Provincetown, MA (The Hollywood Times) 10/12/26 – Provincetown Women’s Week is underway, and one of the most anticipated documentary screenings of this year’s celebration is bringing a true pioneer of lesbian comedy back into the spotlight.
Karen Williams: I Had to Laugh, the heartfelt documentary from award-winning filmmaker Andrea Meyerson, will celebrate its East Coast premiere on Thursday, October 15, at 7:30 p.m. at Waters Edge Cinema, with another screening scheduled for Saturday, October 17, at 11:30 a.m.
Even better, both Karen Williams and Andrea Meyerson are scheduled to attend and participate in post-screening Q&A conversations with audiences.
The film arrives in Provincetown following its September 19 world premiere at Cinema Diverse: The Palm Springs LGBTQ+ Film Festival, where The Hollywood Times served as a media partner.
And now, The Hollywood Times is here in Provincetown to continue covering this important story as Women’s Week brings together generations of LGBTQ+ women, artists, performers, filmmakers, and trailblazers.
Earlier this summer, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Andrea Meyerson for an exclusive Zoom interview about the four-year journey of bringing Williams’ remarkable life to the screen.
What emerged was not simply the story of a comedian, but a deeply personal filmmaking journey involving love, loss, perseverance, and a commitment to preserving LGBTQ+ history.
“One of my missions in my life and my purpose is to give a voice to our community, to our sheroes especially,” Meyerson told me.
CLICK BELOW FOR OUR EXCLUSIVE Previous INTERVIEW WITH ANDREA MEYERSON:
Long before LGBTQ+ representation became part of mainstream entertainment conversations, Karen Williams was already breaking barriers.
Meyerson describes Williams as the first openly Black lesbian comedian to perform specifically lesbian-themed material onstage, paving the way for generations of LGBTQ+ entertainers who followed.
“She stepped on out on the stage and she did it,” Meyerson said. “That was courageous. That gave an opportunity to, it opened doors. She was a trailblazer, and such an important part of our community’s culture and history.”
Meyerson has known Williams for approximately 25 years, including working with her on Meyerson’s groundbreaking documentary Laughing Matters.
But even with that long friendship and professional history, making I Had to Laugh revealed new dimensions of Williams’ story.
One of the documentary’s most exciting elements is its collection of rare archival footage capturing Williams during the earliest years of her comedy career.
“What surprised me the most is watching this very early footage,” Meyerson recalled. “We have some extraordinary vintage footage that I don’t know if anybody’s ever seen, except for maybe the person that filmed it, or the people that were there live.”
For a filmmaker dedicated to preserving LGBTQ+ history, discovering those performances was extraordinary.
“This early stuff, priceless,” she said.
And even after watching the footage dozens of times during editing, Meyerson still finds herself laughing.
“I know exactly what’s gonna happen,” she admitted. “I just crack up.”
Behind the humor and historic footage is a deeply personal journey for Meyerson.
Production began in September 2022, but tragedy struck when Meyerson’s wife became seriously ill.
Although Meyerson arranged for a crew to complete the initial filming, she traveled to New York to be with her wife and remained there through her passing.
The loss brought much of Meyerson’s professional life to a standstill.
“I lost my wife and I was grieving for two years,” she shared during our interview.
“I had to take care of myself,” she explained. “If you can’t do it, you just can’t do it.”
Williams patiently supported the filmmaker through the interruption.
Production resumed with a major shoot at Williams’ Cleveland home in January 2024, followed by additional filming in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
San Francisco, Meyerson explained, was particularly important in documenting Williams’ career and the broader history of lesbian comedy.
For Meyerson, completing the film became an accomplishment on both a professional and personal level.
“I’m glad it’s done. I’m glad I did it,” she said. “I’m proud of this.”
And when asked how she would describe Karen Williams?
“Karen is a (comedy) rock star.”
The documentary made its world premiere at Cinema Diverse in Palm Springs on September 19, 2026.
Meyerson has a long relationship with the festival and its executive director, Michael Green, who has supported many of her previous projects.
During our interview, Meyerson shared that another festival had expressed interest in hosting the film’s world premiere, but she had already made her commitment.
“I already promised it to Cinema Diverse,” she said.
Now the film continues its festival journey with its East Coast premiere during Provincetown Women’s Week, an especially meaningful setting for a documentary celebrating one of lesbian comedy’s most influential performers.
Provincetown has long been a gathering place for LGBTQ+ artists, comedians, filmmakers, and audiences, making it a fitting destination for Williams’ story.
And the fact that both Meyerson and Williams will be present gives audiences an opportunity to hear directly from the women who brought this important piece of history to the screen.
WATCH THE OFFICIAL TRAILER BELOW:
Karen Williams: I Had to Laugh — Official Trailer
In addition to the film screenings, Williams is also scheduled to join fellow lesbian comedy legend Vickie Shaw for their hilarious live show, Funny Double Trouble, during Women’s Week.
The duo will perform Wednesday, October 14, at 3 p.m. at the Crown & Anchor’s Paramount venue, bringing two generations-defining comedy talents together on one stage.
Williams and Shaw are also among the featured judges for the always-popular Women’s Week Idol competition on Wednesday evening.
So audiences have multiple opportunities to experience Williams’ humor, personality, and groundbreaking influence throughout the week.
And anyone familiar with Karen knows that even a documentary Q&A is likely to include a few unexpected laughs.
When I asked Meyerson whether Williams might bring her comedy into the post-screening conversation, she laughed.
“We are,” she said, “and she’s probably going to be funny at it.”
Completing I Had to Laugh has not slowed Meyerson’s filmmaking career.
During our interview, she shared details of another documentary project, this one about Gay Kelleway, the pioneering British jockey who became the first woman to ride a winner at Royal Ascot.
Meyerson spent time in the United Kingdom filming the project alongside longtime collaborator and executive producer Marsha Naify.
While horse racing might seem worlds apart from lesbian stand-up comedy, both documentaries share an important theme.
They celebrate women who broke barriers, challenged expectations, and created opportunities for those who followed.
For Meyerson, these aren’t simply entertaining stories. They are histories that deserve to be preserved.
“Somebody needed to do it,” Meyerson said of the Karen Williams documentary. “This is worthy of sharing and preserving.”
There is something especially appropriate about bringing Karen Williams: I Had to Laugh to Provincetown during Women’s Week.
This is a community built in part by women who refused to remain invisible, who created their own spaces, and who used art, activism, humor, and storytelling to change the world around them.
Karen Williams is one of those women.
For more than four decades, she has made audiences laugh while opening doors for other LGBTQ+ performers, particularly Black lesbian comedians whose voices were too often missing from mainstream entertainment.
Andrea Meyerson’s documentary makes certain that Williams’ contributions are not forgotten.
And now Provincetown audiences have an opportunity to celebrate that legacy together.
The Hollywood Times is delighted to be here in Provincetown for Women’s Week and to continue spotlighting the filmmakers and performers who have contributed so much to our LGBTQ+ community.
If you’re attending Women’s Week, make time for this special documentary. Come for the laughter, stay for the history, and perhaps leave with a greater appreciation for the women who helped make today’s LGBTQ+ entertainment landscape possible.
Because sometimes, laughter really is the best way to tell an important story.
And Karen Williams has been making us laugh for decades.
Karen Williams: I Had to Laugh – Provincetown Screening Information
East Coast Premiere: Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.
Second Screening: Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 11:30 a.m.
Venue: Waters Edge Cinema, 237 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA
Festival: Provincetown Women’s Week 2026
Running Time: 72 minutes
Director: Andrea Meyerson
Featured Subject: Karen Williams
Special Guests: Karen Williams and Andrea Meyerson are scheduled to participate in Q&A sessions following both screenings. A reception is also listed following the Thursday premiere.
Also appearing during Women’s Week: Karen Williams joins Vickie Shaw for Funny Double Trouble and participates in Women’s Week Idol.
Don’t miss this moving tribute to one of lesbian comedy’s most important pioneers!
Clambake – Provincetown Screening Information
Clambake – Provincetown Screening InformationMeyerson’s connection to Provincetown Women’s Week runs especially deep. She also produced and directed CLAMBAKE, the acclaimed documentary celebrating the herstory of Women’s Week in Provincetown, chronicling the women, friendships, and pioneering spirit that helped shape this beloved annual tradition.
And there’s more good news for Women’s Week audiences! CLAMBAKE will also screen Friday, October 16, at 11 a.m., giving festivalgoers another opportunity to experience Meyerson’s dedication to preserving LGBTQ+ women’s history.
With both Karen Williams: I Had to Laugh and CLAMBAKE screening during Women’s Week, Meyerson continues her remarkable commitment to documenting the women who helped build, shape, and inspire our community.
Tickets: $12–$15
CLICK HERE FOR THE WOMEN’S WEEK FILM SCHEDULE AND TICKETS
The Hollywood Times is covering Provincetown Women’s Week 2026, highlighting LGBTQ+ film, comedy, entertainment, and the artists who continue shaping our community.
By Valerie Milano
