Pat, her real name Patricia Williams, is connecting with a much wider audience these days since becoming a sought-after headline act and releasing Rabbit: The Autobiography of Ms. Pat, a book that unflinchingly details Williams’ nearly unbelievable past.
Born in Atlanta, Williams gave birth to her first child four months after turning 14 years old. Less than a year later, she had her second child. Williams sold cocaine in Atlanta, got shot and spent time in Fulton County Jail. After she gave up drug dealing, finding legal work was difficult with convictions on her record.
In 2002, Williams tried stand-up for the first time at an open mic night in Atlanta. Not many successful comedians start their careers at 30, but Williams has broken nearly every conventional stereotype of what it takes to make it in show business.
Being honest about her story, and remaining honest with herself, have been the keys to Williams’ climb, and as she said during a recent phone interview, “I’m always gonna be Ms. Pat.”
Williams and I discussed her love of Southern crowds, what she enjoys about comedy festivals, how long it took to find her voice on stage and more.
Tony Castleberry: You’ve played Goodnights in Raleigh before.[1. This interview was conducted before the author saw Ms. Pat at Dead Crow Comedy Room in Wilmington on Saturday. Her show is incredible and if you can, you must go see her live.] Do you remember anything about those shows?
MP: Yeah, the crowds were good. I like the South anyway. I’m from the South.
TC: I interviewed you in 2016 and I remember us talking about Southern crowds maybe getting on board with your jokes a little bit quicker than folks in the Midwest do. Do you feel like that’s still true?
MP: Heck yeah, I’m country.
TC: [laughs] Well, I am too so we’re in the same boat there. Do you watch other comedians at festivals if you have down time?
MP: Yeah, I like to stand around and watch the show sometimes.
TC: Is a festival setting different from a normal weekend of shows?
MP: It’s kind of different because usually the sets are shorter and you get so many different types, varieties of comedians. It varies.
TC: You’re so open and honest about your life when you perform and in the book. Was there ever any hesitation on your part about putting yourself out there that way?
MP: Oh my God, it was so freeing. I’m glad that people that come to see me, my fans, they allow me to be me, no matter what demographic or what race of people is in the audience.
I tell people up front. I’m gonna be me. I’m not gonna edit it for you. I always tell them I’m gonna take them on a field trip.
TC: That’s a neat way to describe it.
MP: I try. I think some people (at my shows) come into a life they’ve never experienced or they never really heard of. I try to paint a picture so if I’m in this story, you’re there with me.
TC: It really is beautiful that you got to a place where you could not only share those experiences, but also do it in a way that benefits you as well.
MP: It’s such a healing. Writing this book and telling the stories that I tell...that was all bundled up inside of me. I’m always healing, every time I tell these stories. I’ve gotten over so much just from being a comedian. Like I’ve always told people, some people are gonna sit on the couch. I stand on stage and tell my darkest secrets to people who are drinking alcohol.
TC: Yeah, and I think they get something from it too. Did you feel comfortable on stage when you first started stand-up?
MP: It’s never comfortable the first time. It’s like riding a bike. You’re gonna fall. You’ve gotta learn the technique. You’ve got to find your voice. You’ve got to learn how jokes go together. Set-up, punchline, premises. No, it was not easy.
TC: Did you get comfortable pretty quickly after you started?
MP: It took a few years. You get into a comfort zone, but really learning what comedy was, it took about 10 years. The comfort zone came within the first six months to a year, but to really know what I was doing came about 10 years in and I’m still learning. It’s always a challenge. You never know what the audience is gonna be like. You don’t know if you have somebody (in the crowd) you’ve gotta kick out. There’s always stuff you’ve gotta deal with when you’re doing comedy.
I got my voice probably like five years ago and I learned to be me. A lot of times, you can try to cater your show to the audience so they’ll like you.
I don’t give a damn who’s sitting out there. I’m coming to be me. You can come to me or go away from me, but I’m always gonna be Ms. Pat. That’s all I know. I tell young comics that. Don’t let (the crowd) dictate where the show goes. You take them where you want them to go.
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Tony is a comedy writer and contributor to Out and About and Raleigh & Company.
