At that time I had already read so many books that I was excited about it. So I was like, oh, I’m guaranteed I’m a sure thing. Yeah. A terrible childhood? Like I’m I’m guaranteed to make it. Like all of the heroes and all the heroes. All of the heroes and all the poor girl Cinderella’s played in the chimney. The stepmother’s awful. You’re like I’m right on track.

I’m like, God, you really know how to do it. Like, no. This is why you leave at thirteen. That’s right. I get it, Jesus. Yeah. This episode is brought to you by Rivian and Progressive Insurance. Hi, Craig Robinson. Michelle Obama. Are we? Yeah. Good. Welcome back to IMO. Yes, on the vineyard. On the vineyard.

 It’s a really, really lovely recording here in this beautiful space. It really But this is a high level barn. This is not a barn. This isn’t just another house. As as as Aaron said, who’s my thirteen year old Who’s with us today? Yeah, this isn’t a barn. This is somebody’s house. Barn he pulled up. He was disappointed. He was disappointed. He wanted cows and horses and stuff around.

 This is not this is a sh But this area of the island, up island, Chilmark, is the best place to have a rivian. Yeah. Yeah. And as everyone knows, we got gifted Rivian. So I’ve been driving yours around and I’ve been all over the island, but I haven’t been up this way. I haven’t been up island. So I’m saving that for my next trip.

 Yeah, but you can see how these back roads, you know, how the Rivian really operates well in it. Yeah. Perfect. Perfect. Raise your suspension up. Have a little nice, little comfortable ride. That feature is good. D so do you have to raise it up or is it already raised or are you lowering the suspension? There’s two or three levels that you can set it. Yeah.

 And depending on the terrain, so in Bumpy you would raise it so that you can get over rocks and stuff and don’t scrape the bottom and you lower it to go faster on like the highway. Have you used it? I’ve used all three settings. You know I have. Yeah. Excellent. Yeah. Well, it’s a good to be here. It is, but we we we’re not gonna mess around today because we are both excited and up. We are so excited.

Just settle down. Man, we we get we have Cat Williams here. I mean, I’m I’m I I’m you got I’m chilled. I’m chilled on this hot day in the vineyard. Cat Williams is obviously a comedian and an actor who’s earned worldwide reputation as one of the world’s top entertainers.

 He’s celebrated for his brilliance and ingenuity on stage, which you and I both enjoy. Yep. He’s also known for his critically acclaimed stand-up specials, and today remains one of the top touring comedians. On fire all the time. Just on the time. And he’s currently on his Heaven on Earth tour and he is performing in arenas all around the country. And we have to make sure we get to one of these because I want to see him live.

But without any further ado, can we get the one. The one the only cat Cat Williams. You came out like you were called out to the principal’s office. He came ready, ready. Hi Cat Williams. Welcome. Thanks for having me. Hi among Thank you. You a handsome dude. Right. Yeah, you know that. Well you know that about yourself.

 You know, there were so many options God had to make some people five five. And you know. Take it ’cause you gave all the rest of the height to us. Yes, yes, you guys are both strikingly tall. Well it’s good to have you thinking. It’s so good to have you here, man. Thank you. You’ve been on the vineyard too.

 How is have you been to the vineyard before? Is this your first visit? This is my golf retreat. You so you you’ve been here before golfing. Okay. All right. Okay. And and w when did the r love affair with golf start for you? It was it was an Immediate. Did you grow up golfing? ‘Cause black we don’t we don’t grow up well we it’s not a thing. No, it’s not a thing.

 We lived on a golf we lived in a neighborhood with a golf course. We as black people. We just w w drove right past it. Yeah, it it’s probably the least economical sport. Yeah. Yeah, possible, I’m saying. You only need one ball and thirty nine guys to play. Yeah. It’s not that that way with golf. But yeah, I I was grown when I got introduced to golf, but it is I’ve really been able to grow with my own personal game and I like everything about it.

There are no negatives or draw. What’s your handicap? I’m unhappy. What does that mean? What does that mean? Now I don’t even understand that. Just a healthy man. Just are you a scratch golfer as they call I’m I’m I know all these terms for my husband. Yeah.

 What are the attributes that you take from golf that you can use in your entertainment life or your parenting life? Golf gives you the opportunity to m do something exactly how the best player in the world would do it. And then six minutes later, you hit a shot that a nine-year-old and it’s the same you. Yeah. You know? And having the ability to navigate your own personal expectations and to understand that you always have the ability to do better.

 And that if you had a great hole, you put that behind you, even as you would if you had had a terrible hole. You have to put the greatness of that hole aside because hole 13 doesn’t matter at hole 14. Well, you know, we’re gonna be the golf course that we grew up by in in Chicago on the south side that we just drove past and never went in. Mm-hmm.

 Now the Obama presidential center is opening up there in May. And there’s an athletic center. It’s a whole development. It’s on that golf course. So we’re gonna have to, I’m gonna commit you now. You gotta come out because we are trying to get young people, black kids exposed, because to be living in a neighborhood with that kind of beauty and not be able to access it as we were not, because all we were doing was just riding past it.

 It it’s it’s a good way for Barack to connect his love of a sport to the neighborhood that it’s given us so much. So we would love to have you involved in that. So I’m I’m gonna use this opportunity to get you on the hook. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. I you and your husband are one of only a handful of actual superheroes that we’ve seen in the country. And a superhero is somebody you put ungodly expectations on, you expect them to never make mistakes and you want them to be flawless and just things that just aren’t realistic for humans. But the way that you two

pulled that off was I I think when we look back a hundred years from now, like you were the source of pride for a nation that needed that. So yeah, whatever we can do. Thank you. Thank you, Kat. That’s very sweet of you. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yes. Right. Money’s worth. I’m not done yet. Right.

 So when you when you sat down, you said you you grew up getting whoopins. Did I say? That was an odd thing for me to just come out with. Yeah, but Black black folks, we know we all know about a window. We know about it. We know. So I wanna I wanna back up and just hear how Cat Williams became Cat Williams.

 So I wanna know how, you know, how did that start? So I I I really owe everything in my trajectory to the love of books that I forged early. So reading books just r shaped me into this. So for example, I can remember young figuring out that my mother and father didn’t really love me. But they took really good care of me. How how could you w what made you say they didn’t love you? How what what did they do that left you with that feeling? Nothing, nothing.

 I just I was reading so many books and I was seeing so many stories and I was just trying to figure out where I fit in with these stories if I was that type of person. And I I realized that my mother never kissed me, right? And that there was this dynamic that existed in other households that I didn’t have in mind, but I was at that time I had already read so many books that I was excited about it.

 So I was like, oh, I’m guaranteed I’m a sure thing. A terrible childhood? Like I’m I’m guaranteed to make it like it’s all the heroes. This is where it all begins. All of the heroes and all the hair. This is where it all begins. Poor girl Cinderella’s played in the chimney. It’s like stepmother’s awful. You’re like I’m right on track.

 I’m like, God, you really know how to do it. Like, no. This is why you leave it thirteen. That’s right. I get it, Jesus. Yes. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Like because how old? Like six. Yeah. Yeah. I I had already made the decisions at six just because once you’ve read thousands of books, you see that all of these stories are similar and that you’re gonna make it through.

 Like they’re like depression is the worst disease because it makes you think things that are incorrect, you know. So I I I was reading so many books of so many people in so many different circumstances, and it always works out. It always gets better. Life is always worth the next adventure, and so that’s how I was looking at things even that early.

 How how many brothers and sisters did you grow up? I’m the oldest. I have two younger brothers. So so did your parents have you sweeping chimneys and and whatnot? I mean, what was it about your childhood that made you read those stories and say, you know what? I’m missing something, you know? Well I wasn’t at the age where I thought I was missing anything.

 I now granted in retrospect I was, but I was using all of my setbacks for my benefit. So I so for example, like I wasn’t allowed to watch television or see movies or go over people’s house or go to a dance or no extra curricular activities of any kind. But I devoted all of that time to reading. Mm-hmm. So I got three open books. Yeah. Every day.

 I’m in the middle of these and I’m I’m immersed and I’m getting I feel like I’m really learning something from everyone’s experience and that it’s putting me ahead of The curve because of how much knowledge and information I’m getting on something that doesn’t have anything to do with me. Like I’m I’m reading about Winston Churchill, but the stories all go together.

Yeah. And and and this this situation you were in not being able to do a lot of stuff, that was because you’re was that because your parents were religious? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. They were Jehovah’s Witness. Right, right. Right. And high up. Yeah. Recognizing. Yeah. But you know, a lot of the things that I learned, I I learned because of that situation.

 So I already knew that when I got in a position to be a parent, I understood love is the most important thing and it’s free. Yeah. Like you can do that. That’s right. And I know all the other stuff seems to matter. Mm-hmm. But actually the imparting of love and the creating a individual that knows how to receive it and give it and deal with it is just so important.

 And don’t get me wrong, my father was a great father, a great husband. My parents are still together, they’ve been together almost fifty years now. So like they’re they’re wonderful. What’s your relationship like with them today? My love from today, same as always. Mm-hmm. I’m I’m more that they got more respect for me for how great of a job that they did even when the feelings weren’t there, you know? And I I appreciated that and that made it so much easier for me to adopt children because I realized, you know, you know, DNA doesn’t matter, bloodlines don’t matter. Mm-hmm. Fat family’s where the love is. Yeah, that was another thing I

didn’t realize about you that you have adopted a lot of kids. Tell us Yeah, I didn’t see that in the bingo cards. Okay. But my son’s mother was living in another state and she had another life and had kids. And at some point, she faced an addiction crisis and her children went to the orphanage. So when they called me, I I don’t have a direct relationship with these children, but they are the siblings of my son.

 And I did all the research and I knew that it takes a million dollars to raise a child. Yes. And I was eager to say, wait a minute, Lord, are you you are you you’re saying I’m gonna have 10 million dollars to take care of 10 kids? Fine. Let’s do it. I’m in. Let’s go. Yeah. Because you you you don’t want to let me suffer.

 You’re certainly not gonna let and it was best experience. How old were you when you adopted the kids? And what stage in your life were you were you already in comedy? Were you already Cat Williams or Or was this Yes ma’am, but a lesser form, a smaller case K. I was making less than twenty five thousand a year. So that lets you know. Where I was.

 But I had been working and everything was looking good. It it was a period in my life where I think that’s the only way he could save me is to give me this instant humongous family and all of these. I did. What was going on? I love women so much. Mm-hmm. Tell us more. So I I had a five bedroom house with a woman in each room.

Okay. Because I like women. I like waking up hearing them. I like them being around. Like that’s my s sweet spot. Mm-hmm. Well it sounds like you weren’t in crisis. No, it wasn’t like a cr no, it wasn’t that type of crisis. It’s just that the kids happening instantly like that meant, no, I gotta grow up. I gotta do stuff a different way.

 Like I gotta do a different trajectory. Like I’m gonna be a family man now, you know? So I couldn’t be the bachelor superstar that I had envisioned at that point that I was getting ready to go into. So yeah, saved me for sure. What was the biggest challenge in your parenting career? The hardest part is losing a child is probably the worst thing that can happen to you on this earth. There’s no recovery from it.

There’s no D you lost a child? I’m sorry. Yes, ma’am. Sorry. Yeah, that was Mm-hmm. Probably the only regrettable thing is that I I have built myself to be completely impervious. It’s true. The machinations of the devil. So there was nothing Satan could do that would ever take my joy from any situation.

 And the worse things are going for me personally, the more you can probably find me smiling. Telling. Jokes because that’s how we get back. But in that particular circumstance it’s it’s the worst. Think imaginable. It doesn’t get any better. It actually gets worse. But yeah, other than that, it was complete joy. This segment is brought to you by Progressive Insurance, a brand that knows home ownership isn’t just about having a place to live. It can open doors in ways you didn’t expect.

And not just for you, but for those who come after you. And you know, when I think about some of the challenges and the benefits of home ownership, I really think about the neighborhood we used to live in and and When we were growing up or where we moved to a home where we Where we moved where we moved to when we bought our homes.

 And and I picked the area because I knew it had stable home prices and we knew it had really good schools. And and the really good schools part was the first part. And then we got the added benefit of it was such a good area. Our friends and family ended up moving there too. And that’s how we began to build our community and build our friends and have sports.

 And parties and and it was not a benefit that I had looked for. I thought we would we’re gonna have to build a whole new community. And what happened was our community came to us. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That that was certainly you know, one of the highlights of living in Hard Hyde Park. It is a well-established community, it’s diverse.

 It’s got tons of amenities, not just schools, but where we lived was right down the street from the Museum of Science and Industry. Oh, yeah. And that was a benefit when the kids were little to have the museum that was full of exploration and wonder a a walk away from your house. So you remember we used to grab the kids on any given day, or mom could pick up the kids, walk down to the museum, and they would spend an afternoon.

 So it’s not often that you get to live next to one of the most highly visited museums in in the city. So that was a huge benefit. Yeah. Yeah. First-time home ownership can bring unexpected benefits, creating flexibility, new opportunities for family. Sometimes the best parts of owning a home aren’t what you plan for.

 Maybe it’s the space to hope host family and friends, or just a sense of pride and accomplishment of owning your future. No matter your homeownership goals, progressive has got you covered. In 2024, they committed over $7 million to housing initiatives and continue to support first-time homebuyers with online tools and resources aimed at helping you navigate the home ownership journey with confidence.

 The goal is to help you feel prepared for what comes next and maybe even enjoy a few surprises along the way. To learn more about progressive tools, resources, and guidance for first-time homeowners, visit progressive.com slash open the house. What do you think parenthood taught you about yourself? Especially since you had a a bunch of kids. That there’s no such a thing as doing a great job.

There’s just such a thing as doing a bad job. And if you’re making sure that you’re doing a good job, then that should take a lot of the panic and anxiety away from you. I think that learned that the most patients. If you have a special needs child, you just look at the world differently. Mm-hmm.

 You realize that the special needs community is like the only legitimate angels on earth, like a lot of the things that make people a bad person. Mm-hmm. Somebody with autism doesn’t even know how to do that. Yeah. Like they don’t know how to be jealous or envious and conniving and One of my favorite guilty pleasures is I have you seen Love on the Spectrum? I just love that show. Oh my god.

I mean Everyone on it. Everyone on the show and Craig, my brother is never caught up on any social media. I apologize. It’s a beautiful, it’s a real reality-based show, and the producers of that have worked on later daters with us. And so it’s the kind of reality TV that I really love.

 I mean, I love it all, but these are just really some of the best humans. They’re autistic people who want to find love. And I I think I cry every episode. It’s just like you like you said, Kat, the best display of humanity. Yeah, I watch it just to cry. Yeah we Like it it’s it’s a free therapy session just to go and be reminded about how wonderful it is to be human and to see people searching to attain something that they can actually get to.

 And the fact that it it goes from season to season. And like they’re famous now. They are. They need to be famous now and yet they’re still right where we need ’em to be. So it’s such a a genuine experience. D do you have children who are autistic? You have one? I have one aspect. Lesser. Yeah. Oh my goodness.

 Oh Leanne, she’s the best. And I want to get back to because one thing I didn’t ask about child, you were you were emancipated at 13. Is that average? Right. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Tell us more about y you so it’s not often that, you know. And at thirteen. And what led to that? Did you just walk out the door? Did you just say, hey, okay, thank you, everyone. I’m gonna take all my books and I’m on my own.

I don’t know how to put this without sounding facetious, but if if you came from a Bible reading, believing family. Yeah. Then you already knew I was finna do what Jesus did. Okay. Bounce. Okay. Yeah, now go find a temple to turn over tables. Like this is this is the life of a Christian revolutionary.

 I I gotta tell you way ahead of me because even if I wanted to leave at thirteen, I wouldn’t have had the nerve to do it, nor I would the wherewithal that I could do it. It was a Terrible idea. And I go I don’t talk about it because I don’t want any young person to hear that and think that it’s possible that they could pull it off. Hearing that it’s terrible is useful. But it wasn’t.

I I just it wasn’t terrible. No. Oh no. No, of course not. I’m the adventurer in this story. Are you kidding me? Okay. Call me now, sir. I’m grown. Got a mustache and a cigarette. I’m twist. Welcome. That was my I’m picturing a little cat. Did you have the stick and your your goods and a little kerchief? No.

 Did you walk out with a child? I had a full suitcase and a Rottweiler puppy. Left. Destined for failure. It’s like, and of dependence. I’m taking a responsibility. Exactly. It’s like, man, and I’ll take this puppy. So where’d you go? Where was the first place you and your puppy, Rottweiler puppy, went when you left your house? Miami, Florida. You went to a whole nother state.

That was always the thing. How’d you go I went to I went to a truck stop. Uhhuh. Oh, the best place to go. Wow. Because everybody’s going out of here. Mm-hmm. And so then I checked license plates because I was looking for a warm destination and I was hoping for LA or California, but Miami presented itself and the guy let me and the rottwater puppy get in the back part.

Wow. Of the empty truck and it would stop every once in a while. We’d hop out. Did you have any money? What would what how’d you see the route I was loaded. I must have had twelve hundred dollars, and you could not have told me that I was not a young millionaire. Oh yes, yes, how’d you get all this money? So the only thing I was allowed to do, I was allowed to cut grass in the summer and I was allowed to shovel snow in the winter. So I probably had sixty clients on each.

Oh yeah, you were an entrepreneur. I own the lawnmower and the shuffles and wow. And so me having money just gave me the ability to not have to wear the clothes that my parents wanted me to wear to school. I could wear that out, go change, get into something fly and presentable for school.

 And then like I was living multiple lives, but the money made it possible for me to have that freedom and I learned that pretty early on. What was your alter ego with your money when you went to school? Were were you one way at home ’cause you were dressing different and then you took your lawnmower money and went to school and your whatever.

 Wha who were you? I had a relationship with the candy lady. So I was in sales already and I was buying at a wonderful price, upselling and supplying schoolmates with So you were that kid. You were the kid that had the nilators and Plus I had money so I didn’t have to I was able to treat the women that I liked. Nice. Really nice. And I learned that supplying happiness to people. So you were money mind girly. This yeah, Money Micah.

Mm-hmm. Is that was that where your character came from? Money Micah, you would you were practicing that at thirteen? It with your kids. Planned out, but you know, God showed me early on that there was this pathway and I wasn’t really certain of how to make sure that I was on it or So so you get to Miami.

Yep. So we get to Miami with your puppy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. This trip probably only took us maybe three days at the most, maybe two. It was a really nice ride. But yeah, so I’m there. And I just had never seen a place so big with so many different neighborhoods and a different culture and ethnicity every three blocks.

 And it was really really bit of a culture shock. But I found a place in Coconut Grove at a park, and that’s where I made my residence, and it was across the street from a library. And so I would eight hours a day, I would be in a library reading, and So you just camped out. Literally. Literally. Did you buy a tent with your money? No ma’am.

 So you’re just laying out on the grass with your puppy, a thirteen year old? No, no, no, they’re libraries sec segment of population that this was kind of a in the homeless world this was kind of a gated community. Yeah. This park by them with a marina behind it so you can’t encroach and it’s in Coconut Grove.

 So yeah, I was able to purchase a brand new mattress the first day I was gonna have to sleep. So I never slept on the ground or anything. And remember my clothes are all dress clothes. I only have slacks and white shirts and ties. Like I Is anybody like I’m just trying to picture things? I I can’t I’ve I can’t picture any of this. Picture any of those.

 Like and I’m still like, are you telling the truth? Are you joking? Cause I’m like still trying to picture you. You went and bought a mattress. How’d you get the mattress to the park? I mean I brought it you they delivered. Oh you went to a store and you had them deliver your mattress to the your mattress to the park. There’s a homeless hierarchy in the place that I was at.

So there was a guy who was in charge of whether or not you got to be there or not. And because of my age. How did you convince him that you should be there? I didn’t. I I’ve I’ve lived I have a presence. Yes, you do. I’m one of the people that doesn’t have ulterior motives. And most people I found do.

 But even at that age, I did I didn’t have any. I didn’t think I was owed anything. I didn’t think I was in a bad experience. I thought I was making choices and decisions, and I was just trying to see if I could get them to work out. So when I get there, I get the mattress. And then there’s this process where I find out how everybody else ended up in this part.

 And that is what was life-changing is to find these, to find out these are doctors and lawyers and nurses and accountants and each one of these people had an experience with drugs and it led them here. And which is why when I emerge from this part of my story, like drugs are not a temptation for me because I’ve not seen or heard of parties or anybody having fun.

I’ve just met these 40 people whose lives were destroyed. And they’re out in the elements living with that and the fact that they’re not gonna be able to get those lives back. That this is a new reality for them. And so as a young, impressionable kid, being able to see the harshness of life like that was very instrumental. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Emerge from that.

So if I fast forward, so now I’m in Florida, I’m thinking that okay, I’ve left Ohio, right? So I have a humongous family in Dayton, a hundred first cousins, both sets of grandparents. So I’m like, you know, when I leave, this is gonna be a big deal. It’s gonna be in the news, on the papers.

 Like there’s gonna be a worldwide It’s like Oi. Where where is he? Right? Milk carton. These conniving parents of mine. Let’s say I left on Sunday. They moved out of the city on Monday. Oh my God. So no one knows I’m gone. My grandparents don’t know. Nobody knows. Nobody thinks anything’s wrong. What? My yeah, it was it was crazy.

 And so the way God works, I’m walking down a highway, maybe three years later, two years later. Walking down the shoulder, and a car pulls over, and I’m like, boy, these girls will not stay off of you, boy. They’re pulling over on the highway now. That’s a lot. So you gotta be pretty good looking for that one. Anyway, it’s not any girls. It’s my parents and my two brothers.

 And they are in Florida and saw me and just like on a vacation or something? Just passing through Florida. Oh wow. So Were you still living in the park? No, this is at least a year later. So no, I’ve I’ve moved from from those confines. But yeah, so now I am at this place, I think it’s called Winter Haven or something. It’s where the carnival people go when they’re not in carnival season.

Yeah, no, I know nothing about this. You say this like you know Winter Haven, you know, the carnival people. I’m like, no catch. We swing through there. I know something, you know, I was like, Am I supposed to know about this? This goes along with hearing an unbelievable story. You love it. You’ve not been believing it. We need popcorn. We didn’t.

So yeah, I was, I’m now away from Miami, near a place called Ruskin, Florida. And my parents pull over on the highway and very apologetic. And let’s just put the family back together. And we end up moving to Haiti to do missionary work. No you didn’t. And so I spend the next two years in Haiti.

 What just did you just get in the car? Where’s the puppy? Where’s the dog? So here’s the thing, beautiful Rasha, right? Rasha. Oh, I love that. Figure out once I actually got into the homeless encampment. Like I could not believe that I had brought this puppy here. Like Yeah, you were thirteen. That’s thirteen year old thinking. I’m like, whoa, what’s the plan for the baby? Yeah. Like how this is gonna be hard enough to navigate on your own.

Yeah. But fortunately because he was purebred and beautiful. He went for a great price and that price sustained me. For a nice little period of time. So I understood why God had let me bring him. But yeah, he went to a great home and he supplied me a great income. Well. And yeah. So then parents then They pick you up. Right.

 They pick what I I I wanna know. Shoulder the road. Do you get in the car? Is it like mom, dad? Right. I really like Micah. I really don’t want to get in the car. Are they like get it boy? Is it like that? No. Are there tears? Are they like oh we’ve been looking for you? I’m the tallest person in the house. So let that understand, like I’m a big guy, you know, five five.

All right. Okay. So no, there’s there’s none of that dynamic. It’s just I’m sure as parents they didn’t think I would do that. Mm-hmm. By the same token they had crossed the line. You know? Like they were they were behaving as if I was a bad child. Mm-hmm. And I was a grade kid who hadn’t engaged in. Yeah. So there were mistakes made.

 I I I was already smoking cigarettes at this point. So I’m using this as the reason why I can’t come with you guys. Like I’m grown now. Yeah. I got stuff I do. And I smoke. Thanks. Right. Yeah. So it’s just like Yeah. Like, no, you’re fine. Uhhuh. So we’ll see. Yeah. But really I was just trying to see where they were at and I couldn’t figure out how they had located me. So Haiti. Right.

 Did they have the plane ticket? Did you so you j hopped on the plane and what was Haiti like? And how long were you all there? We were there for two years until the Americans had to leave because of the papa dot. Yeah. Baby doc transition. So it was magnificent. It was, it was magnificent. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I was able to really be in in an adventure.

 And my parents when we got over there, Haiti is a different country because all of the writings at that time are all in French. So you have to read French. But then they don’t speak French. They speak Creole. Mm-hmm. And Creole wasn’t in any books. So you had to learn Creole and French. So for the first year and a half that we’re there, I’m the only person in the family that reads French and speaks Creole.

 So I’m And you picked that up you just were able to pick that up quickly. Yes. Well, yes, male fortune. Yeah. But yeah, that experience changed everything for me. I was I was eating sugar cane and mangoes and filling my pockets full of salt because I found out that Haiti had the highest mortality rate for babies dying of dehydration. And so I knew the salt in the water trick. And so I would just go out and walk village to village.

And if they had sick babies, I would give them this information about the salt water. And because I was from Ohio, they weren’t, I was able to bring like a different irrigation style to the part of Haiti Santo that we were at. Just because it was such a big trek from where the village is to where the water source is.

 And so yeah, I I I filled my days full of adventure. It was how old were you when During this period. I suppose I’m fourteen, fifteen? Wow. As our listeners know, we’ve partnered with Airbnb on this show, and I’ve been staying in Airbnb’s while traveling, both for my family trips and while traveling for IMO. In partnership with Airbnb, we wanted to share an opportunity to give back during this holiday season. Airbnb.

org is a nonprofit organization founded by Airbnb that connects people to emergency housing in times of crisis. Since Airbnb.org was founded in 2020, they have housed more than 250,000 people, including those affected by the Los Angeles wildfires, the Central Texas floods, and earthquakes in Turkey and Japan.

 When a crisis takes away the comfort of home, even the simplest evening moments like a bedtime story or a shared meal feel out of reach. Nights are special. For many, sacred. Nights often represent dinner time, a warm shower, a show on the couch, reading kids a book, followed by getting into bed. And for us, nights are for doing homework. Then, if time permits, catching the end of a basketball game. You can visit Airbnb.

org and donate a night for a family who has unexpectedly lost their home due to a disaster. Airbnb will be matching every donation until the end of the year. Together, We can restore sacred time at home and give back the nights that matter. Hey everybody, Craig Robinson here. Amazon has everything for everyone on your list.

 And I want to talk to you about last minute Christmas shopping and holiday shopping, because I was a chief offender there. And I tell you, before I found Amazon, it was a stressful time for me. I’d go around collecting everybody’s list at the in the middle of December and try and get gifts. And I was running around all over the place.

 But then I discovered Amazon and I saw how they do their last minute deals. And I can always find savings on gifts for my family, whether it’s toys, electronics, fashion, cosmetics, you name it, house goods, they’ve always got stuff on sale, and I can get it relatively quickly. Then I’m not running around the mall stressing and sweating, and gifts show up, they’re right on time.

I can get them wrapped and under the tree, no problem. So this year, if you’re in my position and you’re stressing, Amazon makes last minute shopping feel like you planned it weeks ago. So that, my friends, is my tip for the day. Shop for gifts for everyone in your family on Amazon.

 And be ready because they’re going to have last-minute deals for you to take advantage of. Hey, folks, here’s something that kind of blew my mind. You know, for every human cell in your body, there’s a microbe doing its own work, helping you digest, think, sleep, and even feel balanced. But most vitamins only support the human half of that equation.

 So really, we’ve all been supplementing for half our health. That’s what makes seeds new cobiotics so different. They’re daily supplements made to support both your body and your microbiome because the two are constantly working together to keep you well. C created three formulas designed to sync with your day.

 There’s the DMO2 daily multivitamin, which helps fill the nutrient gaps your body and microbes need. And then there’s AMO2, energy plus focus, which gives you smooth, sustained energy without caffeine or crashes. And then there’s the PMO2, sleep plus restore, which helps your body wind down naturally and wake up recharged.

 Each capsule has two parts: one for your body and one for your microbiome. So every ingredient lands exactly where it’s supposed to. Now I’ve been taking the PMO2 before bed, and I can honestly feel the difference in how I rest. It’s become this little quiet moment of taking care of my whole self and not just part of it. So if you want to try it, head to seed.

com slash IMO20 and use code IMO20 for twenty percent off. And stop taking care of only half your health and start supporting all of you with seeds cobiotics. It’s now that we’re back because you have to get out of Haiti, so now we’re back in Florida and I realize I’m not gonna be able to stay with these nice people. Mm-hmm. And so I’m off again. Yeah, yeah.

 And so now when we pick back up, now I’m in the situation where I’m at a comedy club and I don’t mean to be there. But how did that happen? Well, because some of the Carnies are going to this group. You went back to your Carney group. Now and we go there and they’re asking for ID at the door, and I’m not old enough to even be in there.

 So this is gonna be a very embarrassing situation for me, which I’m not interested in. And then God comes as he always does, and somebody walks past and they walk all the way past the line, they say, I’m a comedian, and the guy goes, Yep, you’re number four. And he walks in and I’m like Oh there we go. He always delivers me this pathway. And so bam, I’m comedian number five.

Right? So I don’t know what that means. I don’t know now that we’re inside of there. I don’t know what goes on. So there they just explain, yeah, yeah, we’re having a comedy competition and But don’t you look for teen? You get five minutes? No, ma’am. I I’ve literally had this mustache since I was 12. No, you did not. The full mustache.

Like, that’s we get five five. I already didn’t get the growth spur. So I would have been suicidal if the Lord did not provide other provisions. But he did, right? And so he gave me a great outlook and a full mustache. And our full mustache. Right. And remember, remind yourself what I’m wearing. Well I don’t know. You got to do it.

 Okay, so you you’re still dressing white white shirt and yeah. This is all of my clothes. I don’t Right. Have tennis shoes or you always dress like a grown man. Been grown. Okay. All right, so you get in the comedy club and they say, All right Yeah. That’s right. Right. So I just get up there and I talk about being the black community for this entire city. Like there’s nobody but me.

I’m the only black guy. There’s nobody else. And I talk about what that experience is like. Yeah, and that was my five minutes. And did anybody laugh? Oh, they loved it. They thought it was hilarious because again, what I didn’t understand is I didn’t understand why it connected. But it connected because it was all true.

 Like there was no black community there. It was just me. And everybody was looking at me like, what are you doing here? And you know, you want to hear what that guy feels. Mm-hmm. His surroundings. What did it feel like to make people laugh? Did that was that new? I mean, because you were all you you had been used to public speaking. Right.

 Because I’m in front of crowds of 10,000 converting folks. Well, that wasn’t my job. Yeah. Everybody that was in the arena was already converted. I’m reading Bible scripture and giving a talk about this particular ripe. So I just kept asking God to show me a glimpse of where I’m gonna be. And I just kept hearing applause. Mm-hmm.

 I didn’t know what they were applauding or what it was that I had done or said or so it was it was really frustrating for me before comedy came along. But as soon as I did it that first time, I was like, that’s crazy. I think I got something from that. From that. How could I have got something from that? Was that the vision? So it’s it’s probably not another it’s it’s probably if I’m sixteen then then it’s almost another eight years before I do stand-up.

But I just had that in my head that this is a thing I could do. So then I go into door to door sales. I join this organization that travels around the country selling books and magazines and stuff. You know, all I’m thinking is I see all And we have to do it at a higher ground.

 I mean, we’re gonna finish this story, but I’m just like, dude, I’m just I’m watching this movie. That’s right. As you were telling it. Right. Anyway. And I’ve done my best to try to live. Accordingly, knowing that it’s gonna get looked back on. Yeah. Yeah. So I I did interrupt you because, you know, it was later on, you know, so you realize that comedy was a thing. Mm-hmm.

 But then you were doing the door to door salesman work. Right. To still work which again, I’m in another experience that is shaping me for everything that follows because now I’m every door, I don’t know who is going to answer this. Hispanic, Asian, white, black, monetary love. I don’t know anything. And I need to connect with this person. I need to ease their fears about a stranger at the door.

I then need to be funny and engaging so that they smile. And then I need them to make this purchase that we both know they don’t need. What were you selling? It’s started with books and magazines and then it was cleaning product at Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. All right, so door to door sale. Yep.

 Comedy next, or was there something in between? Door to door sales. When I knock on the door of five ladies of the night and they are in a traumatic situation because their pimp was murdered and they all witnessed it and they didn’t know what they were gonna do. And This is another like what? I know everybody here is just like Like What? I volunteered for the pimp position on the auspices. We were already dressed for it.

Okay, okay. Okay, okay. You were already dressed for We’re getting there. We’re getting there. Okay. Okay. So they train me how to do this job, right? And they they taught me so much. Like I wasn’t there very long, but those those ladies really along with my sainted mother, those those ladies really show me what it was like to be a man.

 And they because they every night for hours they would just talk about everything wrong with men. Like men of all nationalities, shapes, sizes and colors. What’s wrong with them? Why are they horrible creatures? And I was able to at a still impressionable age learn things and learn what bothers women and realizing that I I was in charge of so much of that.

Welcome back to IMO. We made it, folks. It’s December. The holiday hustle’s just starting to wind down, which means it’s a perfect time to switch into new year, new moves mode. What’s one big move you want to make in the new year? Whatever those big moves are, you need a plan. You need a strategy. You need a partner. You need Shopify.

The end of the year is when you review your yearly numbers, clean up your strategies, and lay the foundation for what’s next. They help you plan, launch, and grow so that the start of 2026 is way ahead of the game. With Shopify, you can keep track of everything from the palm of your hand.

 You can tag and sell your products globally and across all major social media platforms, making it possible to sell right where your customers are. Whether it’s a side hustle or a storefront, selling locally or globally, Shopify takes the guesswork out of starting a business. They have the tools to help you navigate whatever chaos the new year brings.

 Whether you’re selling merch, products, or the next best idea, make sure you do it via Shopify at Shopify.com/slash IMO. For one dollar, it’s time to put that business idea into action and start the next chapter. Again, that’s Shopify.com/slash IMO. Yeah. Yeah.

 You know, we we we we have questions that we get from our listeners, but before we get to that, what advice would you give a young Cat Williams coming along? And maybe not even a Cat Williams, because you’re so one of one. You’re so unique. What would you give to a a young up and coming artist who sees you as a role model? How how what advice would you give them on how to navigate this industry, this career, you this these processes? That comes from.

 And so any artist, I would just say, make sure that your relationship with God is one of the relationships that you’re also working on, whether it’s spouse, kids, everything else, make sure to pay attention to your relationship with God because it really, it really is the difference maker in how things turn out. Everybody doesn’t serve God.

 Some people serve the devil and they put him in positions. And it it’s terrible to say, but if that person has a better relationship with Satan than you do with God, that’s your fault too. And so I think that’s the only advice that I would give to an artist is to find your higher power and connect. Because until you do that, you’re just a rudderless ship out here.

And I know from my own personal experience that it doesn’t matter how young you get that relationship. Mm-hmm. It’s never too early. Mm-hmm. Speaking of relationships, what’s your take on relationships? Have you ever been I love relationships. No, never Would you do you believe in marriage or do you believe in Yeah, my parents are still married. Yeah. Well I had a cheerful experience. Yeah.

Yeah. What about me? You’ve never been married. Where do you want to be? Have you found the right person? Is it not something that you’re interested in settling down with a single person? Do you envision what your parents have for yourself ever? Is that even a goal? Is it a that’s exhausting? No, not really. It’s not that.

It’s it’s yeah, I I think marriage is is great. It’s just that at the point in my life when that would have been the next thing that I was going towards, that’s when I had this instant huge family. And then I I was just so reticent to bring a person into this dynamic just because of how unfair that would be to this lady to have all of these kids that are not hers.

And and so I I was trying to make myself a better version of me in advance for this wife, right? Yeah. But in the meantime of that, I’m the one doing the cooking and the laundry and the cleaning and the school wake ups and the So it got to the point where I I was the wife. Yeah. And Mm-hmm. Yeah.

 So where I am now, I finally have something I could offer a lady, I I suppose. Monogamy’s n has not been a part of my journey. I’ve I’ve tried to share this gift with whoever would needed it. Why why limit it? Why limit just why why limit why why limit the world? This gift for whoever is it. My man. Okay, cat. And you and you’re you you love I love it.

I do. ‘Cause why? That’s that’s that’s the ultimate. He is all of our heroes. But you you have a farm. N not to that you y there’s so much. There’s there’s so many kind of little surprising Layers. Right. Yes. Lovely form. A lovely farm. Is it like a full working farm? I mean, are you We have hundred ducks, hundred geese, cows, pigs, goats, sheep.

 We have animals that you never see. It’s just a wonderful hundred and some acre property in Americana that’s just magical. And it’s the thing that I am creating, which is heaven on earth, the the name of the tour. But it’s a whole philosophy of whatever you think the afterlife is gonna be for you. You can start making that for yourself here.

Do you tour every year? Or how is your tours how do you think about that? Is that is it like training, like you wanna be on tour every couple of years just to or how do you think about? I’m I’m I’m an athlete. I have the same season as my athlete counterparts. So in the NBA they play eighty two games.

 I’m not sure what it is in baseball, but I have a a hundred shows. I I I do a hundred shows and then I tape a special. And that’s been Yeah. The routine that I’ve had since I think two thousand one was my first one. So Is this that work ethic that the lawnmower kid that got the you that twelve hundred dollars, the feeling like if I’m doing it, I’ve got I gotta do my best, I gotta put it in, I gotta, you know.

Well I I met I met Prince when I was twelve. And he changed the trajectory of What? Belief for me. Like I knew I didn’t have to make any changes. This was a guy who was shorter than me. He was already rich and famous. And he had a purpose in life. And yeah, so a relative of his was my first girlfriend. She was a little older than I was. So if I was 12, she was 16.

 She had a family member that was coming into town. He was a musical artist. Because of my background, I wasn’t really up on all of the musical artists as you would think that I would be. But But you had wooed her with all the candy that you supplied. I don’t know if you can tell this, but I I make really good conversation and you know, money’s not an option and I only care what you like. So it makes me a good conversation.

Right. I got a mustache and candy. What more are you? Yeah. But yeah, so she’s like yeah, he’s just gonna be here after after his show at the UD arena and you you should meet him. So I ride my bike over there and I go in the house and I meet this guy, Prince, right? And I I you ever meet somebody and go, Whoo, this person’s way smarter than me. Oh yeah, oh yeah, right.

 So it was really my first time being in the vicinity of real brilliance, like When it’s not for show. And so we’re having this super deep conversation. And you’re twelve. Right. And and and we are connecting and we have decided at the end of this conversation, we’re friends. Right. So I get ready to walk out, say bye to my girl.

 He says you’ll walk me down. So me and Prince are walking down these steps, but he’s thinking, we’re going to my car. Mm-hmm. When we get down to the bottom of the steps, my bicycle is right there. And he’s like, What’s that? I was like, what do you mean what’s that? That’s that’s my I’m thinking I’m thinking he likes it. I’m thinking he’s noticed I’ve got the tricked out mongoose. Yes.

 He knows I’m full of cash full of cash. Yeah, you’re looking at it. That’s when he lets me know that he’s eighteen, a grown man. I’m twelve. But because of our sizes, we just assumed that each other was the same. I don’t I don’t know what I was saying. Sizes and mustaches.

 So for all he so he gave me the confidence to know because up until that point in my life, I thought that there were some things I was gonna need to do in order to be good enough. Like I gotta get taller. I don’t know. This might be the first mistake God has ever made. Like there, I can’t find evidence that anyone in the world missed a growth spurt. Like you have to understand, ma’am, third grade, I’m five-fi.

 So A giant among big man on campus like Like truly. Right. It’s like, man, and that was it. So Prince helped me see immediately I didn’t have to get taller. Yeah. He already had just signed his movie, I mean his music deal. He had just produced his album by himself. He played twenty six instruments on it. He did all of the jobs. Yeah. And it had worked.

And so I knew that I didn’t have to make any changes. I just had to be in the right position and be right myself when it transpires. So super helpful. That guy. Yeah, no, that would be. That that’s that’s pretty powerful. Yeah. Well let’s help some folk. Let’s help one of our listeners. Okay. All right.

 So we’ve got a listener from San Antonio, Texas. Okay. And her name’s Amber and I think her question’s gonna resonate with you. So Hi Michelle and Craig, I love the podcast. My name is Amber, I’m 32 years old, and I’m from San Antonio, Texas. I opened my own salon at twenty-two, and since then I’ve navigated both personal and professional challenges.

 After a difficult relationship and some time living independently, I believed I had found healing and stability. But due to unforeseen circumstances, I had to move back home, which has brought its own emotional complexities. Over the past two years I’ve been seriously considering relocating to New York City or Boston, not only to pursue greater opportunities in my industry, but also in hopes of building a life that breaks generational cycles.

I’ve been taking small intentional steps, investing in my business, putting myself out there, and making growth a priority. When I listened to your conversation with Kiki Palmer, I was struck by the part where you shared how you began seeking new paths and meeting people after realizing law wasn’t your true calling.

 So my question is, when you were stepping into unfamiliar spaces and pursuing something new, did you feel overwhelmed or afraid? If so, how did you move through that fear without letting it stop you? All right. That’s a big one. That’s a Yeah. College level essay question. So any thoughts for Amber, just off the top of your head? Yeah. Ready. Yeah. Okay.

 Umber, you’re doing the work. And when you do the work, an answer comes out. So I don’t think that you’re confused in any way. I don’t think you’re wondering what it is you need to do next. I think you already know. I think you know that there isn’t anything for you at the Riverwalk.

 San Antonio is a wonderful place, but it’s not gonna get you to where you see yourself being. I think very specifically you picked New York and Boston. If the fear is what you’re dodging, the fear is necessary. The fear is there for a reason. The fear is to make sure that you don’t take this for granted this time and end up in San Antonio for the third time. The fear is useful.

On the other hand, you’re only gonna look back and go, I should have left earlier. Why didn’t I go earlier? Not anything else. You’re not ever going to regret this decision. You’re gonna regret the time it took you to get to this decision. All of the new relationships, your whole new life is there.

 And you deserve at 30, whatever you are, to be able to pull that parachute and do a new life. And if you mess that one up, go from New York to Boston now. It never stop being in search of your calling and your purpose. It is there. You are gonna find it. You’re right on schedule, you’re not behind. There’s nobody to blame, and there’s only upside. So I I think you’re doing great, Amber.

 I think you know you’re doing great. I think you just wanted us to reaffirm that you’re making the right decisions. You’re not crazy. And yeah, good luck. Oh, I love that. I love that cat. Wise cat. All the layers of cat. I like it. I like it. I I would address the fear part of it because I talk about fear a lot. You know, I I agree, you know. Fear is there for a reason.

And is just interpreting the fear that you you have. There there is an element of fear and caution and everything, and that’s a that’s a good thing. I always say there’s the good fear that keeps you safe, but you just don’t want to overindulge the fear that keeps you stuck because fear can keep you stuck. Absolutely.

 There are a lot of people who don’t experience, don’t try, don’t grow because they’re afraid of the unknown. And that can leave you in a small place because all the all the good stuff happens on the other side of fear when you when you you know lean into it, get comfortable with it, know it’s a part of the ride.

 If you can bear with that initial sort of the anxiety that comes with anything new and say that’s normal. It’s normal that I’m starting something new, I don’t know anyone, I’m a I feel a little anxious about it, ride that wave of anxiety, but don’t let it stop you because when you do, you miss the growth that comes from taking a risk and pushing beyond the thing that makes you uncomfortable.

Yeah. If you practice moving away from that fear, you just practice always feeling safe. Yeah. But you’ll look around and realize that you m you might feel safe, but you won’t be happy and you probably have missed out on a lot of really amazing stuff. And you’re not safe. And you’re where you are safe. Where you are.

 There there is no there is no bubble of safety because this is where you’re from. Yeah. You you might as well have that experience. ‘Cause she said in her industry, right? So Yeah, she’s not gonna make it out there in Texas doing hair for celebrities. She’s gotta she’s gotta give to Gotta go where the work is. Yeah, yeah. So that’s Yeah, that’s great.

 I but I I both of you have hit on some really good points. Fear is healthy. Mm-hmm. And and you can’t let fear paralyze you so that you don’t do anything. And the only thing that I would add, just to contextualize this for Amber, is that you’re always going to be nervous about the next step. So take it so you learn what that feels like. And each time it will be less fearful. That’s what I found.

 You know, the first hard pivot is the hardest. And then after that, you build that muscle and you’re less afraid to try new things. Thanks. Mm-hmm. Or at least they will remain consistent. So I’m the I’m the other part of the extreme. So every time that I have to do stand up, I’m as nervous Mm-hmm. And direct as I was the very first time that I ever did it and got like every single yeah.

So even though we’re almost at 10,000 shows in my 23rd 100 city tour, like that nervousness and the butterflies and it never has gone away. It’s what allows me to realize something’s counting on this. Yeah, there’s something on this. I agree you must do well. Yeah, you’re passionate about it. Right.

 And and you you need that in your life as a a barometer so that so that you don’t take things for granted. And it it’s in no way should stop you. It it should further why would you be getting nervous for something that wasn’t gonna matter? That’s right. If you’re nervous and fearful, there’s a good reason. That’s true. Still do it. Yeah. Yeah. We like that. Well hopefully, Amber, we wish you good luck. Right.

Keep keep going. I think Kat said it right. You you know you’re on the right track and we are all confirming that you are. So keep going. And we hope to see you in New York. Yeah, and let us know, you know, how it goes when you make that move. Right. Cat, this you you know. You’re a layered little dude. Right.

The layers of pepper. I know. Yeah, I know. Cat, thank you. This is this was a real privilege. Thank you. Thank you for putting us on your your list. Most of my things are like that. But say you set him up for that one. That was the king of the short list. Point guard. Right. South East Coast. Yeah.

 No, I really, I really appreciate the opportunity that you both are making for yourselves and for others. Like this is really a big deal. Been a treat. You are truly a gift in more ways than one. So thank you. Kat Williams, thank you so much. Thanks, man. Everybody. Give it up.