By Peter Lindblad
Nothing really fazes the refreshingly candid and shockingly funny comedian Ms. Pat anymore.
Shot twice during her teenage drug-dealing years in Atlanta, having survived horrific sexual, emotional, and physical abuse during a rough childhood and later, a stint behind bars, it takes a lot to throw the comedian – born Patricia Williams – for a loop.
Go read her autobiography “Rabbit,” which tells how she broke her family’s cycle of violence, and you’ll see why.
Ms. Pat isn’t going to lose it over celebrity sightings, that’s for sure.
“I don’t get too gaga about people, because I always say, ‘Everybody shops at Walmart like I do,’” said Ms. Pat, recently interviewed for Out & About Wisconsin magazine.
As real and down to earth as it gets, with stories that’ll both curl your hair and leave you laughing until your sides hurt, Ms. Pat is going to be performing stand-up at Comedy on State in Madison this week, Aug. 5-7.
Only a few days after her Wisconsin appearance, her no-holds-barred sitcom, “The Ms. Pat Show,” will premiere Aug. 12 on BET+. Iconic TV producer Norman Lear is said to be a big fan, and the series has the backing of celebrated movie director and producer Lee Daniels, among other Hollywood heavyweights.
For the show, she worked with some famous directors. Ms. Pat has talked on podcasts and other platforms about how well she got on with Kim Fields, who played “Tootie” on “The Facts of Life” and Regine Hunter on “Living Single,” during the shooting.
There was another director, however, who had Ms. Pat a little flustered. When asked about the best moment of her comedy career, she thought for a moment before answering.
“You know what, I don’t know if it was the best moment, but I will tell you this, when Debbie Allen directed my pilot, that was … I couldn’t believe it,” said Ms. Pat, “because I’m 49 and I grew up on ‘Fame’ and Debbie Allen is historic in the black community, and I just could not believe Debbie Allen was like, ‘Oh my god, this is so good, I want to do this.’”
Hearing Allen gush over her TV project was validating for Ms. Pat, who said Allen also helped her with her acting. A regular acting coach also worked with her for the show.
Busy wreaking hilarious havoc on radio shows and other podcasts, as well as her own, which is called “The Patdown,” Ms. Pat is justifiably proud of the new sitcom, which has been in the works for a while, having been passed from Fox to Hulu and now to BET+.
“Oh, it’s good. It’s really good,” said Ms. Pat. “I’ve got to say, the acting has elevated me.”
Ms. Pat still loves doing stand-up, though. It’s her first love.
“(With stand-up) I can control my schedule because this is me, I can do what I want to do,” said Ms. Pat. “(With acting) I go to work someday for somebody else, I like that. It’s okay (laughs).”
Ms. Pat is still the boss, though … always.
Photo by Tony Tyus