Michael Williams All hail the godfather of comedy

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“Wow! It’s about time that a black person walked into the show. Now, I won’t feel so alone.” Michael Williams

There is one man who has played a pivotal role in the development of many comedians who have reached international “household name” status. Names like Jamie Foxx, Chris Tucker, Sinbad, Chris Rock; Michael Williams provided performance opportunities that before his ingenuity did not exist.

Before there was Def Jam, Comedy Central or Comic View, there was The Comedy Act Theatre. It became the bedrock and mecca of today’s African-American comedy scene.

A man (who I refer too as Elder Williams) understands what it is like to be taken advantage of. For years he worked with organizations, helping them make money, all in the hopes of advancing in these organizations. He became disenchanted when he realized that they had no intention of moving him up, so he walked away and decided it was time to do something for him.

It was that fateful night that he decided he was going to go out to a comedy club. He was not feeling very good about himself at the time, so he decided he would head out and have a good laugh. As he sat in the comedy club that night, he looked around and realized that he was the only black person in there.

As the night wore on, Elder Williams sat there, and thought, “Man, these people robbed me!” He was halfway through his second beer, and the jokes were not getting any funnier. He wanted to walk out, but he thought, “No! I am going to get my money’s worth. I am going to stay to the end.”

Finally, a brother walked in, and it turned out he was the last act of the night. Elder Williams was excited until he heard this guys jokes. This man was not representing at all. If anything, Elder thought he was just making the whole black race look bad. The comic’s final act was to put a green drape over his back like a Baptist Minister. “Finally,” Elder thought, “This is something I can relate too.” Just like that it came to him.

What if this was all black? What if he could put together a comedy show that hosted black comics and black audiences. This was the genesis of Comedy Act Planet.

In 1985, Michael Williams’s idea about creating an all black comedy space was revolutionary. It had never been done before, and the results were pure magic. With nothing but a hope and a vision, Elder Williams positioned his first club off Leimert Park, in Los Angeles, California’s West Side. News about the club spread quickly, and soon developed a regular audience of 250 to 400 patrons a night. The concept was so well received, that he was able to open a second club in Oakland, CA, then Atlanta, GA, and finally to Chicago, IL. African-American comedians everywhere learned about the incredible opportunity. A chance to express themselves onstage in front of their peers; black comedians jumped at this opportunity.

Comedy Act Planet became the place to be, and black sports stars, movie stars, and singers began to frequent the comedy nights. Any given night you could go there and see the likes of: Magic Johnson, Denzel Washington, Mike Tyson, Spike Lee, or Tisha Campbell-Martin. He had done it. Comedy Act Planet was a hit.

Elder Williams was gifted with one of the finest talents in the industry Robin Harris, who served as the MC for the Los Angeles club. This alone proved to be a game-changer. Harris became a well-known comedian and gained national recognition with his “BeBe’s Kids,” routines. Elder Williams was deeply saddened at the loss of his friend and partner in 1990, and after that, things began to change.

It was an unfortunate day for Elder when he was forced to shut down his four clubs in 1997. It was following a cancer diagnosis in 1993 that the doctors had told him was a life-ending prognosis. He fought through it, but shortly after had to begin caring for his critically ill father, and then his mother. He dutifully took care of his parents until their deaths in 2002, and 2006.

In its twelve years of operation, the four Comedy Act Theatre locations introduced to some and presented to others a phenomenal list of world-class comedic talent.

During the early part of his career, Elder Williams stamped his legacy in history through his many achievements Michael E. Williams was the first to organize and expand an African-American owned comedy club chain in the US with venues in major markets such as Los Angeles, and Oakland, CA, Atlanta, GA, and Chicago, IL.

Michael E. Williams spearheaded a black stand-up comedy industry that opened the doors to a multitude of entertainment professionals.

HBO, Showtime, BET, Comedy Central, and Fox owe Michael E. Williams for some of their comedic success. These larger companies were known for coming to the club and scouting the club’s talent.

• In excess of 300 comedy-related films featuring present-day African-American comics produced between 1987-present.

More than 33 comedy-related television and cable shows featuring present-day black comics produced between 1987-present.

Michael E. Williams’s efforts: opened industry doors, establishing diverse career opportunities within the industry, and confirmed African-American comedy as financially viable.

On February 4^th, 2020, Michael was honoured during a celebration of African-American history at the City Hall in Los Angeles. An honouring that is long overdue. It is sad to know that a lot of our young comedians do not know who Michael E. Williams is. It is only now that the world is learning about this selfless pioneer.

There is an exhibit resurrected honouring Elder Williams and several of America’s most popular comedians. Rightfully titled, “Stand Up: Art and Politics in Comedy,” this display will remain on display for the entire month of February.

It has been an honour being mentored by Elder. He is honest, he speaks authentically, and he reminds me that it only takes one person to stand up for what they believe in. Why can’t it be you?