Louis C.K. — whose semi-autobiographical FX comedy returns for its fourth season next month — has kept busy during the show’s nearly two-year hiatus with supporting roles in “American Hustle” and “Blue Jasmine.”
But the “Louie” writer/producer/director/star wasn’t always so in-demand, as he tells the May issue of GQ, which chose him to top its list of The 15 Funniest People Alive Right Now.
“I’ve never been suicidal, but I’ve wanted to be,” he tells the magazine, recalling a low point in the ’90s when he got in a bad motorcycle accident, went broke and was fired as the director of “Pootie Tang.”
“It never stopped getting worse. I remember thinking, ‘This is too much for me to handle.’ I wanted to give up. I knew it was my right to. But then a few minutes would go by and I’d realize, I’m still here. In other words, there was no escape from it. And I’d be a little disappointed at not being truly suicidal. I hated being ‘all right.’ ”
Lucky for comedy fans, C.K. survived those fallow years and has gone on to win widespread acclaim (and three Emmys) with his brand of dark humor.
“Louie” premieres with two back-to-back episodes May 5 at 10 p.m. on FX.