Louis C.K.: $780,000 From Beacon Theater Special Online Sales Going to Staff, Charity - East Idaho News
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Louis C.K.: $780,000 From Beacon Theater Special Online Sales Going to Staff, Charity

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louis?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1324673101438Katy Winn/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Comedian Louis C.K., known for his crude and raw humor, made a serious announcement that he would be giving away most of the money earned from selling his Beacon Theater special online.

During an interview on “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” Wednesday, C.K. announced that he had made $1 million in sales from his online special so far because of ”a $5 impulse that 220,000 people had.” He admitted it was the first million he had made “all at once.”

Perhaps struck with the joy of the holiday season, or just plain struck, C.K. said that he “felt uncomfortable having that much money,” so he divvied it up: $250,000 went to production costs; $250,000 for his staff’s  bonuses; and $280,000, the largest chunk, would be donated to five  charities.

C.K. said the charities include the Fistula Foundation, which helps abused women; Green Chimneys, which works with children and animals; the Pablove Foundation, which help children with cancer, Charity: Water, which provides clean drinking water to impoverished countries; and Kiva, a microfinance organization that offers small loans to  people in need.

The remaining $220,000 would go to fund a “new one,” C.K. added, laughing and pointing to his lower region.

The comedian told “Nightline” anchor Bill Weir in a recent interview how he went rouge with the release of his “Louis C.K.: Live at the Beacon Theater” show, blowing off HBO and Comedy Central to sell downloads himself on his website for $5 a pop. Not only that, he also wrote, produced, performed and edited his fifth stand-up special on his MacBook Pro by himself.

The special was posted on C.K.’s website, which has no corporate affiliation, on Dec. 10. Visitors can download the special for $5 using a PayPal account.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

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