saturday Night Live is airing that weekend.) This will be Scar-Jo’s fourth time hosting, with previous gigs in 2006, 2007 and 2010. Joining her as musical guest will be Wiz Khalifa in his first appearance on SNL, and he’ll presumably be performing his hit song “See You Again,” which appears in Furious 7.

Rounding the season out is stand-up comic superstar Louis C.K., who will take over the May 16 season finale, which will hit right at the tail end of Louie’s Season 5. Not only has C.K. hosted the show twice before in 2012 and 2014, but he received Emmy nominations for both of those appearances. And he’ll also presumably be promoting his latest special Louis C.K. Live at the Comedy Store, which will premiere on FX on May 28, and is currently available for purchase on his website. The musical guest that night will be the headline-making Rhianna, who has a new single out called “Bitch Better Have My Money,” as well as a leading role in DreamWorks Animation’s recent hit Home.

Which of these Saturday Night Live episodes are you looking forward to the most?

It used to be that actors did animated films because that was the only work they were typically hired for. All of that changed once Robin Williams let the proverbial genie out of the bottle with his performance in Disney's classic Aladdin, and nowadays animated films are normally stuffed with heavyweight Hollywood names. In the case of The Secret Life Of Pets, Louis CK and Kevin Hart are the anchors, and they've got some interesting back up checking off all of the other boxes.

Courtesy of a report from The Hollywood Reporter, we learned that the recently rescheduled Universal Studios project is not only another one that sees them teaming up with animation studio Illumination Entertainment, it's also attracted the comedic likes of Eric Stonestreet, Ellie Kemper, Bobby Moynihan, and Jenny Slate for starters. As if that wasn't impressive enough, fellow laugh makers Lake Bell and Hannibal Buress have roles in The Secret Life Of Pets as well. But the MVP of the back bench line up happens to be someone with a little bit of experience with animated films, as well as Academy Award nominations: legendary comedian, and star of Finding Nemo, and its sequel, Finding Dory, Albert Brooks.

The Secret Life Of Pets is about, "the lives our pets lead after we leave for work or school each day." In other words, Illumination Entertainment is going back to the old animation well with a movie about objects or organisms that don't normally talk... except when we're not around. Considering the project is being crafted by key members of the same team that made Despicable Me a smash hit back in 2010, there's a good chance this film can overcome the rather overdone plot and become a movie that should stand with its more Minion-heavy compatriots. Considering how original Despicable Me's logline sounded before anyone even caught a glimpse of it, perhaps it's not as easy to judge this one by its concept alone.

Still, animated films are becoming as competitive as blockbuster franchises and tween book phenomenons. Standing shoulder to shoulder with those equally successful genres is no easy feat, and The Secret Life Of Pets will face off against one of the two as it is opening on the same crowded summer day as Star Trek 3. The best chance this film has is the fact that both Louis CK and Kevin Hart are pretty big in the comedy world at this point in time. Hart will draw in the bigger box office crowd at large, while Louis CK stands to reel in the more cynical audience that enjoys his work no matter what the medium. Even with a cast stuffed with funny talent, it won't be a big surprise if we see this project tear a page out of the Dreamworks Animation playbook and shift its release to a date more friendly for potential new properties.

For the moment, The Secret Life Of Pets will be revealed on July 8, 2016. All we're saying is if we were betting people, we'd put a little money on this one changing its plans at least once.

Long before the days when Louis C.K. was known as the widely-beloved misanthropic actor/comedian, he was working behind the scenes on the writing staffs of several late night talk and sketch shows. However, on last night’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the titular star of TV’s Louie would recall a fascinating anecdote dating back nearly two decades where the paths of C.K. and a young, up-and-coming talent named Jimmy Fallon would fatefully cross.

Even if you are old enough to remember ABC’s brief foray into sketch comedy with The Dana Carvey Show, then chances are you would still need a spectacular memory to recollect that vehicle for Carvey, the former Saturday Night Live recurring character phenom. Airing in 1996 for an ever-so-brief seven episodes before it was ignominiously cancelled - with the eighth never making it to air - the show featured an array of now-prominent talents like Stephen Colbert, Robert Smigel and Steve Carell. However, Louis C.K. also happened to serve on that show as head writer and, as he recalls in the story, a super-young, energetic Jimmy Fallon once auditioned to be on that show. That’s where things take a turn that might make C.K. seem less like the grumpy-loveable comedic personality we all know and more like a vindictive douchebag.

In an act that was admittedly motivated by a bit of jealousy, C.K. claims to have proactively ensured that the optimistic hopes of the burgeoning youth would be “torpedoed” with extreme prejudice in a way that was almost worse than Fallon's 2004 box-office bomb, Taxi. Yes, that’s right, Louis C.K. went out of his way to take the showbiz dreams of a then-baby-faced Jimmy Fallon and crush them into a rancid, putrid pulp of pestilence.

The incident was barely a blip on the radar of Fallon’s memory, as he didn’t even remember the audition in question. (Two years later, he would end up on Saturday Night Live.) Yet, for C.K., the 19-year-old confession comes as a regretful reflection on a demoralizing demonstration of dickishness in his past, coming with the concession that Fallon was truly talented.

Why, might you ask, would he do such a thing? Well, according to his answer, it was because the women on the staff were raving about Fallon in the post-audition meeting, causing C.K. and another writer to vehemently oppose adding him to the cast, even threatening to quit over the matter. It seems that the self-described “sweaty and balding” C.K. had no desire to look at the energetic young prodigy perpetually chipping away at his own self esteem. Perhaps that’s understandable, as the nature of show business tends to bring out a cutthroat mentality, inspiring actions that when described in words seem petty and pusillanimous in retrospect.

Besides, Fallon was apparently playing a guitar, shaking his ass, while singing about Troll dolls! We might have to give Louis some leeway, here.

Louis CK is a big star. Predominantly known as a stand-up comic, Louis runs in the same circles as Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock. He branched off into serialized television (with his award-winning FX program Louie), and occasionally acts for the likes of Woody Allen (Blue Jasmine) and David O. Russell (American Hustle). If the comic gets his way, he’ll even show up in an anticipated sci-fi blockbuster… but he won’t stay for long.

In case you aren’t caught up on the latest, director Neill Blomkamp (Chappie) will be helming a new Alien movie… and might even be bringing Sigourney Weaver back into the fold. The actress was on The Tonight Show talking about the possibilities with Jimmy Fallon, and she dropped this unusual tidbit of information about Louis CK’s interest in participating:

Neill Blomkamp has been teasing this unexpected Alien movie for weeks now, and from what we heard recently, the sequel/spinoff/prequel movie now is a go. The process started back when Blomkamp – who helmed District 9 and Elysium -- shared concept art for an Alien movie he wanted to make with Sigourney Weaver. At the time, he said that the ball was in Fox’s court, and the studio seems to have given the greenlight.

Where does Louis CK fit in? At first, he doesn’t. He wasn’t part of any of the previous films. He might be a distraction, as seeing him in that world would sort of take you out of the terror that’s supposed to be generated by an Alien movie. Even when Louis appears in a movie, he tends to sort of play a variation of himself… especially when he’s being embarrassed by Bradley Cooper.

But, I could see Louis CK dying horribly in an opening sequence that kicks the new Alien movie off in bloody fashion. Cast him as a military grunt who gets an alien tail through the chest? Have a laser blaster remove his head accidentally? The possibilities are endless. Now let’s see if it happens.

Fans of Louis C.K.’s incomparable FX series Louie had to build up their patience in between Season 3 and Season 4, as the comedian took a well-deserved hiatus, not wanting to churn out material he wasn’t proud of. Luckily, we won’t have to suffer through a repeat of that, as Louie has already been picked up for a fifth season set to premiere at some point during Spring 2015. Somebody call Todd Barry and tell him to stop everything he’s tweeting to get ready for another superb cameo.

According to the press release, Season 5 of Louie will be the shortest one yet, with only seven episodes coming. That’s unfortunately just half of Season 4’s 14-episode span, though we’re sincerely hoping the shortened order means FX will get their shit together and cease airing back-to-back Louie episodes. It’s highly probable that many people liked getting a double dose of this surreal and downtrodden world, but Season 4’s tonal shift towards dramatic narrative made it (to me) the least effective season for mini-binging. Plus, I’d rather have 14 weeks of a TV show I adore rather than just seven. That said, it was still spectacular, and I’d gladly take more Louie even if FX aired the episodes upside-down.

Obviously there’s no sign of where Season 5 will take everyone’s favorite middle-aged comic and father, and while that may have been a non-issue in past years, the bulk of Louie’s most recent season was entirely focused on relationships and consisted of two major storylines. After the first two enjoyably random episodes, Louie showcased a brilliant “fat girl rant” from actress Sarah Baker and then wholly dug into Louie’s burgeoning relationship with the non-English-speaking niece (Eszter Balint) of a woman in his building, played by the iconic Ellen Burstyn. After that story hits every high and low imaginable, Louie’s friend and dream girl Pamela (Pamela Adlon) comes back into the picture. So will we head into that direction when Season 5 begins?

Before we even get to Season 5, though, Louis C.K. and his fans can look forward to the 66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards on August 25. Louie was nominated once again for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, as well as for C.K.’s writing on the previously mentioned “So Did the Fat Lady” and for his direction on “Elevator, Part 6.” Will this be the year he finally snags the top honors?

There are moments in Louis C.K.'s FX comedy series when the show just nails it. And sometimes, the scene isn't even that funny. It's not even trying to be. It's just real. Take last night's "So Did The Fat Lady," which ended with the excellent scene above. The rant doesn't come from Louis C.K. but from the "fat girl" next to him, who unloads a lot of honest frustration about being an overweight female human being as it relates to dating. Not only does the moment drop a rare basic cable F-bomb, it also tells the truth from a very specific perspective.

This scene comes after an episode of Louie running into Sarah Baker's character -- Vanessa -- a waitress at a comedy club who proves to be funny, kind, charismatic and interested in him... and also a little overweight. Louie goes easy on her with his disinterest. And she exercises her strong character and good sense of humor throughout most of the episode, repeatedly asking Louie out but not taking it too hard when he turns her down. It's when she refers to herself as a fat girl and he awkwardly objects that she goes into the rant.

"You have no idea. And the worst part is, I'm not even supposed to do this," Sarah Baker's frustrated character says. "Tell anyone how bad it sucks, because it's too much for people."

She points out the double standard in men being able to poke fun at themselves or complain about their weight, while women are supposed to keep silent about it or risk looking depressed and suicidal. "Can i just say it?" she asked. "I'm fat. It sucks to be a fat girl. Can people just let me say it? It sucks. It really sucks." She goes on to blame Louie. Well, maybe not Louie specifically, but guys like him. And it's there that the scene explains its point. "On behalf of all the fat girls, I'm picking you. All the guys," she says. "Why do you hate us so much? What is it about the basics of human happiness... feeling attractive, feeling loved, having guys chase after us, that's just not in the cards for us. Nope, not for us. How is that fair? And why am I supposed to just accept it."

Poor Louie is so uncomfortable. From there, he tries to cheer her up. He doesn't want to be the guy to make her feel bad about her weight or her looks or her romantic troubles. He just wants to avert this conversation and go back to where things are friendly and light. He doesn't want to hear this. No one does. And that's what I love about this show. Good comedy often takes those great, uncomfortable moments from life and humanity and finds a way to laugh at them. Louie's not even trying to do that with this scene. It's just addressing it. It's exposing a truth for our eyes and ears for a few minutes.

Vanessa turns it around on Louie from there, pointing out that good-looking guys will flirt with her because they're secure with their status, whereas the average looking men -- the ones who are about on her level, looks wise -- never flirt with her because they're afraid they might belong with a girl like her. It's at that point that she calls Louie out on whether or not he's ever dated a girl that was heavier than him. Louie jumps on that, saying he definitely has. And he seems very sincere about it. "No, no, no," she responds. "I didn't say, 'Have you ever fucked a fat girl, Louie,'" She wants to know if he's ever dated a fat girl, kissed her, wooed her, held hands with her. No.

She challenges him to hold her hand. She doesn't want to get laid. She doesn't even want a boyfriend or husband. She just wants to hold hands with a nice guy. The scene ends with Louie taking Vanessa's hand. And they smile and walk away as Louie tells her the "So did the fat lady" joke, which makes her laugh.

And it's scenes like this one -- in all its honesty and realness, not to mention a great performance by Sarah Baker -- that really makes Louie one of today's best television shows. It's not meant to be laugh-out-loud funny. In fact, if it was laugh-out-loud funny, we wouldn't be forced to consider what this woman is saying or consider the raw perspective of a "fat girl" for a few minutes. We have to embrace the tension, instead of awkwardly averting our eyes and ears as Louie tries to do at first. And then, because it is a comedy, it ends with a joke to relieve that tension before the credits roll.

With Louie set to return at long last in just a matter of weeks, we're starting to see teasers that reveal actual footage from Louis CK's FX comedy series, which has been on hiatus since Fall of 2012. Based on the new trailer, ominously titled "Dying," Louie's not doing so well. And yet, he still manages to make us laugh.

"What happens after you die," Louis CK asks in the brief stand-up segment at the start of the trailer. "Actually, lots of things happen after you die... just none of them include you."

It's a little bit depressing in a funny way, but then again, that's kind of how we'd explain some of the best Louie has offered us in its first three seasons. Louis CK may very well be the modern equivalent to a sad clown, making us laugh with his problems, which he tends to shrug off. That comes through well enough in his FX series, as Louie has him playing a version of himself, comedian and single dad and all-around every-man getting by in New York. Or trying to get by. Things aren't looking so good for him this season...

We also seeing him getting beat up, possibly getting put behind bars and visiting a doctor, who seems bored with Louie's problems. It seems Louie's issue isn't "fun" enough for this doctor. At least, not as fun as a blood disease or something like that. Cut to a facial expression that leads me to think Louis CK would make a great silent film actor.

Watching Louie get smacked, ice his face and stumble around on the sidewalk, added to the above facial expression, I really think a black-and-white, silent episode of Louie could be fantastic. Or really weird. Or both.

In the meantime, here's another look at Louie's visit to the doctor:

This isn't the first time we've seen Louie at the doctor's office. I suppose having him visit medical professionals is a pretty direct way to acknowledge his own mortality, and/or find the humor in the awkwardness and tension that comes with any typical doctor's visit.

Louie premieres May 5 on FX.

Louie's back! Or so says the teaser for the return of the FX comedy. Technically, Louis CK's comedy won't be back until Monday, May 5, but we're now close enough to the series' official return that Fox has begun teasing it. And what a tease it is. Let's assume that's Louis CK with his back to the camera in the 17-second spot. The Statue of Liberty is in the distance, offering a lovely black-and-white reminder of the setting for Louis CK's comedy series.

The new teaser is among the first of FX's promotional material for the anticipated fourth season of Louie and it comes in the wake of the news that Louie would be returning for its fourth season on May 5, following a 19-month hiatus, during which time the comedian has worked on his stand-up and hosted Saturday Night Live twice. That includes last Saturday night's episode, during which the comedian did a bit of stand-up for the opening monologue:

And here's one of the sketches from the episode:

SNL's a bit different from Louie tonally, to say the least, but the comedian/actor's appearance on the NBC sketch comedy series did a nice job of reminding us of just how funny Louis CK is. And now we want more!

Louie stars Louis CK as a fictional version of himself, working as a comedian and living as a single father, trying to raise his daughters and figure everything out in the process. The series translates the comedian's somewhat dry sense of humor about aging, parenting, New York and life in general. While there's still more than a month to wait for Louie to return, the first three seasons of the comedy are available on Netflix for those who need to catch up or want a refresher.

Here's one more sketch from last Saturday night's SNL episode:

Louis CK at the doctors kind of gave me a flashback of that Ricky Gervais scene in Louie's first season...

Oh, thank goodness. Louis C.K. is here to save the day with the latest promo videos for his second ever hosting stint on the Good Ship Saturday Night Live. And with cast member Kenan Thompson by his side — and the oh so delightful Sam Smith set to appear as musical guest — the clips hint that more of that signature Louie style is heading our way. (Goodness we're so excited for that show's fourth season return.) Namely, regular human stuff. And — at long last! — in his actual, natural accent. Oh yeah, didn’t you know? Louis C.K. is a total Bayou Baby!

This weekend — March 29 — marks C.K.’s second time hosting the Saturday night sketch show stalwart. But it also marks the first time we’ve ever seen the real, true C.K. (all that other stuff? It’s totally an act): all southern accent and guns blazing. Ha! We’re onto you, Louis. That southern-fried accent was clearly one that cannot be improvised on the spot!

Naturally, there’s plenty of reasons to be excited for C.K.’s return. After all, who could forget his first appearance on the show, which led to one of our favorite SNL sketches, Lincoln (done in the style of C.K.’s FX series):

Of course this reminds us of all the many, many other funny moments from his FX series (which is finally returning! Soon!). And since we know you could use a laugh this morning (who couldn’t?), we’ve compiled our favorites for you, below:

Saturday Night Live airs this Saturday (weird, right? So counterintuitive!), March 29th at 11:30PM on NBC.

Saturday Night Live's in one of those weird lulls where new episodes seem sort of sporadic, but the sketch comedy series has lined up hosts for its next cluster of episodes, the first of which airs at the end of March. NBC has confirmed that comedian Louis C.K. will return to host on March 29. The Peacock also announced that Anna Kendrick and Seth Rogen are on board to host episodes in the weeks that follow.

Here's the schedule for the next few episodes of Saturday Night Live:

March 29 - Louis C.K. hosting, Sam Smith is musical guest.

April 5 - Anna Kendrick hosting, Pharrel is musical guest.

April 12 - Seth Rogen hosting, Ed Sheeran is musical guest

This is Louis C.K.'s second turn as host on SNL. Things got pretty hot and heavy the last time he hosted (November 3, 2012)...

Hopefully we get some great stand-up from the comedian when he does his opening monologue.

This will be Anna Kendrick's first time hosting Saturday Night Live, and something tells me she's going to be a great fit for this series. Not only is she funny, but she's incredibly talented. Usually, I'd say that Saturday Night Live tends to overuse the musical opening monologue, but it would almost be a waste to bring Kendrick out onto the stage and not have her sing. She demonstrated both her singing and comedic skills when she starred in Pitch Perfect:

Kendrick has a number of films coming up, including Happy Christmas and the feature adaptation of Into the Woods. And then, of course, there's the Pitch Perfect sequel, but that's not coming along until next year.

Finally, there's Seth Rogen, who's hosted Saturday Night Live twice. The first time was in 2007, a few months after Knocked Up and Superbad hit theaters.

The second time was in 2009, the year of Monsters vs. Aliens and Funny People. Coming off of the success of last year's This is the End, Rogen has Neighbors heading into theaters in May and The Interview set to release in October.

Saturday Night Live airs Saturday at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

It seems like an eternity since Louie's aired new episodes. In the TV-verse, anything more than a year between seasons is kind of an eternity, and Louie's been off the air since September of 2012, so that's an eternity plus like seven months. But the wait is nearly over. We learned earlier this year that the comedy series would be back on the air for its fourth season in May 5.

The Wrap posted the news, stating that Louis CK's FX comedy series will return from its 19-month hiatus on Monday, May 5. What's more, the series will return with back-to-back new episodes and will run two new episodes a week for a seven-week stretch. That means there's an extra episode tacked on, with the fourth season consisting of 14 total installments.

When Season 3 was wrapping up back in 2012, we learned that FX was giving the series an extended break during which time the comedian mastermind behind the show would have plenty of time to focus on his stand-up and use the extended break to work on new material for the series. As much of a drag as it can be to have to wait an extra long time for a show to come back for its next season, if it means the show will come back stronger and funnier than ever, I'd say it's well worth it (and there are other comedies that might consider taking that approach). Alas, Louie is a cable comedy, and there's likely to be more scheduling flexibility there than if it were a network series.

Since the show went on hiatus, CK has worked on his stand-up, including an HBO special called Oh My God. He also hosted Saturday Night Live, and is set to host again later this month. So while his series has been off the air, the comedian hasn't been out of sight or mind. While we anticipate the May 5 return, here are some classic Louie moments to remind you of just how funny this show is.

Here's the scene featuring Louis CK and Ricky Gervais...

And here's Melissa Leo's amazing Season 3 appearance...

And here's the doll-tastrophe scene from Season 3...

Saturday Night Live is getting good with social media. This week, the late night sketch comedy series announced an upcoming host via the social media outlet Twitter, and more importantly, they announced a really, really good one. Beloved comedian Louis C.K. will return to studio 8H for the second time to operate as emcee for the evening, this time on March 29.

The gig will mark the second time Louis C.K. has hosted SNL during the course of his career. The last time the man hosted was in 2012, shortly after Hurricane Sandy made its mark on the east coast’s landscape. While on he presented a memorable opening montage, as well as an extremely funny sketch called “Lincoln,” which turned his hit FX show Louie into a program about Honest Abe. I’m sure we’ll get a few more gems with his latest episode, as well. In regards to the March 29th episode, NBC is usually pretty good about announcing hosts along with guests, but this time the network is keeping mum about who will appear. Needless to say, Louis C.K. will not be the musical guest.

The comedian’s stint on SNL should be kind of a big deal for fans. The man put together an HBO special a little over a year ago, but other than that, he’s been mostly away from the TV landscape for some time. FX granted Louie a break from the schedule so that C.K. could go out into the world and pursue other projects, so we haven’t seen new episodes from the series since 2012. However, with Louie set to return to the schedule in May, now is a great time for some shameless self-promotion.

The return of Louie and the SNL gig aren’t the only projects the comedian has in the pipeline. He also recently re-released his first film. Back in January, FX also picked up a pilot for a new comedy that will be co-written by C.K. and Zach Galifianakis. 2014 should be a big year for the man, and I can’t think of a better way to kick off that year than by putting together a new show and popping up on SNL. We’ll let you know as soon as the musical guest is announced.

Two weeks into 2014, and it’s already been a huge year for fans of comedian Louis C.K., as if it isn’t always rewarding being a Louis C.K. fan. The latest and greatest of all the recent announcements comes from FX President John Landgraf, who stated the much-anticipated fourth season of C.K.’s critically acclaimed series Louie will officially be back on TV in May. Ever since C.K. first started his hiatus after the third season, the show was expected to make its return right around May, but actually having it confirmed once and for all is really quite excellent.

Landgraf made his announcement at this year’s Televisions Critics Association, via Huffington Post. This is a series that has only gotten better and more genre-defying with each season, so the pessimist in me was half-expecting it to never return now that the comedian’s acting career has picked up with roles in Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine and David O. Russell’s American Hustle. It’s a good thing C.K. enjoys doing his own thing more than acting for other people.

This comes right on the heels of the pilot order for a series created by and starring Zach Galifianakis, which he will be co-writing with C.K. Should it make it to series, it would star Galifianakis, and would be the first fruit born of FX’s recent development deal with C.K.’s production company. I’m not sure where the Louie episodes are in the production process, so it seemed plausible that this pilot might delay Louie in some way, but thankfully that isn’t the case.

Before that, C.K. announced he’d be self-releasing the first film he ever directed, 1998’s absurdist comedy Tomorrow Night. Many assumed the film (which starred an entire generation of comedians including Steve Carell, Amy Poehler and Robert Smigel) would never see the light of day, but C.K. is using the same $5 distribution deal he employed when releasing his last few stand-up features. Eliminating a middle man while causing stomachs to ache with laughter is something he’s quite good at, so I’ll be dropping a fiver as soon as that comes out.

Plus, C.K. recently appeared in the third season premiere of Crackle’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee with show creator Jerry Seinfeld. With all of these things going on, the comedian is as much in the public eye as he’s ever been, which will hopefully lead to big ratings for Louie’s fourth season. The series received its highest accolade last year when Melissa Leo took home the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy. And when you watch that scene below, you’ll know exactly how she earned it.

TV star and stand-up comedian Louis C.K. made his mark in movies this year appearing in two fantastic films that are winning tons of acclaim and award season buzz. Last summer he drew notice for a supporting role in Woody Allen's bittersweet dramedy Blue Jasmine, then last month he hit theaters as part of the electric ensemble of David O. Russell's American Hustle. Remarkably, there the willfully schlubby funnyman pulled focus from scene partner Bradley Cooper with a curious ice fishing story that never saw resolution. But on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno , C.K. finally finished the tale.

In case you haven't seen American Hustle or your recollection is hazy, C.K. plays Cooper's boss at the FBI, Stoddard Thorsen. In our interview, Cooper described his character, Richie DiMaso, as an overgrown teen boy seeking to rebel against any father figure he can find. Unfortunately for Thorsen, that means him. When the curly-haired and ambitious agent wheedles and blusters to get his way, a patient Thorsen begins a story about his childhood, recounting how he used to go ice fishing with his brother. Once his father had warned the boys that it was too early in the season to risk going out on the ice, but they ignored him…this is as far as the story ever gets before Richie decides he has heard enough, racing to fill in what he assumes the ending and its lesson are.

Funny thing, the real ending was none of Richie's guesses. The brother didn't die; according to C.K. he shit. "He took a big anger dump in the ice." Leaving a mark on the ice that lasted all winter, a gross symbol of his rebellion against his own father. "It created a big fissure between my father and brother and I was stuck in the middle. That's what happened. That's the end of the ice fishing story."

This revelation made me cringe. At first, I was grateful we never heard it in Hustle, as its conclusion isn't nearly as satisfying as Richie's repeated interruptions. However, I do wish we had been treated to a scene where Richie reacts to this ending. He probably would have shrugged off its advice as he did all other guidance or mandates offered by Thorsen, but maybe things could have turned out differently because of a little shit story.

Also unveiled in this clip is that the ice fishing story wasn't in the script C.K. was initially given. He says above that it was a surprise Russell sprang on him once production began. "He just made it up," C.K. marvels, "Like I swear he's just like, 'You know what, tell an ice fishing story!'…So we made up this ice fishing story as we went along, as we shot the movie I'd tell a little bit more. And then the next scene we'd shoot, he'd be like, 'So what do you think happens next in the ice fishing story?' And I'm like, 'I don't know! This is your idea.'" He says Russell didn't use his ending to the story, but it's unclear if it was ever shot.

American Hustle is now playing.

There’s no question that Louis C.K. is a comedy lifer. He’s been around forever, doing stand-up, touring, working on talk show writing staffs, and gravitating between television and film. In that time, he’s become less of a joke-maker and more of a multimedia sensation, and right now he’s high off the success of FX’s groundbreaking Louie and prominent parts in David O. Russell’s American Hustle and Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine. But like many comedians, his beginnings were fairly humble. Unlike many comedians, he’s ready to share that with audiences.

Louis C.K.’s first film was Tomorrow Night, which emerged from his various shorts and comedic routines. The film is a no-budget absurdist story about a lonely man’s relationship with an elderly woman, and while it played at Sundance in 1998, a distributor never stepped up to release the film. It certainly carries some interest today, given that the names involved in the film include J.B. Smoove, Amy Poehler, Nick DiPaulo, Rick Shapiro, Robert Smigel, Steve Carell, Todd Barry, Matt Besser, Matt Walsh, Wanda Sykes and Ian Roberts. That’s basically some of the top comedians in the world as well as the entire television lineup of Upright Citizens Brigade.

Speaking to Jay Leno on the Tonight Show last night (via Vulture), Louis C.K. revealed that funding for the film came together thanks to the generosity of others. Jon Stewart, Chris Rock, Denis Leary, Brett Butler and Spike Feresten, all comedy lifers themselves, contributed healthy amounts to the making of the film. What’s touching is that this was the late nineties, where these comedians were successful, but none were the household names they are today (Spike Feresten is totally a household name, right?). Louis C.K. would direct one more film, Pootie Tang, which was not entirely well-received, but it’s got some funny bits and, hey, it got released.

Now that he’s achieved a certain level of success, Tomorrow Night is hitting Louis C.K.’s website, where you can purchase it for yourself for only $5. Pretty sweet deal: the trailer makes Tomorrow Night look like a moody, impressionistic look at New York City similar to another forgotten NYC-set indie gem, The Search For One-Eye Jimmy, which featured early work from the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Steve Buscemi and John Turturro. Catch the trailers to Tomorrow Night and Pootie Tang below.

Ever wonder what would happen if Louis C.K. and Jerry Seinfeld took a spin around Manhattan in the world’s tiniest and most ineffective car? Well look no further because the Fiat 600 is here to cart the two comedy giants to their high seas adventure in the third season premiere of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Seinfeld’s web series. And thanks to the power that is the Internet, you can watch it all right here, right now.

Having already seen the trailer, it was a surprise to see a car that’s a bit less, well, showy than the rest of his selections. “If we got hit by an SUV we’d be smears,” C.K. observed, joking about the tiny Fiat’s categorization as road-ready. “Red smears with teeth in it.” But the car was only one part of the duos journey, which also saw them set sail upon the high seas…or the Hudson River of New York in order to make a bunch of Jaws references, jib and gab about C.K.’s children and pot smoking, and talk about Larry David’s humility.

Perhaps the most interesting tidbits reveal C.K.’s plans for his critically acclaimed series, FX’s Louie. Admitting he’ll stop the series after season “six or seven,” C.K. also claimed that about 10 episodes have been written — and he’s brought new comedic voices on board to help out.

“10 of ‘em I’ve finished writing,” explained C.K. “and I took on a couple of new people to try.” But don’t run too quickly to get your resumes spruced up just yet, aspiring comedy writers. The job’s not what you think it might be. “They sit on my couch while I write. It’s somebody to talk to; this time I used Steven Wright.”

Wright, a famed comedian out of Boston popular in the 1980s, was known for his monotonous deadpan and was a hero of C.K.’s. “When I grew up in Boston, he was everybody’s hero,” the comic explained.

The trip managed to set sail up the Hudson River with minimal error (thank goodness for all those Jaws jokes), but it wasn't all jokes, as C.K. had a bit of financial advice for people in the market for a boat. Namely, don’t buy one. “I can’t afford this boat, I shouldn't have gotten it. You shouldn't buy a yacht unless you can afford like, 10 yachts. There’s a formula,” he explained.

And if you're ever in New York and you see C.K. at the movies, you might want to think twice about introducing yourself — because you might just bug him out (he'll be stoned). “I go to the 3D IMAX movies stoned,” C.K. explained. “If my kids have been with me for a stretch …. and I have a day between them and some work to do or something, [I] smoke some pot and see a 3D movie.”

Other highlights from the interview include C.K.’s observation that “we're just worms carrying our worm-meals,” and Seinfeld’s admission that his first words were “leave me alone.” Check out the rest of the interview in the video above.

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee airs weekly on Crackle or at www.comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com.

What better day to celebrate the approaching return of Jerry Seinfeld’s comedian-focused Crackle series Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee than on this December 23, the day die-hard Seinfeld fans will recognize as Festivus… for the rest of us! The new trailer has been making the rounds may not include any feats of strength, or airings of grievances, but it does give us a look at the celebrities and comedy in store for the new season.

As the title suggests, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee features Jerry Seinfeld as he takes a ride in a vintage car and picks up a guest comedian to take them out for coffee. The series is much more about the journey than it is the destination, as the best moments come from the banter Seinfeld exchanges with his guest. The series’ second season included appearances by Chris Rock, Seth Meyers, Don Rickles, Sarah Silverman and David Letterman. As the trailer for Season 3 (via Buzzfeed) teases, the upcoming season’s guests will include Tina Fey (who doesn’t drive), Howard Stern (who wants to know if Jerry can pee in front of other men, Patton Oswalt gets to and Louis C.K. (who thinks we might just be worms carrying around our worm meal).

You never know what kind of insights any given episode of this series will reveal, but that’s all part of the fun, as are the variety of cars, of course. As the trailer indicates, Season 3 of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee will debut Thursday, January 2 at 12:00 p.m. ET at the show’s website.

For those who haven’t seen the series, here’s the full series premiere episode, which has Seinfeld taking Seinfeld mastermind Larry David out for pancakes…

And here’s a clip from last season, which shows Sarah Silverman chattering about an Easter tradition from her childhood...

With that, have a happy and safe Festivus!

Louis C.K.’s new comedy special is coming to HBO in just a few weeks, and if you’re as big a fan as I am even this little tease is enough to get you excited. C.K. taped the special during his recent U.S. tour, which just ended in February, and this teaser gives him a chance to explain why they titled it Oh My God and all of the possible ways in which we as viewers might utter those very words while watching.

Louis C.K. is having a really good year. His series, Louie just wrapped season 3 on a high note, making our list of 2012’s best comedies and earning him an Emmy for writing the show. FX then gave him leave to head out and do his tour; allowing him to do what he does best, which is to get up on stage and make people laugh until they cry. C.K. also picked up an Emmy in 2012 for his last live special, Live at the Beacon Theatre, which he offered for sale on his website for $5, an unusual move that paid out big time for him. All of his specials are now available for purchase on his site, and Oh My God is expected to be as well.

This little teaser for the new special doesn’t show any footage, but it does seem to promise that C.K. is at his unapologetic best. Mark your calendars, Oh My God airs on April 13th at 10 p.m. on HBO. Here's a little taste of C.K.'s comedy to warm you up.

Between his FX comedy and his stand-up, Louis C.K. has given fans plenty to laugh about in recent years. If the stand-up comedian's upcoming comedy special Oh My God is as funny as the promo that debuted today, we're in for a real treat when it airs on HBO next month.

Following up on his first HBO special, Shameless, Louis C.K.'s new special Oh My God will debut April 13 on HBO. In the promo below, Louis explains how this promo is going to work.

"Louis C.K. HBO Oh My God."

Epic.

The comedian finding the humor in his own promo and then downplaying the inevitable greatness of the anticipated special is just one more reason to love him, and to be excited for whatever it is he has in store for us when it airs.

Oh My God was recorded at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix, Arizona. According to Splitsider, Louis C.K. plans to release the special on his website for $5, a month after it airs, so those of you who don't subscribe to HBO won't be completely out of luck. That plan is a bit of a reversal from his last special Live a the Beacon Theater, which was released online first and then later aired on FX.

If David O. Russell has proven anything with his last two films it's that he's become an expert at getting Oscar nominations for his actors. In 2010 Christian Bale and Melissa Leo both took home golden statues for their parts in The Fighter (while Amy Adams got a nomination too) and just yesterday it was announced that Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver are all Academy Award nominees for their roles in Silver Linings Playbook. So don't be too surprised if we may soon hear Louis C.K.'s name start popping up in award season conversation.

THR is reporting that the incredibly popular comedian - who wrapped the third season of his show Louie last year - is now in talks to join the cast of Russell's next directorial effort. Formerly known as American Bullshit (the title has been changed for obvious reasons), the project already has Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner and Amy Adams attached, meaning that C.K.'s potential involvement would be just one hell of a cherry on top.

Based on a true story and written by Eric Singer (The International), the movie is about a con man named Mel Weinberg who worked with the FBI in a corruption case that "stretched from Atlantic City to Washington, D.C." The trade doesn't mention what role C.K. would play in the drama, but it doesn't specify roles for anyone else either.

Sadly Louie won't be back on the air until spring 0f 2014, you won't have to wait too much longer to see more of Louis C.K., as he is part of the ensemble cast appearing in Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine, which will be in theaters later this year.

If you’ve never seen any of Louis C.K.’s stand-up comedy, you’re really missing out on some serious tear-inducing laughter. I think he’s the funniest guy working today, and he’s headed back to HBO for another hour-long comedy special to be taped during his upcoming tour. This is good news for those of us not in one of the 16 cities he is planning to hit on the tour.

Louis C.K. will be executive producing the new HBO special, along with Dave Brecky and Blair Breard, and C.K. will also be directing. HBO plans to air the special sometime in 2013--the tour ends in February, so it will be sometime after that, allowing for some time to edit and produce the special. This will be his second special for HBO; the first,Shameless, came out in 2007.

C.K. picked up an Emmy for another comedy special, Louis CK Live at the Beacon Theatre, a self-produced project that he offered to fans as a download for five bucks, earning him a reported $1.1 million, according to Deadline. Live at the Beacon Theatre is still available for purchase on Louis C.K.’s website along with his other specials and the new tour tickets (which is a good opportunity, if you want a chance to be part of a taping audience). There’s no information as to which of the tour cities will be included in the taping, but it’s still well worth it to go see him if you can – he is seriously funny.

Louis C.K. also recently hosted SNL, but is taking a hiatus on the production of his series, Louie, which will return for Season 4 in 2014. His stand-up career is listed as one of the reasons for the break, and this new special makes the reason clearer. So, while we have to wait for more Louie, we can expect more Louis C.K. live sometime next year, and we'll keep you posted on the air date.