Dane Cook is revisiting the family betrayal that reshaped his life and career in Funny Money, a documentary set to stream on Netflix starting Nov. 6. The film recounts how Cook’s half-brother and former business manager, Darryl McCauley, stole money from the comedian over a period of years.
Cook became suspicious in 2008 and began asking questions. After McCauley stopped responding to him and a newly hired business manager, Cook checked his accounts and found one with $110,000 and another empty. A Massachusetts attorney general’s forensic audit later put the proven theft at around $12 million. Cook believes the actual sum may have been substantially higher.
McCauley was arrested after going on the run. He pleaded guilty to 27 counts of larceny, three counts of forgery and one count of embezzlement, and was sentenced to six years in prison. Cook was also left owing the IRS $6 million, including interest, for taxes that had not been paid.
Cook says he recovered financially by using about $300,000 in stocks to fund an arena tour. He booked more than 100 shows over the following two years and says he eventually made back the money he had been told was stolen. The emotional effects took longer to address: he says the humiliation revived insecurities from childhood and left him unable to write jokes or perform for a year. He later attended therapy twice a week for about a year.
The comedian had kept the story largely private before making the documentary. He describes the betrayal as “shattering” and says filming brought him to tears more often than therapy. Cook’s career has been quieter since the period when the theft came to light; he says he blamed his brother for that for a while, while Funny Money gives him a chance to tell the story publicly.
Sources: Rolling Stone.