2024 got off to a good start, at least for stand-up comedian and actor Micah “Katt” Williams.
His recent interview on the former football tight end Shannon Sharpe’s podcast, Club Shay Shay, has sent shockwaves through the media and the comedy world. Williams spared no big names, or ammunition, and his revelations included candid anecdotes, as well as shocking and controversial statements regarding some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, including Cedric the Entertainer, Steve Harvey, Rickey Smiley, rapper Ludacris, and Friday series creator, Ice Cube himself.
The statements about the latter were particularly interesting, as they related to Katt Williams’ role in Ice Cube’s Friday after Next movie. In the interview, Williams disclosed that the script contained a scene of sexual assault against his character, Money Mike. He added that he advocated for the scene’s removal, ultimately relying on all the credibility and all the pull he had in comedy to have the scene snipped to the cutting room floor. Reflecting on his impactful career in comedy, one might wonder: Does Katt Williams really have that much pull, and is he really among the best comedians of all time?
Before we answer that question, we have to point out that Ice Cube responded to Katt Williams’ statement regarding the scene. While he did express his respect for Williams and his contributions to Friday after Next — which started out small but quickly expanded once the filming started — Ice Cube characterized Katt’s claims regarding the alleged rape scene as “discrepancies” in how he and Katt Williams remember things.
That aside, let’s discuss Katt Williams’ place in the pantheon of great Black comedians.
It’s no secret that Katt Williams enjoys a long and fruitful career in comedy. At just 13 years old, in his re-telling, he left his family home and moved to Florida, where he supported himself with a series of odd jobs. At 19 years old, Williams began performing stand-up comedy in the Avondale neighborhood of Cincinnati, where he soon became recognized for the electric performances he’s still known for today. This early start in comedy allowed him to hone his comic delivery by performing his routines in clubs around the country. By 1999, he had become an established and well-known comedian.
However, his entry into the mainstream happened nearly a decade later, in 2008, following the release of 2007’s Katt Williams: American Hustle. The movie, co-written and starred by Williams, was an absolute success among critics and audiences alike. Paired with several successful comedy specials that Williams released around that time, the movie propelled his career into the limelight and landed him a place among some of the best comedians of our time.
Over time, Williams has released several successful comedy specials, including Katt Williams: Priceless: Afterlife (directed by the legendary Spike Lee) and his most recent release, titled World War III, on Netflix. It’s these works that reveal what exactly makes Katt Williams a great comedian. Priceless opened with two women dancing on each side of a cage with a lion inside, but when the cage opens, a different kind of Katt emerges (pun intended). In World War III, he races across the stage. All the shows in between display an incredible amount of showmanship.
And that’s precisely what makes Katt Williams so good: his understanding and adherence to the unwritten laws of comedy that state that comedy isn’t all about the jokes but is equal parts delivery. Katt Williams might be considered a comedian, but he’s a consummate performer above all. His delivery has a distinct rhythm complemented by his swagger and a high-pitched voice that can make anything funny. This, paired with his live-wire physicality and energetic performances, is what sets Katt apart. His act isn’t about carefully crafted and honed jokes; it’s about how he delivers the punchlines.
Another aspect that makes Williams great is his improvisational sense, the way he works off the audience’s response and the way in which he moves from something completely goofy to something very serious. That blend of high-signature delivery and overall energetic performance, paired with clever little insights into everyday life and culture, all comprise the maraschino cherry that sits atop the pimp red suit that crowns Katt as a recognizably raw and unfiltered comedic juggernaut.
But we’ve talked about William’s accolades and style long enough. While he is a comedic force to be reckoned with, does he really have a place on the Mt. Rushmore of comedians such as Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Dave Chappelle, and Chris Tucker? Well, it’s really challenging to put Katt Williams among the top five Black comedians of all time, especially when we consider the breadth and impact of people like Pryor or Martin Lawrence. And we’re not trying to diminish Williams’ talent or influence, but rather to acknowledge the extraordinary achievements of his peers, like Chappelle.
Also, we’d have to take into account all the metrics that would be considered for such rankings. Are we talking about the comedians from the current era, or are we also including those who have passed? Are we discussing comedians who are still touring or those who have their own comedy special, a movie, or a television show? There are plenty of things to consider here, and the lack of any concrete data surrounding these questions makes Katt Williams’ ranking among the top five of all time even more challenging than it already is.
Ultimately, when considering an artist’s impact, we must look at their influence and their ability to remain relevant over time. In this regard, Katt Williams has certainly made a significant impact, and his influence in comedy is undeniable, as he’s enjoying a career that spans more than three decades. So, while the answer to whether he’s one of the top five Black comedians might be subjective, his unquestionably profound influence on comedy remains an objective truth.