As cities like Nairobi, Dubai, and many others grapple with floods, Kendrick Lamar and Drake [US artists] have been engaged in a fierce battle in the hip-hop scene. Kendrick, as of Sunday, May 5, had decisively outperformed Drake with his release Not Like Us. Frankly, I don’t understand why Drake thought this beef was a good idea.
Still, in the music industry, Puff Daddy, also known as P Diddy, is slowly being exposed and is currently under investigation. Furthermore, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has taken over the WWE (wrestling), but allegations have surfaced suggesting that he pees in bottles during his workouts and lacks discipline during the principal photography in some of his latest movies.
So much drama and it’s only the first half of 2024. Let’s rewind to a few months back at the beginning of the year, when the tone was set. On the Shannon Sharpe show, Katt Williams delivered one of the most explosive interviews we’ve seen in a long time.
He passionately criticised the entertainment industry, regarding issues that aren’t openly discussed, especially those involving black entertainers but specifically some of his fellow stand-up comedians. “Secrets” were spilled and the “truth”, according to Katt Williams, was told.
So, four months later, still fresh in people’s minds, Katt returns with a Netflix event, a live event, not recorded and edited, where the show unfolds in real time.
Woke Foke
With over 10 stand-up specials under his belt, Katt Williams is undoubtedly a talented comedian and ranks among the greats.
Going into Woke Foke, I had low expectations, thanks to his previous stand-up World War 3 which was mid. So, does Woke Foke work, or is Netflix simply capitalising on his popularity after the Shannon Sharpeshow?
Positives
The fact that this was a live event, and we were able to experience it in real time from the comfort of our living rooms, like the front-row VIP seats, was really cool.
I found the quick opening of the show to be unique, with the drone flying into the theatre.
I can imagine Katt Williams was under a lot of pressure. I mean, everything was happening in real-time—mistakes, crowd interruptions, anything that occurred, the viewers at home would see. I thought he handled himself throughout well; by that, I mean, at no point did you sit back and think something was off. Further pressure came from the standard he had set for himself with the Shannon Sharpe show. The expectations were high.
From the start, he set the energy by literally running across the stage several times during the opening.
Katt effectively utilised the stage; he was everywhere, moving after every minute, with the spotlight struggling to keep up with him.
His material largely met our expectations, as he aimed to tell the truth and reveal secrets, as he had done on the Shannon Sharpe show. No one was spared this time, as his set covered topics from a blind kid playing football (American football) to Biden, to Jammie Foxx, to the Ozempic drug in relation to Hollywood stars including Oprah. He also explored racism, slavery, celebrity and sexuality.
One of Katt Williams’ strengths is his ability to take an ordinary observation and turn it into a premise, such as linking reparations to the use of the “N” word, or humorously comparing the texture of certain sexual organs to the inside of the mouth. His skill in painting scenarios is on point, possibly due to his experience.
While his sets were genuinely funny, much of his material heavily relied on social commentary, which was expected.
Negatives
I found the stage to be excessive this time. While Katt Williams’ stages are typically extravagant, this one felt a bit overdone. It resembled a bustling street at night, complete with vibrant blue lights, signs, an orange neon glow and a reflective floor, creating a visually overwhelming spectacle.
It seemed more suited for a music concert, especially with the wide shots and the camera panning, making it challenging to focus on the performer. Ideally, the stage should complement the comedian, not overshadow them, which is why a simple spotlight and a decent stage usually works. With everyone eagerly anticipating his appearance, such grandiosity wasn’t needed to set the stage for him.
Regarding his material, I found it mostly entertaining, though there were occasional moments where the punchlines didn’t quite hit the mark. The setups were strong, but sometimes they fizzled out prematurely, leading to swift transitions to the next set.
Conclusion
Woke Foke was an enjoyable experience. Katt Williams delivered what I anticipated, especially considering he had set the tone for the year during the Shannon Sharpe by emphasising truth-telling and secret-spilling.
However, I found the stage to be unnecessarily extravagant, potentially detracting from the simplicity of the stand-up format. While some punchlines fell short of expectations, Williams’ mastery of his craft enabled him to deliver the laughs and drop some truth.
X: @stanslausmanthi
