Amid New Wave of “Boycotts”: Dave Chappelle Defends Katt Williams Amid Gunfire Allegations After Shocking Radio War

In recent years, no cultural phenomenon has been more divisive and controversial than the so-called “cancel culture.” Comedian Katt Williams , one of the most outspoken and original voices in American comedy, has once again found herself in the eye of a storm, but this time, the story goes beyond social media criticism.

After Katt Williams publicly apologized to Michael Jackson’s family for his old pranks, social media immediately turned to demanding that he apologize to another figure: Wanda Smith , the late radio host whom he “ripped apart” during a radio interview in 2018. Public opinion painted a picture of Katt as a “bully” who ruined Wanda’s career.

But the real story of the confrontation between Katt Williams and Wanda Smith goes beyond the on-air insults. It’s a chain of events that escalated from a comedy fight to a parking lot shooting spree , revealing a dark side of the entertainment industry and clearly demonstrating legendary comedian Dave Chappelle ’s argument about the dangers of suppressing truth in comedy.

I. The Shocking Apology and the Grave Digging That Caused a Storm in Public Opinion

The incident began when Katt Williams, in a surprise move, expressed deep regret to Michael Jackson’s family for past outrageous pranks. Katt admitted he felt remorse for participating in a game that was orchestrated to “tear down his own people” —a plot he believed was used by the “enemy” to make Black men self-destruct.

Instead of bringing peace, the apology opened the door to a wave of backlash. Online users immediately branded Katt a hypocrite and demanded he apologize to Wanda Smith, who died the day after her 58th birthday in October 2024. Many fans were quick to condemn him: “Katt Williams is a jerk for what he did to Wanda Smith,” or “He crossed the line and disrespected others.”

But what these “cancel culture” participants deliberately leave out is the real context, a chilling story that Katt Williams later revealed: That radio war nearly cost him his life .

II. Dave Chappelle: The Wall Against “Cancel Culture”

Standing up for Katt Williams was none other than Dave Chappelle, who has also been the target of boycott campaigns for his transgender jokes. Chappelle, as the ultimate defender of truth in comedy, spoke out forcefully.

Chappelle stated that Katt and Wanda Smith’s situation was “nothing but comedy” , and that Katt was merely doing what he always does: fighting back when challenged .Chappelle strongly criticized people who “dug up” old clips from years ago to try to ruin a man’s career today, calling it an excessive and unreasonable action.

For Chappelle, comedy is one of the noblest professions, the last place where “the truth can live”  He encourages comedians to be fearless and not allow themselves to be silenced. Chappelle’s view is that “ostracizing” Katt for a joke, while willfully ignoring the facts of the subsequent armed confrontation, is a dangerous distortion of public opinion.

III. War of Words 2018: From Joke to Personal Fire

The controversial interview took place in September 2018 on V103 Atlanta’s Frank and Wanda in the Morning . It started out as a simple promo, but quickly turned into one of the most viewed clips in B103 radio’s history.

Attack on Tiffany Haddish: It all started when Katt Williams didn’t hesitate to criticize her colleague Tiffany Haddish , who just got a big deal from Netflix without having to go through the strenuous touring process like many other artists . Katt believes Tiffany Haddish was chosen because she was the “safe choice”  for White audiences and “hand-picked” by high-ranking officials.

The tension came to a head when Katt pointed out two reasons why Tiffany Haddish is popular among Black female comedians: she constantly talks about dating White men and she has lighter skin .

Escalation: Personal retaliation: When Wanda Smith tried to counter, Katt Williams accused her of being a poor interviewer and repeatedly interrupted him. The situation worsened when Wanda suddenly turned personal, targeting Katt’s cooking skills for her children and his past legal troubles.

Katt Williams later revealed that Wanda had promised before going on air that she wouldn’t mention his children or his legal issues. When she broke that promise, especially when he was trying to discuss a serious issue about race in comedy, Katt reacted violently. He responded with sharp words, turning the criticism around, humiliating Wanda Smith on her own show. The insult was so severe that everyone in the room was stunned.

IV. “Setup” Evidence: The Gunfight

It was this humiliation that set the stage for the horrific events that followed. A few days later, on September 15, 2018, outside the Atlanta Comedy Theater, where Wanda Smith was hosting that night’s comedy show, her husband, Lamorris, showed up and tried to confront Katt Williams .

According to the police report, Lamorris admitted to chasing Katt, but claimed he never pulled out a gun and just “accidentally dropped it” while running. However, TMZ released shocking security footage that shows Lamorris actually holding a gun and seemingly chasing Katt Williams [11:05]. Katt Williams later flatly stated that the whole thing was a “setup” , and that Wanda Smith was trying to get him “liquidated” just for a joke.

Ironically, it was Wanda Smith, who initiated the personal confrontation, who ended up paying the price for this escalation. In January 2019, she was fired from V103 Atlanta. While no official reason was given, many speculated that she crossed the line by using homophobic slurs like “Lil Mama” to mock Katt [11:36In Atlanta, a city with large Black and gay communities, that comment could have been devastating to her career.

Katt Williams remained silent throughout Wanda Smith’s firing and even after her death in 2024. This silence has been controversial: some believe he did the right thing to avoid being seen as a hypocrite; others believe he should have shown minimal respect.

V. The Price of Truth: The Unreasonable “Boycott”

The story of Katt Williams and Wanda Smith is a chilling illustration of Dave Chappelle’s argument. When Katt offered constructive criticism about discrimination in the comedy industry (racial issues and Tiffany Haddish’s rise), he was personally attacked. When he responded, the fight escalated to the point of being nearly shot.

Now, when people demand an apology for the ridicule, they are asking him to bow to a garbled story that ignores the fact that he almost lost his life. They want to impose a “cancel culture” on someone who has been the victim of real-life violence simply for doing his job.

Katt Williams wasn’t “ostracized” because of his talent or his antics, but because he refused to be controlled. Ultimately, Wanda Smith’s career was ruined not just because of Katt, but because of her own personal behavior and lack of professionalism in allowing an armed confrontation to occur.

While the industry and the public want to spin this story as a lesson in disrespect, it’s really a lesson in power, control, and the price a comedian pays when he dares to speak the truth. Comedy, as Chappelle says, is the last place for truth, but it’s also one of the most dangerous professions.