The Pygmy Pimp

We kid Katt Williams about his diminutive stature, but we’re hardly the first to make such jokes. Hell, the internationally successful comedian cracks wise about it himself; one of his funniest gags comes during a joke about being friends with Shaq. “It don’t even look right. I can’t even be his friend in public. He’s just too damn tall. How am I gonna be congratulating you on your game, and you got your thang all up in my forehead region?” he deadpans while repeatedly smacking his forehead with the microphone. That’s right — Katt is friends with Shaq. And Snoop. And Master P, Martin Lawrence, and a laundry list of other famous faces. That’s what it’s like being the Richard Pryor of the hip-hop generation. Williams has been brilliant about building his brand. Instead of settling for comedy DVDs and sitcom cameos, he has taken his comedy to fresh new formats; having appeared in videos by Ludacris, E-40, OutKast, Lil Scrappy, and Lil Jon, Williams is now cracking jokes in a blockbuster videogame. Yup, there he is — hustlin’ on your PlayStation in Grand Theft Auto IV.

Williams knows what’s going to make his audience erupt. Rap music references, gritty sex jokes, and sagacious ruminations about ganja blazing are hallmarks of his stage shows. But being a self-described hustler, Williams knows that times are hard and the audience is coming out to see a spankin’-new show. That’s why he’s got new material on every tour. Crack up at some funny new shit at 8 p.m. at the Sinatra Theater in the BankAtlantic Center.
Thu., May 15, 2008