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Wednesday, Jun 27, 2012 1:45 PM UTC

Evading Ticketmaster Louis C.K. sells tour himself

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Topics: From the Wires,

NEW YORK (AP) — After selling a comedy special directly to fans and upending the comedy business, Louis C.K. is taking the same approach with tickets to his next tour.

The comedian announced Monday evening that he’ll charge a flat, no-fee rate of $45 to all of the shows on a 39-city tour he kicks off in October. Tickets will bypass ticketing services and are available only through louisck.com.

That’s similar to how he sold downloads of his special “Live at the Beacon” for $5, a move that was widely hailed and has since been imitated by other comics like Jim Gaffigan and Aziz Ansari. It made more than $1 million in 12 days.

“I’m trying something new, building on the fun, success and fan-benefit of selling my content online,” the comedian, whose FX show “Louie” debuts its third season Thursday, said in an email to fans.

In an effort to deter scalping, he pledged that any tickets sold above the original price will be canceled. True-market value for a show by Louis C.K., one of the most popular stand-ups in the country, would fetch higher prices. (Online ticketing company Etix is assisting the comedian’s sale.)

Often, booking venues without the inclusion of a large ticketing service can prove problematic for acts looking to avoid Ticketmaster, which merged with concert producer LiveNation in 2010. Louis C.K. said booking venues had been “a real challenge.”

“About a year ago I reached a place where I realized I am making enough money doing comedy so the next thing that interested me is bringing your price down,” he told fans. “Either way, I still make a whole lot more than my grandfather who taught math and raised chickens in Michigan.”

Jake Coyle

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  • The protests take on a festive element as police forces move out of the park and square. Wearing a gas mask, this young man dances to traditional Turkish music in front of Taksim Square’s Ataturk Monument.

  • In Gezi Park since March 31st, this protester, originally caught off-guard by the Government’s teargas and water cannons, went out and bought a Russian army mask from WWII, preparing for what was to come.

  • This rambunctious boy seems to be enjoying the chaos. After taking this picture he threw a stone at the already destroyed building in the background.

  • Forming a line, the police face off directly with protesters in Taksim Square. After a while, they retreated and there was a general cheer – a back-and-forth dance that has been common since the beginning of this protest.

  • An elderly woman in Gezi Park reads the news. The tent community occupying the park was violently destroyed on June 16th.

  • Many different groups had set up booths to promote their cause in Taksim Square and Gezi Park. Standing in front of one, this man waves his flag while posing with conviction.

  • Many home-remedies are used to minimize the effects of tear gas. This woman has put a milky solution on her face, removing her mask after the tear gas dissipated. Before sunrise, the police came again for another round of teargasing.

  • People capitalize on the uprising -- selling flags, beer, gas masks, sky lanterns and spray paint to name just a few of the popular items.

  • On Monday morning, June 11, the police execute a strong offensive. Many plain-clothed police officers, like the ones seen here, clash with protesters in the side streets away from the main stand-off in Taksim.

  • The authorities seem to be most aggressive in the night, pushing protesters away from the square and park. After being teargassed this young woman catches her breath with other protesters on Siraselviler Street.

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