Comedy Career

In 1981, while working as a counselor for troubled children, Louie won a first-place trophy at the Midwest Comedy Competition, hosted by Henny Youngman. After the competition, Youngman hired Louie as a writer, and Louie contends that this experience was helpful in crafting his comedy routines. He made his television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1984.

He is number 92 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 greatest standups of all time. Anderson was also in the movie Coming to America. According to Maxim, he was listed as the 11th worst comedian of all time. However, at the same time, Anderson was 5th on Maxim's list of the "worst comics of all time."

Television

In 1986, Anderson was cast as Larry Appleton alongside Bronson Pinchot on the pilot episode of Perfect Strangers for ABC. The show was ultimately picked up but Anderson was replaced by Mark Linn-Baker for the role of Appleton, as the producers didn't think the chemistry between Anderson and Pinchot was quite right. The show lasted for seven seasons on ABC.

Anderson created and produced a Saturday morning series for FOX called Life with Louie in 1995. The series was based on the childhood of Louie Anderson, growing up with 10 siblings, a sweet-hearted mother and a loud, war crazed father. It also detailed how he was picked on when he was younger due to his weight, and how he used comedy as a way to deal with the teasing. The show was a 3-year hit on FOX.

In 1996, he tried once again to be part of a television sitcom when he created and starred in The Louie Show for CBS. The show had Anderson playing a psychotherapist living in Duluth, Minnesota. The show only lasted six episodes before it was canceled. Anderson later said he was dissatisfied and disappointed with the series, claiming that CBS changed it so much that by the end it wasn't even his show anymore.

Family Feud

In 1999, Anderson landed the role as host of the new version of Family Feud. He beat out popular country singer Dolly Parton for the role. Anderson asked former Feud host Richard Dawson to come on the premiere show to give him his blessing, but Dawson declined. The new Feud had a new set with a techno-style party theme song and although there were some minor rule changes, gameplay was about the same as it always had been on the show. Anderson started off with a lot of energy and enthusiasm, but soon looked bored and disinterested with the program, famously mocked in a MADtv skit.

Anderson was let go from the show in 2002 and was replaced with former Home Improvement star Richard Karn. Somewhat bitter over losing the job, Anderson claimed, on a Game Show Network special, that the show wouldn't last more than one season without him. As of 2008, the show is still on the air, although Richard Karn was replaced by John O'Hurley in 2006 after four seasons.

Anderson was known for two things while on Family Feud. He upped the prize money to $20,000, after shows like Jeopardy! and Who Wants to be a Millionaire came along, and the move helped the ratings considerably. He also put together a special 9/11 tournament between the New York Fire Department (FDNY) and the New York Police Department (NYPD), with Anderson putting up $75,000 of his own funds toward both organizations in helping the recovery of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Recent activities

Anderson now has a regularly scheduled performance in Las Vegas at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino. For the last three years, he has starred in a New Year's Eve comedy show in Minneapolis, with business acquaintance Scott Hanson.

He has starred in his own comedy specials on Home Box Office and Showtime and frequently appears on late night talk shows. He has made appearances on network television in Scrubs, Grace Under Fire, Touched by an Angel and Chicago Hope. He recently guest starred on the Adult Swim cameo-filled show Tom Goes to the Mayor.

He has worked with numerous charities. Shortly after 9/11, Louie came up with an idea to do a show in New York City for the NYPD and FDNY Widows Fund. He is also the co-founder of the H.E.R.O. organization whose mission is to empower people who are homeless or at risk of being homeless to "attain maximum self-sufficiency." H.E.R.O. works with a variety of local agencies to enroll clients in empowerment training, that will allow them to set goals for themselves and create action plans to accomplish these goals. Anderson played in the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas. He was eliminated on the first day of play, during which he received a 10-minute penalty that the tournament director could impose on people caught using foul language at the poker tables.

Anderson is a frequent guest on the highly rated morning show of Minnesota radio station KQRS and is a close friend of its host, Tom Barnard.