Louis CK Explains Why It Was Tough Starting Out in Boston

Louis CK 2012 Shankbone 3 by David Shankbone on Flickr / Creative Commons

Long before he was selling out venues like Madison Square Garden, Louis CK was just a young and hungry comic looking to make a name for himself at comedy clubs in Boston.

In a new, wide-ranging interview with Vulture, the former Newton resident opened up about his early days in the business and explained how he’s evolved as a jokester since then.

CK admitted that it was pretty tough starting out out in Boston because there was always pressure to get huge laughs with each and every word that came out of his mouth.

I know how to carry a subtle idea and make it mean something. I’m doing a bit right now about the kind of person who makes the choice to teach public school. It’s just a real quiet back-and-forth. For me, that’s an evolution, because I started in the clubs in Boston, and you had to get huge laughs or you might actually get beaten up. There was always that feeling that you had to be on the balls of your feet, killing the whole time — that makes for a good 45-minute act, but you’ve got to evolve past that to be worth watching for over an hour. Being great in first gear is something I’m constantly trying to get better at.

In addition to chatting about his Boston roots, CK also offered a few thoughts on this year’s presidential race.

The Horace and Pete star said that his previous comparison of Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler was a “messy thing to do,” however, he thinks it would’ve been cowardly not to call out the presumptive Republican nominee.

“I felt like I had to raise my hand and be counted because I believe he’s a bigot with a hole in his heart,” CK said. “A guy who shouldn’t be anywhere near the f–king thing is the Republican nominee.”

Check out CK’s full Vulture interview here.