WhenKatt Williamsspeaks, people listen. The diminutive comedian recently spoke with Shannon Sharpe on his interview showClub Shay Shay, and he did not hold back. Williams had things to say about some of the top comedians working today, and most of it was less than complimentary.
But what was it that he said, and how much validity is there to his stories? It is an interesting interview in that Williams seemed poised to get some things off his chest. Host Shannon Sharpe was in the room but didn’t seem prepared for what was coming his way.
Katt Williams and Club Shay Shay
Shannon Sharpe hosts Club Shay Shay and has a habit of not asking follow-up questions. This fact was brought to his attention by Williams within the first five minutes of the interview. Williams pointed out that Sharpe did not press previous guests for answers about specific topics that raised red flags for those at home. Sharpe, a formerNFL playerand current sports pundit, has had on sports superstars like Mike Tyson and comedians Earthquake and Cedric the Entertainer. But Williams made it very clear why he was going to be there.
“The reason I had to come is because you made a safe place for the truth to be told…and I have watched all these low-brow 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 sit here and lie to you about it.”
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It was only the beginning, as Sharpe seemed unable to get to his question cards fast enough. His attempts at getting control of his own show were futile as Williams spoke ad nauseam about the industry, his views onfellow comedians, and a host of other subjects. Sharpe’s attempts at asking about Williams' career and upbringing quickly swerved back into the comedian’s views on the people that, until this interview, some may have considered his friends and colleagues.
Katt Williams Called Everyone Out
But the question is, what did he say? What was it that Williams brought up that has made so many waves in the entertainment industry, specifically among Black comics? The first thing was the list of comedians he decided to name-drop as being phony or outright liars. He named Cedric the Entertainer as having stolen his best joke and using it on theKings of Comedyspecial, Steve Harvey for not only wearing a wig but attempting to steal Bernie Mac’s role inOcean’s 11, and people like Chris Tucker, who recently teased whatfans could expect fromRush Hour 4, for his alleged connections to Jeffrey Epstein. He even called out preacher T.D. Jakes for his alleged issues with Diddy, who was implicated in recent criminal issues. It was a bloodbath of the comedian’s truths.
“I came in this business saying I was gonna 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.”
He makes it clear that he sees himself as a truth-teller who has been called out and fought back against those who try to silence him. At one point, he calls out a “Wanda” but does not mention a last name. Sharpe calls him out and says, “Sykes? Oh, you mean Smith. That was legendary.” This refers to Williams' infamous radio interview with Wanda Smith, where he roasted the radio host for nearly ten minutes on her show.
Williams revels in speaking truth to power, regardless of how it may be taken or whether what he is saying has been backed up by facts. Although Sharpe’s producer called Williams out on one fact (it was a misremembered date), he was otherwise left to say whatever he thought.
The Fallout of Katt Williams' Interview
Following the release of the interview, nearly everyone named in his nearly two-hour interview was quick to jump on social media and respond. However, their responses were often less than stellar. Steve Harvey took to Twitter to write, “You don’t have to address your haters,” which some people called him out for.
Ice Cube, who wroteFriday After Next(a film that Williams credits as being a huge part of his career), addressed some of the issues Williams brought up regarding Ricky Smiley by saying:
“When we saw Katt, I just knew that he was perfect for Money Mike. Katt said he wrote his role, he enhanced it. Money Mike had a small role but when we started filming he was giving us such magic that we kept expanding his role.”
This was in response to Williams’s argument, and Smiley’s statement saying he was supposed to be in that role was untrue, which Cube seems to echo.
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Even Kevin Hart, one of the biggest comedians in Hollywood and agreat comedy movie actor, was called out for taking large paychecks and being forced to do things he may not have been comfortable with because the money was right. Hart simply tweeted, “Gotta get that anger up outcha champ… it’s honestly sad” and went on to pitch his newest movie.
The comedians and entertainers seem to be reeling in the aftermath of a show whose YouTube video alone has 37 million views. If it was Williams' idea to create buzz and anarchy in the industry, he’s done a fantastic job. Whether it will affect his career in any way is still up for debate.
