Louis C.K.

Part of the allure of seeing Louis C.K. is that any comedy fan can point up at the stage and say, “That’s me up there!” The same fits of joy, frustration, anxiety, and hilarity that haunt us all make their way into Louis C.K.’s jokes about race, family, aging, sex, eating, and so forth. He’s always personable and relatable onstage, not to mention in his new stand-up documentary, Hilarious, or in his fabulous FX sitcom Louie—heading for its second season—which, like C.K.’s act of late, deals hilariously with being a recently divorced dad. Few other comics, alive or dead, perform with such well-honed intensity.

Updated 02/15/2011