She is Beauty, She is Grace, HE was Katt Williams in the Early Comedy Space by Megan Rivera

Picture this: a 5-foot-5 figure donning an elegant, fluffy white fur coat that nearly kisses the ground, 2000s white gold-plated aviators, a sleek, bedazzled fedora resting atop a freshly and meticulously executed perm with signature 90s flipped ends, accompanied by matching sparkling earrings nearing the 8-carat mark. Luxury. Glamour. Couture, HONEY (look at the tag). All rolled into one. You uncontrollably gasp and think to yourself, could it be the iconic Britney Spears? The petite Sabrina Carpenter? Ms. Jenny from the block herself? However, the diva at hand is none other than Mr. Katt Williams, the 33-year-old, African American, Midwest-native, and breakout star of the comedy world in the year 2006, commanding the stage for his first-ever HBO special, The Pimp Chronicles Pt 1. Embodying what it means to not only shoot a comedy special, but to show up and work for it.

Before we are blessed with Katt taking the stage to set out on his 45-minute set of comedic gold, with sprinkles of bits about respecting women’s ever-changing bodies (king-behavior), we as viewers are graced by the televised presence of none other than a founding father of pimping, Snoop Dogg. He and Katt slyly sit in the back of a car – but not just any car – a low-rider Cadillac convertible with tasteful beige seats and a custom chandelier dangling above their heads, with matching sconces beside them. Yes, reminder, they are in a car. To this I say, what’s cooler than being cool?

Snoop smoothly offers words of advice for Katt ahead of the biggest night of his career thus far, performing at the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center, which would later become home to the BET Hip Hop Awards. 4,500 people showed up to watch a man tell jokes. Let’s just say, they got that and much more.

Katt takes the stage in that daring outfit, escorted by 5 model-Esque women all dressed in black. They assist him with his coat and hat, allowing him to free his hands and take a sip from a large white chalice placed on a pillar at center stage, while further unveiling the second tier of his getup – a green velvet suit jacket with a green pinstriped shirt, a flashy white tie, clean-fitting jeans, and a fresh pair of white Air Force 1s. Katt comes to the stage slinging nothing but high energy and carries it throughout his entire set, to the point where he is dripping sweat and risking the fate of his beautiful perm. He is dancing, jiving, jumping. His fans are hooting and hollering. Neither party is holding back, and I think there is something beautiful about this dynamic that has nowadays been lost in comedy specials.  

When exploring the stylistic choices from Katt and his team, it’s difficult not to compare this production to that of popular, male modern-day comedy specials. The Andrew Schulz, Shane Gillis, Nate Bargatze of it all. In the words of Carrie Bradshaw, I can’t help but think – what happened to flavor? Can we bring back the days of putting on a SHOW? Yes, the point of comedy is to stand on stage and tell jokes. But in the days of TikTok and YouTube shorts and clips galore, I’d argue the people need more than that. I want energy, pizzazz, blood, sweat, and tears. People are spending their hard-earned, capitalist-fueled paychecks to have a night out and see you… walk around in circles while yearning for big laughs? I’m bored! Bring back the production of it all. Bring back themes. Bring back stage presence and all-out effort.

What makes The Pimp Chronicles Pt. 1 such an iconic special (and forever my personal favorite) is not necessarily the literal words behind the jokes Katt is telling, but more the respect he shows his fans through the thought and effort he and his team put into the entire show. From the glamorous outfit to the handpicked guests (Lil Jon obviously makes a cameo later in the night), you can tell that each aspect was carefully curated, allowing Katt to bring the energy and for the audience to feel as though they experienced a show of a lifetime. Something worth talking about. Something that helped them exit the real world and their problems for 45 minutes. It’s a glorious reminder that these specials can and should feel like an event. 

The Comedy space has shifted in many ways since the early 2000s, and whether you think that is for better or worse is completely subjective. But what is objective is the number of J.Crew bomber jackets that we, as comedy fans, are subjected to on our screens while watching modern-day specials. The amount of square red carpets (why are they always red?) on a stage showcasing nothing else but a stool (do not get me started on the unearned use of the stool during sets) and an unbranded bottle of water. I’m yawning.

Look, I guess all I’m asking for is a little more action, please. More thought. More personality. More choices that align with the persona you are trying to fulfill. Less copying what the #1 Netflix comedian is doing. 

I’ve been a comedy fan for as long as I remember. I’ve watched more specials than I can count. I’ve worked in a comedy club in Manhattan for the past 5 years. All this to say, I’ve consumed a lot of comedy. But time and time again, when people ask me for recs, whether they are immersed in the world or interested in entering it, I find myself blurting out “The Pimp Chronicles Pt 1.” It was the first special that made me feel something about standup comedy, and the same one I return to no matter the mood I’m in. 

So whether you are an up-and-coming comedian looking for a masterclass on putting your originality into your comedic performance, or a simple viewer who’d like to see what it means to put your heart and soul into a special, please tune into The Pimp Chronicles Pt 1. And remember, Ladies Is Pimps Too.