Is The Tyler Perry Hate Warranted?
Tyler Perry‘s Madea’s Big Happy Family hits theaters today and you know what that means right? It’s time for the Tyler Perry haters to shower the Web with their disapproval for Perry’s films and portrayal of African-Americans.
But do they Perry haters have a point?
After all, Perry’s movies have had similar themes with similar characters who often feel like stereotypical caricatures rather than actual characters. But then again, how can you be mad at someone who came from the stage and is in a position to hire African-Americans and give them job opportunities that they wouldn’t get anywhere else? However, does that mean Perry can make crappy movies for an audience that feeds into the very stereotypes you would think they should shun? But if you take a look around Hollywood, who else is keeping black actors and actresses employed with films that do solid box office numbers?
The debate is one that will continue to rage until Perry’s Madea character finally decides to stroll off into the sunset. Even then, people will still be critical of Perry’s ability behind the camera. But we do know one thing—Tyler Perry is sick of people talking trash about him. Especially his own people. Aaron McGruder‘s potshot on The Boondocks was brutal, but Spike Lee‘s ripping of Perry’s films has had a lingering affect on Perry. He’s just sick and tired of everyone asking about Spike Lee. So what does he do? Let’s Spike have it during a Los Angeles presser to promote Madea’s Big Happy Family. Without even being asked about Spike Lee, Perry goes all the way in. Check it out…
Tyler calls out Spike by EURnews
So we ask you, do people need to lay off Tyler Perry?
Thank you Tyler,
I could not have said it better. Im so glad you addressed the issue of Spike and how we treat one anothers success. I am so sick of it. We are always so ready to tear each other down ’til’ it is just a “DIS-DAMN-GRACE” as my father would say! That’s why we can’t get anywhere. Instead of uplifting you and maybe, thinking in a positive way that you two may have something to contribute to each others ideas and coming together to build a movie empire, NOooo he wants to tear you down. He doesn’t stop to think how much of a positive impact you have. Not only are you giving names to Black actors and actresses who otherwise wouldnt have a chance in Hollywood, you have put so many people to work in Georgia, just opening your studios. He could have done something like that up here in the North, but did he NOooooo. He just wants to criticize. You’ve got some successful people running around opening up restaurants. The hell with making more food, Damnit’. Open up a northern tip studio combined with yours and put some people to work. We eat to damn much now and that’s why our asses are so FAT!..me included. What we need is some decent, interesting, damn jobs where we can grow and expand our minds. Ya heard~!
Maybe my memory is slipping but I remember sitting through a few of Spike Lee’s movies wondering, ” how did he get those actors to play those roles”? Then I saw him on some show giving an interview. It appeared to me, Spike has or had Father issues. The Black Father leaving the good Black woman for an Asian; an alcoholic brother; White people taking advantage of the “poor colored folk”. How stereotypical is all of that? The era in which he produced those movies was very accepting to the plights he put on the screen.
Simply because Tyler Perry chooses to bring stories with a theme we all can identify with, in a humorous manner, doesn’t make him a sell out. He captivates, enrages and enlightens everyone who sees his films. If employing Black actors is exploiting them, we should al be so lucky! The bucket seems to have increased with more crabs than kudos. What a shame…
I’M NOT A BIG FAN OF SPIKE LEE HOWEVER HISTORICALLY BLACK MEN IN DRESSES IS SOMETHING WHITE PEOPLE HAVE DONE TO REDUCE BLACK MEN TO A FURHTER LAUGHING STOCK. IT IS A SHAME THAT HE GOT TO BE SUCCESSFUL BY BEING IN A DRESS. THERE ISN’T ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT IT. THIS IS WHITE SUPREMACY AND HE DANCING TO SOMEBODY ELSES BEAT. AS A AFRICAN THERE IS NOTHING THAT ONE CAN SAY THAT CAN JUSTIFY BLACK MEN IN DRESSES. THE ARTICLE TITLE SHOULDN’T BE CALLED WHY ARE THEY HATING; THIS HAS ALWAYS BE A PROBLEM BEFORE SPIKE LEE. AS AFRICANS WE HAVE TO GET OF THIS MODE OF SELLING OUR SOUL FOR MONEY; THEY GOING THE CHURCH AND PAYING THE PASTOR TO KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT. OR BETTER YET TRING TO PURCHASE THE Conscious.
I don’t completely agree with Spike Lee and Aaron McGruder’s criticisms of Tyler Perry. The man has done a lot of good in giving blacks another legitimate artistic voice and also in providing us with jobs at his studio in Georgia. He also does his best to provide an honest voice for his messages.
That said, I understand you have to make personal sacrifices to get a foot in the door and make it such that your message can be heard. However, the majority of Perry’s movies tend to be slapstick that is only slight above Eddie Murphy and The Nutty Professor remakes. I find that Perry’s more poignant and admirable works (see: Daddy’s Little Girls, The Family That Preys) are forgotten in lieu of slapstick (see: Madea-centric films). Some of the blame lays with the audience for choosing not to support the more dramatic films, but I think the effort by Perry should be redoubled if he’s going to consider himself an influential voice and not just a filmmaker.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not as if Spike Lee is without fault. Personally, I would love for him to not verbally assault Perry’s work and instead seek to join with him, and Lee’s film career also hasn’t been spotless in my opinion. However, Lee has put in a lot of work with his film career; Perry generally has a sense of self-importance that not everyone shares, and he has got to learn to come to grips with that.
What’s the difference in Robin Williams wearing a dress in Mrs. Doubtfire. Was that wrong too, or was okay because he’s white.
I love Tyler Perry and all his movies and productions. I don’t understand why people are hating on him and his movies, if they don’t like his movies, then don’t go see them. I never heard nobody complain about Flip Wilson who played Geraldine, so what is the big deal. I think they are just haters haters haters. Some people are always trying to bring others down. And what is the hell is Spike Lee talking about,I haven’t seen or heard of any productions that he has done in a very long time, so he needs to shut his mouth and grow a inch or two. Thats the problem with some of us black folks we are always knocking what others do.
What kind of films has Spike Lee made???…pot callin the kettle black
MY bottom line will ALWAYS be when it comes to art produced by “us” is if you produce art that appeals to me I will support you with my dollars if it doesn’t I don’t have to criticize you for making it, you just won’t get my money for it. So I can appreciate Tyler’s journey, work and success but that doesn’t mean he’s gonna get MY $8.00 to see Madea in theaters. While I personally prefer “Why Did I Get Married” over his money generating character of Madea, I don’t begrudge him for doing it.
@Matthew…I TOTALLY agree! Everything you stated is right on point! Well said.
I don’t have a problem with Tyler Perry movies and neither should Spike Lee. If you don’t like his type of movies and plays, just keep your money in your pocket. We all have sense enough to know what we want to spend our money on. There are some good messages in the movies and just pure entertainment. We all need a laugh in this economy. He is really putting people to work and giving back to his community.
What! Good for you Tyler Perry. Tell spike take a look back at his films. School Daze, She gotta Have, Crooklyn need I say more. I did not see great acting in those films either, as a matter of fact I could not even get through the whole movie, I was BORED AND THE MESSAGE????. Tyler address real issues facing us and provide solutions What solution has Spike given us…
There is a very thin line between backing good product and “blind backing”. The success of Tyler Perry and the critics can be compared to Dr.Dre and his success in the 90s. He was influential, and employed a lot of black people while addressing many issues that the African-American community was facing…but at what cost?
Blindly supporting Tyler Perry’s “Well, it worked once. Let’s see how long we can milk this concept.” doesn’t help black film-makers or playwrights. All it does is set-up a template that other production companies are gonna look for. If it doesn’t match, it doesn’t get made. This is not helping diversify Hollywood or showing how black production companies are paving the way for the future of “Black Cinema”.
As a people, we need to be mindful of blindly backing individuals who are hurting our reputation as a whole…entertainment is one thing, pimping a stereotype sugar-coated with “I employee black people” is a whole different subject. It should be exceptable in ANY form.
Haters will always be negative. It’s the way this world is wired. Always searching for something to criticise or take apart. Unable to take life or humor at face value. Some people are unable to mask their envey and jealousy. Just mad at the world ’cause their not you.
P.S. : I Love Tyler Perry!
I love Madea, she does and says what a lot of us would like to do or say. Hold your head up Tyler, I love you too. You must be doing something right or you wouldn’t have these haters. Ignore the haters it just fuels the flames. It just goes to show that historically Black people were divided by the massa; ie field hands from house men, light from dark etc. and sadly it still exists today. Keep our actors, writers, directors, p
roducers etc. employed, if we don’t who will; certainly not mainstream Hollywood. Our future depends on people of vision to lead us forward and positive role models for our youth. Keep up the good work.
I see both perspectives. Tyler’s most recent film, in my opinion was terrible; not because it so called exploited black peopel, but because the script was poor and not funny to me. I am a big Tyler Perry fan and have often been upset wih Spike for making comments like the ones he recently made. When “White” folk do overly-silly comedy they aren’t considered negatively. The one thing I can give Tyler is that he tries to speak directly to us, using the format we seem to obviously like.
On the defense of Spike Lee, I don’t think he’s disrespecting Tyler. He is entitled to his opinions and when Tyler’s movies are viewed by other cultures, they can be misconsrued as the typical way in which African American culture exists.
Spike makes the kinds of movies he wants an feels needs to be made and so does Tyler. There is no need to bash Tyler over it Spike.
SN: Madea’s Big Happy Family was TERRIBLE and not funny at all!!!!!!!!!
Robin Williams as Mrs. Doubtfire, Dustin Hoffman as Tootsie, Flip Wilson as Geraldine, Martin as Sha-na-na, need I go on? MEN have always impersonated women and made people laugh. Why- for the comedic relief and the fact that they were funny caricatures. That is what Madea is – a caricature. The only difference is Tyler does it and makes stupid money doing it – repeatedly!.
Spike has the right to comment but if he is interested in presenting “positive” Black images then make more movies. If we want more “positive” images, tell all the rich black folk in the entertainment industry to pony up and put some money into “positive” films. We have seen positive black romantic comedies – “Best Man”, “The Brothers”, love stories – “Love and Basketball”, “Mahogany”, “Something New”, “Love Jones”- and others. Color Purple, Malcolm X, Lady Sings the Blues – need I go on? Where are the people who made those movies and why are they not making more of them?
It’s entertainment people! People want to laugh and escape. If I want serious I will watch the History Channel or a documentary (which I watch on a regular basis). If it is serious and well made the people will come. Quit trying to make everyone a standard for the black race. Tyler makes HIS kind of movies, Spike makes HIS kind of movies, Antoine Fuqua makes HIS kind of movies. Cant’ we all just get along?
You wonder why so few black actors are getting hired to work big screen films, its because they perform in poorly written, stereotypical films like Tyler Perry’s. How black men can stand it is beyond me, and for women, just trash T.V. period. Everytime someone doesn’t like something its called “hating” nowadays. How about its embaressing, to have white people laugh at how stupidly we are depicted in these films. Why don’t yall see he is making money at our expense? Its not about jealusy in regards to his success. Its about the quality of the product he is selling. Its like you’re the person laughing with everybody else, not realizing you are the butt of the joke…
[...] tickets. My personal favorite stated that he wasted his moment on Spike and he should have gone for McGruder. I think it’s all of the aforementioned but simple and worthy of discussion. I’ll apply this [...]
spike is no longer “the flavor of the month” and it seems to be hurting his ego. let spike reflect on all the “negativism” he experienced in the 80s and 90s from “the establishment”; black and mainstream alike. at the end of the day, “madea” pays the bills and enables tyler to invest in and take “risks” with his other creative pursuits. not every venture is meant to be “oscar caliber”; sometimes people just want comic relief. under all of the so-called buffoonery is a message, however simple. madea is not the only “black image” out there, so the arguments that it is a derogatory and exemplary one doesn’t really fly with me. there’s another wayans bros “white chicks” due to come out, which also has a far reaching audience, and there is no hooting or hollering from spike about that! enough already spike and WAAAAAAKE UUUUUUUP!!!!!!!!
I’m not in favor of Spike Lee continuing to bash Tyler Perry, but after going to see Madea’s Big Happy Family as a fundraiser for a friend of mine’s church, I cannot in good consciousness defend this movie. There are a few laughs, but overall it was a bad movie full the same old stereotypical images of black people. Can you say Angry Black Woman, Gold digger, Good-for-nothing black men? I try to support all genres of black cinema so that we can continue to get films made, but this was one time I wish I had kept my money in my pocket. We can be funny without feeding into the degrading images depicted in this movie.
Tyler Perry is the man. He’s worked hard and he came up from a very long way, since the days of being broke. Either way you look at it, you have to respect his business swagger
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