Louis C.K.

There’s nothing new or marvel about cute cuddly talking animals; they’ve been the center of animated feature films since the earliest days of animation. But in ‘The Secret Life of Pets,’ the age old shtick still works.

Now that President Obama has come and gone, Jon Stewart’s final round of Daily Show outings will bring out a few more big guns to help send him off. Among the sure to be extensive list, we already have top comedians (and near successors) Amy Schumer, Louis C.K. and even Denis Leary booking slots on Jon Stewart’s final run.

Talking dogs and cats have been a staple of animation since the medium’s earliest days, but The Secret Life of Pets trailer actually presents a fairly fresh take on this trope. The talking animals here are ordinary house pets, alone all day while their humans are at work, and we get to see how they pass the time.

Months before we have the Emmys or the Golden Globes to worry about, the annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards streamed Monday night and released the full list of winners as chosen by the Broadcast Television Journalists Association. ‘The Big Bang Theory‘ expectedly dominated in its many nominations, while the race for Best Drama tied and some surprising new stars were honored.

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today: Louis C.K. Age: 44 Occupation: Actor, Screenwriter, and Comedian Known For: A dry, acerbic and hilariously angry comedic style, prior gigs writing for late-night shows such as ‘The Late Show with David Letterman’ and ‘Late Night with Conan O’Brien,’ and writing, directing and starring in the Emmy-nominated FX series ‘Louie’ Jennifer H