[FXP Editor's Note: This post is part of our "Best of FXP" series. This month, we will be highlighting the best posts during our first year in existence. Call it Blog History Month. This piece was originally posted May 8th, 2009"]
My friends and I were having a discussion the other day about how there are certain things that we as Black people can’t admit in public. Things like, OJ did it, we actually like fried chicken and watermelon, and R. Kelly likes to pee on little girls. All of these things are common knowledge among the Black community, but we refuse to acknowledge them because doing so would mean giving up our “Black Card”.
There is one subject however, that I just can’t keep quiet about. I tried embracing the craze and supporting the artist. When that didn’t work, I tried turning my head and pretending it didn’t exist. But there is one fact that must be stated once and for all…..Tyler Perry is a disgrace to the Black Movement.
There, I said it. I just felt the weight of my ancestors lift from my shoulders. What are you talking about? You ask. How can you say that about such a great entertainer? You ask.
I’ll explain. Tyler Perry’s movies and stage plays are walking, talking, dancing, jigging stereotypes. It’s like watching Amos and Andy, live and in Technicolor. I’ve seen grade school plays with better writing than a Tyler Perry production. Only Tyler Perry, can make great actresses such Lynn Whitfield, Cicely Tyson, Alfre Woodard, Sanaa Lathan and even Kathy Bates look like extras in an episode of 227. As far as his television show…I’ve seen better acting on Sesame Street, and that’s by the Muppets! (Keisha Knight Pulliam aka Rudy Huxtable, you should be ashamed).
Perry’s characters are underdeveloped and come across as nothing more than caricatures of what Black Americans are supposed to act like, and the plots to his movies are about as deep as a kiddy pool. Before the plot unravels you can point out the villain (usually wearing dark colors), the good guy (usually a downtrodden black woman), and the knight in shining armor (some washed up former soap opera star).
Each time a movie is released or a stage play goes on tour, I sit back to wonder what long held black stereotype he will dig up next. Will it be the abusive black man? The gold digging black woman? The dead beat black father? Or maybe the loud talking, gun toting granny? (Oh wait, she’s in all of his stuff).
I don’t want this to sound like I’m hating on a successful black entertainer. The truth is, I respect and admire his hustle, but I can’t stand what he’s selling. He’s like a dope boy that sells subpar plots instead of dime bags and rocks.
Tyler Perry is a prime example of someone who took mediocre talent and turned it into a multimillion dollar fortune. I can’t help but admire that. The problem arises when I have to actually come in contact with his 
productions. The only thing that separates his stage plays and the minstrel shows of the post Civil War era is some black cork paint © Bamboozled. I’ve really tried to like Tyler Perry’s material. When Auntie O (Oprah) claimed he was the hottest up and coming producer, writer, director in the game, I was fully prepared to embrace his material(she’s got a good track record of pointing out talent, remember that Obama guy she used to rave about?). Then I saw one of his plays, which my mother had purchased from the bootleg man at her beauty shop (how fitting). The first one I saw was, “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” (later turned into a Major Motion Picture… starring Shemar Moore wearing a cheap cornrow wig). I still don’t think I’ve recovered the brain cells lost while watching that abomination. I sat back and watched this man dressed in drag (let’s be honest with ourselves, the only thing that separates Tyler Perry and RuPaul is better make up and a smaller chin) and wondered what the hell had all of these, church-going middle-aged black folks so enthralled. There are plenty of black directors out there that produce quality material, Spike Lee (except for Girl 6 and She Hate Me*) (ed. note- She Hate Me was classic. Go check it out.), the Hughes Brothers, and John Singleton (except for Baby Boy) (ed. note – Baby Boy was another classic. VERY underrated.) just to name a few. We’ve replaced quality cinematic material with cheap bubblegum entertainment that is based off of typecasting.
Please people, we have a black president, a beautiful black family occupying the White House, more African-Americans in elective office than any time since reconstruction, and we are running businesses and all aspects of industry….Why on earth are we allowing Tyler “Mantan” Perry to put all of our dirty laundry on DVD for the whole world to see!?
In closing I’d like to send this simple note to Mr. Perry…..
Dear Tyler,
Stop, I repeat: Stop dressing in woman’s clothes. Stop, destroying the credibility of great actors. Please learn to develop a plot that’s more complex than a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
I’m going to give you a task. I want you to produce and co-star in the Bio-Pic of Dr. King (you can play Jesse Jackson or better yet, Ralph Abernathy). I know it sounds like lots of work, but I think you can do it. It’s going to take some dedication and some thought, you’ll actually have to write something that doesn’t end with a jive talking octogenarian waving a gun. You haven’t been challenged enough in the past, so this is your chance to prove to all of us that you are more than a latex body suit and Little Richard make up.
Wishing you the best, as long as it doesn’t include more Madea movies.
Sincerely,
The Urban Statesman
*the scenes with Kerry Washington on the counter were the best part of the movie.
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I think it is just good for entertainment purposes. Sometimes we all just want to see something stupid and funny to take our minds off real life issues. Trust me, I am all about uplifting the black culture…but we all need comedy, and Tyler Perry’s movies have been a good avenue for that.
Deep, real deep, Never realized the extent until it was put right there in my face (by you, lol). That is something to really think about. Now, after enjoying all of his movies and getting some of the best laughs and entertainment, should i still like his work. Don’t get me wrong, i will still watch his movies and enjoy it, but now I have this monkey on my back as to am i supporting the negativity that is being potrayed in Black America? Something to really think about.
While I find his movies entertaining yet find the caricatures of black women disturbing, I think that we’d be shooting ourselves in the foot by not supporting him.
I’d have more of a problem with no black representation on the big screen (that tv show is terrible and must be stopped, however) and just like others before him, he is paving the way for better directors, actors, owners to come.
Until we come together as a community to support intelligent independent film, or write angry letters to Tyler Perry to express our disgust and constructive criticism (this post is a good start), then we will be plagued by Perry in the mainstream.
Also, if we stop supporting Perry, that means we’d have to stop supporting these “recording artists” who make terrible caricatures of our culture as well.
@Ashley,
As usual, we’ll settle for anything so long as it is black, agree with anything so long as it is black. Whatever happened to critical thinking. That is fully lacking among society at large and is at Armageddon levels among people of color. I concur with the author and with spike lee. I wrote on my blog about this last spring. He is a buffoon and simply because he mentions Jehovah or Jesus, black people think it is all good. It is an abomination. We don’t need stereotypes to laugh. Yes, there are caricatures played often among white sitcoms and movies, but they can afford to do that. We are not in a position to accept such defamation & should demand better.
I think this is kind of harsh on Tyler Perry. While I agree that even a toddler can write more dense plot lines with a red crayon and an ABC chart, I disagree that his brand of media is destroying Black America. Maybe, he’s destroying Black America’s brain cells with the droll plot lines and subpar acting, but Black America has heavier culprits to deal with. If anything, his entertainment is classy and conservative: That’s good enough for Christian families who don’t want raunchy displays and overabundant curse words.
@Epsilon, I think Tyler Perry gets a pass in the Black community simply because some of his movies have a Christian theme. He can get away with dressing in drag, mocking our culture, and putting fourth negative stereotypes, as long as some body mentions Jesus in his movie atleast 3 times. Its just silly.
What ever happened to eating the fish and leaving the bones….?
Its great for entertainment purposes, but our people mistake this for real life. It is all a reflection of our people in the eyes of those who have their own stereotypes. All black women are loud, and carry a pistol in their purse, black women are always bitter, or poor or is the result of a dead beat father. When is this gonna end? Why cant Tyler Perry have movies themed towards the display of something positive on our race. It would be live if Tyler Perry and Spike Lee joined forces. Perry is just mis-guided and is being paid bug bucks to make a mockery of the African American race. Its unfortunate, but money does make the world go round, even if you have to sell yourself out to make it. Great Article!
I agree with the various negative ways in which Tyler Perry depicts black folks. However if there were no Tyler then Black Cinema would be extinct as of 2002. In the 90′s Spike Lee & Jon Singleton were around producing movies that glamorized “the hood”. Positive things could be taken from those movies but honestly there was no real message.There are only a handful of movies that actually show positive Black Family life….Crooklyn is the only one I can think of off hand. The fact of the matter is, yes, film makers should start making more movies that depict Black Folks in a more positive light. But where is the money in that? Bootleggers. Tyler Perry has found a way to both show positive Black stories and make money despite the bootleggers. Albeit some of the characters are wack and cant act a lick, but if Tyler wasnt around there would be absolutely NO representation at this time. So which one would you prefer no representation or weak representation? Truth is, we gotta start somewhere and at least Tyler is present.
@Sheeleah, How was there no real message in movies like Boyz n the Hood or Menace II Society??? My dad sat me down and MADE me watch those movies in order to get the message the directors were trying to convey. They did anything BUT glamorize the hood. Every hood character died in the movie. Trey survived in Menace because he made the right choices and chose not to associate himself with certain people. Kane died because he made that choice too late. The messages from those movies resonates with me almost decades later.
@Gregory Q. Roberson, I am glad your father was there to sit you down and explain to you the purpose of those films. However you have to admit if your father was not there to really point out the message would you still feel the same way? I agree those messages are present. But the good outweigh the bad. Lets be real here….Both movies portray woman as ( b’s and h’s) less than creatures who are really just looking for a meal ticket. I maybe telling my age but, when Boyz N the Hood came out I never heard anyone get called the n-word so many times. Drinking forties, chilling, smoking, no ambition, no goals other than to ride for the homies. Accepting of the fact that they will be nothing more than babydaddies, thugs, or in jail. In both films characters died in drive-by’s. The slow-mo and reflection both glamorized that way to die. And if you were watching the news around that same time the increase in drive-by shootings went up sky high. Gangs in the US became more prevalent. So to say those movies didnt glamorize “Thug Life” is not keeping it real. These movies can be viewed in a positive light but that is after shedding layer after layer of negativity. Tyler Perry is at least giving you a little bad with the good- albeit corny Just my thoughts
ARLENNNNNNNNNNNN THANK YOU!!! I feel the exact same way. I can only respect and admire his hustle. That much cannot be denied. He’s almost a guaranteed box office #1 and that’s hard to do for any black director. He’s almost single-handedly turned Atlanta into a Black Hollywood. He’s made millions upon millions and helped countless people with his fortunes.
That being said, his product is TERRIBLE. It’s bad enough that the acting is worse than a Kindergarten recital. But the message is TERRIBLE. We don’t see any images of his current self in any of his movies or plays. I agree its entertainment for entertainment sake but at some point I’m gonna need you to sprinkle in something uplifting. I’m gonna need you to make a Do The Right Thing. This cannot continue. We all probably do have a family member like Madea and that’s great to sprinkle in a comedy here and there. But give me something that opens my mind. Give me something that makes me think. He’s got every door in Hollywood open to him and he’s content to stay in the basement. Whatever message he does convey is lost in the TERRIBLE characters used to convey it.
His movies are certainly doing nothing to help the black community and it’s definitely easy to see how it has a detracts from any perception of an evolving people. I’m not a fan. Tyler Perry, get paid, get money, that’s one thing I cannot nor will I try to deny. But PLEASE do something better for us. We need it.
P.S. And who are these people that have made House of Payne TV’s #1 sitcom??? WHERE ARE THEY???
@Gregory Q. Roberson, “who are these people that have made House of Payne TV’s #1 sitcom??? WHERE ARE THEY???” This is what I want to know. That show is SOOOO stupid. I can’t believe they call it #1. HA. Sex and the City reruns are better.
@Alissa ,
I agree. His shows and horrible. One of my high-school students asked me if I watched House of Payne. When I told her I didn’t, she was horrified. I didn’t have the time and it wasn’t the appropriate time to explain all of the reasons why I would never watch such trash.
@Rich,
Alissa,
My co-workers took my “black card” when I stated I abhorred his films too. It is so sad when we measure ourselves against such low standards.
He does use a lot of stereotypes in his plays/movies. I guess its what works for him and what he became famous for, so I doubt that that will ever change. The shallow plots and characters are what sell the tickets. I realize his style, so it does not bother me. The only thing that bothers me about Tyler Perry is how preachy he is. There can be a character who doesn’t attend church on a regular basis, and there the ‘bad guy’ in all black beating up women lol. If you can take it for what it is, just entertainment, then there is no problem. I don’t think he’s necessarily destroying black America, but he certainly knows how to make a mockery of us.
Arlen, good article… However, I think you are missing some key points.
1. Tyler Perry’s movies are low-budget adaptations of his stage plays. As such, about an hour or so of content is cut out of the movies and so they are not as good.
2. Movies are fictional accounts most times and as such can not be considered an accurate perspective of black culture. The Madea character is an extreme exaggeration not meant for people to idolize or exhort.
3. Although his plays are fictional, a lot of the source material can be found somewhere in the black community. It is not meant to be a representation of all blacks, just like Boyz N the Hood, Menace to Society, Baby Boy and Waiting to Exhale weren’t representative of ALL blacks, or the majority of us for that matter.
4. The TV show is terrible… But a lot of black TV shows are worthless, which is why I don’t watch them… I pretty much avoid BET and UPN altogether… However, the Boondocks is full of Win…
5. A lot of Tyler Perry’s plays are inspirational. They are about hope and overcoming despite your situation. They are about healing and spirituality. But at the end of the day, they are COMEDIES… not documentaries… The question I have for you is what do you watch black movies for? Are you watching them because they are entertaining or to be entertained? There is a difference.
Bottomline: Tyler Perry’s plays are not really made for your target audience… Just like Soulja Boy Tell ‘em’s albums aren’t made for mine… However, the problem is not solely with Tyler Perry. It is just a symptom of a larger problem with the current generation of entertainment…And while you are criticizing Tyler Perry, why aren’t you criticizing Bishop T.D. Jakes and the two horrible movies that he has put out… Woman, thou are loosed and Not Easily Broken (wasn’t as bad but still…)?
@Joe, Good Points Joe. Tyler Perry has the right idea when it comes to having a hustle and working to make a name for himself. I just cant help but sit around and think that his material is degrading and disrespectuful of lots of aspects of Black Society.
@ Arlen, thank you for acknowledging a major flaw of many black ppl “I just cant help but sit around and think ….” so what are you doing to help Buid Black America in the film industry? I’m not trying to point any fingers but it is very easy to critic Tyler Perry’s work but what events are you basing your claims of destruction on??? Just like we (Black People) can not blame Hip-Hop music for drug deals, drive bys, and broken housholds how can Perry’s work alone be more “degrading and disrespectuful of lots of aspects of Black Society”? Since the same can be said for ALL of the REALITY shows on BET, besides In the end its all entertainment right…..?
As a 40 year old black woman who LOVES the movies I have witnessed the development of our black image in movies. From the Blaxplotation of my childhood, to watching The Color Purple get the blow off at the 1985 Oscars, to Denzel, then Halle, then Jamie, then Forest take the Oscar home with tears streaming down my face each time. I respect Mr. Perry’s success and the fact that he obviously appeals to alot of us as black folks, but after a while, you are SO right, it is little more than minstrel show. It is a parade of the worst stereotypes of us as a people put on display by one of our own for all the world to see and interpret as a slice of our realilty. I liken his work to one notch, maybe two above Flav-a-flav(which would be a whole other article!!). I find it appalling that some our greatest talents have graced his work, which just goes to show that ,A). we are loyal as a people and B.) work is hard to find for even the most talented in Hollywood. I look forward to the day that Mr. Perry truly studies and learns the craft of film making, or better yet, take his abundant resources and support up and coming writers, directors and other talent for his next big production. “Each one, teach one”–or is that not also part of our collective dogma as a black people
Can I get an,’ Amen’–somebody?!?!?!?!
um you mite want to brush up on your facts: Niggerdom is completely different from Coonery. To really learn about the History of American Minstrelsy go to seethedance.com
I hope to goodness that everyone who is condemning Tyler Perry for his support of black stereotypes is just as outraged by the rest of the entertainment industry. I hope you’re writing letters to club owners and record producers telling them to stop perpetuating the black stereotype of money, sex and hoes. Or the idea that every black man is slanging on the block and we all are success stories from the hood. Tell these video vixens and the directors who cast them to cease and desist with this “jezebel” image. Demand that our comedians stop discussing these stereotypes (which they call “being real”) for the sake of their paycheck. Tell our fellow colleagues and frat/sorors to stop hosting parties & events where the purpose is to get drunk and get loose. Why do all of these people get a “pass”? You want to protest negative black images and you stone Tyler Perry first? One of the few who is actually showing a wide depiction of Black America in 2009 in the entertainment realm? *Note entertainment is just that…entertainment – not real life.* Please put that stone down my friend. The only crime he’s committing is having these predictable story lines and an excess of bad weaves. Let’s say that he did wipe out those stereotypes that we laugh at – well, when we’re not on our high socieltal horse or sipping Ace of Spades in our droptop Maybach bought with money from slanging this white – is that going to make you support him then? Or will it be so positive that it’s not real? *goes back to slanging Coke…the legitimate kind*
@Ms. Jackson, Thank you for the response, but let me be very clear. I do not agree with the negative images that lots of our entertainers put forth. I think that most of the music that comes on the radio is mind numbing and far below the standard of quatily music that our culture has presented in the past. Tyler Perry is not the first person that I’ve openly questioned. I’ve been known to comment on any entertainer that I think makes our people look bad. The reason I chose to write this about Mr. Perry is explained in the opening paragraph of the article. He is doing the same thing that Flavor Flav, Soulja Boy and the rest of them are doing, but he rarely gets called out for it. Like I said in a response further up the page, he gets away with certain things because he has a religious subplot to most of his productions. The same older, church going Black folks that criticize other black entertainers for putting out negative stereotypes, think that Tyler Perry is the greatest thing since Sidney Portier! Thats only because he has some overweight actress sing a gospel song halfway through the movie. My point in writing this was to draw attention to the fact his characters and plots are not much better. We must always be careful that society is laughing WITH US and not AT US.
Here, here….unfortunately his movies are cheap, predictable and do nothing but perpetuate black stereotypes. Since when do one-dimensional characters, recycled storylines and off-color jokes make for acceptable cinematic fare? They don’t! His talent does show up randomly though, (e.g. “The Family that Prays”), but not often enough. I consider TP to be on the same level as Spike, Singleton, and other acclaimed directors, but I need to see less of the Madea franchise, less cliches and less catering to an audience that is clearly more informed and more intelligent than he realizes.
@Donnell, I agree with everything you said except, “I consider TP to be on the same level as Spike, Singleton, and other acclaimed directors”. LOL. Tyler Perry has a long way to go before he can even be close to Spike Lee’s level.
Thank you for this article. Very much needed!!!! To add to your point, think about how many other black actors/comedians have dressed as women (just to name a few others: Martin Lawrence, Flip Wilson, Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx, Wayans Bros, Chris Tucker, Ving Rhames, Will Smith etc), It’s a shame…
So, I feel that over analyzing Tyler Perry and the messages portrayed in this movie is missing the point. If you are going to take this stance that he is perpetuating stereotypes, then you should reevaluate why these stereotypes exist in the first place. Secondly, you should examine exactly who is mainly supporting Tyler — BLACK FOLKS! THIRDLY, The problem is that you are missing the relevance and point of his movies. Being the comedy that is, it doesn’t need 3+ dimensions to his plots, similar to other comedies from other “persuasions” like, o I dunno… ‘Tropic Thunder,” “Scary movie,” “National Lampoon,” or whatever (ok maybe that’s an exaggeration), but the point is; comedies don’t need to make you think TOO much, or else they lose their comedic value. Most of Tyler’s material is comedy with a message, and that’s as far as it goes. Take it for that. Finally, I suggest you go out a make a movie containing all of the elements you criticize in Mr. Perry’s production, until then focus you attention of other things of relevance. See you, opening night, at the next TP movie…cause you kno you will be there!!!
My thoughts (in brief I hope to be concise)…. I read the article, then I read the comments, then I perused the article again, then I sat back and considered my feelings and thoughts on Tyler Perry and his body of work…
I disagree with the statements that Tyler Perry is “Destroying Black America” or “that he is a disgrace to the Black Movement”. I have reservations about what our ancestors feel about his productions, to keep it simple because I have personal issues with prior generations and I am not going glorify them as if they had “it” altogether when it came to upliftment of our people above the oppressive situation that we were/are in, but that is a completely different discussion. I am not Tyler Perry’s no. 1 fan by any stretch of the imagination but I think he has done a fair job. If I were to grade him I would give him between a C+/B- grade overall. I can admit that in some of his movies the plot and characters could have been developed more. A few of his movies, I thought were below average overall but in the same breathe I think he had were decent. With all that said his productions have areas of improvement but I have seen FAR worse productions by African Americans. He has done a better job than many even considering his budget. I don’t fault him, primarily, for the quality of acting by some the actors/actressess portrayed in the movies some of the criticism I place upon them specifically. I think Tyler Perry does a quality job of presenting a sufficient amount of images of variety among African Americans. He has pretty good range when it comes to that. I also like some of the issues or subjects that he brings out in his work that if we sat down and had conservations about, then started developing higher levels of understanding about, we could actually use them to help us progress. i.e. domestic violence, patriarchy, misogyny, and sexism topics that occur on the regular within our community that rarely is constructively dealt with, in mass.
I understand the notion and feeling that Madea is modern day coonery… eh… I see where you are coming from but I think it is interesting to note many times Madea may be very obnoxious but at the same time gives some of the more sound and sensible advice when it comes to dealing with issues. Also, Madea has shown traits of caring love and support for victims in the movies.
Let’s see… Oh yeah, in comparing him with other popular director/producer/actors, at least the one’s that have been discussed in comments and in the article (Spike Lee and John Singleton), we must consider that types of work they have been able to bring out. When I think about Spike and Singleton work they have more drama based films and they tend to be more intense, where are Perry has more comedy in his films. Also, the former’s body of work spands a longer time frame than Perry’s. Also, not everybody of work by the former were perfect works of art, and if we wanted to “nitt-pick” we could look at their works and see blatant and exaggerated stereotypes depicted of African Americans that are disgraceful and detrimental to the community and it’s image… Oh and Baby Boy is not a classic!!! Stop it!!!
Niiggerdom is completely different from Coonery. To really learn about the History of American Minstrelsy go to seethedance.com
Christopher,
Baby Boy was a great movie. It gets far too much criticism, lol. Take it for what its worth. Its not a “classic” in the sense, but it had some decent sublimenal messages in it.
For the argument by folks up top that Boyz In The Hood and Spike Lee joints portray negative images sometimes, that’s true. But they do it in a well developed manner, one which brings out more important messages and make you think. I think Boyz In The Hood is a transcendent movie. If anyone wants to debate that, we can sit down, and I can take you scene through scene and break down how deep the message is in each one. Beginning to end, Boyz In The Hood is a groundbreaking movie. Sure, people get shot, people are drinking, people are in gangs, but all of those things are shown in a broad context. Anyone who watches Boyz In The Hood and leaves enamored with gangs needs to get their head checked. We need more Boyz In The Hood type of movies.
I won’t make the same argument for Menace II Society. It glorified violence, I won’t deny that, I actually agree. But Boyz In The Hood should not be mentioned along with Menace.
Spike joints are on another level as well. Malcolm X, Bamboozled, Do The Right Thing, She’s Gotta Have it, He Got Game…Spike presents a great message wrapped in drama and entertainment. You can’t be incredibly preachy, you have to be real. Spike and John Singleton do that in a unique way, and are brilliant for it.
And Baby Boy is an underrated movie.
@SW, I agree its not “classic” and the primary value I see in it is to see it for “cultural relations” or Cultural references, things that help you validate your “Black Card” LOL or just cultural knowledge base i.e. knowing where the “guns and butter” theory came from, or the “I hate you Jody”scene. I feel Baby Boy highlighted and maybe to large extent glorified negative behavior aspect of the culture without providing valuable positive reformation. It may receive a lot of criticism but I think a lot of it is justified. Plus the “Network” play it all the time like it is a classic. Give me a break lol!
I don’t believe Tyler Perry is destroying Black America. I know Arlen did that for the shock value…I don’t think he feels that strongly. But yea, I think Tyler has made some decent movies. I also think he’s made some bad ones. Like it has been said though, you have to look at where these movies come from. He’s a black playwriter that made it big. He considered his stage shows the new “chitlin circuit”. So you can’t expect him to put forth classic movies. The formula for black stage plays has been the same for years, same concept. He just has a broader audience now. You can’t ask him to be Spike Lee, when he didn’t go to film school like Spike Lee. He’s self taught.
I think the comment that he should invest in up and coming actors, directors, and writers is brilliant though. He should recognize his limitations, and provide opportunities for others. And I do think he has that in his long term. He now owns the first black owned major studio. I think he’s solidifying is own thing, and he’s gonna reach back.
I don’t think he’s on the same level of Soulja Boy and Flavor Flav at all. I think that’s major disrespect to somebody that’s knocking down barriers for others. The reality is, he’s doing things that Spike and Singleton can’t do, because they can’t get the funding. Bill Cosby and others had to give Malcom X more funding, because he couldn’t get it. But Tyler isn’t out here cooning as much as its being portrayed here. Yes, his plots suck, develoment is wack, etc…but his messages aren’t bad.
He’s made movies about black women overcoming adversity, of course. But he’s also made movies about black men TRYING hard to be fathers (Daddy’s Little Girls), movies focusing on black marriage (Why Did I Get Married), and other major issues in the black community. He may throw in the same formula often, but that’s how he built his thing.
Really watch his movies. He always has a strong focus on marriage, love, god, parenthood, family values and other ideals that are getting lost in our community. You shouldn’t knock that all. I understand he can do better…but so can we all. I understand he has a vast audience now, so I’m all for holdng him to a higher standard. But, the man is trying. His messages aren’t bad at all. I don’t see coonery. I see steps being taken in the right direction, and those who come after him can begin to put forth a better product, with a good message, and actually sell though.
Tyler Perry, Flavor Flav, and Soulja Boy? Comparing him to those coons Isn’t even a solid argument honestly.
@SW, Thank you! I was almost about to do a response blog to this but you nailed my every thought in your comment. I think that some people intellectualize too much. When I watch a Tyler Perry flick, I’m not looking to be mentally stimulated, but he does an effective job of moving people emotionally. We may see those stories as “stereotypical” but the truth is that they ARE TYPICAL, which means they happen everyday in the real lives of many people. Perhaps the theme of the “black woman who overcomes” is “tired” to some people, but it’s a theme I’ll never get tired of because I’ve lived it.
I strongly disagree with this article. So much, I wanted to scream at my P.C. You have the right to your opinion by all means, but I think your not taking in the full picture. You remind me of a person who doesn’t appreciate the beauty of a flower growing out the cracks of the concrete in a run-down housing project…Don’t see the good in the bad. Every single one of his movies has a positive theme to them. For every drug dealer, there’s a lawyer (Derrick Luke). For every gold digger, there’s a executive (Robin Given). His movies are well balanced with negative and positive characters. And i believe it does really represent the black community as a whole. Other then Madea’s character, which is the comedic part of the movies she’s in. Did you forget about “Why Did I Get Married” every character had a college degree and a job and married… what else no Madea pulling out her pistol. You mean to tell me you didn’t see “Daddy’s Little Girls”, a black man’s fight to raise his own children, or you was blinded by the dopeboy’s bling. Now you have to be lying if you say you didn’t pick up on the fact that the mother on “The Family That Preys” didnt own her own business, or you was mad that Sanaa Lathan was sleeping with the whiteboy. These all to me is positive protrayals of black people. Putting are dirty laundry out, your tripping. Would you like it if he just swept it to the side and covered it up with the rug. I don’t know where your from or where you were raised but black crackheads do exist as well as black drug dealers, prostitutes, abusive men, chickenheads, and dead beat dads. As well as Black lawyers, homeowners, doctors, business owners, and hard working single mothers, who all are represented in Mr. Tyler Perry’s movies. So tell me again how a predictable plot and bad acting is destroying black America. Stop Hating…if you not i don’t know what is.
@Via-Live,You have put out some very interesting points. I have actually seen every Tyler Perry Movie made. I thought “Daddy’s Little Girls” was a decent move, yet the character of the mother was overly simplified and lacking depth. The fact that the father was trying to get his daughters was a good message, but the development of the plot and the lack of demension to the characters left the movie wanting. Second, The movie, “The Family that Preys” in my opinion was an 1 1/2 soap opera. Very poorly made and acted. Yes, the mother owned her own busines, but she was also the “help” for the rich white woman. Please take off your rose colored glasses and see his films for what they are. I know full well that there are crackheads, dead beat dads, etc. in the black community, but why do we feel that we are not representing the “true” black experience if we don’t show them!? I never remember seeing a crack head, dead beat dad, drug dealer on the Cosby show. If you read the article you would know that I clearly said I’m not hating on Mr. Perry. I have an opinion on what type of material he produces, but I respect and admire his hustle. He’s a great example of coming up from nothing and making something out of yourself. I just don’t agree with what he produces.
@Arlen, I thought The Cosby Show never claimed to represent “the true black experience”. I thought it was there to counter the negative portrayals of Black people by showing an overly positive portrayal. Personally, I think we need it all. I mean there are some two-parent homes with great kids and only see rift-raft on the streets. Then there are some homes who have a daughter in jail waiting to be put on house arrest and a daughter in college about to graduate in a few weeks. There is no “true black experience”. But if Perry’s movies don’t portray it, then neither does The Cosby Show.
@Via-Live,What flower grows out of the cracks of concrete? only weeds and dandelions grow in concrete cracks. TP movies are full of depressed people who say things like this and sit around fantasizing that they are stars but don’t do the emotional work they need to do. TP’s movies reflect this mentality and unfortunately there are hordes of black people who live like this. What we should do is REQUIRE any one who is a TP groupie to learn to meditate, go to group therapy, read many books (especially on how to interpret culture/movies) and see a therapist. Here’s a much needed message that TP needs to deliver but won’t cause he’d rather just take your money (which is what’s going on in many of these churches)…IF YOU LIKE TYLER PERRY YOU ARE DEPRESSED! GET SOME HELP!
@Dr. Truth, Now you know i didnt mean that literally. Bases behind that statement is that you have to get passed the background and see the beauty that comes out of it. Like a foster child born to a crackhead mother and a father who was serving a life sentence. Who grew up to be a award winning writer and doctor. Its not how its wrapped and packaged or how it gets there, its what comes out of it. And from what I’ve seen in TP’s work, he always has a positive ending to them. Just because you don’t see the beauty in them, or isn’t moved by his film, doesn’t mean it didnt touch others. If it made someone change their life in a positive way thats all that matters, even if its one person out of the hundred of thousands that saw the movies its worth all the hard work he put into them. And that maybe all he cares about and he could care less about the critics.
Funny how easy it is to be a critic, rip apart a persons hard work just for self gratification. I hope you all are doing something in your community or giving your time or donation to a credible charity that helps our neiborhoods. Not just log-on and hate.
I don’t get it. Baby Boy was one of the absolute *worst* movies ever. I haaaaaaaaated that movie (and even though it’s been years since I’ve seen it and can barely remember anything but the incessant amount of sex scenes — I still haaaaaaate that movie).
Anyway, although I see where Arlen is coming from, I agree with Sean’s second comment above. You’ve got to really watch his movies. I’ve seen every Tyler Perry movie and, all-in-all, I’ve liked them. I don’t agree with all of his ideologies that are on display in his movies. Perry obviously thinks that the best way to get over a man is to get under a new one (Diary of a Mad Black Woman). He assumes that women need a man to “save” them (Why Did I Get Married). He clearly doesn’t believe in black women dating white men (The Family that Preys). He may even have something against extremely educated and accomplished women (Madea Goes to Jail). But this is coming from someone who thinks way too much into everything lol.
And even with my criticisms and disagreement with his ideology, I think Perry is doing a phenomenal job. Every time he comes out with a movie, I go support it in the theater. I even have Why Did I Get Married on DVD (a real one not bootleg). Not because I am supporting coonery or the further stereotyping of Black America, but because I think that someone finally gets it. Someone gets the complexities of the black community. There are all types of black people. We are not all in jail, but we’re not all in college. We’re not all single mothers, but we’re not all from two-parent homes. A stereotype assumes that a certain group of people are all one way. That is the furthest thing from the truth with Perry’s movies. His plots may be predictable, but they’re not the same.
There are some terrible portrayals of black people in Blockbuster as we speak (off the top of my head I can think of Soul Plane, Friday (love that movie tho lol), NOTORIOUS, and, as I mentioned earlier, Baby Boy) but in my opinion Tyler Perry’s movies just don’t belong on that list.
@Alissa Griffith,
Alissa, I don’t think anyone could have said it better than how you put it. I believe that very people are depicting his work, as you just did. Not the best way of portrayal-but the message is out there. Very few are going to take the context and break it down and understand the “message”. They want to laugh, cry, bash-whatever it calls for at the moment!
Blessings~
@Nette, Sorry-I meant to say “very few people are depicting his work”!
I’m writing the Baby Boy article next, don’t worry. Soon you’ll understand, lol.
@SW,
Baby Boy is an absolute classic. it’s a flat out horrible movie, but has tons of quotable material and funny moments.
MY favorite scene is when Snoop gets outta jail and is in the crib with Jody’s son.
Snoop: ah you building you a fort F*&*& your fort lil n$$$a.
Jody’s son: I hate you!!!!
Snoop: I hate you too and ya punk a$$ daddy.
baby boy is full of those moments to me. classic
@DeShaun, lol exactly. My favorite scene is when Ving Rhames snatched up Jody and choked him out. Or when he slammed him and stormed around like he was crazy. Awesome movie. Not the best movie by a long shot, but any time you watch it, but a hood classic. And if you check out the sublimenals, you’ll enjoy it even more. Another scene, when Omar Gooding asks Jody “why he aint found him a job yet.” Or when he tells his GF and her mother, “you know I love yall. yall took me in and let stay here”. Its so many great scenes. I’m gonna break it down, lol. Look for it in two weeks.
@SW,
Im waiting for that one bro. The I love yall scene is a classic. “bought me this new clothes and a video game.” lol
@SW, To me Baby Boy is a classic, one of John’s best work (call him John cause we cool like that).
I know I should save it for the blog, but Im going to say it anyways. My favorite seen is after Jody gets jumped and runs to his homeboy(Omar Goodings) house.
Jody: I got jumped.
P: Who jump you? Tell me, we go get them!
Jody: Some lil niccas.
P: SOME LIL NICCAS!!! (sarcasticly)
“I aint want yo punk-ass bike no-ways cuz”- one of the lil niccas
Lord have mercy, i am not going to get started trying to respond to the comments individually. The fact of the matter is that this is a question of literacies. Some are more literate than others. Those of us that are can see that Tyler Perry’s movies reflect a low level of understanding of life, movie making, American culture, relationships, sterotypes, spirituality and a host of other things. The people who say they don’t care..well, we can see you have problems just in that statement. “Not caring” is really a statement of denial and neglect and I’m sorry your self esteem is so low that this is your situation. TP obviously “doesn’t care;” I have compassion for him, but I will not go see the trash that he makes. I care about my time, money and what I ingest in every way (mentally, physically, spiritually).
Also, it is my experience that people who make it big in this uncaring way; fall hard since they have not built upon a strong foundation. I’m not wishing nothing bad on TP. I’m just saying….
@ Dr. Truth, so TP doesnt care because his “movies reflect a low level of understanding of life, movie making, American culture, relationships, sterotypes, spirituality and a host of other things” ??? Or does he care even more because he realizes that every person that sees his movies does not have a college degree? Count your blessings that you are highly educated and grasp the concepts of life, etc within seconds. Because obviously with the financial state of most African Americans you are in the minority (I can supply the stats if needed). Just like how the average newspaper or magzine is written at an 8th grade reading level, the editors and writors are still very educated but they have to make the information accessible so that it can be applied!!! Also since it is your “experience that people who make it big in this uncaring way; fall hard since they have not built upon a strong foundation” what is your definition of a strong foundation???? I bet it will line up with some of the OVER SIMPLIFIED themes in TP’s movies….
I agree with the responses on both ends, but I have to ask this question in regards to those that find Tyler Perry a sort of disgrace to black people (as so it seems to you). IS IT EVER ENOUGH? what more do you want? It is true, this is just entertainment…………but you pick what you want to see. Just because it has an all black cast made by a prominent black director and producer, does that mean you have to watch it because you are black?……………………It’s your choice……………and you have the option to leave the room, turn off the t.v., turn off the radio, disconnect your internet browser, Take back a purchased DVD that you don’t want!!!! You have options. You have a brain to make decisions. YES, your father made you watch 2 films in their entirety. but you still had the option to not PAY ATTENTION. People like my mother takes things a bit too seriously after she has seen a disturbing image on silver screen, she’ll be asking me questions about how realistic it could be. I’ve told people that I thought it NOT reliable for people to watch a film such as PASSION OF THE CHRIST because it is not important for you to remember what HE looked like, but rather to know that he so loved you that he willingly died for you. When will we realize that Tyler Perry will continue to create what he wants to create. Don’t expect for him to bend over backwards for you just because you don’t like it. I like it, but what if I didn’t, do I move on or do I take the time to criticize what he has created. Did you find it productive to post such an article? I say Laissez-faire on the whole matter, if you can create something YOU FEEL is much better then by all means do that. But don’t waste your time expecting a man to change his ways. We can only do better for ourselves. I think Tyler Perry is quality and not some chitlin circuit mess. But thats just my opinion
Baby Boy WAS an excellent movie. If you consider the sources of the criticism, I am beginning to think that the loud criticism is their trying to get attention. Thats a distinction between the audiences who would frequent a TP movie vs Baby Boy: the former believe that getting attention is the goal. Baby Boy reflected a beginning to end cycle of growth. Tyler Perry’s audience knows nothing about this cause they don’t have the patience for that.
@Dr. Truth, Maybe the people who dislike Baby Boy aren’t willing to look past the unnecessary amount of sex and see some hidden message. Baby Boy was disgusting. I shouldn’t feel violated sitting in a movie theater. Thankfully Tyler Perry’s movies aren’t like that.
@Alissa Griffith, Was is that much sex in Baby Boy? I’m so conditioned that I didn’t notice. I don’t think it was that much. Then again, I think maybe you should have been aware of what you were getting into due to the R rating, lol.
@Sean Walton, There was no rating that could have prepared me for it. I mean, Waiting to Exhale was rated “R”. Haha. Like I said, it has been years since I’ve seen it. When it came out in the theaters, I walked out in the middle of the movie. A couple months later, my friends made me watch it at their house on DVD promising it got better — it didn’t. LOL. If you don’t remember sex in Baby Boy, check your vital signs. Your mind is thoroughly desensitized. Haha j/k…kind of.
I can’t agree with Tyler Perry being a “disgrace” …
Its all too often that we as educated black folks turn our nose at the reality of our communities …
He has taken the OUR LIVES and given it a comedic undertone … There is no one that cannot relate (directly or indirectly) to some aspect of EVERY ONE of his productions
The fact that somethings are harder to deal with once Mainstream America gets a grasp of them doesn’t make them untouchable …
We all have people in our lives that are the definition of “characters” … May not “know how to act” or act like we’ve “learned” how to act BUT yet again hiding this fact doesn’t mean its not real …
I tip my hat to Tyler Perry … He has embraced BLACK AMERICA – I’m not talking about the Opposite Sides of the Realm that WHITE AMERICAN MEDIA does (the haves and havenots) but US in between …
The Southern Grandmothers that keep PROTECTION and Believe in Family – The Successful Men that Stick by Women through the HARD TIMES – The Fathers that don’t mind DOING IT ALL – The Abused Women that Listen to Family and Find a way out – The Church Folk that TRY to live right BUT every once in a while stray – They Sinners that are still Motivators …
The BLACK Community !!!
- DDunningsBlog
@DDunningsBlog, Okay, from your post I can see what TP is trying to say, but I still don’t think he is communicating effectively.
And for the record, black America is destroyed. Its over, it no longer exists (if it ever did). That’s one thing I am thankful to TP for…he made that clear to me.
The comments on Tyler Perry are far beyond his full potential. I call it hating. I don’t think your respecting his hustle by comparing him to such low stats. I think he has some high as well as low values about himself, but he’s making the money. Not I! I think this was really degrading to him. I wonder if he’s read this?
Wow…. I have a mixed heritage. I have roots in the South from my father’s family and roots from the American Indian and Europe (Irish and French) from my mother’s side. One thing that I have learned from my father’s family is that , family is family, you have the educated ones, The other thing I got out of this article was that the person who wrote this is ASHAMED of his hertiage/culture and only wants the things that reflect the white influence to shine out….. Only thing I can say about that is SHAME ON YOUuneducated ones, the crazies, the drunks, and yes the loud mouth i’ll shoot ya ones. I also learned that you embrace them all…..it’s called family. What I see from these movies you have the educated ones, uneducated ones, the crazies, the drunks, and yes the loud mouth i’ll shoot ya ones. I also learned that you embrace them all…..it’s called family.
@vanessa, I am far from ashamed of my heritage. To assume that I am hiding or am ashamed of my family, friends and heritage, simply because I am not a fan for Mr. Perry and his productions is a very far stretch. Thanks for the comment though. I’m glad the post got you thinking.
@Arlen, Whats a shame is that you, Vanessa, equate being black with being drunk, crazy, fat, etc. That is the problem with TP. He’s an example of Dave Chapelle’s “when keeping it real goes wrong”
Let me start over……. the enter button got hit by mistake:
Wow…. I have a mixed heritage. I have roots in the South from my father’s family and roots from the American Indian and Europe (Irish and French) from my mother’s side. One thing that I have learned from my father’s family is that , family is family, you have the educated ones, uneducated ones, the crazies, the drunks, and yes the loud mouth i’ll shoot ya ones. I also learned that you embrace them all…..it’s called family. I mean you have movies like American Pie, that poke fun at the Caucasian culture, but don’t see them have a shame fit……..they laugh and continued to see spend money to see all of the movies. Why should we be ashamed….. this movies are entertainment. The other thing I got out of this article was that the person who wrote this is ASHAMED of his hertiage/culture and only wants the things that reflect the white influence to shine out.. Only thing I can say about that is SHAME ON YOU
@vanessa, Wow that’s a good point. I never thought of it like that, but it’s true. Sometimes we as black people take stuff entirely too serious. And the whole “airing dirty laundry” business is wack. That damn laundry has been dirty since the end of slavery, and it’s been out in plain view to see it all along. And even if it wasn’t, you better believe people aren’t going to change their stereotypes of you just based on you stopping a movie of a gun-toting mamie from airing. There are way more serious issues to be mad about. Like how the boys of Gena (Jena?) 6 still managed to f up after the community raised hell to get them off. At some point, we have to stop blaming those who are trying to turn a bad situation into a good situation, and blame those ppl who really *are* trifling.
i had a conversation with my grandmother on the topic of tyler perry. she loves him and the show. i cannot tolerate the show and feel bad for the children who will grow up with that as their fresh prince of bel air. the movies.. meh. i do congratulate the man for earning his millions though.
she hate me is a good movie
I’m glad someone admitted that Tyler Perry movies are subpar. I don’t think it’s necessarily the stereotypical characters he uses though. Let’s face it, I know A LOT of people who fit those types. Saying that, I want to move onto the real issue of how his movies are hurting the black community.: MEDIOCRITY. We as black people accept bad acting, idiotic plots, and stale characters just because we want to see ourselves on the big (or small) screen. Spike Lee’s movies are good because he is a good director, and the same goes for John Singleton. Where are all the other good black directors? To make this point even clearer, WHY DID THAT BEYONCE MOVIE WITH WEAK CONTRIVED PLOT BECOME #1 AND JAIME FOXX’S THE SOLOIST IS LAST??? We as black people should demand better movies. Not all of our movies should be about being black and the black experience. Where are the black Bourne Identity-type movies or the dramas where people in the film “just happen to be black” without neck-jerking and sassiness. This was Bill Cosby’s vision when it came to the The Cosby show. What happened to that? By the way, why are all the TP heroines fat and the heroines skinny? Thats just supporting more bad black stereotypes.
@Alyson, I meant why are all the TP heroines fat and the villins skinny?
(I’m rushing to write this at work at lunch time)
@Alyson, And don’t forget the domestic violence against successful black women in most of the movies too.
Tyler Perry is the height of niggerdom. I cringe at the thought of white people watching “house of Payne” which sucks, “Meet the Browns” which sucks even more, or any other play/movie he decides to make. His movies have this basic plot with elements of crackhead, domestic abuse, and infidelity, sprinkled in. Woman scorned by men meets good man, but has been so hurt by life that she doesn’t recognize the man is a good man. Good man sticks by her side until finally (in a very undramatic scene) she realizes he is the man of her dreams Fin.
To add insult to injury his television shows are basically the plots of his plays, and movies rehashed for the eight millionth time. We in the black community gave Flava Flav and a bopper named New Y ork hell for the images they were portraying to the rest of the world. Tyler Perry has inflicted even more damage. I don’t see how women enjoy his movies. The way he portrays women should be offensive to you. He flat out sucks. That’s my two cents
I can’t say ALL Tyler Perry movies are like that, but I can say the ones containing Madea are. I’m sorry, but “Daddy’s Little Girl’s” was an exceptional movie, with an exceptional, non-stereotypical plot.
I give him much due credit for that.
@ChaoticDiva,
…the plot was non-stereotypical, but some of the situations are. Sorry, I’m tired.
I totally disagree. Tyler Perry is an actor who is trying to bring out these sterotypes and turn them around showing black communities and others that it does not have to be this way. He is not contridicting in his messages at all. I would rather watch a Tyler Perry movie or show and debate about what the message is in it then watch a reality show that serves no purpose in the begining or the end……..I speak as one who is ready to change the face of African American media….get at me.
Arlen I agree with a majority of the things you are stating within this article. I don’t think TP is “Destroying” Black America however, I don’t believe he is enriching it either. This discussion arose within the cultural center and it was brought to my attention that Perry is the one giving his people jobs, and opportunities that they otherwise would not have been presented with. I commend that yet, I think my issue with Perry is that many look at him as the true representative of black relationships and the black family period. Aside from that, his creativity has dissipated within his recent bodies of works which to me is a result of his “Hollywoodization” yes I just made that up. The biggest problem that often results from those who attempt to portray any underrepresented population is there must be diversity, and at the very least, Perrys monotonous story lines have not done so.
Art is supposed to make you uncomfortable. That’s the issue with Tyler Perry; I think that’s the author of this post’s point. In allowing/making the audience too comfortable, he is actually retarding Black America rather than pushing us to grow. Anybody who says they would waste their time watching a mindless movie because “entertainment doesn’t matter” has life and bullshit mixed up. If entertainment doesn’t matter, then why do advertisers spend so much money on advertising?
Arlen-
I must say, an eye opener reading this! Although i’m a fan of Tyler Perry as a person (more so because he’s overcome various obstacles, some similar to what we as a person see going on everyday), and there’s some of his work i like (excluding the tv shows, where acting skills are blah), but I have to say I do think that he is one that’s “overrated”. I believe that the black community as a whole has learned to embrace him or feels the need (and all his work-movies and television shows, alike), because he IS a black man. He is one of few that is on the forefront of doing “big things” right now (if that’s what one claims for him to be doing). One thing that I’ve observed when interacting with others that have watched his movies/plays/tv shows, is that everyone has one thing to say: “I CAN RELATE TO THAT!” or “I KNOW SOMEONE THAT HAS GONE THRU THAT SAME THING!” and therefore, it makes it okay to take a liking to his work. Yes, he’s airing out dirty laundry of sorts when it comes to the black community, but think about how many people, minus the small handful who’s actually thinking about what impact his work has on us as african americans-not very many. After all, could it be as Jay-Z said, “it’s only entertainment”? Therefore, that’s what it’s taken as. Not very many people pick apart and analyze what is good and bad with his work, what message it’s portraying, or even if it’s the right one. Instead, they want to laugh, they want to cry, and most of all-they want to feel as if they can relate, in a sense. If this is what one calls a breakthrough for our community, then i’m sure we all haven’t seen nothing yet!
Blessings~
Nette
Tyler Perry is NOT destroying the black community:
Getting straight to the point, none of his movies are exmples all out coonery niggerdome or whatever you want to call it. Every one of his movies and plays are about someone overcomming a terrible situatiuation and winding up a better person afterward. Furthermore, as cliche as these situations may seem to some, they are definately REAL situations that our community is faced with and until these problems are fixed, someone WILL depict them in plays, literature, T.V. or any other available avenue. Art will always imitate life. The major difference between what TP does and Coonery is that his stories are made for black audiences. The ministrel shows of old were meant for white audiences. I consider movies like SoulPlane a disgrace because the movie was completely unrealistic, way over the top, and totally irrelevant to the black community and much more like a minstrel show. TP specializes in Comedic and Dramatic depictions of REAL issues and situations. Honestly, many of the charcters in his movies remind me of people I know, and some of my own family members, only exagerated for the purpose of entertainment.
Although the plots may be basic, they hit home with people in the community because we all know someone in these situations, or perhaps have been in these situations ourselves. Tyler Perry gives us a reality check. The situations in his movies are comedic exagerrations of what actually goes on in our community on a daily basis. I agree that he can be over the top sometimes, but completely disagree with the premise that he is destroying the black community. I’m tired of black people being salty that someone has aired our “dirty laundry” in front of white folks. We need to be more concerned about fixing these problems (i.e. domestic abuse, violence, drug use, etc.) and less worried about how we look in front of whites. Wether white people are aware of our problems or not, the fact is, they exist.
Lastly, Tyler Perry gives many people the chance to laugh at situations that are actually very serious in their own lives. His features show the good and bad side of our community. In fact, in a few of his movies most of the characters are black professionals. He comes from a theatrical background, so his work is naturally going to be extra dramatic and animated. Some people do not have a taste for that kind of material, which is completely understandable, but to say he is destroying the community is a joke!
to really learn about the History of American Minstrelsy go to seethedance.com
@Jay, You make some good points here. And I agree that Perry isn’t destroying Black America–esp considering the collective ditch we’re in–economically, politically and otherwise. But no doubt about it that images are powerful and it’s not only white people here who see these but people around the world and it shapes 1) how the view us before emigrating to the U.S. and 2)how they respond to and treat us when in our presence.
And yes “Soul Plane” and might I add, “The Cookout” were two of the worst so-called films ever put out . But where was the now 100-year old NAACP crying foul as they had with the Black action films of the ’70s that they dubbed “blaxploitation.” As far as I’m concerned with the budgets and recognizable actors that directors are able to corrale these days, there’s no excuse for there to be any such product as the aforementioned coon stories. These two were nothing more that modern-day versions of D.W. Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation” to a hip-hop beat in color.
SW and Robin took the words right out of my mouth! thanks!
Spike Lee himself just recently compared Tyler Perry’s shows to the old minstrel shows of the 19th and early 20th Centuries. I personally find them funny but full of stereotypes of what most people think we black folks act like. We all aren’t obese and violent, and some of us don’t even attend church. I doubt he’ll change the formula cause it’s making big bank right now. Cash Rules Everything Around Me(or Us).
to really learn about the History of Minstrelsy go to seethedance.com
Let’s be real about this. Whether we like it or not these stereotypes that are presented in Tyler’s movies are based on real people. And if you don’t have them in your world, good on you, but there are a lot of people who see their parents, siblings, next door neighbors in his plays and movies. It behooves us as black people to get ourselves together as a people and do better for ourselves, to treat each other better. All Tyler is doing is putting in some comedy and life lessons into the reality that is some people’s lives. Quite frankly, Tyler is doing much better than some of the “hip hop” artists that our community respects and holds as role models. Can’t relate? Don’t watch Tyler’s stuff. But don’t knock it either.
Love this post. Finally someone said it.
that’s what wrong with us now if we aren’t looking to be mentally stimulated.
Black people crack me up (and yes im black myself) you complain when people dont include black people or how we would really act, and you complain when someone actually does show how some black people act. Its funny how were quick to tear our own people down with but think its funny when another race imitates us (malibu’smost wanted). If most of you actually looked at the movie and listened you would understand that he is telling the audience not to stay in abusive relationships, love yourself, embrace family, and most importantly dont be so judgemental of someone you dont know. Now i will admit the plotsof the movies is obvious but ask yourself how many black people would attend if they had to take too much effort in figuring out the movie. For example, many black people would not attend the movie valkyrie because its too much to follow in the movie. (it was a good movie by the way). So basically all im saying is dont tear down someone who is trying to open up spaces for black people in an industry that barely allows it and ask yourself what have you positively done for the black community lately.
When it comes to Tyler Perry’s plays and movies you have to look at it for whats it worth, and take the good with the bad like everything else in life. Sure there are some stereotypical characters in his plays that us as black people wouldnt be proud of, but at the same time a lot of the characters in his plays are doctors, lawyers ,athletes and professionals. And thats how it is in real life, you have people who choose to do the right thing and people who dont.
While I agree that a large part of what Tyler Perry does is predictable, poorly written, and under inspired, I must say that what he produces does have a place in entertainment. Arlen is correct, his point of view is very amos and andy. What we have to look at is what the studios are pushing. America loves to proliferate the black stereotype, it keeps a level of control in the populous. I mean what do you think would happen if we didn’t think of ourselves as the minority and down trodden. Maybe we would stop looking to people outside the black community to fix th problems in the black community. Maybe we would actually proliferate and produce more individuals of great worth to the world. We have to be careful of them images we give our children. What you take in is what you put out. What I would charge the entertainment industry to do is to give us a balance. How can we not have a ” Color Purple” a ” Do the Right thing”, a “Glory”, Boyz in the Hood”, and ” Nutty Professor. When we see multiple sides of reality on television, it will aide in a more relatable reality. We have to stop buying into stereotypes that we are given. One young lady said that the characters came from real personalities. Well How many other personas are out there for us to indulge in? Films of substance don’t sell. So these films don’t get made. We accept stereotypes so much until we begin to immulate them. When boyz in the hood and colors were out in the eighties\ nineties we got a bunch of bruthas running around trying to be gangsters. When how to be a playa came out we found a bunch of bruthas trying to run through every woman. When snoop adopted the pimp culture, we saw a resurgeance in that. We really have to be careful of the images we support. There must be balance. We have to demand more from ourselves and the media we consume. Finally I must say I don’t knock Tyler. He has brought blacks back to the big screen. Lets get some balance and variety now. I need the brothers, Two can play that game, City of gold, Persuit of Happiness, I robot, Blade, etc. I wanna be well rounded cinematically. Don’t you?
I couldn’t agree more. Unfortunately we as Black people don’t exude our power by boycotting those who consistently disrespect us such as Perry and more obviously Jamie Foxx.
Oh yeah let’s not forget how Foxx two weeks ago as host of the BET Awards unveiled he and Martin Lawrence’s spoof flick “Skank Robbers.”
In the spoof flick, he and Lawrence reprised their early ’90s roles of Sha nay nay and Wanda. This time in blonde wigs demeaning Black women with glee as the entire world watched. Remember the voice over said, “from the director who brought you Planet of the Apes.” What? As if uneducated and economically deficient Black women are equal to apes.
Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, Jamie Foxx and now Tyler Perry have demeaned Black women in a multitude of ways in recent years with their portrayals yet we still crowd the theaters to support their flims the first weekend they premiere and the question is why?
Perry for starters is NOT a film auteur as Spike Lee and Robert Townsend before him were. Sure he has the same amount of juice and support among Black moviegoers as the aforementioned had some 20 years ago, however, as mentioned here, his plots, themes and characters are very weak. What’s even worse perhaps is the fact that he believes that he has to put Madea, Brown or some other buffoonish character out front in order to sell tickets for a Black family drama.
How unfortunate.
It’s as if to say that we’re not intelligent, savvy or have enough of an attention span to sit through a 90-minute drama without the coonin’ that Perry puts in too many of his adapted stage plays. What most of us fail to realize is that no other group has one consistent cartoonish/buffonish and negative image being pumped out daily, weekly and for a whole decade about them as we do. That’s the problem. It wouldn’t be though if we had more varied images of ourselves being presented and if above all, we supported them. To think that its been damn near a decade since we’ve last had a good Black dramatic series on network tv–”City of Angels” is shameful.
And to think that most of the good Black dramas and suspense thrillers go straight to DVD is also shameful. So it’s on us to make the change. Until we send a message to the likes of Perry, Foxx and all the rest, they ‘ll continue disrespecting us for profit.
Enough’s enough!
To the author of this article I say, “How many screenplays have you written? Theatre plays?” No, really, how many? I’m trying to figure out how you have dedicated an entire article to deconstructing Tyler Perry, but, you’ve probably never written a movie, play, or tv show yourself. I have answered my own question about how many screenplays you’ve written, because, it’s blatantly obvious from the above article, that you haven’t written any. If you had, you would understand how hard it is to write a movie that has even one interesting character let alone a movie full of them. You would also understand how hard it is to get the screenplay produced and screened at a major theater. You claim you are not knocking TP’s hustle, but, that is in fact what you are doing. Why are you knocking it? I suppose it’s because, you have an opinion that you feel needs to be heard. What you don’t have is the well developed, stereotype free screenplay. So until you get one, isn’t your point moot? I love and respect Tyler Perry. I want to be just like him when I grow up. Why? Because, I like the fact that he shows every aspect of the Black community in every movie. You stated that you loved Baby Boy, but, you can’t relate to characters like Monty from Daddy’s Little Girls. Weren’t those characters black men battling the idea of fatherhood? Why is Spike’s version better? Because Spike claims to be deep and makes movies that are so dry that it’s given the impression of deepness? So, because I laugh at Madea’s silliness, I’m destroying the black race? It’s only deep and thought provoking if you don’t laugh? So, the Spikes of the world (who has yet to feature a dark-skinned woman as a lead, attractive character as TP did in Daddy’s Little Girls with Gabrielle Union) , is granted the essence of deepness and is the keeper of Black Cinema? You’re joking right? Spike has had some of the worst acting and ridiculous plot lines, I have ever seen. Example, She Hate Me. Not only is that improper English for a movie about an educated, black man, but, the plot of having him be dispelled by corporate America only to be jailed and his only way out of jail is to impregnate lesbians? That’s the gatekeeper? Like really? The only respectable projects of his are Malcolm X, School Daze, and the Hurrican Katrina documentary. Spike does better when focusing on real life events because his imagination is awkwardly strange (to me). So, to claim that Tyler Perry is just some ministrel show is demeaning his craft. Come on, don’t act like you don’t have a tacky southern uncle like Mr. Brown, an aunt crazier than Madea, and know a drunk like Angela from Why Did I Get Married. If you don’t understand these characters and the fact they are part of the black community then you are not as in touch as you think you are. TP gives us the truth from ALL angles not just the stuck-up, overanalytical, black folk opinion.
@LoudPen, Thank you very much for your response to my article. Let me start by saying that you are absolutely correct; I have never written a screen play, theater play or a television pilot. I have however, watched movies from all generations and genres and more importantly I know what I like. You made an interesting statement in your response,” you would understand how hard it is to write a movie that has even one interesting character let alone a movie full of them.” So, using your logic…it’s acceptable for Tyler Perry’s movies to have underdeveloped and hack kneed characters, simply because writing a movie is hard? Really!?
I’m going to have to assume that you didn’t read the article in its entirety (kind of like how I can’t seem to finish a Tyler Perry movie), because the two movies that you mentioned (She Hate Me and Baby Boy) were two movies that I specifically pointed out as lack luster and not representative of the quality work that their directors normally produce. As for your other arguments….they lack a certain depth of knowledge. Spike Lee has had multiple movies where there were dark skinned female leads (Girl 6 and Mo Betta Blues). There are scenes in almost every Spike Lee movie which elicit laughter. The difference is that he does not have to dig out an old black stereotype to do it. Lets be honest with ourselves, Tyler Perry’s movies are elementary, they aren’t meant to make you think to hard, and that’s ok .
I said it before and I’ll say it again, “I respect and admire his hustle, but I can’t stand what he’s selling.” I find it funny that many of the people, who disagree with this article, automatically assume that because I don’t like Tyler Perry productions that I am either, stuck-up, not Black enough, or as one person put it, “ashamed of my heritage”. Since when has being a fan of Tyler Perry been the LITMUS test for defining someone’s Blackness!? You mean to tell me that because I’m not a fan of a cross-dressing black director, I’m an Uncle Tom!? If that’s the case…take me to the cash register, because I have officially, SOLD OUT. I refuse to lower my intellectual and cultural standards. I respect your opinion, but I think that we will have to agree to disagree. Again, thank you for your response.
@ArlenH,
I think the fact that you dont like Tyler Perry is one thing and your opinion that he destroying the black community are among the same line but its another thing for you to try and prove it to be fact. Your first post were clearly defending your position that you stated in article and your latter were defending the fact that you dont like him. All in All no one really cares if you dont like him trust me , however the fact that you stating is destroying the black community is the problem. Clearly, as educated black man you and I both know he is not destroying the community . HE is making plays that to reach an audience that may not have education to grasp the highly develop plots you are looking for. Also I think he wants the message in a clear and simple manner. Since we rarely receive those message in black media or media geared towards black simply pyscholgy tell you that simple message said over and over sticks like a postive affirmation. I think that the real issue here is not TP himself. Rather it is the fact that Tyler Perry is the only mainstream black producers right now and he has a speceific method for making a particular type of movies. As black people we are thristy for other type of images in the media that both show a broader varierty images and highly complex plots. What TP is show are a typical images of black people that we see all the time in media just from our perspectative and those images are sterotypical. Some sterotypes are real particulally the ones he uses in his movies. However , those sterotypes are representative of only small amount of the population. Yet we see it so much we think it representing a major of the population and we get defensive we constantly have to fight these sterotypes for not representing us or the one we know. It is also paradoxial. However what we need is balance. We also need creativity, and movies that have a all black cast or majority black cast that has nothing to do with the black experience that are just revelant or different. All in all I found great points in everyone comments because it showed that everything is in the eye of the beholder. Remember our perception is our reality. So there is some truth to what you said but at the same time I think that fact we are human have a brain we can abeit images we see and rise above them. ALso arlen you did see every tyler perry movie , SO boy stop lol. Anyway I like that article because of its BOLDness although I dont really agree.
@ArlenH,
This comment is eleven months late but I must say something. First off, you got me with the references to Spike’s portrayal of dark-skinned sisters. Second, I still don’t find Spike’s films funny…
And the reason that some (and somewhat me) stated that you are ashamed of your heritage or thought you were stuck up is because the South is your heritage whether you like it or agree with it or not. Most Africans were brought over to America were placed mostly in the South. Yes, there were slaves in the North, but, the concentration was in the south. Therefore, Tyler’s depiction of Southern black life might not be 100% accurate, but, it’s the first time it’s happened on such a mainstream scale. From your comments & this article (which I did read in its entirety) it seems that you are not very in touch with your southern roots. Have you ever been to church down south? I’m not talking about Atlanta or Raleigh (large southern cities) but way deep down south where there’s only one church? I promise you if you ever get a chance to go, go. You will be amazed at how many real life Madeas & Mr. Brown’s there are…And after that you will understand the complexity that TP is seeking to portray.
Also, the reason I pointed out the fact that it’s so hard to make a film is because you truly seem to have no concept of what it takes to make a movie. Meaning, how can you be so judgmental of something you don’t actually do? You remind me of my dad in that he’s forever teaching me to cook, but, he can’t cook. I’m glad you are opinionated & even more glad that you allowed me to share mine, however, you are right, we will have to agree to disagree, lol.
@ArlenH,
This comment is eleven months late but I must say something. First off, you got me with the references to Spike’s portrayal of dark-skinned sisters. Second, I still don’t find Spike’s films funny…
And the reason that some (and somewhat me) stated that you are ashamed of your heritage or thought you were stuck up is because the South is your heritage whether you like it or agree with it or not. Most Africans were brought over to America were placed mostly in the South. Yes, there were slaves in the North, but, the concentration was in the south. Therefore, Tyler’s depiction of Southern black life might not be 100% accurate, but, it’s the first time it’s happened on such a mainstream scale. From your comments & this article (which I did read in its entirety) it seems that you are not very in touch with your southern roots. Have you ever been to church down south? I’m not talking about Atlanta or Raleigh (large southern cities) but way deep down south where there’s only one church? I promise you if you ever get a chance to go, go. You will be amazed at how many real life Madeas & Mr. Brown’s there are…And after that you will understand the complexity that TP is seeking to portray.
Also, the reason I pointed out the fact that it’s so hard to make a film is because you truly seem to have no concept of what it takes to make a movie. Meaning, how can you be so judgmental of something you don’t actually do? You remind me of my dad in that he’s forever teaching me to cook, but, he can’t cook. I’m glad you are opinionated & even more glad that you allowed me to share mine, however, you are right, we will have to agree to disagree, lol.
Oh yeah Tyler Perry shows many images of blacks and the same time he does come close to showing every type of black or their situations just the sterotypical ones which happen to be true. He also focus on the south perspective which are usally not representative of everyone .I agree with the person that said there are many more personalities that we can indulge in then just the one that reinforce sterotypes. Yet I dont know if that is the respobility of Tyler Perry since he not the one who creating these images but just replaying. As I type this I ama watching welcome home rosoce jenkins which truly reinforce these steotypes. Then their is the color purple that have so many message botth good but defenitely had it bad moments. All though it was true in the past , you have to wonder why the movie company choose to take the color purrple from a book to a movie. Why didnt theyy pick up malcom x and other movies alike . Think about the images alone with out the words of the color purple and understand that the presentation of images can over shadow that words in conjuction. School Daze showed sterotypes up down. Some type it is neccesiarly talk about the steortypes to over come it . Yet 95 all black movies have steortypically movies with steortypically plots which combined it dangerous if it is not balance. Sorry for the typos and the grammer. Dont feel like reading it over . Peace is Love and Love is Kind!!
Ms. Jackson couldn’t have said it better…In my opinion it is just for entertainment, however I am not very amused by this form of “art”. I am more outraged at how black people depict themselves in real, everyday life…! For example you have all the “rap artist” gangsters/ whatever else they like to call themselves, rapping about slanging dope, killing folk, and wanting to bang every girl in the world. How about you rap about the college degree you have obtained and how there is more to life than gang banging. Or, how about the fact that you knew enough to take your tail to school, and that you became a made man because of the legacy that your parents left behind. Ohhhh no you would rather tell our kids its ok to steal, kill, and destroy! You don’t tell how your mother was a praying mother and stayed on her knees asking God (who is faithful) to keep you safe! If you want to be outraged, be outraged about that, not that Tyler Perry is playing on the STEREOTYPES of black people. Especially, seeing that stereotypes have some element of truth! Don’t be mad at him; be mad at the people who bring about the stereotype in the first place. As a people yes WGDB (we gotta do better) but it starts with us not focusing on the minority( in this case Tyler Perry’s stage plays) but on the bigger picture which is the entertainment venue as a whole…Author you need to take a more Holistic view of the problem!
@tiearra, I agree well put
I agree, Tyler Perry does many times in his movies portray many stereotypes of African Americans. Ones such as the abusive black man, the gold digging black woman, the dead beat father etc. But the problem that I have with this article is that the author neglects to include the positive aspects of Tyler Perry films. Ones such as airing our dirty laundry. We shall over come but we cannot do so unless we are more open and vulnerable about the good and bad aspects of the African American culture. Reluctantly, Tyler Perry isn’t afraid to show these aspects of our culture.
The underlying message of the majority of Tyler Perry films for me personally is unity through religion, family, honesty and integrity. Diary Of A Mad Black Woman, didn’t only portray stereotypes of our culture it portrayed the struggles of an African American woman. The movie displayed her strengths, her weaknesses and what it took for her to move past her tribulations. This movie is very relevant today due to the large percentage of African American divorces.
Furthermore, this is no different than actors/comedians Martin Lawerence, Chris Rock and Eddie Murphy who appear in movies such as Big Mommas House, Norbit and I Think I love My Wife Maybe. All these movies portray stereotypes of the African American culture. For example, in Big Mommas house Martin Lawerence is the epitome of a modern mammy. Overweight in stature, the hair, the dress, the occupation of taking care of another womans Caucasian children. In Norbit, Resbushia is your typical overweight, too much attitude, selfish, dominant, head snapping African American Woman. Finally, Chris Rock in I Think I Love My Wife Maybe is the stereotypical successful African American man who pursues another woman because his home life is “boring.”
Therefore, I think it’s more important to respect the artist for the negative aspects as well as the positive aspects. The stereotypes are there but someone once told me that sometimes a lie is based off part of the truth.
Man I just watched “Medea Goes To Jail” so funny but too far fetched. Especially at the end when the lawyer falls in love with the prostitute….Anyhow the point I’m making is I like Tyler Perry and his films, but “yes” Tyler must step hig game up in the plot department.
I read this in its entirety and all I can say is it makes me sad that we cant learn to love and support one another like other cultures in the USA. I wish that we could applaud one another’s successes and help each other when we have failures. Be happy for Tyler, and in turn you never know some of the same success may spill over into your own life with your own endeavors. Also, like any other bad movie- if you dont like it dont watch it!
I thought that this article was very thought provoking. Actually, this topic has been discussed for quite some time, and I find it to be very interesting. I too believe that Tyler Perry has a great deal of negative stereotypes that are also countered by positive affirmations throughout the films and plays. I love Tyler Perry and have been a fan since he was on the circuit! However, as someone asked me why is it that we hold Tyler Perry to such high regards in uplifting the race and not other influential people of other Blacks with fame fortune and a voice that can transcend the truth about our culture? I do think that often times people read too deeply into things. I feel that if we are going to berate Tyler Perry we should do the same to other Blacks in the entertainment business downplaying the African American race.
how can one black man destroy a race?
Its just entertainment at its best and if you cant get the message out of his pictures than maybe you need a hooks on phonic
I don’t see what categories you’re using to determine what’s good and what’s not. I really don’t see how Baby Boy would fit in as a classic. To me, that seems that it would easily fit right in with all the movies you despise of Tyler Perry’s. I’m confused.
And about Tyler Perry. I don’t think what he’s doing is necessarily harming the black community any more than Soulja Boy and that other clown that showed his azz in front of the entire Louisiana state legislature. And the entire BET, and Wayans Brothers spoofs. And the list goes on. I think Tyler Perry’s just making movies about what he’s experienced in life. He can’t/doesn’t write about non black issues because he’s not non-black. While I wholeheartedly agree, some of his movies are tacky (and his plays are completely tacky), I think he touches on some real issues faced in the black (and really any) community. It’s just coming from a black perspective because he’s black and that’s what he’s been around. I commend this brother for his hustle.
Now what I WILL say is that I think he’s as gay as the day is long, and he’s using Madea as a way to be his real self. And the public doesn’t see (or maybe is ignoring) this. But even with that, if he likes it, I love it. Do you, Mr. Perry.
Tyler has some serious messages that many members of the black community need to hear. Instead of wondering why he dresses as a woman and totes a gun, it might be a better question for us to ask why that method is so effective at reaching the black community. Moreover, I would argue that in each of his plays/films he displays characters from a range of black lifestyles, not just one stereotype. For example, Why Did I Get Married, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Daddy’s Little Girls each show you a black doctor, a lawyer, a crackhead, a thug, an obnoxious black woman, (even a Chris Brown or two) all in the same film. Granted the script may not be the best, and the storylines in some may parallel, but the underlying messages in the films are nonetheless positive and uplifting, and that can’t be easily disregarded.
And hey, maybe Madea is just Tyler’s way of saying, “I add a motherf*&ker so you ignorant niggas hear me.” Although some people may come in the theater to see a fueding couple or wild, gun-toting granny, they leave having at least heard & seen a lesson on positivity, forgiveness, determination, self-worth and the like. All of which are issues that ALL people need to hear.
Mr Perry is a GENIUS!
Why you may ask?
Easy take a look….
Gameplan:
Use low budget straight to video approach (along with subject matter) to gain in to the neo blaxxploitation era that is todays’ ‘ahem’ African American film making.
Develop recurring character specific pseudo- ‘family’ and ‘relationship’ based story-lines
Keep the core messaging, dialogue and meat of said storyline accessible to everyone from maturity deficient tweens/teens/post teens to nostalgic longing for Richard Pryor “that’s what real black folks are like” adults.
Use comedic ability and personal ‘preferences’ to personally portray and develop the cult of personality that is “Madea” PS……….Sell it Ad Nauseum
Cross medium through Film, Music, “Plays” and such
Appear on Larry King Celebrating the success of your all
STACK BUNDLES
That being all being said, Unfortunately Mr Perry benefits from one factor above all others…zero creative competition. The African American Film industry in this country is as follows: Big ticket individual names agreeing to portray roles developed and written by big ticket screen writers, in films directed by big ticket directors, produced by big ticket studios
designed to serve a niche personality and screen presence to a broad palette
OR…..
Low budget (very entertaining at times) relationship/crime/get high/get rich fantasy flicks produced directed and written by someone looking to make a couple extra grand on your ” by the way, did you see this one yet” DVD choices.
ARTISTIC CREATIVITY to contest with complacency is in order. Sure Tyler is just following the success formula pioneered by many (catering to an audience created decades ago), but he benefits mainly from a lack of competition.
Not looking to indict black film making, or slight young film makers looking to fund/produce good story lines; but the rich dynamic beauty of African American is basically not represented in film industry in any way.
Sure, a flick with depth and nutrition comes along every now and then, but really……where is the on screen representation of the dissenting political voice?
Where is the historical flick seen through black eyes telling the honest, thought provoking stories in a rhythmic, soul shattering fashion?
Where is the powerfully intuitive leading character role played by the resonate megastars in their prime?
Until these sort of stories are produced to truly challenge and ENTERTAIN the collective movie going Black psyche ………’Madea’ will continue to be the gold standard of Black film culture
I believe there is a misunderstanding on what Tyler Perry is trying to accomplish with his work. One thing I noticed is the message he is sending. If you havent noticed, which we both would agree that you havent, he is teaching lessons on life, love, relationships, forgiveness, faith etc. etc. etc. and there are those who get it and those that simply don’t. When I read up on his life story, it came to my attention that he developed these characters from his experiences in his youth, one of them being that he would listen to the dialog amongst the various female patrons at the beauty salon that his mother would frequent. Its the same as if I was a regular at my favorite barbershop and I would hear all of the different discussions goings on and then write a book about it!!! It’s not perverse generalization in my opinion.
Your saying that his work is basically another Minstrel Show, well let’s discuss that, In the early 17th century Blackface performers where in actuality caucasian actors (which overtime became black actors) and they portrayed a stereotype of what society thought we as black people were.
Tyler Perry gets his ideas from actual human interaction and human differences, now we can admit that it may not be oscar-worthy but who are we to say that every black director needs to create such material!?!? I think that you yourself along with this percentage of the black population believes that black success is measured by the Mainstream Institution, as if it were the only way to survive. There is nothing wrong with preferring one director over the other and vice-versa, As long as there is an understanding that we not pass judgement on the one we don’t like, I’m guilty, but I still can redeem myself by understanding where the director is coming from, thats where I have my respect for Tyler Perry. (aside from the fact he’s not a HOLLYWOOD director, he’s an ATLANTA director) and we have to fully gather what the goal of the director is: is he/she developing a life lesson? or just pure entertainment? or maybe just both? Now I can say all the negative things about him, and thats fine, but I dare not make a comparison to something that has nothing to do with it. Human interaction is more complex than you think.
Stereotype vs. Life Experience
Now I’m a Tyler Perry JUNKIE just as much as I am of Spike Lee, Micheal Mann, Dick Wolf, Clint Eastwood, John Singleton, etc.. And I believe that he’s just a guy who creates a sub-genre of film and stage-play that attracts a certain group of people like Disney Films attract younguns, and Classic Hollywood Films attract the Elderly So I’ll leave you with this, I would be wrong in saying that generally all his millions come out of the pockets of just black single women and black families (you mean to tell me that EVERY SINGLE dollar spent on his dvds and movies and plays are spent by the just black people???) What about the italian 15 yr old who could relate to her Aunt having a potty mouth and carrying a pistol in her purse, or the hispanic 25 yr old who actually went through the abusive situation in Madea’s Family Reunion. Who am I to generalize? and who am I to take entertainment so seriously? (sadly this is something we as Americans do ever so often). It has nothing to do with the wealth he has accumulated or is business savvy. But everything to do with where he’s coming from.
Ah yes, the classic paradox here and again acknowledged…. It truly is a fine line between love and hate. Successful Blacks carry even more pressure than us intelligent bloggers to properly represent us all in our dysfunctional presence in this country… I have never seen a Tyler Perry play, but I have enjoyed some of his movies such as : Why did I get married, and I can do bad by myself. If we are going to throw rocks at the throne…. then lets not leave anyone out… including other comedians ,(who are raunchier than all get out) rappers, (who boldly tell the black community or anyone else who tries to convince them that they are indeed role models because of their status, that they are ‘chasing paper’ and that they are all about themselves), and of course athletes (who continue to get into legal troubles after they become wealthy as well as drape themselves in white and foreign women….only adding to increasingly low self esteem of black women) all of which we patronize… You see the misrepresentation flows through every aspect of our culture… we are a hurt people that are clamoring to find our way… and to the dismay of many forward thinkers…are doing it in the public eye… I can’t blame Tyler for expressing his creativity the way he does….how has the black community ever aided him before he was successful? He can’t focus on our needs when there is no clear definition as who ‘we’ are. Is he trying to appease ‘Hood nigga’s’ that find all the humor in the world in his idea of comedy, or is he trying to reach out to the small minority that may be disgusted by his material? I guess the question lies in his motives… He might be enjoying capitalizing off the people that have hurt him the most… You never know…and if that is perhaps his stance… I think he is rather clever for finding a lucritive ways to make his biggest doubters by his new Mercedes! Ha!
This article seems to be overly critical of Tyler Perry and his accomplish. I must agree that personally I am not a fan of the Madea character, however, I do not think that Perry is single-handily diminishing the Black culture.
I believe that Tyler Perry and Spike Lee both are achieving the same goals, but just starting out on two different ends of the spectrum. Tis is true that Perry uses some ridiculous satire in his movies, however, this is always countered by a GREAT message at the end. Similiar to Spike, he may have some hard stance against a race issue, but at the end of a movie, this is countered by a GREAT message for our black community.
I think that it is entirely irresponsible to knock Tyler Perry for his method of communication via his movies. He simply chose this method as if was the way he relates to the black community and the way he sees the community relating to it. Although, I do not like his Madea character and his chitterling-circuit plays (word to the movie Ray lol), I still respect and see what he is doing. For that, he has has my blessing.
Well to be honest or frank… or just frankly-honest (lol)… this is pretty much no different from the Tyler Perry discussion last year. Look we (yes; you, me, & the majority of black people that followed him when he started out w/stage plays) embraced him when he wasn’t all that famous. He came out w/the 1st two movies and we still fucked with him; so now that he got “go dumb” and “fuck you” money, why are yall hatin?? Look its like this, I’m not mad at his hustle, once again he pimped the game and we embraced it so in all honesty, turn around and look in the mirror and say to yourself “why did I go see the movie” “why did I go see the 2nd movie” “why did I enjoy it” “why when white folks want him & Oprah to co-sign for Precious, just to give it the ok for us black folks to go see it, we do it (I still ain’t seen that shit though.. I’M STRAIGHT!)” I could keep on going but don’t be mad cause he got money… once again, JUST DON’T GO SEE HIS SHIT!.. keep yo ass at home & jack-off or something/rub your twat… CHURCH!
This argument is both unoriginal and unfounded so my response will be nothing more than one simple question.
Can you name a racially balanced film depicting a Black family or families?
I would like suggest Will Smith. Now that he is a postion to pick his roles and cast himself and his family.. I think he has done an excellent job in selecting adequate and serious roles…
Coonery…look it up, his picture is there
First, what about the fact that Tyler Perry keeps black actors, such as “[the] great … Lynn Whitfield, Cicely Tyson, Alfre Woodard, Sanaa Lathan and … Kathy Bates” employed at a time when Hollywood isn’t exactly beating down their doors.
Second, I agree that Tyler Perry movies are not cinematic classics, and may not contain much character or plot depth; however to say that “It’s like watching Amos and Andy” serves to ensure your readers that you clearly have never seen Amos and Andy.
If you don’t like Tyler Perry that is more than fair. Opinions are like… However, to widely accuse him of Uncle Tom-ery is a little unfair, and very intellectually dishonest.
if we’re saying that Tyler Perry’s films are destroying us as a people, you might as well say that about anything in the media concerning black image – look at all those rappers throwin money on bitches and video hoes and all those black people in reality shows actin’ an ACTUAL fool. Look at the black comedians we love who are essentially saying the same things as Tyler Perry on stages around the world. so a bunch of stereotypical white movies are just movies, but a bunch of stereotypical black movies are a cultural disgrace? come on, thats ridiculous. apparently you can’t have a conflict or humor in ANY black movie. give that man credit for his work. for what it is, it serves its purpose. it makes a point, and it gets people talking. and anyway, the majority of tyler perry fans are african americans, so we should blame each other for supporting an image we so deeply claim to despise.