Indianapolis is getting prepared for a night of uncontrollable laughter that will feature the unique brand of comedy presented by the American hustler himself, Mr. Katt Williams.
His upcoming visit is part of a nationwide tour that has been set up to satisfy a rapidly growing legion of fans who have come to know Williams through his numerous appearances on comedy programs as well as in movies and music.
The comedian, actor and rapper has become somewhat of an overnight sensation, quickly taking his colorful, sassy and streetwise style from the stand up stage to the big screen.
“Everything, everywhere is comedy material,” Williams said in a recent interview. “I watch and view the world via television, newspapers, movies and music, then translate our world into funny as I see it. There is no subject where funny doesn’t exist.”
Most recently Williams, 34, appeared as an eccentric choir director in the film “First Sunday,” which features Ice Cube and Tracy Morgan as two restless church visitors who arrive with goals that are not very spiritual.
The role was a slight change for Williams, whose characters usually combine the flashy charm of ‘70s pimps with the hardcore braggadocio of today’s hip-hop artists.
Williams has released his first music album, “Pimpin’, Pimpin’- Introducing Katt Williams and the Secret Pimp Society.” The CD, which arrived in stores last month, features guest appearances from an all-star cast of friends, including Snoop Dogg, Lil’ Jon, Lil’ Wayne, E-40, Da Brat, Paul Wall and others.
Williams has also recently appeared in numerous music videos, most notably with Outkast (Roses) and Ludacris (Stand Up and Number One Spot).
By all accounts, he has come a long way since 2002, when he was spotted on the stand up comedy circuit and recruited to appear in the comedy “Friday After Next.” He gained even more attention in 2006 with his HBO show “The Pimp Chronicles Pt. 1,” and in 2007 appeared in Eddie Murphy’s “Norbit,” “Epic Movie,” “The Perfect Holiday” and his own production, “American Hustle.”
On the stand-up circuit Williams has attracted loyal followers who find it difficult to stop laughing at his seemingly endless supply of jokes about people such as Michael Jackson, Martha Stewart, crooked preachers and racists.
Although his routines and characters are often silly, his outlook on the world isn’t. Williams, who was an honors student in high school, is far from being a mental lightweight. He has strong views on topics such as poverty, the economy, racism and the U.S. invasion of Iraq, which he still opposes since “we took over a country that has most of the oil but our gas prices still went up.”
Despite his frequent references to subjects that many would consider vulgar or lewd, Williams has maintained that his goal is to bring “dignity” back to comedy.
“The dignity that I speak of is the dignity in the fact that comedy is at the lowest portion on the totem pole when it comes to the entertainment field,” he stated.
Williams explained that many people see drama as a higher calling than comedy, but he believes it is much better to make 100 people laugh than to make them cry.
“If you can make 100 people cry at one time, fine. But I don’t think you can do it,” Williams said. “I don’t think you can tell a story – I don’t think you can make 100 people angry at one time, but I can make 100 people laugh at one time, and I want to bring that to the forefront.”
Katt Williams will make his Indianapolis appearance on Sunday, March 2 at the Murat Centre, 502 N. New Jersey St. Doors open at 6 p.m. ant the show begins at 7:30 p.m. Advance tickets are $47.50 or $52.50. For more information call the Murat box office at (317) 231-0000.
