Comedian Chews Up Midlife Foibles

Fresh Air

Published October 9, 2008 at 3:53 PM EDT

Born Louis Szekely, the comedian adopted the moniker "C.K" in grade school in an effort to help people pronounce his name correctly.

Comic and actor Louis C.K. sends up middle-aged American life — including his own difficulties raising his four-year-old daughter — in the new Showtime special, Chewed Up. C.K. previously played a part-time auto mechanic struggling to be a family man in the HBO sitcom Lucky Louie.

C. K. has written for David Letterman, Conan O'Brien and Chris Rock. He also wrote, produced and directed the film Pootie Tang.

This interview was originally broadcast on June 15, 2006.

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