Louis C.K. Shoots Louie For FX

FX and Louis C.K. have shot a pilot starring stand-up star. Tentatively titled Louie, the half-hour comedy is based on his life as a comedian and divorced father of two. The stories are told through a mix of standup routines and sketches in which he acts opposite actors playing his kids, ex-wife and friends. It’s a grassroots project for Louis, who not only wrote Louie, but also cast it, directed it and even edited it, with the help of $250,000 in seed money from FX. Louis shot the low-budget project in New York.

Louis’ life situation as a recently divorced man still co-parenting with his ex-wife largely informs both his current standup routine and this new show. His experience as a fortysomething man back on the dating scene also plays a large role. The pilot includes two stories: In one vignette, Louie must volunteer at his kids’ school, and things go horribly wrong when he chaperones a field trip. In another bit, he goes on a terrible date.

FX has been developing and shooting comedy projects quietly for months now looking for a companion show to It’s Always Funny In Philadelphia. The last comedy, Testees, didn’t do well and was quietly canceled. Louie joins The League, the recently shot pilot about a group of guys in a fantasy football league, and the animated Archer, which has already received an episodic order. FX has several more comedies in the works as well, but at the script stage.

FX plans to make a decision on both The League (from Jeff and Jackie Marcus Schaffer) and the Louis C.K. project within the next 10 days. Insiders said there’s a good chance both comedies will also be ordered to series.