The comedy club owner Noam Dworman told the New York Times that C.K.'s set was filled with "typical Louis C.K. stuff," and that he didn't mention the scandal or the #MeToo movement in his material.
Dworman also said that the audience gave C.K. a standing ovation before his set, and that only one patron complained, saying that he "wished he had known in advance, so he could've decided whether to have been there."
Mo Amer, another comic on the bill, told the Times that C.K.'s set was "like, classic Louis, really, really good."
His return to the stage isn't sitting well with many people on Twitter, though.
See some of the outraged reaction to C.K.'s live return below.
I can't believe Louis CK of all people subjected an unsuspecting crowd to several minutes of self-indulgent behavior without their consent https://t.co/diusXWN1Nl
— Chandler Dean (@chandlerjdean) August 28, 2018
Louis CK being "banished" from stand-up comedy wasn't some kind of petty punishment, it was a fucking workplace safety issue.
— Bris Farley (@IanKarmel) August 28, 2018
Louis CK can eat shit
— Tyler Coates (@tylercoates) August 28, 2018
Louis CK has enough money for six lifetimes. He's gotten opportunities people would kill for, more praise than Jesus and James Joyce combined. And he wasted them. No, his life will never be that good again, but most lives are never that good.
— Sady Doyle (@sadydoyle) August 28, 2018
This is the subtext of every Louis CK story (and it always has been, even when we didn't know it). His career has always been a zero sum game that required a bunch of women not to have one. Him being on that stage keeps them off of it.
— dan solomon (@dansolomon) August 28, 2018
Multiple women Louis CK pulled his dick out in front of lost opportunities to pursue their careers because this guy and his enablers wanted to keep them quiet https://t.co/1muHlsXr9T
— dan solomon (@dansolomon) August 28, 2018
many good, well-employed comedians regularly perform at the Comedy Cellar. they all have the power to make it clear that Louis CK's return is not acceptable pic.twitter.com/8fBkfOXatB
— Seth Simons (@sasimons) August 28, 2018
Many wonder "how long" Louis CK should be "punished" for before he's "allowed to do comedy."
— Amir Talai (@AmirTalai) August 28, 2018
Not sure, but
1) he's not been punished.
2) For non-famous men, each count of indecent exposure and false imprisonment (which CK's admitted to) carries a sentence of ~1yr in jail
If Louis CK had stolen jokes, he'd be a fucking pariah. But instead he stole careers and passion and trust from possibly brilliant comedians - women that we'll never get to hear from - and that is worse. Or it should be.
— Jason Filiatrault (@jfiliatrault) August 28, 2018
I can't wait for the Louis CK/TJ Miller coheadlining "We're only as sorry as you'll ask us to be to get our jobs back" tour.
— mike mulloy (@fakemikemulloy) August 28, 2018
So Louis CK, TJ Miller, and Chris Hardwick walk into a comedy club...
— Allie Goertz (@AllieGoertz) August 28, 2018
I would have paid money if some guy in the audience climbed up on stage and started jerking off in front of Louis CK during his act. https://t.co/lmm3KI9yI7
— ᴏʜ ғᴜᴄᴋ ɪᴛ's ASHLEY LYNCH (@ashleylynch) August 28, 2018
Yesterday I saw that Aziz Ansari has "quietly" returned to performing & today I see that Louis CK has returned to performing, greeted by a standing ovation. The argument that sexual assault allegations ruin men's lives is absolute bullshit.
— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) August 28, 2018
Making them often ruins women's, tho.
Louis CK performed stand up tonight?! Wow!
— Andy Greskoviak (@Andy_Greskoviak) August 28, 2018
What about Dana Min Goodman & Julia Wolov? Did they get 15 mins in the Comedy Cellar?
They did not. Their careers were derailed by Louis CK after they spoke up about him cornering them and masturbating in front of them.
So, fuck him.
I wish all the people crying "so Louis CK can never work in comedy again?" felt as strongly about all the women who could never work in comedy again.
— Jennifer Weiner (@jenniferweiner) August 28, 2018
Fun Twitter challenge: find someone who's happy that Louis CK is performing comedy again, and who ISN'T a white male.
— Alex Goldberger (@Alex_Goldberger) August 28, 2018
Remember episode 1 of Better Call Saul where Saul is forced to work at Cinnabon under a new name, twitching and afraid, going home to watch his old commercials with pathetic reverence? That's better than Louis CK deserves. Get the fuck offstage.
— Dan Telfer (@dantelfer) August 28, 2018
If you are at a comedy club or a music venue and a celebrity accused of sexual harassment or assault like Louis CK shows up for a surprise performance, it is your ethical duty to LEAVE. Walk out. Punish him, and the business that hosted him, by removing your patronage.
— ella dawson (@brosandprose) August 28, 2018
Five women came forward last November, publicly sharing their personal experiences with the comedian, who had long been rumoured to masturbate in front of women.
After admitting to such behaviour, his film I Love You, Daddy was pulled from release, Netflix cancelled an upcoming special and Louie network FX severed ties with him.
