Early Louis C.K. Standup Comedy From the 1980s and 1990s

Louis C.K. is one of the most successful standup comics around. But he, like everybody else, got there from somewhere. Here he is a bit earlier in the climb, a 1987 set in Boston. It’s pretty disconcerting to see that smile on a young man.

Here’s Louis in the early 90’s, carrot red topped, still fairly conventional, and still working the dolphin jokes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAplg3uzGy0

Louis talked about how he developed as a comic and George Carlin’s influence at a tribute to Carlin a couple years back. And here’s Louis from 2011 on “Talking Funny” a conversation about comedy with Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Ricky Gervais. Here he talks about the first bit he wrote that he thought was really funny:

And here’s an outtake from his recent Beacon Theater show, refreshingly dolphin free:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzHzlMneaeQ

In the age of YouTube, standup comic secret origins sometimes surface, and it’s fun and educational to see the earliest performances of now well established comedians. I’ve posted before about Seinfeld, Leno, Steven Wright, and Sarah Silverman and the cast of 30 Rock. More to come.