The Comedian

In 2002, America was introduced to the unforgettable talents and hilarious on-screen antics of Cincinnati native, Katt Williams (aka Money Mike).

Since his debut as the pint-sized pimp you know and love in Ice Cube's Friday After Next, this unique entertainer has blown up bigger than J-Lo's dumps on Botox. His classic, laugh-out-loud appearances on the first four seasons of MTV's Wild 'N Out showcased his quick wit for comedy and his infectious energetic charisma. It was a powerful combination. Fans all over the country were tuning in just to see what this little man with the BIG personality would come up with next. Standing at only 5'5" in height, with a comical high-pitched voice and a penchant for streetwise comedy mixed with sharp punchlines, Katt initially appeared as one of the many guest stars on the improv show, but like a true pimp, ended up stealing the spotlight from the headliner. Sorry, Nick Cannon, but that's exactly what happened...and it's not very often that it does.

Katt Williams carries with him a dominating stage presence and easily accessible, very likeable flamboyance that seems to shrink other comedians around him down to his size, all while winning the hearts and hysterical laughs of the audience with every cleverly crafted word. After several cameo roles in television and film, the executives at HBO finally came to their senses and decided to give Katt his own comedy special...and this insanely funny DVD was the result.


The Performance

The Pimp Chronicles was filmed in front of a live audience at The Atlantic Civic Center on April 15th, 2006. Hosted by Anthony Anderson (Exit Wounds, Barbershop), it runs a total of 54 minutes in length, with approximately 36 minutes of that being actual material from Katt Williams. Rather short, by today's standards, but considering the man on the cover, "short and funny" is the way this comedian lives his life! While I was somewhat letdown by the overall length of the film (but only because it was so good), I still say it is by far the most outrageous, foot-stomping 36 minutes of stand-up comedy you will ever experience.

Katt hits the stage in typical pimp fashion, sporting a ridiculous green outfit and a fresh perm. From the moment he stepped onto the stage, I already found myself laughing hysterically. It's difficult to put into words the friendly image, slapstick humor, and off-the-wall charisma of this very talented performer. His material covers everything from marijuana, white friends, parenting skills, the War on Terror, Spanish people, to the ever-popular Michael Jackson and his infatuation with "lil boys' bootyholes"...and it's a total RIOT! He bounces from topic to topic with relative comical ease, hurling one wild punchline after another, never letting up on the roaring audience for a second. Once Katt gets going into his act, well, forget about it --- this little leprechaun has you in the palm of his hand. His furious onslaught of all-original jokes and outrageous celebrity impersonations will have your eyes watering and stomach muscles knotting...but, then again, that's why you came, right?

To give you an idea of how truly funny this man really is, it's best to give you an example from one of his many philosophies. Katt's overall theme in The Pimp Chronicles is, in the words of the man himself, to "enjoy yo godda*n life!" He suggests that if you are living your life without weed, you are not living much of a life at all...

"I'm just sayin...if your life is fu*ked up, you NEED weed!!
Weed is put on this Earth for ni**as on the struggle, ni**as on the griiind
There is a chemical in weed that's called 'FU*K It'
And if you could just get that in your system, it could change your LIFE!
Some of ya'll be cryin about bills you can't pay, just...
'I don't know what I'm uh do about this light bill,
They want the whooole thing, they don't want a piece of it, a depooosit...'
Just hit the blunt one time!
See if it don't change your perception of what's important in your life!
You just, 'I don't know what I'm uh do about this light---'
(puff!)(cough!)
'FU*K THEM GODDA*N LIGHTS!! I got twelve candles, I been WAITIN to burn them bit*hes!!'"

As you can tell, Katt Williams delivers a very raw and uncensored live act, so parents beware. This movie is NOT intended for younger audiences of any age, and your children should not be allowed within any considerable hearing range of the television set while this is playing. I've heard many uncensored stand-up comics in my lifetime, but Katt Williams is the master of utilizing offensive language into every other word of his act. I don't think I've ever heard the word "motherfu*ker" used as many times in a half-hour as it is used in The Pimp Chronicles. But that's okay, it's still VERY funny, and you'll be way too busy laughing to even notice, anyway. If you are the type of person who enjoys this type of street humor, presented in such a raw and blatant manner, then this DVD is the ultimate that comedy has to offer right now. Just keep in mind going into it that the film more than earns its Not Rated disclaimer on the back.

Another special bonus to the performance is all of the current hip-hop stars sprinkled throughout the audience. Lil Jon, Sleepy Brown, Cam'ron and the DipSet, Da Brat (comin' from the 6-0-6-0-4!!), and Andre 3000 from Outkast are just a few of the celebs on hand to watch Katt bring down the house. This really gives anyone who is new to the wild stand-up routine of Katt Williams a bare glimpse at just how big an impact this little man has made on modern urban Hollywood. Lil Jon provides the beat for Katt's hit radio single, "Sweat Your Perm Out" (which he also uses during the show for his hilarious rendition of a "white man dancing" in a club) and even makes a surprising on-stage appearance with Katt during the show to get his hometown crowd riled up with a couple of "YEEEAAAH! WHAT?? OKAAAAAY!!!"s on the mic.

Even Tha Doggfather himself, the Snoop D-O-double-Gizzle Fo Shizzle himself (a personal friend of Katt's), helps him open the movie in a five minute segment entitled, "The Meeting". In it, Katt joins Snoop in the back seat of a tricked-out Cadillac, smoking weed and listening to Snoop instruct him (in the way that only Snoop can) on how to rock the stage tonight. "Don't be nervous...be at they service," Snoop says in his laid-back, pimp style voice. "Give em what they want, give em what they neeed, man!" Very funny to watch.


The DVD

The only fault I really have with this DVD are the shady special features that are included on it. For $19.99, I expected a little more than what the distribution company, ClydeTV, gave us. Especially considering that this is Katt Williams' debut comedy special!

1.) There is a short 30 second clip of Katt pulling up to the gig in his old school Camaro...and...that's it. What the hell??

2.) There is an alternate take to the Katt and Snoop "Meeting" intro that, quite frankly, deserved its spot on the cutting floor. It's not even funny, just a watered down version of the final cut that made it into the film. By the time you get to this feature, you have already seen it.

3.) Then we have Katt hanging out with his kids, which is pretty funny in certain spots, but I could have done with a 30-minute documentary of Katt's backstory or something. Maybe throw in some clips of Friday After Next, a few snipetts from his rise to fame in the comedy clubs, or a one-on-one interview with the man himself discussing his comedy and his personal influences. Hello, Clyde TV, are you writing this down??

4.) We are also treated to a few bogus backstage clips with Cam'ron that...really...just skip it.

5.) Last but not least, there is audio commentary of the show's producers discussing how they made the show. BORING! I want to hear from Katt, not these dorks!

All in all, these features are not what I paid my money for. They feel like they were thrown in at the last minute, to give the DVD a little extra value or something, but just comes off feeling like it was hastily done. The stand-up is the only thing worth seeing here. It's up to you to decide whether or not $19.99 is worth 36 minutes of laughs, though.


Final Thoughts:
If you like laugh-out-loud, relentlessly funny comedy, The Pimp Chronicles is the spectacular movie event that you have been waiting for. If you missed the HBO special on television, or are just wanting to understand why this crazy little guy named Katt Williams is the mega superstar that he is, then you have come to the right place. He is a unique entertainer that no one in the industry even closely compares to. So move over, Steve, Bernie, Cedric, and D.L....a new King is in the house! And he's "just a boooy, DAMON!!"



Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for Groups
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age