Tyler Perry and Black America

Ever since Tyler Perru hit big in 1998, there's been an interesting dynamic between him and Black America. Some Blacks love Tyler Perry and Madea and some thing he's one of the signs of the end of times. Is Tyler Perry's writing Shakespeare worthy? No, but he does what really successful people do, they find a niche and run with it. Look at Beyonce', she's about a 7 on the scale on singers but she has a niche and that's women. You could probably find someone who can interview better than Oprah, but she has a niche. Tyler perry has a niche. He has down home plays that are funny. Many people say that he appeals to "lowly blacks" and upper class blacks are "too educated" to like him. Whatever.
It's called en-ter-tain-ment. Get it. That means it's not that serious. Is Tyler Perry trying to save black america or run for president? No, he's trying to entertain us with his plays, movies, and TV shows. How is Tyler Perry destroying Black america? Someone tell me so I can figure it out. I love Madea. I think she's funny, witty, and the grandmother we all secretly want. Even though Tyler Perry's plays are very repetitive, we all know the story: someone is living with madea, someone is breaking up, someone is getting together, the rich guy is the bad guy, the poor guy is the good guy and someone is pissing Madea off. That's how it goes. And if you're an avid fan, you can usually pin point lines from his book or other plays/movies. Tyler Perry is not rocket science. Like I said, he's entertaining. You go to theatre, movie, or turn on your TV for 2-3 hours, or a half hour, laugh, and go back to your life. How is that destroying black america?
Whenever a Tyler Perry project comes out, I want to see it and support him. I even want to be in one of his projects (that's one of the things on my list of things to do while I'm alive).



A few weeks ago, Spike Lee said some pretty offsetting things about Tyler Perry, here is the quote because I am too lazy to write it all again:
“We’ve had this discussion back and forth. When John Singleton [made 'Boyz in the Hood'], people came out to see it. But when he did ‘Rosewood,’ nobody showed up. So a lot of this is on us! You vote with your pocketbook, your wallet. You vote with your time sitting in front of the idiot box, and [Tyler Perry] has a huge audience. We shouldn’t think that Tyler Perry is going to make the same film that I am going to make, or that John Singleton or my cousin Malcolm Lee [would make]. As African-Americans, we’re not one monolithic group, so there is room for all of that. But at the same time, for me, the imaging is troubling and it harkens back to ‘Amos n’ Andy.’”
“Each artist should be allowed to pursue their artistic endeavors, but I still think there is a lot of stuff out today that is coonery and buffoonery. I know it’s making a lot of money and breaking records, but we can do better. … I am a huge basketball fan, and when I watch the games on TNT, I see these two ads for these two shows (Tyler Perry’s “Meet the Browns” and “House of Payne”), and I am scratching my head. We got a black president, and we going back to Mantan Moreland and Sleep ‘n’ Eat?

I believe that black film makers are jealous. Yes, I said it. Spike Lee is jealous. Why is he jealous? People just say that to defend someone else. Look at it like this, Tyler Perry has had a meterioric rise. He went from being homeless in 1998, to being worth over $400 million dollars and the most accomplished black playwright ever in little over a decade. No other black author, writer, director, actor, producer, or playwright has done that in history. What other black director can call Oprah and have her drop whatever she's doing? Spike Lee and John Singleton can't. They're jealous. It's simple.To be frank, if I was in their shoes,  I would be too. Look at all the struggling black directors who can't get a quality piece of work to be seen by directors, but Tyler Perry makes millions off of recycled work. You know what they say, if you can't beat him, join him. Lee Daniels did and his film is doing very well for itself. Also, if you don't like it, save your money and see something else.