Louis C.K. Tops $1 Million From Beacon Theater Special, Gives Half to Charity, Staff

Louis C.K. is doing his little part to rework the way the entertainment industry works. Earlier this month he put a special up for sale for $5 a pop. Louis was able to keep the price down because he didn’t go through iTunes, or Amazon, or any other big companies. He also made the special easy to buy and asked people not to pirate it.

Well, the gamble is paying off. Louis C.K. told Jimmy Fallon last night that his Beacon Theater Special has made more than $1 million, which, according to Louis, is way too much money.

Louis C.K. said:

“I’ve never had a million dollars all at once. I grew up pretty poor and I was like, this is not even my money. This is just a five-dollar impulse that 220,000 people had, and now I have it. And I felt uncomfortable about having that much money.”

So what did he decide to do with his new found wealth. Louis divided the money into four parts. $250,000 went into his company to pay for the production of the special. Another $250,000 was given to his staff. $280,000 went to different charities. And the final $250,000 is going to his stomach.

Here’s the video from Jimmy Fallon.

Do you think Louis C.K. is changing the entertainment industry? Will more people start bypassing companies so that they can bring their content directly to the public? Will consumers stop pirating material if artists start asking nicely?

Did you buy Louis C.K.’s Beacon Theater Special?