We’ve covered many aspects of Louis C.K.’s career over the past year or so — his TV series, his late night career, his radio spots, his stand-up shows, his “funniest people now” list appearances, his interviews with Tony Hawk, his SNL hosting, his Lucky Louie days, his awkward Christmas cards, his Cheetos portraits — but there’s one part of it we haven’t yet mentioned: his voice over work on Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist.
It may take you awhile to get past the squiggles and self-hatred, and just enjoy Dr. Katz, but once you do, you’ll realize it’s one of TV’s more underrated comedies of all-time, with a stellar cast. There are stars Jonathan Katz, H. Jon Benjamin, and Laura Silverman, of course, but Ray Romano, Garry Shandling, Marc Maron, Todd Barry, Winona Ryder, Bob Odenkirk, Kevin Nealon, Rodney Dangerfield, Jon Stewart, David Cross, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mitch Hedberg, Paul F. Tompkins, Harry Shearer, Jeff Goldblum, David Duchovny, Patton Oswalt, Dave Chappelle, and Conan O’Brien, among others, all laid down on Katz’s couch during the show’s six-season run from 1995-1999. Plus, Louis C.K., who made four appearances, beginning with season two’s “Bees and SIDS.”
In honor of his upcoming HBO special, let’s take a look back at some of the knowledge that can be gleamed from Louis on Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist (all of which can be watched on YouTube).
On being a redhead:
On weight gains:
On going Christmas caroling with people vs. Christmas caroling by yourself:
On the perils of mixing drinking with loneliness:
On dating:
On the wonders of procreation:
On being a dick:
On f*cking with the police:
On enjoying not having a driver’s license, yet still driving:
On…OK, no wisdom here; I just wanted to turn this into a GIF:
On sexuality:
God I loved Dr. Katz.
When I was a teenager, Comedy Central split time with The Nashville Network or some other country channel….so I would go to sleep watching Dr. Katz and wake up to the sounds of someone torturing cats.
I remember that, but I think it was VH1 in my area. So I’d go to sleep watching Dr. Katz and wake up to the sounds of someone torturing cats with elevator music.
Now, I listen for Archer when Katz’s son speaks.
/Pictures Archer climbing into a dumpster to retrieve his stuffed toy “Bully”, then makes his dad eat a bowl of spiderwebs
Yeah, that works!
I hated Dr Katz, I think I was just wasn’t ready for it, perhaps I was too young or it was ahead of its time, I don’t know.
But I do remember the “Rise on my command Testicles” piece, and I remember how hard I laughed at that. It makes me happy to know that even though I was young and stupid, I still found Louis CK hilarious.
I was gonna say the same thing, I totally remember this episode but I also remember hating the shit out of this show. The guests were as a amazing as the writing but I just couldn’t deal with those squiggly fucking lines.
That shit gave me headache, I remember I couldn’t watch Home Movies for the same reason.
Hey Josh, if you wanted to give the Mitch Hedburg episode the same gif treatment I wouldn’t be mad at ya.
I made an account just to say Ben cooking Thanksgiving dinner is one of my favorite scenes in TV history. Yelling from the other room and his eventual freakout kill me every time
[www.youtube.com]
Ben getting the car towed after driving around with the “emergency make the car smell funny lever” on and Ben color coding what may and may not be touched and/or thrown away were my two favorites….
Those and “Bystander Benjamin Katz said as many as three shots were fired and possibly as few as zero.”
Love love loved Dr. Katz. I remember watching this as a kid but never realized how much comedic talent was on the show. Def needs a rewatch.
I had no idea that show was good, just remembered hating how poorly drawn it was when I was a kid. The last one and “Hooray for this!” are amazing.
You’re going to lose your shit when you discover Home Movies.
Far superior to Dr. Katz and slightly better Squigglevision.
Wow, that “I don’t tan – I just burst into flames” line is something I still quote to this day. I had no idea I was quoting CK all this time.
The phrase is “gleaned from” not “gleamed from”.