A Ferry, a Three-Wheel ATV, Suge Knight and Slap Fights: Recapping Katt Williams' Terrorization of the West Coast
Comedian Katt Williams was once one of the funniest people on the planet. Now, he's in a very bad place. Yesterday, a judge in Seattle issued two warrants after Williams failed to show up to court there. This was just the latest event in a protracted timeline of highly ridiculous incidents, many of which have ended in Williams' arrest. Let's look at all that Williams has done to terrorize the West Coast this holiday season.
On Nov. 9, Williams was sued in L.A. court by his assistant Melissa Ishage, who alleges that the comedian attacked her in his house in early October, causing injuries that required her to be taken to the hospital. Police were called to the scene at the time but no arrests were made. Ishage is suing for $5 million.
Six days later, Williams was arrested in Oakland after a fight at a club called Kimball's Carnival. According to police, Williams struck a man over the head with a bottle. He was released pending further investigation.
Two days later, Williams took the stage at the Coliseum in Oakland to perform to a sold-out crowd. That quickly devolved into a complete mess after Williams began his set with an elongated (and often hilarious) freestyle rap. After the crowd got hostile, Williams threatened a heckler to a fight before he was pulled offstage by his security. The show's emcee then came out and implied to the crowd that Williams was on cocaine.
Nine days after that, a class action suit was filed in Alameda County by a man named Brian Herline over the aborted performance. Herline's suit says that Williams "confronted a heckler, took his clothes off, and attempted to fight at least three audience members."
On Nov. 27, Williams was arrested in Sacramento after leading police on a chase. Williams was driving his three-wheel ATV on the sidewalk when police attempted to pull him over. He took off, driving wildly — including down the wrong side of the road — before the police called the pursuit off for public safety reasons. Williams was charged with felony evasion and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Later that day, Williams went to a Target in Sacramento. There he slapped an employee on the face before fleeing as cops were called.
Three days later on Nov. 30, Williams was performing in Seattle when he whipped his microphone at an audience member, striking him in the head. The victim, Carlos Castro-Lino, earned Williams ire because he was recording the show. After hitting the man, Williams addressed the crowd: "It could happen to you. Record me and see what happens to you. Go home and get your raggedy pistol and bring it back. I already got mine."
Two days after that, while still in Seattle, Williams held up a chair and threatened to attack two fans that attempted to take a photo with him after his show.
On Dec. 3, he was arrested after inciting another fight at a bar. This time, Williams allegedly threatened the manager of the restaurant with a pool cue when asked to leave. He then followed a family out into the parking lot and threw a cigarette at a woman, hitting her in the eye. Also, he threw rocks at the car.
Two hours later, Williams was bailed out of jail by one-time hip-hop mogul Suge Knight. If Suge Knight is your last lifeline, you're in serious trouble.
The next day, Williams was kicked out of a hotel in Seattle for the fourth time. KOMO news in Seattle caught up with Williams, who announced that he was retiring from stand-up comedy. He also said that he was offering $301,000 to buy the Washington State Ferry so that his friends and entourage had somewhere to stay as he awaited his court dates in Seattle. Lastly, he added that he was suing the city of Seattle for $50 million.
The same day, Forrest Liebenberg, the Target employee that Williams slapped was fired. The company said that it was unrelated to the incident with Williams, but Liebenberg said it was "obvious" to him that his termination stemmed from the incident. Liebenberg said that the confrontation with Williams began when Williams attempted to buy a motorcycle helmet off him.
In the meantime, Williams missed a court date in California stemming from his earlier arrests.
On Dec. 6, the man who was hit in the face with the microphone, filed suit against Williams. The man says that Williams told him to go home and get a gun — effectively threatening him to a duel.
On the same day, Williams announced that he was no longer retired from comedy.
Aaaaand here we are today, with Williams a wanted man in Seattle after failing to appear in court on charges stemming from the pool cue incident.