If ever there was a player who stacked the deck against her, it was Patricia Williams.
Still, Pat, 52, is well known to fans for starring in two hit TV shows, including the just-released remake of Don't Tell Mommy the Babysitter is Dead. He stars in the film and is touring with his girlfriend. She has enjoyed many years of success in one-woman comedy shows. She is scheduled to perform a comedy show at the Joy Theater in New Orleans on May 18th.
But Pat's success is clearly a story of triumph over adversity.
Her mother had six children by the age of 19 and sold drugs to support them. Pat was regularly exposed to domestic violence in her home in Atlanta, and by the age of 12 she was married to a 21-year-old man, and by the age of 15 she was pregnant with his two children. .
She sold crack to buy diapers for her children, ages 1 and 2, and found herself in and out of prison. And, as is often the case in the world of drug dealing, she was often the victim of violence.
“After you get shot a few times, you finally realize it's time to change your life,” Pat said. “I had two children who needed better role models, and I met a good man who cared about me and encouraged me to do the right thing.
“So I decided to try something different. President Bill Clinton had started the largest program in the world, the Welfare-Labor Partnership Program. It was done.
That's interesting?
“She kept saying how funny I was, but I wasn't trying to be funny. I just told these stories about my life, which were certainly outrageous. And she Instead of pitying me, they laughed at the way I spoke.''And I was amazed at Pat's ability to turn tragedy into comedy.
With her GED in hand, Pat wanted to become a nurse, but her convicted felon prevented her from enrolling in nursing school. Her caseworker suggested she try stand-up. She joined the Atlanta Comedy Club's Open Her Mic Night in 2002 and fell in love with interacting with the audience, and she has been telling jokes ever since.
Pat worked in comedy clubs for over 10 years while working part-time at General Motors. Then, in 2016, her family moved to Plainfield, Indiana when her husband was transferred. It was a grand departure from the Atlanta neighborhood.
“I'm a black woman from inner-city Atlanta, but I've never lived in an all-white neighborhood,” Pat said. “You're talking about culture shock! But I just started writing jokes about my community and the first time I saw a cornfield, and before I knew it I was on Joe Rogan's podcast telling my story. Someone heard that and came knocking. “
Meanwhile, she was working on an autobiography called “Rabbit” (her childhood nickname), which was published in 2017. This book earned her a NAACP Image Award nomination.
“Ms. Pat Show”
With all the attention it was getting, it was the perfect time to plan a TV show, but it would take many incarnations and the right scriptwriter to turn Pat's real-life drama into a sitcom. . Luckily, she had some Hollywood heavyweights in her corner, producers Lee Daniels and Brian Grazer, to guide her through this process.
The show was finally picked up by FOX in 2019, but while it still hadn't found an audience, it was moved to Hulu because it was thought to be better streamed.
When Hulu canceled the series, BET+ picked it up, and with new writer Jordan E. Cooper, the show found its footing and gained a loyal audience.
“The Ms. Pat Show,” a series that deals with everything from abortion and school shootings to racism and drug addiction, has been nominated for Emmy Awards in 2022 and 2023 and has been confirmed for a fourth season. I just did it.
In October 2023, BET added another show to its repertoire. Pat will solve it for you. ” This is a courtroom show where Ms. Pat plays the role of a judge and presides over all kinds of disputes between everyday people.
“Hey, if Donald Trump can be president, so can I be a judge,” Pat says.
Now, a Netflix comedy special
Her successful podcast, “The Patdown,” has now been on the air for five years, as well as a Netflix comedy special, “Y'All Want to Hear Something Crazy?” Mr. Pat, directed by Robert Townsend and produced by Wanda Sykes, is currently in the midst of a comedy tour.
“Ya Girl Done Made It” will be performed for one night only at the Joy Theater in New Orleans on May 18th.
“I love TV and movies, but comedy is what brought me here,” Pat said. “So my comedy always comes before everything else.
“I've been to New Orleans for the Essence Festival and I love this place, but I've never performed there, so I'm looking forward to having fun with the audience. I'm going to have fun!”
Ticket information for “Ya Girl Done Made It” is available at MsPatComedy.com.
Contact Leslie Cardé at lesliecardejournalist@gmail.com.