Diary of a Confused White Man: Who the Hell is Tyler Perry?
You know how every Twilight Zone episode is either directly or indirectly about a guy who feels like he's going crazy because he wakes up one day and the whole world is different, but he's still like the only one who realizes it and feels totally insane and left out as a result? That's how I feel whenever a new Tyler Perry movie comes out.
Tyler Perry's latest movie, Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail, opens tonight. The movie centers around a no-nonsense elderly black woman, Madea (played by Tyler Perry), who goes to prison, for some reason, and I assume something wacky happens when she gets there that inevitably ends in the empowerment of young black women everywhere. It is Perry's third feature film that focuses on Madea and it will, in all likelihood, make a whole lot of money.
Do you know what I said back in February of 2005 when I saw previews for this new movie, Tyler Perry's Diary of a Mad Black Woman?
"Who the hell is Tyler Perry?" And, you know what? I still have no idea. I mean, I know who he is on a literal level- he's the writer/director/star of all those Tyler Perry movies. But at the time, Tyler Perry hadn't made all those Tyler Perry movies, so he was still just regular old Tyler Perry. So why does he take the possessive route by calling his movie Tyler Perry's Diary of a Mad, Black Woman, as if we were all supposed to know who he was already, even though that was his first movie?
Sure, at the time, he had some successful plays under his belt, but so does Martin McDonagh. and you've never heard of him. You know why? Because he didn't try to bill his first movie as Martin McDonagh's In Bruges. Martin Scorsese can put his name in front of a movie. Quentin Tarantino can do that. More importantly, they can do that now, after they've already spent years establishing their identity so we, as an audience, will know what to expect when we see their names. But Tyler Perry? In 2005, I wondered why should his name in the title entice anyone to buy a ticket?
You know what shut me up? It fucking worked.Diary of a Mad, Black Woman was made for a little over $5 million and, even though it was critically panned by almost everyone, it became a surprise hit, making $50.6 million. The second film in the Madea franchise, Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion, opened at #1 and made $65 million. It was around this time that I started getting that Twilight Zone feeling.
He's also written a book, Tyler Perry's Book About Madea The Title of Which I'm Too Lazy to Google But I Know Involves the Words 'Black Woman', delivered in the voice of the Madea character, and it topped the New York Times bestseller list.
He's also got a show on TBS called Tyler Perry's House of Payne. After 10 episodes, Tyler Perry signed a $200 million deal with TBS for the show because it was such a hit.
What the hell is going on?
Now, lest you think I'm an uninformed hater, I want to make it clear that I'm not going into this blind. I've seen both Madea movies, and at least part of an episode of TP's H of P (which is the closest anyone I know has come to watching a full episode). They all sucked pretty hard. Tyler Perry's Tyler Perry movies are some of the least subtle films I've ever seen. For example, if a marriage is going to fall apart, they have to be filled with evil men who physically beat their wives, so the audience clearly knows who to root for. If there's a bad husband in Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail, you'll be able to tell in the opening scene when he violently rapes the cute robots from Wall-E.
Do robots have butts? Whatever you have, this dude's gonna put a wiener in it.
They're bad movies. But you know what makes this whole thing a little bit weirder? If you follow critical response, not just on Rotten Tomatoes, but everywhere, you'll see that critics are steadily increasing their approval for Tyler Perry's Tyler Perry movies. The bigger Tyler gets, the better the response, even if it comes from a critic who previously hated him. And that's insane, because the movies aren't getting better. In fact, the opposite's true. The few complexities of Tyler Perry's Diary have been replaced in Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion with more sight gags and dry sex jokes. The movies are steadily getting worse, they're making more money and critics everywhere are just surrendering. Tyler Perry got a bunch of cranky white critics to throw up their hands and say "I guess you're right, these movies are great." How the hell did he do that? Critics went from panning his movies, to sort of seeing the merit in them, to flat out praising Tyler Perry for his knack for making Tyler Perry movies. If this trend continues, Tyler Perry's Madea's Class Reunion will win best picture in 2010; by 2015, all movies will be made by Tyler Perry and shortly thereafter, Tyler Perry will infiltrate all aspects of society.
And I don't buy the argument that it's a movie aimed toward a "black audience," as if white people in general wouldn't get it. For me at least, it can't be a race thing (some of my best friends liked Barbershop). As far as coming-of-age tales go, I've personally identified more with The Wood than I have with Stand By Me, or whatever else would pass for a "white" coming-of-age story (Flight of the Navigator?). So it's not something as simple as "white people be makin' comedy like this, but black people...," and it's not like I have anything personally against Tyler Perry. He's clearly a smart businessman, I've read that he's worked his way up from nothing and he's certainly overcome more adversity than I've faced. Also, he's incredibly tall. I have no negative feelings toward him personally (other than my persistent suspicion that he's some rare breed of wizard), and I wish him all the luck in the world.
I'm just confused, because this dude came out of nowhere with a bunch of bad, redundant movies, slapped "Tyler Perry" on the box, as if it were a big deal, and somehow convinced the world that he was a big deal. I feel like that guy (every guy) in the Twilight Zone, except instead of waking up in a world where everyone has a pig face except me, I'm waking up in a world where everything is brought to me by Tyler Perry and everyone is thrilled about it.
Not being racist or anything. hahaha but srsly you need to be Black to get somethings OK? Just like you need to know what the f**k "lacrosse" is to pass that SAT meant for rich ass white kids. No offense. This is why I will not go to any movie with mostly Black stars with....well anyone who is not Black or has not being inaugurated into the "Black enough" club. ahahahhaha
ReplyI kept hearing about Tyler Perry from my black friends - I had no idea who he was or why they always watched his movies. So far, I've heard him a couple times doing radio interviews and heard his name more often as movies came out. However, I know his story (he told of how he overcame adversity in interviews), but I still don't know who in the hell he is. I didn't even know what he looked like until yesterday. I always just thought he was a big celeb in the black community and had made numerous movies in the past, and now everyone else was hearing about him. Guess not. Glad you posted this. Although, I am still thinking - What the hell?
ReplyI think it is sad that reading through these comments, people have to clarify that they are "a black woman" because I guess white people can't have a legitimate opinion on "black people movies".
ReplyNow, when you say 'dry sex jokes', is it the jokes that are dry or the sex?
ReplyDry Jokes about Dry Sex...
I had to watch that "mad black lady" one... sucked balls. i would have rather watched paint dry.
ReplyI know right? They advertised it as a comedy, but it was basically just a lifetime movie without any white people. I hate lifetime.
@mrawesomo LOL. That's funny. But just like some people love lifetime and others hate it, so it is with Tyler Perry movies and plays.
all the movies of tyler are nothing but s**t
Reply@Mike: It's sad that the fundamentalist crowd is reduced to grappling onto any mainstream thing that remotely favors them. I'm pretty sure that Jesus would not be happy with Tyler Perry. Lucky he's forgiving, I guess.
Replywhat makes the play and movies good and why they are gaining popularity is because it not all about the comedy. they use that as a medium to get a message across. They have christian values and principles for life in them. I prefer the plays over the movies because the plays actually have more of a lesson in them so when watching it try to concentrate more on the lessons instead of the jokes... and not every woman is vulnerable, they actually become empowered by the end thru faith and prayer. i just thought id share that with you. later guys
Reply Hide All See All 3 RepliesAlice in Wonderland had a message but that doesn't make it Oscar-worthy. The brave little toaster taught me more than the bible (true story) but nobody says it's genius.
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that "The Brave Little Toaster" was totally f*****g genius.
more like totally f*****g terrifying. Don't you remember the Air Conditioner's suicide?
moviefan...you sound like a crotchety white guy that needs to yell at something. There was nothing racist in the article, he just said Tyler Perry is not funny and guess what...He Not.
ReplyDo you want a sticker for being the only white people in the theatre? Well you don't get one. Be happy that you like them and love his comedy, but get over it.
Well done Dan.
I liked Diary of a Mad Black woman. I don't get any of other movies though. Didn't Eddie Murphy already do the fat woman bodysuit thing? And martin Lawrence? and currently Keenan does it every once in a while on SNL? I just think its pretty played out. I have tried to watch House of Payne but it feels like they are trying to make me laugh... and i don't mean they are trying to be funny. I mean they are trying to MAKE me laugh like you would try to MAKE someone eat your cooking... by force-feeding them.
ReplyIf "white" people did this, it would be considered racist.
Reply Hide All See All 4 Repliesif they did what?
Made a movie filled with so many racial stereotypes and called it "inspiring" or whatever they say about these movies, I don't know.
But I agree.
Watch lifetime and you will see what you have described. So says Batman.
why is white in quotes? what the f**k is going on here?
Tyler Perry sucks, all he does is use old stereotypical jokes in his "movies" and "tv shows". In his world men are evil, stupid, etc. and women are helpless and need to be resuced.
ReplyWell don't forget in "madea goes to jail" there were a few examples of strong, proud capable women... oh wait every every independent women was a criminal, in the jail. Except of course for the competent female lawyer who... oh wait, she ended up being very incompetent, a criminal and a b!tch. My bad guess your right charlie
I did not like how you mocked the ghetto (white people be making...) but I do agree with the article.
ReplyIm a black woman and I cringe everytime I hear that Tyler Perry has a new movie out. There are good black writers (think Greys' Anatomy). I don't understand why he is getting so much press and praise about his crappy movies. They are all the same movie. Black woman is the victim of some craziness that she needs to work through and Madea being a loud, ghetto lunatic with a gun. There are better ways that he could write a movie about black women being uplifted and dealing with drama and overcoming it than putting in all the excess crap like Madea (and her phony-country accent) purposely mispronouncing words and pulling out guns at people every chance she gets. Is this what all old black women are like?
We were raised to call our grandmother Madea as well and she is nothing like this bafoon on-screen. She makes all Madea's look bad and most black women look short-tempered and ghetto.
It's sad that the only comedy that black audiences seem to applaud involve cursing, ignorance, flatulence and weapons. Tsk. Tsk.
I feel like you, have I missed out on something?? How are his movies good??? I have yet to get excited when a Tyler Perry movie comes out and I fill my schedule when my friends invite me to go see it.
Oh and I also wondered why he self-titles his movies. Guess we see why now. $$
This article is nothing but a bunch of racist bull shit! I"ve always said that it seems that only white people dont seem to like tyler perrys movies. I admit when I first heard of tyler perry when Diary of a mad black woman came out I really had no desire to see it. I kept asking myself is this movie supposed to be a comedy because of the man playing the old lady or is it a drama. It wasnt until a year ago I became good friends with this guy and he asked me if I ever saw any of perrys movies. I said no and he showed me Why Did I Get Married and I loved it. After that I went out and bought all of his movies and plays that were available and now Im a big tyler perry fan. I just saw I can do bad all by myself and thought it was great. His movies just get better and better. My best friends wife and I were the only white people in the theatre when we saw that movie. I think more white people should give his movies a chance. If you sit sown and watch them and pay attention I think you would like them. I'll also admit his movies are all kinda the same and they are predictable but who really cares. They are good stories and they all send a good message. Who cares if he puts his name before the titles of his movies. Alfred Hitchcock did it in his early work and so did John Waters with his early underground work. Nobody made a big deal about that. Tyler Perry makes good movies and anybody that doesnt think so is crazy. Madea is funny as hell.
Reply Hide All See All 7 RepliesEPIC FAIL
I was able to watch 30 seconds of Tyler Perry's house of Payne before i vomited in my mouth. Never Again.
Cracked comments has the most articulate Trolls I've ever seen. Bravo sir, bravo.
I have given his work a chance. It sucks. Some of the concepts are good but it just turns out like shit. It has nothing to do with him being a black man. People crying "racism" when there isn't any is really annoying. Don't get me wrong, I think black people are still the subject of prejudice in all areas of life, but that isn't what is going on here. The movies and show are just... awful.
"I like this and therefore anyone that disagrees is racist, even though that includes over 90% of everyone here, including black, white, Ukranian, Puerto Rican, Egyptian, and Asian men and women from all backgrounds and walks of life."
Yes. Everyone but you is a racist for hating Tyler Perry movies.
I didn't actually realize that a well-articulated article that in no way has to do with race but is instead a critical appraisal of a director's oeuvre could be a bunch of racist bull shit. Live and learn.
It is patently obvious that the Cracked Member in question didn't read the article at all after she saw the words "Tyler Perry" & "Daniel O'Brien". Then she scrolled down to the bottom and posted this. Look, CM, we know you didn't read it because we can tell that you didn't want to read it. Why not go back, actually read the article, and then come comment. You know - like an intelligent adult.
Hey, Dan? I dunno who the f**k TP is either but I do know that TP is something better used in the bathroom and not on the movie screen.
There is entirely too much hatred from people on this. I have been watching Tyler Perry since his plays were first on DVD. I admit all his plays/movies are basically the same. but what i have always enjoyed is the lessons taught, and they way that madea (Tyler Perry) puts things into perspective in a HILLARIOUS way. This is done the best in the plays, and is most memerable in the play madea goes to jail where she tries to teach litle toni respect and how to pray.
ReplyALSO tyler perry does other movies that are not madea films which are also excellent such as A Family That Preys, and Why Did I Get Married. check em out bitches!
by the way DOB you are hillarious and keep me entertained during work!
I will dedicate my second series of T-100's (not yet the T-1000's but getting there) to hunting your fat ass down. You have been warned.
Perrry's movies are awful. They suck, are boring, and are edited by a blind and deaf monkey. Oh btw, I am 27 year old black woman!
ReplyI wish Tyler Perry would dry up and go away forever. His acting, dialogue and movies suck harder than a Dyson vacuum cleaner 300 years from the future.
ReplyHe has a crap load of plays that was released and written earlier with the same name as his movies and it was from these plays that he was able to get such a huge fan-base in the first place. I personally love the plays better than the movies, but i'm entertained either way. So now you don't want to feel so confused, just know you didn't just wake up and some random nobody got huge for no reason.
ReplyI want to have Daniel O'Brien's mutant ass babies... this Tyler Perry article convinced me that I'm totally sane and can stop taking my meds! Now I'm hungry for leg...
Reply[...] The cast is decent, though it’s hard to tell through the explosions. Chris Pine is clearly doing his own thing with Kirk, which is fine in itself, but I’m not sure his characterization gave him much more personality than “kind-of-a-dick”. Karl Urban does a good impression of Bones and Sylar is spot-on with Spock. Anton Yelchin and Simon Pegg are enjoyable comic relief as Chekov and Scotty respectively. But why is Tyler Perry in this film? Was he doing research for Tyler Perry’s Madea Joins Star Fleet? (Cracked has a good take-down of Tyler Perry here.) [...]
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