Louis C.K. is a comedian with balding, red hair. He has a television show that I’ve seen a few times and I enjoyed. I don’t know what his initials stand for or why his show is called Louie and not Louis. My guess is this is a typo that no one noticed until it was too late, and then they were embarrassed to change. The other thing I know about Louis is that he’s not very good at returning emails.
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When Louis CK turned down our request for an interview at DadWagon.com, we just made up a Q&A with him: http://www.dadwagon.com/2011/06/21/qa-fake-louis-c-k/
Nicely done, man. But tell me, did he ever answer that? I know he’s a busy guy and all (his show is pretty much an all-DIY affair), but five months is a lot of time and a little “no thank you” would have prevented an escalation. You should send him the link. I tweeted it and I hope it gets picked up, so that he feels bad about it.
So it’s sorta rude that he didn’t reply for months, but the barest of research about your interview subject would reveal a few things:
1) That CK is an abbreviation for his last name.
2) Louie is purposefully fictional, hence the name change.
3) He does just about everything for that show–write, direct, edit, you name it. Plus he has his kids several days a week. Dude’s busy, is all I’m saying.
4) He’s expressed his qualms with online modes of communication like Facebook and Twitter in past interviews, coming to the conclusion that they feel artificial so he quit.
I’m sure you’re probably being flip about all this and you know at least some of the above. I also think your string of emails is pretty funny. However, the apparent lack of research with respect to your subject is a wobbly persona and/or evidence of Louis CK making the right decision not to reply to you. I hope if he sees this, he does not feel bad.
Really? A massively successful and hardworking comedian didn’t reply to your unprofessional, condescending, and borderline satirical email? This post reads like just another McSweeney’s “Open Letter” piece, and is cheap print at the expense of a legitimate creative mind. It’s too bad a site like The Rumpus has to run this instead of an actual interview with Louis CK.
Witz
(Read actual humor at http://www.witzpickz.com)
This seems petulant.
Maybe he didn’t answer you because you come off as a douche right away in the first email. Of course he would have done good in the interview. And people are already filling up his shows without you having to interview him. Also, of course he can keep the people at his shows. He’s Louis Fuckin CK!
Dear TJ,
I sure hope Louis doesn’t feel bad either. The last thing I would want is for him to think I was in any way upset with him. I understand he is busy and has more important things to do than send emails to old men he doesn’t even know. But I felt it was my journalistic integrity to continually email him and offer him a chance to respond.
As for my lack of research, I’m still learning how to use the Google website and when I become more adept at it I hope to unlock more secrets about my interview subjects as well as the secrets of the universe.
Your Friend,
Ted
Dear Benoit,
Louis was never able to answer but I do not fault him for it. The only thing I fault him for his being so successful that he doesn’t have time to answer. If he were more of a loser I would expect him to respond.
Your Friend,
Ted
Ted, I too am chagrined by your lack of research. When I think of an elderly, retired insurance salesman who plays trombone in an indie band and writes a column reviewing everything in the world, my mind immediately darts to: journalistic rigor. As to “CK” being an abbreviation of his last name, that sounds like a plausible explanation until you count up the letters in that “abbreviation” and discover that there are *two* while most people I know only have *one* last name. And that doesn’t even take into account the fact that this “abbreviation” has no periods, which everyone knows are required for abbreviations. It looks like *someone* could stand to do a little more research before flippantly throwing out explanations.
C.K. is derived from an approximate English pronunciation of his Hungarian surname, Szekely.
Dear Witz,
I don’t feel that this is at the expense of Louis and I’m sorry you interpreted it as such. If it is at anyone’s expense I would guess it would be my own because now everyone knows how desperate I was to interview Louis and I feel embarrassed.
Anyway, I look forward to reading your website of actual humor. If it’s half as funny as your general demeanor I’m sure I’m in for a treat!
Your Friend,
Ted
Dear Charlie Fan,
That’s a plausible theory as to why Louis never responded. I hope one day we find out the answer to this mystery!
Your Friend,
Ted
Well, in your initial “request,” you come off like a huge asshole. So, there’s that.
Never saw someone tout their own failure. Good luck getting an interview, next time.
Dear Louis,
I’m very sorry I came across as an asshole. I’ve been a fan of yours for many years and I think this is an instance of miscommunication. I hoped to explain to you why an interview would be worth your time because I did not feel confident that you would otherwise be interested. I try my best to treat people well. You have my sincerest apologies.
I will continue to watch your jokes and laugh at them even though I know you hate me.
Your Friend,
Ted
I for one look forward to the new Louis CK bit where he talks about a annoying reporter then verbally shits all over him.
Why do you assume that after all this time ignoring you, the commenter “Louis” is really him? You’re probably not even on his radar.
To most of the people who have commented so far who are not Ted Wilson: lighten up. Good grief.
Dear Sticky Golf,
I think you may have overlooked a not insignificant amount of sarcasm in Ted’s reply.
Always double-check your work,
M
I can’t decide what’s funnier–Ted’s hilarious, sardonic wit or the aggressively, hostile comments from people who clearly don’t get the joke. I’m a big fan of both Ted and Louis, because both can find kindness and humor in the darkest of places.
Is he related to Rony Seikaly?
Condegrrl, you took the words right out of my mouth.
Ted,
I totally dig your humor. If I were important, as important as Louis, at first I’d think you were some punk kid. Sometimes emails and texts are interpreted in a realistic manner and not a “sarcastic” one.
However, the fact that you kept the joking going, I think its awesome. I read it like you were having a conversation with some hot chick that didnt give you the time of day at a bar, so you upped the ante. The more ridiculous the comments the better – “I am not that Ted that you dislike.”
If Louis ever responds, I hope its in person or he invites you on his show.
Good luck,
Neil
PS – You should try this with other celebrities – call its “The Sound of One Reporter Typing”
The worst thing about your pathetic attempts is that your humor is really shit, I’m proud at CK for not replying you, that would have looked bad on his part
Dear Eran,
I think the worst thing is that people who don’t know me at all leave aggressive and mean spirited comments.
Your Friend,
Ted
Dear Neil,
Thanks for your kind words. Your “Sound of One Reporter Typing” is a funny idea.
Your Friend,
Ted
I have one question: how come I never heard of Louis C. K.? It’s not as though I’m as clueless as Ted. And I know how to Google and Facebook my face-off. But I seriously never heard of this person. Having said that, I think he doesn’t understand Ted’s brand of savvy-free communication skills so it’s all just a big misunderstanding.
Dear Ted Wilson,
Yes, you….not the one Louis CK might have known from the hamlet of Imtedwilsonjackassville…take solace in knowing that even random people from the internet find you an immense douche bucket. Additionally, it’s painfully obvious that Condegrrl is your Mom.
Up yours Ted Wilson,
Jonny R.
This is all simply baffling.
I was almost literally LMAO while at work reading this. Too bad some of the commentators went off the deep end. *sheesh* lighten up. Still giggling… cause I’m a girl and can do that.
Did this article get linked to on Twitter or Facebook from someone? There are clearly a lot of people who don’t regularly visit The Rumpus, or at the very least don’t read the rest of Ted’s stuff.
It’s too bad that the comments section has taken on the general, anonymous assholeishness of most internet comments section. This was actually a pretty funny piece, even if you didn’t find it funny there’s certainly nothing to get all up in arms about. In summation, chill the fuck out.
Hey Ted, I think your next Review of the World topic should be the comments on this piece. I’m thinking no stars.
Keep doing what you do buddy.
I think I agree with the people that said Ted should have tried a different approach rather than writing a intentionally naive email, pretending he’s in the 10th grade. It was an attempt at humor, but it was the wrong approach–too obvious. That being said, there’s no reason to beat up on Ted, either. He gave it a shot, it failed, he kept going with it in an attempt to turn the fail into a win by Letterman-ing it–(repeating it over and over and over until it becomes a new kind of funny)–that seems to have gotten a few fans on board–and in the end, we’re still at about the same place we where when we started. Ted didn’t get an interview with Louis C.K., who is very much a popular, busy, and cynical guy and had every reason to ignore Ted–(that doesn’t make him Hitler, btw…) the people who like Ted can feel as though they made a friend and maybe will start reading the Rumpus–reading’s good, so that’s a win, and the people that hated on Ted can feel a sense of superiority for trashing someone anonymously, although that is a short-lived and pathetic sense of superiority to be sure. Who knows? Maybe this whole thing was a sort of viral “anti-humor” experiment created by Louis C.K. and his close friend and writing partner, “Ted Wilson.”
Ted,
I’ve got a real surprise for you. There is a special folder in your email program that is labeled “Spam”. This has NOTHING to do with the processed meat product marketed as “Spam”. The purpose of this folder is to collect what I’ll call “junk” email, such as mass mailings, direct marketing, email from scammers, etc. Your email program should route the “junk” into the Spam folder, and the good emails into your inbox. But sometimes, SOMETIMES, a legitimate email ends up in the Spam folder BY ACCIDENT. I’m not promising anything here, but knowing Louis CK as I do from YouTube, I think you will be DELIGHTED if you were to click on over to your “Spam” folder…
Your friend,
Pete
P.S. – I wish I could see the look on your face right now!
The article and resulting comments are the funniest things I’ve read in a good long time. I simply love the comments and I think this one is my favorite: “Well, in your initial “request,†you come off like a huge asshole. So, there’s that.” But then again, this one is pretty good too: “Why do you assume that after all this time ignoring you, the commenter “Louis†is really him? You’re probably not even on his radar.” I work with people similar to those leaving comments here and I gotta tell ya, it never gets old laughing at their dense existence. With this piece posted on Huffington Post, I’m hoping more dummies flock to your site and demonstrate their ignorance.
linked from huffpo.
Dear Pete,
I was able to locate my spam folder and was indeed delighted. I found a wonderful email offering me the opportunity to buy top grade replica watches. Looks like I’ll be doing my Christmas shopping early this year. Thanks for the tip!
Your friend,
Ted
Dear Ted,
Personally, if I was going to try and “bait” Louis CK by name-dropping Elliott and Franco, I would have gone all out.
“Write me back and we’ll see if I can pencil you in. If not, I sincerely hope your career picks up.”
I think that if he DID read your first letter, which he more than likely didn’t, your tactic was too subtle and you came off looking like an ass. You win some, you lose some, I guess. Also, Huffington Post makes this article seem much less entertaining than it wound up being. It’s pretty awful news site, if you aren’t already aware. I’d like to see you write them about how awful they are at everything, if you care and get the chance.
Your friend,
Jonathan
The Huffington Post link explains so much. So much.
By the way, as far as I’m aware, the pay-structuring at the Huffington Post has not changed. Thus, the boycott has not ended: http://www.newsguild.org/index.php?ID=10712
Great piece, Ted. Hilarious as always.
I’m hoping that what appear to be the tone deafness and total lack of irony in most of the early comments are in fact a species of meta-irony that I’m not hip enough to get.
TJ, Witz, Charlie, etc.,
I thought that Ted’s intro to this exchange was the apogee of irony until I saw your brilliant impersonations of tone-deaf, irony-impaired cretins. That’s meta-irony! Excellent work.
i’m thinking that louis c.k. has people. every celebrity has people. his people filter things for him, decide what’s what, bring him opportunities, protect him from overexposure. i’m guessing ted wilson did not make it past the people is all.
this whole thread is amusing, though i do think the haters really ought to take a rest. ted, your water-off-a-duck’s-back demeanor is your saving grace. keep workin’ it.
peace all.
hoo boy! i read the interview when it came out and thought it was funny. but thank you stephen elliott for getting me to check the comments again this morning. oh the many layers of hilarity. ted you are a treasure.
i don’t think you could ever architect something this bizarre and profound. i would say “these comments are fake or part of the piece” but I don’t think that type of ignorance can be faked. ted, you are a lion. thank you. and to every single person who participated in what became a litmus test for “actual humor” we salute you, even if you can’t see us doing it.
I’m really bummed that Louie didn’t email you back, even to be polite. But I feel like he could’ve said at least something funny to you, just once, since he is a comedian. Obviously it is his loss. Or maybe he didn’t get your sense of humor. I think he’s funny, but his fan base emanating down your comment feed right now doesn’t seem very smart. Maybe they just laugh because they know they’re supposed to.
Good job Ted as always.
Ted, this piece was great, ignore all these stick-in-the-muds who somehow seem to have missed the point.
Ted Wilson for President.
Ted, I really enjoyed this week’s review. May I congratulate you on your persistence? Thank you. Congratulations! Hilarious.
I’m continually mystified by people who don’t get this kind of humor. Or maybe the cranky people above don’t normally read this column so they don’t know what to do except take it seriously.
Oh, where to begin?
I spent most of the reading of the comments wondering to myself if I really did want to see the made-for-TV version of “Are you there Louis? It’s me, Ted.”
I then had to scroll back up to savor the double and sometimes triple ironies. Thank you for this, everyone.
Finally, I have decided that the best person to cast in the live reenactment of this is Chris Lilley. (As Mr. G even? Too much?) He could play Ted and then every single person who responded to Ted.
Again, thank every one of you.
Dear Ted, speaking of ghosts, are you the ghost of Andy Kaufman ? But then again, he may not really be dead, so then you might be him. Anyway, if all or none of those theories are correct, thanks for efforts. And one question, maybe you can answer…can a right handed guitar tuner correctly tune a left handed guitar ?
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