The embattled comic made an unannounced appearance at the Comedy Cellar in New York City on Monday night.
Louis C.K. made a surprise return to the stage on Monday in his first live stand-up performance since admitting to sexual misconduct last November.
The former Louie star shocked the audience at the Comedy Cellar in New York City when he took the stage for an announced set at the famed venue where he often used to perform, The New York Times reported.
The comic reportedly appeared around 11 p.m. and delivered a set that was made up of "typical Louis C.K. stuff," Comedy Cellar owner Noam Dworman told The Times. "It sounded just like he was trying to work out some new material, almost like any time of the last 10 years he would come in at the beginning of a new act."
Not included in his material was any mention of his sexual misconduct scandal.
C.K. was reportedly met with a warm response from the sold-out audience of 115 attendees, and even received an ovation before he began his set. However, Dworman said he did receive a complaint about the comic's announced appearance.
C.K. has largely remained under the radar -- seemingly in a media exile -- since he was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women in a New York Times expose published in November.
In the article, five women accused C.K. of either asking to masturbate in front of them, or masturbating in front of them without their consent.
The 50-year-old comedian released a lengthy statement the following day, in which he addressed the allegations for the first time. While the recent accusations date back to the 1990s, media speculation surrounding C.K.'s behavior started in 2012. The five-time Emmy winner, however, had repeatedly refused to address rumors even as they've gained more momentum over the years, until the expose.
In his statement, which can be read in full here, C.K. said of the accuser's accounts, "These stories are true."
"At the time, I said to myself that what I did was okay because I never showed a woman my dick without asking first, which is also true. But what I learned later in life, too late, is that when you have power over another person, asking them to look at your dick isn’t a question. It’s a predicament for them," he wrote, in part. "I have been remorseful of my actions. And I've tried to learn from them. And run from them. Now I’m aware of the extent of the impact of my actions."
Following the publication of the expose, and C.K.'s subsequent admission, numerous media organizations cut ties with him, including HBO, Netflix, FX -- which aired his hit comedy series Louie -- and film distributor The Orchard, which pulled out of releasing C.K.'s film, I Love You Daddy, which he directed and starred in.
For more on the scandal surrounding the embattled comedian, watch the video below.
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