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Five things Katt Williams taught me about life

I never thought this day would come. The day -- er, two days, this Thursday and Friday at Wells Fargo Theatre -- when I could see my mentor, Katt Williams, in the flesh. Since discovering his standup work a few years ago, I have found that he speaks a lot...
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I never thought this day would come. The day -- er, two days, this Thursday and Friday at Wells Fargo Theatre -- when I could see my mentor, Katt Williams, in the flesh. Since discovering his standup work a few years ago, I have found that he speaks a lot of truth when it comes to living, and he approaches everything with a "no bullshit" attitude. In advance of his soon-to-be-legendary-to-me appearance this week, I have compiled some of Prophet Katt's best "real talk" moments, from the mouth of the comedian himself.

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5. You actually need haters There is something mythical about the existence of haters; we don't always know them by name or recognize their faces, but we all have them (even Jesus did.) They are the people in our lives who doubt our strengths, tell us can't or we shouldn't when we know we can, and, in general, are probably just jealous of how fucking awesome we are. Katt makes the case here, knowing full well that as awesome as he looks, there will always be someone in the crowd who hates his luxurious hair -- but that kind of negative energy is necessary. It's how the universe balances itself out. So let the haters hate, and let Katt's luxurious hair be a metaphor for how fabulous you really are.

4. There's nothing wrong with being smart about your money. Katt teaches us that in a material world, there is no shame in being frugal. If you stop worrying about what other people think about the things you own and where you spend your money, life can be a lot more fun. Simply exercise what Katt calls a "pimp decision": Look at the whole picture before you buy into a fad. Because the things we own don't last forever, let alone define who we are. 3. Don't forget to have fun It is easy for us adults to not allow ourselves to have fun. If we're going to have fun, it has to be scheduled into our calendars, with a specific day and time that the fun will occur. Remember when you were a kid, and fun was more a part of your day than, say, work? Katt recommends weed as a catalyst for said fun -- but that is truly your choice. I often find that just being around people who are high is enough to make me laugh my ass off in public. Whatever it takes, though, just have some fun -- and stop worrying about what other people think.

2. Surround yourself with good people White friends, black friends -- it doesn't matter. Katt sees diversity in good friends as an asset to your life. If all of your friends look and think and act just like you, there is no one to call you on your bullshit -- and that might be the very best quality in a friend. But friends should also have your back, bail you out and stand up for you when necessary.

1. Whatever your hustle, stay on it. Nothing is worse than being around someone who hates their job. We live in a country of at-will employment, so if you hate your job, it is your choice to be there and hate it. Why not take control of the situation, own what you do, and love it? Every day I sit down to write, I take on Katt's philosophy: It doesn't matter what you do for a living -- work a fryer, shelve books, whatever -- so long as you decided to do it well. Or at least do it with a soundtrack.


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