This article was curated by It’s That Part, where we highlight the truth in every fact—curated for deeper insight and critical reflection.
You never forget the first time certain things happen, your first kiss, your first big win, the first time you drive… and you definitely don’t forget the first time somebody flexes on you. Just ask Keke Palmer.
During a recent appearance on PlaqueBoyMax’s Twitch livestream, the 32-year-old actress looked back on a moment from nearly 20 years ago when fellow child star Tyler James Williams allegedly did just that.
Palmer recalled hanging out with 33-year-old actor when he was around 13 or 14 and starring as the lead in the early-2000s sitcom “Everybody Hates Chris.” At some point, she said, the “Abbott Elementary” actor pulled out a Black Card, the ultra-exclusive premium card commonly associated with high rollers, like American Express’s coveted Centurion card.
“We all hanging out, kicking it, and we go somewhere. Tyler James, 14, he pull out a Black Card, and we was like, ‘What the hell is that?’ He’s like, ‘It’s a Black Card,’” she recounted. “I just never forgot that moment! Like, 14? 14 with a Black Card!”
Palmer then repeated a long-circulating rumor that Williams was earning “like $200,000 an episode” at the time.
She also noted that, as a young actor, her own financial situation looked very different. Palmer, who has been open about becoming her family’s breadwinner as a tween, starring in Nickelodeon’s “True Jackson, VP” as well as several films, said Williams was simply playing in a different lane because he was working on network television.
The clip quickly set social media abuzz. While some users were stunned by the idea of a 14-year-old holding such an exclusive card, others criticized Palmer for publicly discussing another actor’s alleged earnings and financial situation.
To be clear, Williams has repeatedly pushed back against the claim, most recently in an interview with Complex.
“Stop believing anything you see somebody put in big bold letters on the internet. It’s not correct,” he said. “I don’t even know where it came from. I heard rumors of it years and years ago. That’s not how the entertainment industry works. When you first come in on your first show, your quote is really, really low. Thankfully, it’s not where it was back in the day, but no, that’s not true.”
But uh, no word on the black card!
