Club Shay Shay - Katt Williams Part 1

Episode Date: January 3, 2024

The legendary Katt Williams, hailed by many as the greatest comedian alive, joins Shannon Sharpe at Club Shay Shay for an explosively candid conversation. Renowned as one of America's most exceptional entertainers, Katt fearlessly takes shots at fellow comedians like Rickey Smiley, Cedric the Entertainer, Steve Harvey and Kevin Hart. He opens up about his turbulent life, revealing his homelessness experience after moving out at 13 and shares the financial challenges he faced in kickstarting his comedy career. Also, Katt recalls what lead to his famous outburst on Wanda Smith's radio show and how he found himself staring down the barrel of a gun afterwards. #VolumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wake up with football every morning and listen to my new podcast, NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal. Five days a week, you'll get all the latest news and the best analysis delivered by the time you get your coffee. The show hits every single game every single week, but I can't do it alone. So I'm bringing in all the big guns from NFL media like Colleen Wolf. Subscribe today and you'll immediately be smarter and funnier than your friends. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Can't get enough football? Look no further than the Good Morning Football podcast.

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Make sure to listen to the Good Morning Football podcast Monday through Friday on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. What happens when a professional football player's career ends and the applause fades and the screaming fans move on? I am going to share my journey of how I went from Christianity to now a Hebrew Israelite. For some former NFL players, a new faith provides answers.

You mix homesteading with guns and church. Voila! You got straightway. They try to save everybody. With guns. In church. Voila! You got straight wave. He tried to save everybody.

Listen to Spiraled on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the other side of Kirk Franklin Prane. This is the reckoning. 2024. All my life. Been grinding all my life. Sacrifice. Hustle paid the price. Want a slice. Got the roll of dice. That's why. All my life, been grinding all my life. Sacrifice, hustle, pay the price.

Want a slice, got the roll of dice. That's why all my life I've been grinding all my life. All my life, been grinding all my life. Sacrifice, hustle, pay the price. Want a slice, got the roll of dice. That's why all my life I've been grinding all my life. Hello, welcome to another episode of Club Shay Shay. I am your host, Shannon Sharp. I've been crying all my life one of America's greatest entertainers one of the funniest men on the planet world-renowned multi-talented a comedy legend he's touring to he's the top touring comedian selling out arenas he's a hilarious storyteller Emmy Award winning actor voice actor rapper writer producer director icon genius a national treasure philanthropist humanitarian social activist a father one of the great funny men of our generation and any generation, Mr. Cat Williams.

Thank you, sir. How was that intro? That was magnificent. You are magnificent at intros, and you did not skimp on mine. I appreciate it. Appreciate that. You know, anytime you come to Club Shea Shea, we have to toast. Yes.

Bro, you've been doing it. I mean, you're one of the top two you're one of the top touring comedians of all time you already got started before we started taping i did appreciate that tell the people at home i thought they was lying and um This particular alcohol is stronger than you think it would be, probably by about two. And unbelievably smoother and milder by the same, maybe 30 percent than you could possibly expect and unlike cognacs the world over this one doesn't taste like wood at the end and it doesn't taste like it's got artificial colors and it doesn't taste like it's got artificial flavors it's a it's a fine product he's a console you can tell he's a car he's a cognac connoisseur he

understands the method that goes into making cognac. Right. Well, as a comedian, you get free drinks at the club. So all comedians either turn out to be connoisseurs like myself or straight up and down alcoholics like 60% of Hollywood. Well, thanks. Thanks for stopping by the club. I understand that you're very, very busy, and for you to take time out of your busy schedule and stop in today, we really, really appreciate it here at Club Shea Shea.

So thanks for stopping by, Kat. And I needed you to know why I came by. I need you to tell us why. People know I don't go everywhere. I'm not interested in talking to people unless it's like a Larry King or somebody of an amazing ilk that I would actually want to go talk to in real life. Okay. I don't do it so I can sell product, and I got things to sell,

so let me come talk. You have a great product here, and as a fan base, we love the attention that you spend on the guests. We love how much work you've done, how well you know them, how prepared you are. The same things that we liked about you in football. You brought that on over to here. And that's why it resonates. And the reason I had to come is because you've made a safe place for the truth to be told.

You know what I mean? Thank you. I appreciate that. And I have watched all of these lowbrow comedians come here and disrespect you in your face and tell you straight up lies. I'm talking about things that have never been heard in all of black Hollywood. They feel comfortable sitting here lying to you about it. You will say the record straight. Are you kidding me?

You let Ricky Smiley sit here and you said out that mouth. You stole Friday after next. The one I was in. I wish all of America fumbled a bit when that happened. And then he said some stuff that we haven't heard in 100 years in Hollywood. You ain't say nothing. This man told you he had Cat Williams role. He was going to be Money Mike.

And Cat Williams was going to be the Santa Claus. Now, let's, three quick points. You mean in Hollywood they cast a 5'5 black Santa Claus that weigh one hundred and forty five pounds. That's your story. Your story is the Ricky Smiley that couldn't even do curse words because he had a Christian fan base. He was going to play the pimp. Why you didn't ask him why has he played a woman in more movies than he's played a man? in more movies than he's played a man. Well, I didn't know he... He shouldn't be able... You wouldn't let an athlete that been on steroids

talk about one of the greats. Ricky Smiley can't act because Ricky Smiley can't act. He told you the story about when the movie came out. Where did he say he watched it? At home. He wasn't even at the premiere. You telling this man you stole

that all so he could get his name in the same sentence with a great one it is sad he was just that bitter when we were shooting it he told everybody it should have been my role everybody on the scene why do you think no cast member has ever said anything he couldn't play that role like you i thought he was sir no one why no he was with kd he beat up terry cruz why nobody know this story you talking about in hollywood they switched off roles you take this and he what so ricky ricky smiley knows this and i don't know why he would lose a child and come on the air and start lying. That's why people believe in rituals right there is because, well, why would he lie?

I don't know why liars lie, but I can tell you this. We auditioned in Los Angeles. Yes. I was audition number 201. 200 black comedians auditioned for the role of Money Mike with me. You're saying all 201 of us was auditioning and you had already had the role and had already shot the role in four days? The truth of the matter is the Money Mike in the original script got raped in the bathroom. And that's what Ricky Smiley was OK with.

And that's what Ricky Smiley was okay with. Cat Williams had to take the risk in front of the studios and the cast and our powers that be in his very first movie and say respectfully, humbly, guys, if we talk about anything else, I have no credibility and I have no pull. But we're talking about comedy. Right. Where I have all the credibility and all the pull. The problem with Friday After Next is we're trying to make a classic comedy. And this comedy involves a rape.

And rape is never funny no matter who it happens to or what the circumstances are. If you would allow me to allow us to do this movie without a black man getting raped in it, I promise you that it will be twice as funny as it would be with him getting raped. So considering that's the real story, why would you bring up that story? story? Why would you bring up that story? 35 members of the cast and crew have never brought up that Ricky Smiley was going to play Money Mike. No one ever saw me put on a Santa Claus suit. We got a wardrobe department. They made a Santa Claus suit for me. Why that wasn't in the bloopers?

And here's the other thing. Everything that Money Mike said, Cat Williams wrote. So what Ricky Smiley say on his? You can't say my lines. I wrote them. That's how I already know that I'm going to be funnier than you. What he told everybody was Cat Williams. Don't nobody know who he is. I'm on the radio. I'm with Steve and said everybody know me. That's what he told everybody that would listen to on the set. That's the truth of the matter. He was so egregious. Not now. Then he was so egregious that and Hollywood has never heard this in 100 years. He was so egregious. I put in my contract that I won't work with Ricky Smiley again unless he's in a dress.

I put in my contract that I won't work with Ricky Smiley again unless he's in a dress. Now, what was Ricky Smiley's next movie? Was it First Sunday? Did he wear a dress in it? You bet he did. It's in my contract. Why would you put that in your contract, Cat? That's where he's a believable actor.

Him and Tyler Perry can't play a man to save their life. They play good women. And I believe that the best actor should be in the best role. So that's why, because when we released that clip and he said that you responded because he said he was supposed to play money, Mike, and you were supposed to play Santa Claus. An outright lie that he knows is a lie. supposed to play Santa Claus. An outright liar. That he knows is a lie. So why would he say it? Because he's a liar. Nobody knows why liars lie. And that's

why I had to come on the program. Cedric did the same thing. Cedric told you when you asked him, did you steal Cat Williams joke? He said it don't line up. How it don't line up that I did it on TV in 2018. You came to see me at the comedy store do it in 2019 and then did it on TV in 2018. You came to see me at the comedy store, do it in 2019 and then did it

on the Kings of Comedy. Like what doesn't line up? I, this is a televised joke that Mark Curry helped me punch up and get to the level that it was. The same Steve that went to go watch Mark Curry do his whole sitcom and then stole everything Mark Curry had. Now, Steve got a sitcom where he the principal and he wear a suit and he and then he gets this high top fade, making all black men think he got the best lineup in the business. And it's a man unit. Then you ask why you not a movie star? I didn't want to be a movie star. This the same Negro that hated on Bernie with this same thing. I didn't want to be a movie star. No, you couldn't be a movie star.

There are 30,000 new scripts in Hollywood every year. Not one of them asked for a country bumpkin black dude that can't talk good. And look like Mr. Potato Head. There ain't none. You would have to have range. I played a lot of characters, 60 movie roles. I'm not playing Cat Williams in there. I don't know, Cat.

We might not let you drink anymore. I mean, we ain't even got... I'm not fueled by alcohol. I've had a sip less than you. The truth don't need motivation. I'm just saying I can't let these dudes lie cedric sitting here telling you why he ain't a movie star he over here look like a walrus you didn't say nothing he can't even get his arms off his stomach sitting over here why i'm not a movie star

we never wrote anything remember when cedric the entertainer starts he's supposed to be singing dancing and telling jokes that's why he's called the Entertainer starts, he's supposed to be singing, dancing, and telling jokes. That's why he's called the Entertainer. Right. We found out he can't sing, can't dance, and doesn't write jokes. He's not even doing an album. He did four comedy specials. They're so bad, Shannon, they're not available on Netflix or Tubi.

Can I say that again for the audience? They're so bad that they're not available on Netflix or Tubi. You don't think Sam's a good a good comedian? The world doesn't think that sir I have 12 comedy specials. He has four specials that are not available on Netflix or Tubi. It seems to me Kat that you had a lot to get off your chest. No no. You wanted to say the record screen. Winners are not allowed to allow losers to rewrite

history. I don't say any of these things if my name is not breached by these people on your platform. If you give a liar a platform to lie, then I'm not being messy by saying, hold on, that never happened. It's untrue.

And there are hundreds of witnesses for each thing I'm saying. So let me ask you this. What is your relationship with Steve Harvey, Ricky Smiley and Cedric the Entertainer as you sit here currently? They for 30 years. They're a group. These aren't three random guys. The way that Ricky Smiley kept appearing at all of my auditions is because of Stephen said he would tell anybody that. Listen, they got a gang on that side. They know what it is. They know who the gang is. Why Earthquake not in movies? Because he's illiterate. He can't read. And they found that out when they gave him a show and put the cards in front of him. Like all of these dudes are co-entwined and they share secrets. And this is the age of truth. And

the truth doesn't need to be scared of the fact that people tell lies. Cats on drugs. Where are the stories? Why is there no story of anybody who ever sold a drug to me, did a drug with me, was around me when I was inebriated? I got five daughters. I got five sons. Why would we tell these ridiculous stories? Because it's competition. You feel like, well, why comedy guys can't just get along? Yes. Why didn't you get along with the other teams you were competing against? If you were at Denver Bronco, why you don't

get along with the Cowboys? Something wrong with you? But I don't disagree. I don't disagree with all the Cowboys. Cat damn, you like this. No, that's not. Okay, what comedian do you like? Did you play against the team? Yes. I've taken 46 comedians with me on the road. 46. Okay.

I'm not the comedian you can give that to. I only put on comedians that are funnier than me. Anybody that ever told you differently was a fat Faison liar. There's nobody like me in the business. Faison just got a straight. Faison said that getting a Netflix special is easy. I have 12 specials. Guess how many Faison got?

Zero. Why is he allowed to have conversations about real stand-up people? We do not let people who are on the juice discuss real athletes. That's all. As a journalist, that's all. That's all I'm saying.

I don't harbor any resentment to any of these entities because I can't be jealous. I've never seen them have anything that I ever wanted. If you sign up for their program, you get a light-skinned, weird-faced wife that never do an interview.

Listen, in 20 years, won't do an interview. Nobody's ever talked to her and she's never been interviewed anywhere. Now, understand, I'm not talking about one person. What I just told you applies to seven people.

How they all end up with that. That's part of what you get. I came in this business saying I was going to expose when I talked about Michael Jackson, when I talked about R. Kelly, they canceled me for these things, because why would you talk about another black dude? Race is not where the line is drawn it's God's side and the other side and we don't care nothing about the other side period period all of these uh big deviants is all catching hell in 2024 it's up for all of them. It don't matter if you did it or whoever you is. T.G. Jakes, any of them. All lies will be exposed.

That's all. And anyone who takes that the wrong way, know why they take it the wrong way. The truth is the light. Amen, amen. Cheers. I kind of get. Amen, amen. Cheers.

I kind of get on there. Right. After that, I don't really kind of know where to go. Let me, one more time. Right. We good now? Because the people want to know why would he get blackballed? Yeah, I was going to ask you that. Because in 30 years, I've done nothing but collect information, knowledge, and your secrets.

So if you and a man was in a corner doing something you wasn't supposed to be doing. You would tell it. No, somebody come to tell me. Okay. I gather that. I value that. I'll pay for that. Come, tell me. I know so many things I I value that. I'll pay for that. Come.

Tell me. I know so many things I shouldn't know, and they all know it. They all know it. Why? Because you don't make me the villain. Not the guy that raises black children and they never done a hard drug in his life and don't have no stories of doing nobody dirty. And they'll just go out and they'll lie. The industry doesn't mess

with Cat because he didn't show up for the studio. No studios have ever said that. Look at my IMDB. It will show you that no studio has ever lost money with me on the script. How? That's why I'm saying that's why I can't let Ricky Smiley say he was supposed to play Money Mike because I wrote the words for Money Mike. I designed the words for Money Mike. I designed the hair for Money Mike. I collaborated with the wardrobe department and made outfits to make sure that no one in America would be wearing what Money Mike was wearing. I told them to go get the prowler.

I then told them to paint it purple. I told them don't have an actor playing a pimp. We could get an actual pimp Archbishop Magic Don Juan to play. Like, I did far too much work for somebody to come years later and try to tag along just for their own self-aggrandizement. Why didn't Cube set the record straight? Terry Crews could have set the record straight. Mike Epps could have set the record straight. Why none of them set the record straight? That's what you were supposed to ask him when he told you those lies that no one's ever heard.

Right, but he's telling you something no one's ever heard of. Nobody has ever heard, oh, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon was in a movie, and somebody said, y'all should switch roles. Like, this is a business. But that's the thing, Cat. Normally when people are giving you information, I'm thinking I'm hearing it for the first time and they're giving information no one else knows or I've ever heard. So I'm taking them at face value. These are like this is like Steve Harvey telling people he used to be homeless.

That's my story. That's not his story. Steve Harvey was never homeless. When he Mark Curry was touring with him 25 years ago, he was making $3,000 a show in cash and doing five shows a week. They just tell the stories. Thanks to my wife, I'm where I am. You said that about the first wife. You forget that? You told us it was her. Then you went and married somebody else that think like a man. What are you talking about they just they think they can rewrite history that a guy tory did a beautiful special about the comedy store in fat tuesday where he said that steve and cedric and kevin hart and tiffany haddish

came through there and made all lies steve and cedric never performed at the comedy store at all. Tiffany was only seen at the lab factory in 15 years in Hollywood. No one in Hollywood has a memory of going to a sold out Kevin Hart show. There being a line for him ever getting a standing ovation at any comedy club. He already had his deals when he got here. Have we heard of a comedian that came to L.A. and in his first year in L.A. he had his own sitcom on network television and had his own movie called Soul Plane that he was leading? No, we've never heard of that before that person or since that person. What do you think a plant is? Maybe people don't understand the definitions of these words.

people don't understand the definitions of these words he just did his documentary with chris rock where he shows you that his whole upbringing in comedy was on the east coast yeah so how simultaneously was he here in los angeles doing the same thing it didn't happen it didn't happen. It didn't happen. And I hate to seem like a petty individual for picking apart lies. But Jussie Smollett gonna keep lying until you say we don't believe you. Like it's important in the checks and balances of the universe that liars not get to make complete narratives for themselves. Are you not afraid about being blackballed again? These are some power people. What do you mean again? These people are not powerful. Satan can't create anything.

That includes blessings for his people. That's why. You know what the number one job of somebody that sold their soul in Hollywood is? What? Is to act like it didn't happen. They all do the same job. Why do you think Gary Owen can't cross over and he already

white and been in comedy for 25 years? If what I say ain't the case. It's a cabal. It's a consortium. They rock with who they rock with and they don't with who they don't. But I'm not scared of being in the competition any more than you were when you lined up across from a superior team.

Yeah. On paper, they're a better team. Right. They have all the assets and resources and we don't. But let us get on the line, boy, boy, and see if that factors in. I guarantee you it won't. Wow. Because Shannon Sharp got to be a different person than that other person. Absolutely. And he always was. That doesn't change when I change teams. That remains the same. That's how a legacy is built. So all of these shortcut takers, I was they've canceled me for talking about Harvey Weinstein before the thing came out. But he offered to suck my penis in front of all my people at my agency.

What am I supposed to do? He did all of that. I'm thinking I'm the only black person on the script. I get there. It's three other black guys on there. Woo. So you wonder what they did. I told him, no. What y'all do? And this is why when I walk in a room, heads go down. Behind my back, I'm nothing. I'm just a regular old comedian that's bitter and jealous. But in my face, no, no, no. The king has walked in and they have to respect it only because I've not taken the shortcuts. I've not been funded. They pay you to not talk about things they don't want you to talk about.

They tell you that themselves. I can't do that because Steve told you that he stopped doing stand up because he has seven TV shows. The only problem is when he stopped stand up, he didn't have those seven TV shows. He stopped stand up because he got in a comedy battle called the Championship of Stand Up Comedy with one Cat Williams in Detroit in front of 10,000 people and lost because Cat Williams said he was actually bald. And that was a wig. And I went in and that's why he couldn't do stand up anymore. And I went in and that's why he couldn't do stand-up anymore Imagine him coming to tell you another story where he got so big and it was Bernie and them's fault cuz they wanted to be movie stars What You called ocean 11 to get that niggas part

What do you mean you didn't want to be a movie star? so on the behalf of Bernie, I will have to say what I have to say. Have you ever been on tour with any of these guys? Every guy I mentioned to you is not funny out there in real life. So no. Faison's never done his own tour in 30 years. Steve Harvey don't do stand-up no more. Cedric doesn't write.

I'm sorry. He doesn't write. Ricky Smiley has been playing the same old black woman forever. Like, you can't get a young fan base with that. Like, you got to be doing karaoke around the country to make that work. Right. And he is. But I'm a stand-up comedian.

This is my 19th 100-city tour. I'm not going to have a conversation with these lazy bums that'll take a shortcut at any point. Yes, it's easier for you to juice than to get in the gym. But you don't get to bring that body in here talking crazy how good you look what no no there's too many comics out there that are putting their life on the line to tell these jokes man okay let's get to your upbringing we're gonna circle back and we'll get some i want to protect him real quick because you had said for the kings of comedy it was in 2018 2019 but did you mean 1999 because it came out in 2000 so i just want to make no i didn't no no so what i meant to say was remember he said i couldn't do stand-up anymore i had seven tv shows i say he didn't have any of those tv shows at the time i know

okay no no no no what comes out in 2000 the original kings of comedy right my i'm on bet's comic view and they're using this as the commercial in 1998. That's why I'm saying. Yeah. So. Yeah. So if I said the dates wrong. Yeah. So let's go and clear that up. OK. You said. Yeah. I had Cedric on here and I asked him about the joke stealing. And he said the timeline doesn't add up. Correct. To to that point you say right so he thought that i was just a no-name comedian and that he could take this joke and nobody would know right the issue was that i had already done this particular joke on bet's comic view twice right it had done so well

on bet's comic view that they had made it part of the commercial. So part of the commercial of make sure you tune in to BET was you seeing me doing this joke. And this joke is one of those jokes in comedy where you set it up and it takes a little longer to set it up. Takes about three minutes. But then you're just hitting them with jokes after that because you don't have to set it up. Mark Curry had already helped me work on this joke because I thought it was good because i was getting a standing ovation on it he had me go back in the lab to help me craft it to be an even more powerful joke so this is not just a random joke this is my very best joke and it's my last joke and it's my closing joke. Okay. 1998, I'm doing this joke, it's on Comic View. Cedric comes to the Comedy Store, he watches me in the audience, he comes

backstage, he tells me what a great job I did and how much he loves the joke. Two years later he's doing that as his last joke on the Kings of Comedy and he's doing it verbatim He's just changed my car into a spaceship Him and Steve had already apologized for me. So I gave him a pass for a decade Why would you sit here and be like I talked to I saw cat 30 times And cat didn't do as I stand before you Why would you sit here and be like, I talked to, I saw Cat 30 times. And Cat didn't do. As I stand before you, Shannon.

I would have bust Cedric's stomach. There was nothing that would have kept me from one of these. Wake up with football every morning and listen to my new podcast, NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal. Five days a week, you'll get all the latest news, previews, recaps, and analysis delivered straight to your podcast feed by the time you get your coffee. No dumb hot takes here, just smart hot takes. We'll talk every single game, every single week, but I can't do it alone, so I'm bringing in the big guns from NFL media.

That's Patrick Claiborne, Steve Weiss, Nick Shook, Jordan Rodrigue from The Athletic, and of course, Colleen Wolfe. This is their window right now. This is their Super Bowl window. Why would they trade him away? Because he would be a pivotal part of them winning that Super Bowl. I don't know why, Colleen. Catch the podcast, the NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal every day. Subscribe today and you'll immediately be smarter and funnier than your friends. And who doesn't want that? Listen now on the iHeartRadio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Can't get enough football? Look no further than the Good Morning Football podcast. Join me, Jamie Erdahl, alongside Peter Schrager, Kyle Brandt, and Akbar Bajabiamila for a daily breakdown of the league's biggest stories. From game plan analysis and player interviews,

we've got you covered for all things football. Hey, you want to know the secret ingredient that makes Patrick Mahomes unstoppable? Or maybe which reality show best describes the Jets season? Look no further. We bring you everything, all the games, all the matchup previews, our impeccable predictions. Get your football fix right here on the GMFB Podcast. We've got recaps, retweets,

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Hey there, it's Michael Lewis, author of Going Infinite, Moneyball, The Blind Side, and Liar's Poker. On every season of my podcast, Against the Rules, I take a broad look at various characters in American life. The referee, the coach, the expert. My next season's all about fans and what the rise of sports betting is doing to them,

to the teams, and even to my family. I'm heading to Las Vegas and New Jersey and beyond to understand America's newest form of legalized gambling. Listen to Against the Rules on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. In that patch right there. Like, are you kidding me? Why would you downplay me like that?

Why did I give you a pass if you were just going to lie? And so that's what I'm saying. Like, they're all a group. Cedric, Steve, Ricky, they've all a group Cedric Steve Ricky they've been a group everybody knows that they've been aligned and and there are these alliances in comedy and if you stand against them then they sometimes have a problem but we don't let that change the content because that's all you know me for is that I'm quite likely to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God Can you believe we're this deep into the NFL season?

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and state-specific responsible gambling resources. Eligibility and deposit restrictions apply. Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. Terms at Sportsbook.Draftkings.com slash basketball terms. Let's get to your upbringing. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Raised in Dayton, Ohio. What was Cat Williams' upbringing like? Your parents were Jehovah Witness. You were a prodigy. You were brilliant. You talked to me that you got accepted to college at seven years of age.

You could read fluently at three years of age. So having that kind of knowledge, having that kind of a prodigy. So what was so I mean, was it what was your upbringing? How was it? How was life as Cat Williams coming up? I was often confused because I knew things and I wasn't sure how I knew them. I knew things that I felt like I don't have a reason that I know this, but I loved to read. I was voracious because they told me when I was young that knowledge was powerful. That knowledge was power and I had studied powerful people. And I really believed that.

My next project was to read the whole encyclopedia set. So when you're like six, seven years old, you read the whole encyclopedia set, you think you're like six, seven years old, you read the whole encyclopedia set. You think you're one of the smartest people in the world, only to get out in the world and find out you don't know anything. So it was a confusing time. But yeah, I had a childhood. I was grown. But at five years old, I was in front of five, 10,000 people giving a performance with a full suit and tie on. You know what I mean? So it came full circle for my life.

and the giving of information and laughs and truth to people somehow benefited them and also benefited you. And yeah, so when they would ask me what I wanted to be, everything that I would say that I wanted to be was something that didn't exist. And they would never give me credit for it because I needed to say a doctor or a lawyer, but that's not what I wanted to be. So your parents weren't as supportive as you would have hoped because you were wanting to be things when you got older that they had no knowledge of or it didn't exist at the time. No, it wasn't that it was, um, I'm saying I'm, I'm'm almost 100 years old right now, but if we go outside right now, I can run a 4340 or sub. I can do a 416 if I'm in short. Oh, there's Jimmy John's across the street. We can order a sub.

Oh, you've been on the submarine. That what you sub? So back then it was even greater. So you got this guy that all the coaches want to play. Hey, Cass, don't do that. Hold on, because I'm 5'5 in the fifth grade. I've been this high my whole life. Like, there was a portion of school where I was one of the big dudes.

Like, as soon as everybody caught their growth spurt, I was out of it. But I'm saying I was a competitive individual. My father was an athlete. I can see that. Like, like, no, I've been one hundred and forty five pounds my whole career. That's why I never bothered when they said your cats on drugs. I knew how you're going to prove that. My body is a temple. I've been the same size since i was 10 like what do you yeah like i haven't i haven't changed off

this pivot foot this has always been who i was before stand-up or anything but it was a um it was an interesting childhood i i appreciate my parents even though though I couldn't live within the religious frameworks of what they had set up. But that was more not wanting to live a double life and not want to embarrass my family. You know what I mean? Because I read where a form of punishment for you is that they would take books because you mentioned you were such a voracious reader and a form of punishment. It was when they would take the books for because you could read fluently. You told me how at like three or four years old you could read, read, read, not just a little child's book, but you could read, read. Well, I'm saying when we when we go to Haiti to do missionary work, understand that my mother and my father, nobody that's there with us speaks French.

I mean, it speaks Creole and reads French. So I'm in charge of everything from the housing to the cars to the gardener. I'm saying, so I'm not just reading, I'm reading in multiple languages. How old are you at that time? I'm probably reading 3,000 books a year from the time that I'm eight years old to the time that I'm 12.

No, no, no fiction books at all. I'm only reading nonfiction. You could drive at 12. You received a full scholarship to the National Science Academy in Dayton, Ohio. But you failed. So you couldn't failed so you would become ineligible. Why did you want to take that opportunity? I didn't see it as an opportunity. When I got in there, all the students were wearing lab coats and it seemed very confined and restricted and nobody seemed like they were having fun.

It just seemed like everybody was smart. I didn't want that. That wasn't what I was signing up for at all. And plus, I thought that I was Jesus was my big homie. So, you know how you get a story about a dude joined a gang and you get a big home. Right. Like at this particular point in my life, I'm my thought is that the Bible is the greatest book that's ever been written. My thought is that the Bible is the greatest book that's ever been written, that it houses the truth, and that it gives you this story of Jesus and that I'm supposed to be like him. So it's already in my head that as soon as I get 13, I'm leaving.

You you you at 13, you don't only like, OK, mom, I'm moving out. You move from Ohio to Florida on your own. You weren't afraid. I mean, you're like, did you? Hold on. Did you not have a, so what were you going to do when you got to Florida? Don't say I wasn't afraid. There's no such thing as a human being of not being afraid.

Okay. There are certain human beings that understand that being afraid in no way stops you from doing what you got to do. Okay. So I was afraid, but I couldn't be that afraid because I knew what had happened with Jesus. I knew how it worked out. I knew that I wasn't in the wrong with how I was feeling and I knew that I didn't have any bad intentions in it. So I trusted God that it will work out. Why Florida? Because if you're raised in Ohio, the one thing on your list is I'm going to get away from snow and I'm going to get as far. I want to tell me the place.

I literally went to a truck stop and I asked all the truck drivers where they was going. And it was one guy going to California and it was one guy going to Florida. And they told me how long it was going to take. And so that's why I ended up in Miami. Because how do you get there? You call the bus. No, I just told you I was at the truck stop. I got in. I didn't hitchhike. I got in the back of the dude's 18 wheeler me and my rottweiler puppy and my suitcase yeah because i was i probably had 2500 on me like i like i was shoveling snow and cutting grass like i always have pockets full of money when did you make the decision that you were gonna leave ohio and go somewhere and it ended up being Florida

so but when did you know that you were leaving Dayton Ohio going to Florida and my father and I's last interaction um somebody could have not made it and we both understood that was all bad. What was the disagreement about? If you say that my family is very religious, let's just say I'm not. So anything that I'm going to do is not is it's going to fall out of the guidelines, but I'm not going to let you tell me what I'm going to be. Even especially what you're saying is wrong. I can't condone wrong. And if I find out that something's wrong and I tell you it's wrong and you don't back me,

that's what it is. Even as a young child, you were willing to tell your parents that some of the things that you're saying doesn't coincide with what i've been reading in in the bible no no very simply don't don't try to disfellowship me for sexual acts and i'm a virgin sorry god don't make mistakes you don't get two times to fuck me over. What do you mean you went to God and he told you I was guilty? You just lied on God. So long. That's it.

There's no conversation. Deuces. That's what it was. That's when you made the decision. After that conversation right there, you say, no, I can't live under this rule. It wasn't a conversation. It was an altercation. In the altercation, I love my father. My father loved me.

But we are two men at it. It'll never be the same again. You can't sleep comfortably around me. And I can't sleep comfortably around you. How similar are you to your father? I don't know. He's a great man. I'm saying.

Because you have your butted heads. Right. But I'm saying that generally happens with a father son dynamic. It was just that religious relationships are always difficult in families. They always are. Before it got to the point, because the dynamic, he's father, your son,

before that dynamic and you step up on his level and you challenge him, you felt it was best for you to leave. No, no, no. I'm not being challenged. I'm being beat to death. Oh,

he was abusive I didn't say that I said we were in an altercation oh I see what you did there I saw what you did there I saw what you did there cat I saw what you did you was in an altercation you didn't say you lost you said you was in an altercation

I in no way gave you the impression that I won anything. I'm the one leaving. I'm out of bounds. This is his house. Right. Yeah. So as long as I'm going to be under his roof,

there are certain things that I'm going to have to do. Right. And the only way that's going to change is either this or that. And I'm saying I had two younger brothers like I'm not I'm not an unreasonable person like I don't have any mental issues whatsoever despite what they lead people to believe you know I make good pretty good decisions were you not so how was their relationship with your father were you not afraid to leave them? Well, I asked because it went all the way to the actual department, so it was actually going to be something. And when I asked them if they could just make sure that my brothers didn't get

separated and what have you, they said they couldn't make those type of guarantees, that they weren't really sure what would happen if this went down. And so part of leaving was the hope that it would be okay for them because none of them experienced what I experienced. I'm saying I'm the oldest. It's a lot riding on me. I'm supposed to at least religiously hold down the family's name at this household you know what i mean how much older are

you than the baby and the knee baby like a lot older like i if i'm i think 13 yeah they're five and and in Pampers. Wow. Right. You go to Florida. You tell the story. I've heard you.

You were homeless. And somebody else told the story, said they were homeless. And you said they hijacked your story. Now, I don't... At 13, I shouldn't have to tell you i'm homeless i'm in a i'm in miami florida i have no family members in florida i couldn't buy a house if i wanted to i couldn't get an apartment if i wanted to i don't have a credit history like this is not a stretch

for me to say that i'm homeless i I'm living in a park in coconut Grove. The park still exists to this day for eight hours a day. I would get up and go to the library and study for eight hours a day to increase my education. And then I would leave out of there and go to the Marina and still car radios and make $2,000 almost daily. Like, I had a routine. So you really could have played that old thief in Santa Claus.

You could have played him. No, the Santa Claus wasn't a thief. The Santa Claus, you can't tell me. I read the script. Ricky Smiley told you he didn't read the script. The Santa Claus was a crackhead. He just had that outfit on. That's what I couldn't have played. Like I couldn't have played a black guy that got raped in the bathroom.

So at any point in time, you're like, man, I made a mistake. Man, I should have stayed my butt in Ohio, man, because this is what I signed up for. I didn't experience anything once I left home that I hadn't signed up for. If anything, it saved my life. Me being homeless for that small period of time allowed me to see all of the people that were in that situation. And to see that these were lawyers and doctors and teachers and that these people were white and black and Asian and Indian. And the only thing that all of these homeless people had in common was they made a bad decision and aligned themselves with drugs. And I interviewed them all. What drug? And guess what, Shannon?

what drug, what, and guess what, Shannon? Well, nobody had a great story. Nobody had a great story of what meth had done for them, what crack had done for them, what cocaine had done for them, what heroin had done for them, what speed had done for them. Nobody had them stories. Everybody's story was I had my life together, and then I decided to do this dumb thing, life together and then I decided to do this dumb thing and I lost my wife I lost my house I lost my cars I lost my reputation and now I'm now out here sucking penis in the woods what talk about scared straight you ain't got to worry about me if it it ain't weed or nicotine, you won't see me touching it. I don't want no parts. I done seen what these things can do to people. Anything that take over your free will is the devil itself.

Have you ever thought about what your life would have been had you stayed in Dayton, Ohio? No. That's like asking somebody that's in the NBA for 14 years, like, what would have happened if you didn't come to the NBA? Oh, I shudder to think I thought it was what I was made for. I thought it was what I was built for. Anybody that knows me will tell you that when they first met Cat Williams, when I was cat in the hat, and they tell these stories about how he changed his name. Look, the truth of the matter is Disney sued me. Yeah, I was cat in the hat. They sent me a cease and desist letter and I'm not even making $25,000

a year. And the mega company Disney has sent me a cease and desist telling me I can't use any variations of that name. Fine. I'm Cat Williams. That's all that happens. I have been this same product the entire time. They will tell you when they first saw me doing stand up, I was just like this. This is what I bring. This is my style. When did it when did you know you was. When did you know you were always funny? Did you always want to be a comedian? Did you stumble on a comedianship?

No, I loved what they did. And so I studied them, all of them. I studied all of the white comedians because I wanted to know why is Monty Python funny? Why is Don not so talented? I wanted to know what is George Carlin's thing? So I studied all of the comedy masters regardless of the field because I loved to laugh. I didn't know that these people were making a great living at doing this. I thought this is just what they did. They tell jokes. They're funny people. But I loved the craft. And that's why when I got into the craft, I thought it was my obligation to make sure that I kept writing new material so much that it forced these comedians to stop doing the set they've been

doing for 10 years and keep writing some new stuff. And I knew that if I could get that to take on, that most of these bums would have to just quit comedy because they can't keep up. They're not going to keep writing an hour worth of material. I've written an hour worth of material 19 times. They're not going to do it. Why? Because they're not creative writers. They want to get somebody else and have them write it and put it together.

So if I'm listening to you correct, correct me if I'm wrong. I think the best thing that ever happened was the internet because now they have to because normally, like you said,

you could do a set and you do that, do that set in Kansas City. People ain't heard it in san francisco people ain't heard it in miami they ain't heard in detroit chicago atlanta so forth and so on now you do a set it's on the internet somebody heard it so you can't do a set and let it make it last three months four months? Well, it doesn't allow the regular comic the ability to grow is the real problem. Like the part of comedy is me taking these jokes in January and by March, I've begun to craft this joke. It's not as simple as it was when I wrote it. It was just da-da-da-da-da. But now it has the complexities of the fact that I'm having to deliver this to an East Coast

audience, a Down South audience, a Midwest audience, a Utah audience, a Colorado audience. And so it begins to take on a different complexion because you're having to deliver it to different people. OK. And so this is what sharpens your joke. You then take those sharpened jokes and make a special not you just randomly take some. So it's a process. You don't allow them the process of the first time the guy did the joke. Now that's his joke and the joke is everywhere. That just sets it up for people to steal. So how many times must you tell a joke before you master it?

How many times have you had to sleep with a woman before you're done with her? That's not fair. If it's great, never. that's not fair if it's great never if it if it ceases to have usefulness so it has been spoken right i was i read that you was raised in in florida you had some some help some ladies of the night no no no that's not true no that whole story doesn't take place in Florida. That story takes place in Oklahoma City. OK, so after I'm in Florida, I then join. I try to join the Marine Corps and they won't accept me because I'm too young and I've lied and told him I'm 16 and my family's moving down.

I don't have my ID, but it's coming. And so they let me go to the boot camp. That's not going to work now. Okay, so I've learned that lesson. So then I get this job selling stuff door to door across the country. And so I've been to all 50 states. Again, I'm 13, 14 years old. So I did that.

While I'm doing that, one of the places I'm at, I'm in Oklahoma, and I've decided I'm going to stay here because of meeting these ladies that you're talking about and that situation. I don't know at the time why that's important in my life or why it's something I should be doing or any of that. But now later on, it certainly helps me in formulating money, Mike, for Friday after next. Right. And a pimp named Slickback for the boondocks. San Francisco, Oklahoma, Sacramento. From Florida, you moved to the West Coast. So you're traveling. When did you set up shop on the west coast all right where are you there so i i guess i'm uh 18 or younger and i um once i have my once i have a child i I realize that I can't. It's a lot of things that I could use to make money that now is a no go.

So anything with street aspirations that I might have thought about pursuing or being good at, I now am a single parent and I got to redo this thing. And I got to redo this thing. So I need comedy to really work out for me. And me and God go into extreme conversation where I'm explaining to him that I'm a crash out dummy if he don't send me a lifeline. Like I need something I can hold on to. Before I left Florida, I did stand up one time because we was trying to get in the club. I didn't have ID. So I said I was a comedian. They ended up having me do five minutes.

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You get to Oklahoma, they're having a competition for stand up. And if you win, you get to go out on the road with Jeff Foxworthy and Dan Whitney, who is Larry the Cable Guy, and Richard Jenny and these great comics, you get to open for them. And once I did that, I realized, okay, as a comedian, I'm like way behind schedule. I started this too late. All the funny guys are already funny and no names. Like, how am I going to progress? So I realized that I I do better with a white audience than I do with a black audience. And I'm not sure why that's occurring, but the white audience likes me more. That's interesting.

So when I moved to Sacramento, it's because Sacramento has a white and a black audience almost 50-50. That's almost the makeup of Sacramento. So I live in Sacramento for two years until I get to the point where I am equally as funny if the room is black as I am If the room is white, okay, that's not enough now I need to be one of the good ones when it comes to black comics

So now I have to move to Oakland and that's what lands me in Oakland for three years once I have dominated three years once I have dominated male black comedy in Oakland to my liking now I'm prepared to go to Los Angeles now now I know you can't throw me any curveballs if it's a white audience if it's a black audience no matter what they are I'm prepared to deal with all of the audiences. Do you write jokes according to the audience that you're going to be in front of or is your joke universal? Well, in the beginning, I part of my framework is that I'm tailoring every show to this audience okay and that's how i was able to show my range and show that i was better than my competitors is that i'm kat williams but i was still doing clean comedy so i was still going to churches and doing 45 minutes of stand-up at the church with no curse words no sex drug material

no none of that just straight stand-. And then I was doing everything else. And I had the regular club. Yeah, that was that was the range is that where when in Rome, do as the Romans do. So that's how I started. But as you begin to get better, you begin to be able to speak to your entire fan base. And that's really what's been helpful is that I've been having the same conversation with my fan base for 12 comedy specials. Is that what set Cat Williams apart?

Is your range, is that you can do a comedy, do 45 minutes in the church, I can go to a comedy club in front of 250, or I can go into an arena with 15,000. That's range because everybody can't do that, Kat. Well, if that's what range is called, then yeah, it's range. But I like the people I'm talking to. You see what I'm saying?

So it's not like it can't be condescending because I'm talking to my white male friend when I'm telling that white joke. Right. When I'm talking about this joke about this black lady, I know that black lady. That's who I'm talking to. I'm speaking to this fan base that I've been speaking to from the beginning. I already told them what I was on when I first came in. I told them they was going to come after me. They was going to cancel me.

They was going to say terrible things about me and try to mess my life up. I said that coming in to stand up. I'm saying it in my face. So you knew what it was going to be? It has to be. I know I'm going into the belly of the beast. How could I be naive? I know that I'm going into Satan's playground, but I'm trying to be so good that you got to bring me in so close that I can see who's doing what and what's going on in there.

In San Francisco, you joined the nation. I was ever in San Francisco. I was in Oakland. You was in Oakland. Did you join the nation? Is that? ever in San Francisco. I was in Oakland. You was in Oakland. Did you join the nation? Is that? Yeah. Minister, honorable minister Farrakhan and I have an extremely close relationship. He refers to me as one of his sons. So yeah, I spent a particular period of time. Let me explain. period of time. Let me explain. Because my particular background was already religious and super strict, right? I didn't find out about other religions by reading about them. I went to their religion. I don't want to learn from Jewish people from outside. I want to be in a synagogue. I want to I don't want to learn about Muslim people from I want to be in a mosque. I don't want to hear about the Baptist or the Pentecostal.

I want to go to a church and see. And so that was the religious discovery that I was on through that period in my life. When did you know you were funny? through that period in my life. When did you know you were funny? Probably about 10 years ago. 10 years ago? Yeah, about 10 years ago. So you didn't think as a child,

because obviously you said the very structured background, your family was very religious. So obviously you didn't get an opportunity. Yeah, like I never did a talent show i was never any any extracurricular activities i was never in drama i was never in band camp i was never a boy and you didn't stay in school long enough to get funny because you dropped you understand you understand so there was no like i don't i don't tolerate high school games i didn't go to high school i don't i don't know how most of the games they think i play i'm not even aware of them but but cab for you to get on stage and like i said a lot of people like a lot of comedians i had a few

here they're like okay you know i told jokes to get girls i told jokes to you know get people to laugh at someone else yeah but you is like you say you did comedy one time in florida yeah and you had this other opportunity like in oklahoma that they were going to take you out if you won the talent show you was going to go on the road with these these well-known comedians and i did but i'm just saying how in florida at, 14 years of age, you like 60. I can do that. Well, because I knew that there were a lot of other things I could do. Like when I looked at drug dealers, I thought I could do that. Yeah. But that's easy. So. Right. And who doesn't like that? Right.

I'm trying to figure out how I'm going make it but now that I gotta do it on this side I but no you your question was when did I think I was funny I never was my biggest fan I to this day I'm not the biggest fan I'm a fan of comedy I like great comedians like I like Chappelle I like Patrice O'Neill like I like the greats of comedy because I do like I like Ron White I like Chappelle. I like Patrice O'Neill. Like I like the greats of comedy because I do like I like Ron White. I like Bill Ingalls. Like I know comics like people that did the craft. They raised me. I was touring with Steve Marmel and Richard Jenny and real journeyman. So my comedy upbringing was standard. I thought you had to work all night, every night, all around the country and you had to write jokes and that you were trying to write jokes that other people weren't writing and that your job was to be funnier. list of all the black comedians that were more famous than me there was 300 of them on the list

and i had to be able to cross them all out before i could make it to the next level before i felt like i was funny enough to do that and so i i i appreciate what competition does for sports and for my particular sport and And comedy is a sport. What gave you the confidence that you could get on stage? You remember I was five years old on stage. OK. But I was reiterating God's word at that point. Now I just have to make sure that the content is good.

If the content is good, what part can I not do? I'm a vessel. He's given me these gifts to be able to do certain things. So I just want to utilize them in my craft. That's all. Do you remember your first set? Mm hmm. I love five, 10 minutes. No, no. I think three minutes. Three minutes. Yeah. Standing ovation, booze, some applause, some jeers. No, none of that. They they applauded like I was a professional at it. But now looking back, I understand because you understand they were all thinking he don't even look old enough to be here. And we don't have any black guys that live in this town. Right. Where did he come from?

And we don't have any black guys that live in this town. Right. Where did he come from? And then he gets up there and for three minutes he's talking about the fact that he is the entire black community. Right. He is as disappointed in them. It looked like they looking for where the rest of them is. And so is he. And that was his set. But I understood from that point that the truth is really the commodity. And the fact that we are all individuals and all separate and all our own islands, but not in real life. In real life, it's only five or six different types of people. And you're going to see them everywhere that you go. And all my enemies all look the same in the eyes whether it's

faze on wanda aries spares they all look like what you gotta give wanda sykes you think i don't remember that sir wanda sykes and wanda smith are two separate people i mean wanda smith and i had only said one name sir wanda sykes i'm amazing i love Wanda. And I agree. I love Wanda. That's my girl. But I remember on the radio, you went on a radio interview. If I'm not mistaken, that's in Atlanta. Right.

And you came on there with seemingly good intentions. And she attacked you. It wasn't just that part. It was the fact that before I go in there, she has a conversation about, OK, now I just want to talk to you because you just wanted me for the city of Atlanta. And this is in Atlanta. And they just want to hear about the Emmy and hear from you and to thank you for what you did, putting the city on. And we won't talk about your kids. We won't talk about jail. No cases. We ain't going to talk about none of that. And immediately gets in there and goes the opposite way. You can't flip up on me because

you're an inferior comedian. I'm going to destroy you and I'm never going to call you out of your name. I'm never going to say anything disrespectful to people that look like you. It's a very thin line. I got a call, but this lady is trying to embarrass me in front of a largely homosexual fan base that's why she got canceled gay people don't take it kindly that you were as a derogatory call me gay gay people don't feel like it's derogatory. So why are you trying to shame me with something in a community I don't even belong in? There's no gay people saying I belong over there or been over there. But I have no hatred of over there. And how dare you?

You did a number on it, though. Hey. You did a number on it. That's legendary. No, you either believe in karma or you don't. Because I didn't even know any of the stuff that she had done to my fellow comedians until afterwards. I just know she that it was a setup. Right.

And remember, they they tried to kill me this same weekend. Not in jokes. What a real gun in my real face on real camera. Understand I'm losing my life for participating in something that goes along with my job. Like, it's two comedians. What do you mean? And the world was okay with it because it was me. Had that happened to anyone else,

the world went crazy when Will smacked Chris. This is a person pulling a whole gun on a comedian in the Confines of their job. This is really a weird situation When they hate you that bad. Yeah. Yeah You felt she hated you in that moment because you mentioned that she said it was gonna be very professional Oh, you want an Emmy. Congratulations. You put the city on. You own for the city. Yada, yada, yada.

Did she mention anything about the Emmy on camera? I believe you saw the video and you know that none of that took place. The issue is that all the comedians

have to come do these radio stations because you have to sell your tickets and so that means you have to go to the radio station. Yes. I don't go to the radio station and I don't make posts to sell tickets. I just don't. So you've not seen me.

I'm not here in some subservient position where somebody sent me over. You hear out of the kindness of your heart. You are. No, no, I'm saying in the interview situation. Yeah, for sure. Yeah, and this person knew I wasn't there for that. But how hard, because you have to understand she is a female and so you have to be careful you have to handle her with kid gloves sir sir you want to go ahead and take that

out you don't want to be against equality do you no no what you just said was very unequal sir but i think maybe you've had enough of this. Because I think I just heard you say that women are not equal and should be treated unequally. They want to be treated... You mean as a comedian? No, no.

They want... Listen, you understand and I understand. Yeah. In certain situations, they want to be treated equal. Not all situations. And... In certain situations, they want to be treated equal. Not all situations. And and what part of what you saw her get?

Oh, she deserved everything you gave her. What part would have been different if she was a man? It would have just been more vicious. Yeah, that's that's my point. I took all the vicious and venom away because I didn't have any. Plus, I understood I'm not trying to offend black women with short hair. I'm not trying to offend heavyset women. I'm not trying to upset fellow comedians. I'm not trying to do any of that and I can't I am qualified to be able to do none of that and still eviscerate you

because I'm smart enough to know that I need to say that you have gnarled fingers because I know your limited education means you don't know what the word means so you can't possibly respond to it you're not sure of the meaning and I'm going to continue hitting you because this is what comedians do right you've been masquerading that you're a comedian too and that's the fallacy so nobody in boxing fights out of their weight class if you're 130 pounder you don't just show up with the 160 pounders you stay in your weight class is that what you wanted to do. That she was out of her league when it came to... I didn't want to do any of it. I know you

didn't want to, but when she took it there, did you feel that you had to go there? Go where? You could have said, Wanda, I didn't come here for that. I just want to do the interview. I just want to talk about what happened. Oh, you misunderstand my job. My job is to be funny.

Ha ha! My job is to be funny first. My first job is to be funny. My job is to be funny first. My first job is to be funny. My second job is to be respectful. My third job is to be immaculate and Gaza strip it. That's nonpolitical. I'm saying if you do it, you let a terrorist accidentally touch over here and I won't stop burning you down until there ain't nothing left. It'll literally be rubble on top of rubble and I'll still be bombing. Why? Because that's why you should mind your business. This is what F around and find out is about. Have you ever been booed cat

Yes Yeah, I have What was that feeling like did it like want to give up? Because we don't, I mean, because when you have, I mean, I don't know how early it was in your career. Obviously, it hadn't been in the, I don't think it's in the last decade because you've been immaculate. Have you ever dropped a pass? I have.

I've been booed too. You know, the little segment between everything is fine and I got it. And then you notice where it is now. Yeah, it's that. The thing about as a comedian, the audience's opinion is the only opinion that matters, not you, the writer, none of that. And so I don't think any comedian has ever been booed unnecessarily either. They deserve it. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm saying, I'm saying, I'm saying,

what do they say when a guy shoots an air ball in the NBA? They say, air ball, to make sure everybody knows. But again, he's still got to get back on D. Like the game didn't end. He don't get to throw his hands up and sulk. That's supposed to be used as a learning experience. Most comedians don't get booed enough. I mean, this is how you end up with a Michael Blackson who's a real African doing a fake African accent.

Okay, this guy is mad at me. All I did was give him the best advice of his life. Remember, he was wearing dirty dashikis. And I told him he needed to dress to be in the position that he's trying to say that he's in. And if you're the African king of comedy, sir, there's actually comedians in Africa doing comedy. If you're going to say that, you got to go to Africa and get a school, dude. Everybody got you. You got to put in some work. And these guys, they take my advice. They change their whole persona. And and then they hate me for it. And generally, I'm just too big to comment or make a statement about it or do a live

or any of that but when it gets to be a whole grouping of these guys I gotta come and talk to Shannon I gotta lay it down at the altar this is the other side of Kirk Franklin Prince

this is the other side of Kirk Franklin print. This is the reckoning. 2024. The reckoning. You know every comedian that's been on my show. You watched every episode. That's not what you said. You said I know every comedian. You know every comedian. You're limiting me.

Oh, you watched every episode because you know things That's not what you said. You said I know every comedian. You know every comedian. You're limiting me. Oh, you watch every episode. Because you know things. You know things. That. That's always where I'm trying to come from. Whether it's comedic or otherwise. That's why even if you see me get arrested ten times in a row on TV. As a fan of mine, you can be like, he's going to be

right out. Yeah, but they just said he ain't do it. He couldn't have. It's stupid. Why would he do something stupid knowing he got to come back and talk to us? Nah. They respect that

every time it happens, I'm going to be free as a bird sitting out here talking to you about it. That it really was what I said it was. That's all. You end up, you come down, you're in L.A. Yeah. Now, I'm reading. Cat Williams won Cedric the Entertainer's and Heiserusch Best Los Angeles Comic Award.

Did you win that award, one Cat Williams? It's a simple yes or no. It's not a rhetorical question. It's a question that probably should have been asked to Cedric the Entertainer. I'm asking you. I got you here, though. I know. I couldn't believe Cedric didn't get asked that question.

You still a dude's joker to give an award and then 10 years later you don't know nothing about it. Hey, but I promise you this. What? If he sees me again before he sees you, he'll be talking different when you see it. That's for certain.

That's the difference. That's what these comics understand, is that I'm not doing nothing for clout. I don't even recognize clout. But eventually, the Lord is going to let me and you be in one hallway. A lot of these dudes go. Kevin Hart done went 25 years without ever being in the same building with me at the same time. If I go in the building, he walk out. You've never seen us in the same building ever in 25 years. Like it's like that. Why? Why? Because I'm really the product. It's not what you think. I am never under the influence of anything.

I'm always in my right mind. I'm always a physical specimen. And when you see me, I'm much, much bigger than you had thought. I have far less play in me than you would like. And I'm relentless. I'm out there. I'm still to to this day, I play 11 games of basketball with a 20-year-old. The record is 92-6. This is just in the yard, just to the rack. You work out at camp? I mean, do you work out at camp? Not to the gym. You don't work out at the gym? You push-ups, sit-ups?

gym you don't work at the gym you push up sit ups i my whole life it was um it was just push-ups and sit-ups only i would do like um a hundred push-ups a day just i thought you were gonna say a thousand no no no because this is literally every day right this is not for the yeah for the gram you know i mean like literally a hundred a day and i would do push-ups and then i tore both my rotator cuffs and so it was only thanks to golf that I was even able to get my stuff back. You a golfer now? I've been a golfer for quite some time. My short game is impeccable. I can't get you but two and some change off of the tee,

but I'm still coming in for par, guaranteed. Are you playing for the tips? No. I found that you don't get anything for that. It seems very egomaniacal. They go, hey, Kat, for free, you can go further back. Hey, wait a minute. Does it still count the same?

Hey, I'm up at the ladies' tee. Don't tell me my pronouns. On the golf course, I'm she, her, him, them, and they. Whoever at the front tee. I know we're joking. We're having a great conversation. But you did win the award. How did the award help your career?

It had to help something, Kat. I didn't remember it it happened to you just said it set how does that you give you an award that was worth something everything Cedric and Ricky smiley ever been in what got canceled for not being funny Ricky say I told you that they cut him out of every movie he did. They always had a reason. That's why I'm funny, because I'm a happy person. I laugh all day long. I can't even imagine the misery of these bumps. Just to not be good

at what you do, not work hard at what you do, but have to act like you're the best at what you do. It is crazy. It's crazy. But they be touring,

they be doing like a hundred shows a year. That's me. I don't run into none of them. That's what I'm saying. If you a Faze I Love fan, you mean you've been a fan of him for 32 years, you still waiting on him to do his first special?

You mean to tell me if Steve Harvey your favorite comedian, you mean you've been waiting for him to do stand-up for 15 years now? I mean, Steve got a lot of other... D.L. still out there. None of those irons matter to stand-up. Who cares that they wrote a placard for you to do family feud on? Like, you're successful because we're surprised you can talk for a living and it's entertaining that you're going to say some funny country things.

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