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In this powerful and surprisingly emotional episode of 2 Bears 1 Cave, Tom Segura sits down with Louis C.K. to discuss his new novel Ingram, the creative process behind writing fiction, and the brutal emotional reality of loneliness and childhood struggle. Louis explains why he quit stand-up for over a year, how stepping away from the stage changed his life, and what ultimately pulled him back into comedy.

The conversation dives deep into fear, pain, trauma, comedy philosophy, empathy, war stories, emotional burnout, and why the darkest moments in life can shape the most powerful art. Tom reveals that reading Ingram made him cry, and Louis talks about the deeply disturbing next book he’s finishing—including a scene that shocked even him while writing it.

They also explore the controversial idea of “punching down” in comedy, the ethics of humor, and why Louis believes the funniest material comes from the messy truth of being human.

2 Bears, 1 Cave Ep. 316

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Chapters

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:00 - Becoming A Novelist, Eastern Europe, & Russian Literature

00:05:12 - Quitting Stand Up & Daily Rituals

00:08:47 - Writing Ingram & Why Tom Teared Up

00:19:38 - Loneliness, Street Kids, & the Human Threshold for Empathy

00:34:27 - Trauma, War & Emotional Damage

00:39:17 - Coming Back to Stand-Up & Rebuilding Material

00:46:22 - Upsetting Audiences, Articulating Thoughts, & Punching Down

00:59:59 - Touring Burnout & The Future of Live Comedy

01:06:42 - Final Thoughts & Tom Praises Ingram

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