C.K. appearance a downside: owner

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This article was published 30/08/2018 (2212 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NEW YORK — The owner of the Comedy Cellar said he was entirely unaware disgraced comedian Louis C.K. would show up Sunday to perform an impromptu set, but called it a “missed opportunity” that C.K. didn’t include his sexual misconduct scandal in his material.

Noam Dworman, owner of the legendary West Village spot, said C.K. offered no advanced warning, and simply walked in and was let up on stage by the emcee.

“It’s not an open mic, but it’s Louis C.K., somebody famous like that,” Dworman told the Hollywood Reporter. “I haven’t spoken to (the emcee) because I didn’t feel he could say anything other than, ‘OK.’”

C.K.’s weekend show was thought to be the first major performance since he admitted to masturbating in front of female colleagues in November, but Dworman says he’d previously given it a go on Long Island — and struck out.

“He did a spot at Governor’s (of Levittown), which is a comedy club in Long Island, apparently before he came here. I found this out late in the day. And it was a very, very light crowd and he apparently wasn’t happy with it and he decided on a spur of the moment to come to the Comedy Cellar,” Dworman explained.

The owner struck down rumours that C.K. offered up a serious chunk of change to get the coveted stage time.

“On principle, I believe that the man is entitled to his livelihood and that it’s up to the audience to go or not go, I believe in that principle,” Dworman explained. “But in terms of the Comedy Cellar (accepting money), this is nothing but a difficulty for us — there’s no benefit here for us.”

Meanwhile, Dworman said the comedian’s surprise set was received “warmly” by the audience, and that he only received one complaint, from a customer who felt “ambushed.”

Still, he admitted it was a “missed opportunity” for the Louie star not to address the scandal that’s forced him out of the spotlight for the past nine months, as he believed audience-goers might feel a “pang of forgiveness” had C.K. returned expressing sincere remorse.

Instead, Dworman said, C.K. spoke of parades, wordplay, racism and overtipping waitresses.

“I don’t prefer to be the first stop; I wish I would be the last stop,” he said of comedians making the Comedy Cellar their comeback spot of choice.

“This is nothing but a downside for me. I’m not proud of it, but I do respect principle.”

— New York Daily News