A two-time Grammy Award winner, Louis Székely, popularly known by his stage name Louis C.K., is not only one of America’s most popular stand-up comedians but also an actor, and filmmaker. Following his successful career which began in 1984, Louis C.K. net worth grew to the point that his name became a regular on Forbes’ list of Celebrity 100 Earnings.
Meanwhile, for several years, there were media reports and rumors of Louis C.K. being involved in sexual offenses. That notwithstanding, his career continued to boom as he kept on booking lucrative comedy specials and signing TV and film deals among other things. The tide changed for the funnyman when in an interview in a September 2017 Vanity Fair magazine, his industry colleague, Tig Notaro, announced that she was breaking off all connections with C.K., asking him to clear the air with regards to the rumors of his sexual impropriety, and indirectly hinting at an incident which happened between them.
In response, Louis while speaking in an interview, dismissed the claims in a September 2017 edition of New York Times. However, the story took a different turn barely two months later when five women broke their silence in a New York Times report, accusing the comedian of sexual misconduct. This marked the beginning of the end of his career in the entertainment industry as a lot of powerful companies cut ties with him which prompted him to also take a step back from his career having accepted the accusations as true. This resulted in huge financial losses on the part of the entertainer.
It’s been a few years since the scandal and Louis is back to business but how well has his career and finances fared since his return and what is Louis C.K. net worth now? Keep reading to find out all the answers you need.
How Much The Sexual Misconduct Scandal Cost Him
Almost as soon as the report of his five accusers went public, Louis C.K. was hit very hard by the consequences. The blow started coming even before the New York Times published the report on the 9th of November 2017. The said date was supposed to be a big day for the comedian with the premiere of his movie, I Love You, Daddy, in New York City but it turned out to be a day he will always remember for bad. This is because the movie distributor canceled its scheduled screening and later on the same day, reports of the five women who had found their voices to speak about his sexual sins were published.
These women include the Chicago comedy duo, Dana Min Goodman and Julia Wolov, comedian Abby Schachner, comedian Rebecca Corry, and a fifth woman, who opted to be anonymous. The accusations were hinged on C.K. masturbating in the presence of 3 of these women, masturbating alone while speaking with one on the phone, and asking for permission from a fifth to do the same in front of her. A day after the release of the article, Louise C.K. publicly acknowledged that the allegations were true and apologized for abusing the power he wielded in the industry.
That same week, Dave Becky, C.K.’s manager, dropped him as a client and later on, The Orchard, distributor of the movie, I Love You, Daddy, which was written, directed, produced, and financed by the comedian, announced its decision not to distribute the film. His co-stars on the film also changed their minds about participating in its promotion. Additionally, Louis was also dropped by management company 3 Arts Entertainment agency and APA, the agency in charge of his tours. HBO also cut all ties with C.K. and as a result, dropped him from its upcoming special The Night of Too Many Stars. That was not all from HBO, the company also went on to remove all of his content from its on-demand library.
As the chain effect continued, FX and Illumination announced that they had parted ways with Louis, Netflix backed out on his second scheduled stand-up special, while TBS suspended the production of his animated series titled The Cops and later scrapped it. Disney Channel on its part removed the comedian from reruns of Gravity Falls and redubbed the voice of the character he plays with that of Alex Hirsch, creator of the series.
Louis C.K. Net WorthÂ
In the year leading up to the 1st of June 2017, he was listed among the highest-paid comedians on Forbes list with an earning of $52 million. However, as a result of all the blows his career received due to the companies that cut him loose, C.K’s earning took a hit and consequently, he dropped off Forbes’ list of highest-paid comedians the following year.
Although it will be difficult to ascertain the exact amount he lost, it is sure to run into millions. And with his career trying to make a rebound, the total amount of future earnings may never be as huge as it would have been had the scandal issue not come up. That notwithstanding, Louis C.K. net worth still reads in millions, approximately $35 million (£27m) according to Celebrity Net Worth.
