To all the comics who were there for me when I was first starting out: Katt Williams, Double D, Arnez J., and D Ray, you all gave me opportunities, taught me the business, and showed me respect. Thank to you to Kourtlyn Wiggins, for fifteen years of always keeping it real with me and spending all that time on the phone discussing jokes and life. And thank you to your wife for putting up with the late-night calls. Thank you to Avery from Morty’s Comedy Joint for encouraging me to put my stories onstage, and to the Bob and Tom radio show for all your support.
Thank you, Brandi Bowles from Foundry Literary + Media, for keeping the wheels of this double-decker bus rolling and always steering us in the right direction. And to Julia Cheiffetz at HarperCollins, thank you for believing in my story and helping to make this the best book it could be. And thank you for the book money, it really helped me pay off my layaways.
Last but not least, thank you, Jeannine, for writing this book. I told you things I’ve never told anybody before. It wasn’t easy, but talking to you helped me heal. So thank you for crying with me and laughing with me and never judging me. Thank you for listening to me even when I was mean. I know I drove you crazy, but I appreciate all the super intelligent arguments we had (that I always let you win). Thank you for being my friend.
From Jeannine
First and foremost, thank you, Pat, for trusting me with your story and sharing not only the details in these pages, but also the funny tangents and painful moments you shared only with me. I’d also like to say a special thanks for that time you yelled at me when I asked you describe in more detail exactly how to break down a quarter ounce of crack. “Jeannine!” you shouted. “Why do you keep asking me this shit? All you do is chop it up!” Your exasperation at my failing to possess this highly specialized information, which apparently you think everyone just knows, is my personal comedy highlight of this entire project. Pat, you and I spent hours talking, laughing, crying, and occasionally driving each other crazy. I’ve gained a lifelong friend.
To my agent Brandi Bowles at Foundry Literary + Media, thank you a million times over for your guidance, encouragement, and sound advice. This book couldn’t have happened without you. To my editor Julia Cheiffetz, at HarperCollins, thank you for believing in this project and pushing me to find moments of levity to balance out the heartbreak. This was a long journey, and Pat and I appreciate your being with us every step of the way.
To Marc Maron, your amazing interview with Pat (WTF, episode 540) caught Julia’s attention just as the book proposal hit her desk. What a gift! Thank you, Marc, for changing lives one podcast at a time. Thank you also to Ari Shaffir for introducing me to Pat with your hilarious interview (Skeptic Tank, episode 169).
To my brilliant friends Kisha, Rosie, and Randi, thank you for all your support, feedback, and insight. You didn’t just help me get through the arduous process of writing a book; you also helped me get through (the more arduous and less lucrative) process of life. To Eva (and your mom), thank you for the southern-isms. How else would I know about Cooter Brown? Thanks to Sharon, who insisted Pat and I made a good match. And to Stan, for your kind generosity.
Most of all, thank you to my family. Sometimes I can’t tell if a chapter is working unless I read it out loud. Mom and Dad, thank you for never saying no when I asked you to listen. You are unwavering in your support, limitless with your love, and the best parents a writer could have. To my sibs, Gillian and David, thanks for everything. And to my young niece and nephews, Jacqueline, Harrison, and Ethan, please don’t tell your parents that when I said we were all “going to play Monopoly” that I was really reading you kids a chapter detailing the complexities of crack distribution in the hood. Your enthusiastic response was a little unsettling, but thanks for listening. Last, to my daughter Niko, thank you for understanding. I love you most of all.
About the Authors
PATRICIA “MS. PAT” WILLIAMS is a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. She broke into the comedy industry in Atlanta at the notorious Uptown Comedy Club, and now headlines at clubs throughout the country. Ms. Pat has appeared on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central’s This Is Not Happening Nickelodeon’s NickMom Night Out, Katt Williams’s DVD release Kattpacalypse, Harry Connick Junior’s syndicated talk show, Harry, and numerous podcasts, including Marc Maron’s WTF, The Joe Rogan Experience, and Ari Shaffir’s Skeptic Tank. She is a regular guest on the syndicated radio program The Bob & Tom Show. Ms. Pat currently resides in Indianapolis with her family.
JEANNINE AMBER is an award-winning journalist and former senior writer for Essence magazine. For two decades she’s written about crime, relationships, and parenting. And also . . . Beyoncé! Jeannine loves a good story. Check out her work at jeannineamber.com or follow her on Twitter @jamberstar.
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
Copyright
rabbit. Copyright © 2017 by Patricia Williams and Jeannine Amber. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
first edition
Cover design by Ploy Siripant. Hand-lettering by Joel Holland.
Digital Edition August 2017 ISBN: 978-0-06-240732-0
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-240730-6
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers Australia Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Canada
2 Bloor Street East - 20th Floor
Toronto, ON M4W 1A8, Canada
www.harpercollins.ca
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers New Zealand
Unit D1, 63 Apollo Drive
Rosedale 0632
Auckland, New Zealand
www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF, UK
www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
www.harpercollins.com
Rabbit Page 21