Last year, Netflix successfully tested a live Chris Rock comedy special. They have repeated this with comedian Katt Williams and his latest special, "Woke Folks." The special was streamed live on Netflix from the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California, as part of the Netflix Is A Joke Fest on Saturday, May 4th.
The comedic prowess of Katt Williams was brought to my attention after his scene-stealing performance as Money Mike in "Friday After Next" and his stand-up special, "The Pimp Chronicles." However, my experience of watching him live on two separate occasions was less than satisfactory and, thus, led to a loss of interest in his stand-up comedy. Nonetheless, I acknowledge his exceptional work in television and film in recent years, where he has found his niche.
Nevertheless, while I didn't make the time to watch his record Shannon Sharpe interview, with the accolades and press Katt received, I wanted to give his newest stand-up special a chance, so I hit play with an open mind, hoping to laugh. Taking the stage in a stylish red and black suit and sneakers to match, Katt was greeted with thunderous applause.
Throughout his hour-long set, Katt Williams delivers jokes on various topics, including politics, female anatomy, the media, and conspiracy theories. As an experienced comic, Williams has grown and evolved, and he brings up issues that deserve further discussion. However, his attempt to blend comedy with social commentary didn't always work well. While he often made valid points, his jokes didn't always flow smoothly into his more serious commentary, which could be jarring for the audience.
Despite this, Williams is a skilled performer and is genuinely passionate about the topics he covers. His jokes on politics, mainly, were incisive and thought-provoking, and his coverage of female anatomy was refreshingly honest and funny. However, I found that Williams' more controversial views on conspiracy theories were only sometimes effectively communicated, and I was left unsure how to react to some of his comments.
While I appreciated the issues Williams raised and how he tried to blend comedy with social commentary, the performance could have been more cohesive. Although I listened carefully to everything he said, I didn't laugh as much as I had hoped and was left feeling underwhelmed.
Final Grade: C+
"Katt Williams :Woke Folks" is now available to stream on Netflix.
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