Louis C.K. is an American stand-up comedian, writer, actor, and filmmaker. He is known for his observational, self-deprecating humor that often covers taboo subjects such as racism, sexism, and parenting. C.K.’s stand-up sets are known for being long, with some running over an hour. So how long is a typical Louis C.K. show?
Typical Length
Most of Louis C.K.’s stand-up shows run between 60-80 minutes. This gives him enough time to do a full stand-up set with multiple topics and moments.
Some specific examples of Louis C.K. show lengths:
– His 2017 Netflix special “2017” runs 74 minutes long.
– His 2020 self-released special “Sincerely Louis CK” is 63 minutes.
– His FX TV specials like “Oh My God” (2013) tended to run around 42-45 minutes to fit into a one-hour TV time slot with commercials.
– His “Comedy Cellar” TV show episodes on FX were about 22 minutes long.
So while his specials tend to run 60+ minutes, his TV shows followed normal TV show lengths.
Factors Determining Length
There are several factors that determine the length of a Louis C.K. stand-up show:
– Venue – Club sets tend to be shorter while theater shows are longer. At comedy clubs he may do 45-minute sets while at theaters he’ll perform a full 60+ minute show.
– Type of Performance – TV sets are shortened to fit time slots. Specials and tours allow for longer sets.
– Amount of Material – Earlier in his career his sets were shorter as he had less material. As he got more successful, he was able to lengthen his shows by having more joke topics and stories.
– Headliner Status – Early in his career he was an opening act with shorter 15-30 minute sets. As a headliner he consistently does hour-plus shows.
So in summary, Louis C.K.’s show length depends on where he’s performing and at what point in his career. But most of his recent theater shows and specials clock in between 60-80 minutes.
Notable Long Sets
While one hour is the norm, Louis C.K. has performed a number of unusually long shows during his career:
109 Minutes – Carnegie Hall (2016)
In 2016, Louis C.K. performed a 109-minute set at Carnegie Hall in New York City. This remains one of his longest sets on record. He commented that the prestigious venue allowed him to take his time and really give the audience a full experience.
100 Minutes – Breslin Theater (2018)
After taking a break from stand-up due to sexual misconduct revelations, Louis C.K. returned to the stage in late 2018 with a 100-minute set at the Breslin Theater in Brooklyn, NY. He commented that he had a lot of pent-up material during his time away from stand-up.
95 Minutes – Stress Factory Comedy Club (2011)
Back in 2011, Louis C.K. made headlines for performing a 95-minute set at the Stress Factory Comedy Club in New Jersey. The club owner said it was the longest set they had ever hosted.
85 Minutes – Surprise NYC Club Sets (2018)
Leading up to his “comeback” theater tour in late 2018, Louis C.K. performed several surprise sets at NYC comedy clubs like the Comedy Cellar. These sets tended to run long, with some going 85+ minutes as he worked out new material.
So while 60-80 minutes is standard, Louis C.K. occasionally goes well beyond that for special long-form performances. His longest sets tend to coincide with special events or venues, or after periods away from stand-up.
Shortest Sets
On the other end of the spectrum, some of Louis C.K.’s notable shortest stand-up sets include:
5 Minutes – “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” (1993)
One of C.K.’s first TV appearances was on “Late Night” in 1993 where he did a quick 5-minute guest set. This is the earliest televised example of his stand-up.
7 Minutes – Comedy Central Presents (1999)
Louis C.K.’s first Comedy Central special clocked in at just 7 minutes as part of a showcase of short sets by up-and-coming comedians.
15 Minutes – Various TV Appearances
Throughout his career, C.K.’s sets on late night shows like “The Tonight Show” and “Saturday Night Live” have tended to run 10-15 minutes.
20 Minutes – Early Club Sets
During the 1980s when Louis C.K. was first starting out in stand-up, he’d often get short 20-minute club slots as he was still an unknown name at that point.
So Louis C.K.’s shortest stand-up sets occurred very early on or during TV appearances where his time was limited. But even going back to the ’80s he was working to quickly lengthen his material.
Average Set Length Over Time
We can look at how Louis C.K.’s average set length has evolved over the decades of his stand-up career:
1980s
During his first years in stand-up in the late ’80s, Louis C.K.’s sets were relatively short, averaging around 20-25 minutes. He was still honing his voice and building his catalog of material during this decade.
1990s
In the ’90s, C.K.’s sets expanded to 30-45 minutes as he started headlining clubs and fostering his unique onstage persona. His first half-hour special in 1999 clocks in at 30 minutes.
2000s
Louis C.K.’s sets averaged 45-60 minutes during the 2000s as he became more successful playing theaters. This is when he started pushing himself to create full hour-plus stand-up shows.
2010s
Over the past decade, the average Louis C.K. show has run 60-80 minutes in length. He ascended to major theater / arena shows and Netflix specials consistently at this length.
2020s
In his 2020s “comeback” shows since resuming stand-up, Louis C.K.’s sets remain right around the 60-80 minute mark, showing he has settled into his pace as a veteran headliner.
Conclusion
In summary, the typical length of a Louis C.K. stand-up show is 60-80 minutes, with his longest special events running as long as 109 minutes. Early in his career his sets were shorter when he was an unknown opening act. But he quickly worked to build his stamina and joke catalog to reach headliner status performing hour-plus shows, which has remained his norm for over two decades at this point. Louis C.K. is renowned in comedy for his epic, no-holds-barred marathon sets that show off his mastery of the stand-up art form.