Katt Williams revives beef with Cedric over joke
Katt Williams has taken aim at his fellow comedians during interviews before. But none were as charged as his interview this week on “Club Shay Shay.”
During his 35-minute sit-down with former NFL star Shannon Sharpe, the Emmy-winning comedian and actor accused Cedric the Entertainer of stealing his “best joke” more than two decades ago. Williams acknowledged that Cedric’s interview was among the reasons he agreed to appear on “Shay Shay.”
The joke in question came from Williams’ 1998 stand-up set on the BET show “Comic View,” when he was still performing as Katt ‘N Da Hatt. It was one of Williams’ first big breaks. For the bit, which fellow comedian Mark Curry helped him write, Williams reenacted someone driving a convertible while playing their music aggressively loud.
“I’m doing this joke, it’s on ‘Comic View,’ Cedric comes to the Comedy Store,” Williams continued in his recollection. “[Cedric] watches me in the audience, he comes backstage, he tells me what a great job I did and how much he loves the joke — two years later he’s doing that as his last joke on the ‘Kings of Comedy,’ and he’s doing it verbatim, he just changed my car into a spaceship.”
Cedric’s joke was seen widely as “Kings” went on to achieve box office and critical success. The movie is available to rent on Youtube, Appletv and Prime. Yet there is little record of Williams’ original joke.
Cedric dismissed Williams’ claim as “Revisionist History” in a comment beneath an Instagram post by “Club Shay Shay” highlighting the viral podcast moment.
“Regardless of whatever Katts opinion My career can’t be reduced to One Joke Katt Williams claims as his,” Cedric the Entertainer wrote. “I been over 40 movies, my specials and brand speaks volumes for I am.”