Louis CK drops a truth bomb on Seth Meyers: "You’ll never know how much they hate you"

The writer-comedian who once worked under Conan O'Brien knows the reality of late night television all too well

Published May 12, 2015 2:43PM (EDT)

   (Late Night With Seth Meyers)
(Late Night With Seth Meyers)

Turns out, superstardom hasn't completely clouded Louis CK's memories of humbler times as a fledgling late-night writer. On Monday night's "Late Night," the writer-comedian reflected on his twenties working under Conan O'Brien and came clean to Seth Meyers about how self-interested he was then. As a late night writer, he was willing to do whatever it took to have his material heard -- even if that meant slipping jokes into Conan's opening monologue (which, Louis CK and his rascal friend knew went largely unchecked prior to recording).

"I thought, I just want to get my stuff on the show!" Louis CK explained. "Now I know that I was working for people that I should have been helping. They were giving me money."

He continued: "If someone hires you to do anything and they pay you money that you, then, go live your life with you should really want to do whatever they need."

Turning to Meyers, Louis CK told the late night host that, much in the same way he remembers the writer-host dynamic, his writers probably just view him as a hurdle. "You'll never know how much they hate you," he said.

Watch the clip below:


By Colin Gorenstein

Colin Gorenstein is Salon's assistant editor of internet and viral content. Follow @colingorenstein or email cgorenstein@salon.com.

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Late Night Television Louis Ck Seth Meyers Video