Hate or love him, Katt Williams has had a more successful comedy career than several other popular comedians in Hollywood. No stranger to controversy, Katt Williams was the most talked about comedian at the start of 2024. His explosive, almost 3-hour interview with Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay nearly broke the internet.
Although he left the interview with new and existing enemies, Katt Williams has long earned a reputation for speaking the truth – or attempting to do so. While it’s hard to separate facts from fiction, Katt Williams’ consistency and relevance for decades have made him one of the most respected comedians in Hollywood. Here’s a detailed timeline of Katt Williams’ career, from Cincinnati to the Netflix stage.
Katt Williams’ Early Life
Katt Williams was born Micah Williams to John Cornell Williams and Brenda Louise. Williams was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on September 2, 1971. However, his family moved to Dayton, Ohio, where the comedian was raised. Williams was born into a very religious family, with his parents devout Jehovah’s Witnesses. As such, his parents often embarked on religious mission trips outside the country. On one such trip, Williams lived in Haiti for about 18 months.
Although Katt Williams believed in God, he didn’t get along with his parents because of the lifestyle he wanted to have. Being a Jehovah’s Witness came with certain boundaries Williams felt were too restrictive. At 13, Williams emancipated himself from his parents after an altercation. However, his emancipation wasn’t necessarily a form of rebellion but because he believed someone would get hurt if he continued to live under the same roof with his father. Leaving Ohio, Katt Williams moved to Florida.
Katt Williams’ Early Career In Cincinnati
Like many great comedians before and after him, Katt Williams began his comedy career in his hometown of Cincinnati. Williams was drawn to comedy from an early age, which was one reason he and his father never got along. In the late 70s to 80s, comedy wasn’t as big as today. Comedians were also known for using profanities, something that would never be tolerated in John Cornell Williams’ home. Katt Williams’ comedy career began in the Avondale neighborhood of Cincinnati.
He Began Performing Across the Country
“Born in Cincinnati… Raised in Dayton. Released to the mass population.” This is how Katt Williams summarizes his birth and mission. Although his stand-up comedy career began in Cincinnati, he honed his comedy skills by performing in clubs around the country. It took years of hard work, but Williams soon began performing in notable stand-up comedy clubs and shows. By the 90s, Katt Williams was performing at The Improv, Hollywood Park Casino, The Ice House, and The Comedy Club. In 1998, Williams was on BET’s ComicView, where he performed the joke in which he accused Cedric the Entertainer of stealing in his Club Shay Shay interview. By 1999, Katt Williams had already established himself as a stand-up comedian.
Katt Williams in Friday After Next (2002)
Although Friday After Next (2002) was his film debut, it wasn’t the first time Katt Williams was cast in an acting role. A month before Friday After Next released, Williams played Martel Cates in an episode (“Maya Con Dios”) of NYPD Blue. Friday After Next was a career-defining role for Katt Williams’ comedy career. Williams embodied the role of Money Mike, a pimp and owner of Pimps and Hoes. For his first film act, Williams became the poster child of African-American pimps. He remains appreciative of Ice Cube for giving him the platform to shine.
Katt Williams in The Tracy Morgan Show
Although he continued his stand-up comedy career, Katt Williams combined his comedy with acting. With his success in Friday After Next (2002), Williams was cast in a major role as Freddie on NBC’s sitcom The Tracy Morgan Show. Katt Williams portrayed Freddie on the show from 2003 to 2004 when it was canceled. He also joined the cast of My Wife and Kids in a recurring role as Bobby Shaw from 2004 to 2005.
Katt Williams’ First Comedy Special
By 2006, Katt Williams was a recognizable name and fame in Hollywood. He had managed to push his stand-up and acting career together to great success. Katt Williams’ first comedy special was Let a Playa Play, performed in 2006.
Katt Williams: American Hustle Was A Success
In 2007, Katt Williams co-wrote and starred in the comedy movie Katt Williams: American Hustle (2007). Although produced as a movie, Williams played Himself as a stand-up comedian. The film received critical acclaim as well as good ratings from audiences. Refusing to accept offers to play stereotypical roles other African-American comedians were known for at the time, Katt Williams decided to go on tour in several major cities with a few other stand-up comedians.
Katt Williams’ HBO Stand-up Comedy Specials
Katt Williams’ first HBO comedy special, The Pimp Chronicles, Pt. 1, was in 2006. His second HBO stand-up special, It’s Pimpin’ Pimpin’, was released two years later in 2008. 2008 was a commercially successful year for Katt Williams, who was named Billboard’s best comedian of 2008. After a four-year break from HBO stand-up specials, Williams returned with another HBO special, Kattpacalypse, in 2012. Spike Lee directed his next HBO stand-up comedy special, Katt Williams: Priceless: Afterlife, in 2014.
As of the end of 2023, Katt Williams: Priceless: Afterlife was his last HBO stand-up comedy special. Between these HBO specials, Katt Williams did comedy tours like Growth Spurt Tour (2013) and Conspiracy Theory Tour (2015). His other non-HBO comedy specials before 2014 include Katt Williams Live (2006), Katt Williams Presents Katthouse Comedy (2009), Katt Williams: Pimpadelic (2009), Katt Williams: The Katt Phenomenon (2009), and Katt Williams: 9 Lives (2010).
Katt Williams’ Acting Comedy Career
Katt Williams continued to combine his stand-up comedy career with acting. During the period he performed his HBO stand-up comedy specials, Williams appeared in several film and television projects. On the big screen, he played Lord Have Mercy in Norbit (2007), Delicious in The Perfect Holiday (2007), Rickey in First Sunday (2008), and Blaine Fulda in Scary Movie 5 (2013). On television, he was a cast member on Wild ‘n Out from seasons 1 to 4 (2005-2007), Nick Cannon Presents: Short Circuitz (2007), and voiced A Pimp Named Slickback in the popular Adult Swim’s The Boondocks (2005-2008).
After his last HBO stand-up comedy special in 2014, Katt Williams returned to acting in film and television. He starred in Father Figures (2017), 2 Minutes of Fame (2020), The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2 (2021) and For the Love of Money (2021). Katt Williams had guest-starring roles in Atlanta, where he played the iconic Uncle Willie, and also appeared in popular TV shows like Black-ish (2019) and The Last O.G. (2020).
Katt Williams Stand-up Comedy Specials on Netflix
Katt Williams’ first stand-up comedy special on Netflix was Katt Williams: Great America. The stand-up comedy was shot in Jacksonville, Florida, and released in 2018. Williams landed another lucrative deal with Netflix for a comedy special in 2022. Williams’ reference to this Netflix deal on Club Shay Shay triggered conversations about his net worth. Katt Williams’ last stand-up comedy special was Netflix’s Katt Williams: World War III (2022). If you enjoyed reading about Katt Williams’ comedy career, read Katt Williams’ current net worth.