Monday, October 4, 2010
Seven Possible Reasons Tyler Perry is Popular
I have been lamenting for the past few years over the fact that so many of the folks (Sorry Tavis, but the plural form of this word does require an "s" on the end) that I know, love, and more importantly: respect enjoy Tyler Perry and his movies. I can't count how many times I have heard: "Madea is funny!" or "I can't wait for 'Why did I get Married' to come out on Blu-Ray". I honestly can't think of something or someone that I despise more, save the BET Awards or plays featuring Shirley Murdock than Mr. Perry and his movies. I also am beginning to wonder if there aren't some perfectly good explanations that explain his meteoric rise to fame and acceptance. My friends have been begging me for years to make my musings (fancy word for random tantrums) public...well...I couldn't think of a better way to get started than by sharing my feelings about TP ad his role in the neo-minstrel movement agenda:
1. America likes black people who smile a lot
When asked about Louis Armstrong one day, Miles Davis commented that "he smiles a bit too much for me". Every time I see this brother he is smiling, and not the cool "I've really pullled one over on the establishment" smiles" like Samuel L. Jackson smile, but the one that I use when the police pull me over to seem less threatening...America loves smiling negroes...period, wearing a dress while smiling is absolutely fantastic
2. Most black folks secretly hate themseleves
Hey, If you don't like this one, then you explain Black folks who voted for Hillary Clinton and Taye Diggs.
3. Black folks (especially women) really like the Color Purple
WTF DC? Tyler Perry didn't make the Color Purple...I know this (mainly because all of the women in that film are played by women), however aren't all of his movies really just "The Color Purple 2.0" updated to replace the early 20th century planation scene with the new weird almost Atlanta-like, post racial, burgiousse world in which all new "black people" movies are set?
4. Bishop Eddie Long would probably like it
I will tread lightly here, as not to offend my religious brothers and sisters, but Perry subtly interjects just enough "megachurch" langauge and religious imagery to make this attractive to black folks, and more importantly make them feel okay with the obvious crap that they are watching.
5. Some of it is funny
So was some of Amos and Andy...but its 2010 right?
6. Black people will try to support other black people when push comes to shove
Proof: the majority of us supported O.J....
7. There aren't enough "black" shows on television, or "black" movies in the theatres
I have to admit that i have watched way too much For the Love of Ray-J and Soul Food over the years to not at least understand wanting too see people that look, sound, and act like us on the screen in front of us, but damn...have any of you ever seriously tried to watch an episode of Meet the Browns? And by the way, what happened to that weird Ice Cube version of a Tyler Perry show?
Don Christopher aka The Yankee Dread
October 4, 2010
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Can I just say a special "Amen" to number 4? I think the interjection of "just enough megachurch" plays the role of a pinky on the marketing scale. For me, it's like changing just enough words in Superfreak, to fool the church into dancing.
ReplyDeleteWell put. A subject that was addressed in Hollywood shuffle, PE's Burn hollywood burn, and culture bandits vol 1 and 2. Looking forward to your next post.
ReplyDeleteTHE TV SHOWS DO STINK. I DON'T LOVE TYLER PERRY BUT, I DO ADMIRE THE MONEY HE'S MANAGED TO POCKET OFF HIS "meteoric rise to fame and acceptance". HOW'D HE DO THAT?
ReplyDeleteI'D RATHER WATCH A TYLER PERRY MOVIE RATHER THAN AMOS & ANDY.
MURPHY, LAWRENCE, CEDRIC, GRIFFIN, THE WAYANS AND HARVEY ARE NOT BRINGING IT, THEY MUST BE GETTING TO OLD & ABIDING TO CENSORSHIP.
HOW COULD YOU NOT LAUGH @ MADEA VS. DR. PHIL?
WHY IS HE POPULAR? I THINK PEOPLE JUST LIKE TO SEE THE DRAMA THEY GO THROUGH ON THE BIG SCREEN.
I like anything that makes people argue - and this post will do it.
ReplyDeletePeople used to watch the Cosby show, and aspire to live that type of life. For some people it was finally a look at NORMAL black life.
Most people watch Tyler Perry shows are like - "well, at least I am not a crackhead with a cross dressing gun toting auntie (who looks similar to her pot smoking brother/uncle/?? who likes young females who may or may not be related to him), a cheating husband, and blah, blah, blah." And they feel better about their own lives.
Others are like - "Damn! That's so me!"
:/
Good luck, and I'll be reading your next post.
TP is a love/hate kinda guy. He's the destitute Black person who persevered and became financially independent b/c he's tenacious. He started out appealing to the Boomer generation w/those stage shows (typically called a play but that IS NOT a play!) that, I guess cuz I've never seen one, are similar to the movies.
ReplyDeleteTP's movies typically have a Black male villain, an emotionally and/or physically abused woman, supportive family and a spiritually based (loosely based to some but nevertheless it's spiritually - so don't task me on narrowly defining that!)rationale for getting out of that life situation.
I think the Browns is a HORRIBLE show. I think people like TP b/c he makes them laugh; and laughter, no matter how skewed it is, in the African-American community is hard found. We chuckle, snicker, smile, cheer but deep soul driven (aka hearty) laughter isn't done a lot. Our life is so full of struggle, up and down, trials, tribulations, and little joy. Speaking collectively and not singular or within a subset of the population (so don't task me on this either!)
As an aside, I didn't like The Color Purple, never did. Why? I am not entertained by watching horrifying life events. Saw it once...no need to see it again.
Keep posting, my nephew....I love reading opinions....and of course, commenting. LOL