Emmy-winning comedian and actor Katt Williams delivers a raw, unfiltered memoir that takes readers on a wild ride from homelessness to Hollywood, revealing the resilience, faith, and unapologetic humor that define his iconic career. With a foreword by Shaquille O’Neal.
At thirteen, Micah Williams told his devout Jehovah’s Witness parents he was done. Knocking on doors wasn’t his calling, but knocking out audiences would be. He hitchhiked to Florida, hustled odd jobs, and years later would transform into Katt Williams, Emmy-winner, five-foot-five giant of comedy. The only man in Hollywood who can rock both a press and curl and sold-out arenas.
Katt details the grit and unwavering self-belief that fueled his ascent from an impromptu set at a small Florida comedy club to commanding audiences worldwide. He funded his own tours, kept his ownership, and he learned early that if you’re going to be underestimated, you might as well profit from it.
Katt also reveals the quieter side of the man behind the thoughtful, spiritually grounded, and deeply committed to fatherhood. He addresses the headlines head-on, sets the record straight on his legal battles, while sharing what it really means to survive Hollywood without losing ownership of your money, your voice, or your peace.
From the soul of a man who refuses to fail, this memoir is part comedy masterclass and part middle finger to convention. It’s not just for fans; it’s for anyone who’s ever been told their dreams were too loud. Katt delivers a blueprint for betting on yourself…and winning.
You know that old saying there’s three sides to the truth? Well, the problem sometimes with memoirs is only one side gets provided and occasionally they can certainly seem untruthful. Thus is the case with Katt Williams’ personal history. If you can suspend disbelief that a nine year old child pitched the idea – to a full boardroom of executives, no less – yet never received credit for “add your own sugar Kool-Aid packets” and that he was innocent in every negative thing from criminal charges to personal beefs with other celebrities then you’ll be just fine with this listen. Williams is such a wordsmith so despite me giving the side-eye several times to his side of things I still enjoyed every minute of this one.
Do you see that smirk he's giving? Like he knows something you don't? Because he does. He knows lots of things and has had experiences I can't even comprehend. I don't read a lot of memoirs but I usually enjoy them and Williams himself says biographies and memoirs have never steered him wrong. I should read more of them. Williams has a level of hustle that is admirable and exhausting. He loves research--he wants to know the ins and outs of something while he's experiencing it and, as a librarian, this endlessly impresses me. I'm not overly familiar with Williams's work. I've watched some clips from his movies multiple times and I laugh harder with each viewing. I guess you could say I went into this blind and his life is just incredible. The family drama (not his kids but his parents and extended family), the friendships he's forged with legends, and all the difficulties and triumphs in between--truly riveting. Fame is a blessing and a burden and it's humbling to be reminded of this. This man is funny and he's a fighter. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC
3.5 rounded up. Katt Williams is more than a comedian. He can tell a story like no other. Hearing about his background growing up was tough, but he persevered. I've only known about Katt the troubled actor/comedian, but I've learned so more about the man through reading his book. He's definitely been involved in some outlandish things, and he uses his book to tell his side of the story. I'm not 100% sure I believe everything he says, but he does make me stop and think. Definitely get the audio if you can!
This was a DNF for me. I wanted to read his new book because of his talk show he had with Shannon Sharpe and watching all his comedy specials I had to pick up this book. This book to me was very slow to read. I kept trying to pick it up and just couldn't. Ended up reading about 28% before I stopped reading it.
If you’re thinking about reading this book, I highly recommend reading the print copy over listening to the audiobook. You’re probably thinking with Katt Williams as the narrator of his audiobook it has got to be hilarious! Trust me, I thought the same thing. And although I received a hardcover copy when I attended Katt’s book tour in Philadelphia, I still chose to purchase and listen to the audiobook instead. I was looking forward to hearing Katt’s high pitched commentary. Who better to tell me Katt’s story than Katt Williams himself right?
WRONG!
There was nothing funny about the way Katt delivered this narrative. It is clear that Katt the comedian and Katt the narrator have two different personalities and communication styles lol. His delivery was dry, flat and monotone. His narration did such a disservice to the humor laced writing that I eventually gave up on the audiobook and read the print copy instead.
And that’s when the comedy set in.
Although Katt tackles some heavy topics, the stories are told in a hella funny way. Once I started reading the book to myself I was completely able to appreciate the writing. When I read the book, in my head, Katt the comedian was in full effect. And it’s for this reason that I highly recommend reading the print copy over listening to the audiobook.
As for the book itself, I really enjoyed it! Though some of Katt’s stories were so far-fetched that at times they just didn’t seem real. But if Katt says this is his truth, who am I to tell him it’s not. For example, there’s a story where Kat describes being a young boy and giving the company that makes Kool-Aid the idea of adding sugar to Kool-Aid packages.
In another story. He explains that when he was a teenager he saved babies and children in Haiti by teaching mothers to add salt to water to cure dehydration. The way in which these stories were told seemed so over-the-top 😂. I’m not saying I don’t believe him. I’m just saying Katt was the man even when he was a child😂.
Katt does a great job of touching on many different areas of his life. Reading about the abuse he suffered at the hands of his religious parents was heartbreaking. In this book he gives us a glimpse into his mind, his past, moments beyond and in front of the camera. He shares stories of heartbreak and triumph.
He also address some of his most infamous media headlines. Personally, I’d never heard any of the stories he shared in this book. I had no idea he had been arrested so many times. I never heard about the story of him getting into an altercation with the 17 year-old teenager. And I didn’t know he had been admitted into a psychiatric hospital. However, I did once hear that he paid for legendary R&B singer Melba Moore’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
No matter what you think of Katt’s comedy, he knows some things! According to Katt, his comedy is about truth telling and whistle blowing. And although he says a lot on stage, off stage he is the complete opposite. When the lights go down he is quiet, introspective and observant.
Some of the entertainers he shares stories about are Prince, Shaquille O’Neal, Diddy, Jay-Z, Ice-Cube, DipSet and others
I was shocked to learn about the many death threats he received after the Michael Jackson joke he told on his stand-up comedy special. It had gotten so bad he even had to hire the Nation of Islam to protect him! Wild! I guess people don’t play about their Michael Jackson.
Overall, I thought this was a great read. I highly recommend it! Just do yourself a favor and read the hard copy😂.
Wow, what a story! We learn Kat Williams’ story from the very beginning. The determination, the hustle, the heartbreak and the success. His upbringing was very shocking and terribly sad. He stopped at nothing to become who he is today. He taught himself so much at such a young age. I learned so many things about him that I had no idea about. The one major thing was all of the kids that he adopted. I felt so terrible for him for the way he was betrayed by family and how millions were stolen from him right under his nose. I love the humor throughout the story. I found myself laughing very often. Every time I would see a title and it was like”Katt Williams arrested for punching somebody in the face” then he would say “well here’s what really happened”. He often showed how much the media doesn’t print the truth or even a follow up to the story. Even though this memoir was slow at times, I really did enjoy it. I loved that Kat Williams didn’t always just think about himself. He worried about his whole team and kids all the time. He gave back to so many charities and always stayed humbled. Thank you Gallery Books for the gifted copy!
I did the audio version because Katt read it himself. I figured it would’ve given more personality than it did. While I appreciate a good story and a response for everything… some of his rebuttals for situations seemed more of just that.
I do believe he is smart, educated, and thinks on a higher and deeper level than most… however, I don’t believe all of his responses to the different issues he faced in life are true. As I was reading… I kept randomly thinking “At what point do you take responsibility for your actions?”. I do understand that the media can portray situations however they see fit but that’s a lot of situations for them to flip for Katt to “look like” the bad guy.
Overall, I enjoyed hearing his audiobook. The responses to each situation came with a silver lining. Learning about how his family came together and the selflessness, love, and effort he put into raising his kids and supporting the immediate village that surrounded him was the real gold in the book.
He has lived a pretty wild life, and I had no idea about any of it beforehand. It was good to learn his story from him for the first time. Additionally, he clears up a couple of TMZ type reports floating around about him over the years. I do wish he talked a little more about comedy and his process and that sort of thing, but then again, that would be a whole other book.
The last person I expected a memoir from but I am so glad he wrote one! I lol’ed, I teared up, and I now see this man in a completely new light. I enjoyed the “Pimp Chronicles”—the good blessings and the hardships, the lessons learned!
You know the question “What 5 people living or dead would you want to have dinner with?”, Katt Williams is on my list. He’s led quite an interesting life. At times I thought “This is so outlandish it has to be true! You can’t make this stuff up!”
I have heard Mr. Williams discuss his childhood in interviews and to get a more detailed story seemed invasive. I appreciate Katt’s vulnerability, honesty, drive, and talent; and his commitment to sharing with his fans. It was a great listen, throughout its entirety.
I know that Katt is an actor-comedian but i didnt know his backstory or do i follow his life story. I learned alot about him and found this book very enjoyable. Will recommend to anyone willing to listen