Thursday, August 2, 2018

Madea Goes To (insert ridiculous crazy locale here) … A Tyler Perry Production


TYLER PERRY FAN: Why you always hating on Tyler Perry?

ME: Because he’s a horrible writer and director and his shit movies are always the same.

TP FAN: Well I like his movies. They’re uplifting, and I don’t think they’re all the same.

ME: Every single Tyler Perry movie is filled with exploitive pseudo-Christian beliefs and stereotypes, and they always have the same theme. Some woman getting dumped or physically and mentally abused by her misogynistic asshole husband or boyfriend (usually an incestuous pedophile) until she goes to see Madea who has a “spiritual” talk with her, throws in some amusing erroneous Bible quotes and helps her to find herself. And of course, Madea reminds the woman that the surest route to eternal joy is through subservience to a good man…with strong Christian values.

TP FAN: He tries to offer positive female role models. I think that’s a good thing.

ME:  Oh, my bad. You mean positive role models like the one where the female character cheats on her husband, gets raped, becomes addicted to drugs, and in the end is seen as a miserable lonely loser who’s become HIV Positive and deserving of her fate. Or maybe you meant the one where the professional Black woman in an effort to get to the top, cheats on her husband, this time with a White man only to realize in the end she was being used but she’s too proud to admit it. Surely you don’t mean the positive role of the aunt who was so self-indulgent and consumed by her career that she missed the signs of her pedophile boyfriend’s abuse of her niece while in her care.

TP FAN: Well you’re just picky and in the minority. Everyone I know loves Tyler Perry’s movies.

ME: True and proof positive that there’s just no accounting for taste.

TP FAN: I think you’re just bitter. What if everyone felt your way? I think we should support Black creativity.

ME: Again, please don’t mention creativity when speaking of this man but let me ask this question. Do you think White people go to see every movie just because it’s made by a White person? If Black artist want support from the community shouldn’t they be accountable and held to some type of standard? Besides, at this point his filthy rich hypocritical prosperity gospel believing ass has a built-in audience who will buy any garbage he puts out. They literally get bussed to his movies from church…after second service of course.

TP FAN: Um, ok. But I still think you’re just a hater

ME: I’m not hating on the man. In fact, I appreciate and am inspired by the business model he created and the fact that he hires African-Americans almost exclusively. He’s a great industry role model and donates to many African-American mentorship programs. And I do enjoy the fact that he keeps Cicely Tyson employed on a regular. I just think his shit movies suck and perhaps he should cede some creativity to others. Why is it that every single thing the man does is written, directed and produced by Tyler Perry?

TP FAN: Well I guess there’s just no convincing you. Let’s agree to disagree, I’m out.

ME: No problem, good talking with you. Hallelujer!



1 comment:

  1. I don't consider myself to be a TP 'fan'. I refuse to see another Made a anything. If you've seen one....but, I do applause the fact that he does employee people of color in an industry that wouldn't otherwise give them half a chance. He'll never produce anything award worthy and I think he knows that.
    His movies are so bad that I think it's deliberate. It has to be. In holding out hope that the brother has a bigger plan that only he knows. He's definitely no Spike Lee.

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