It's either all good or all bad. I don't know of anyone who feels indifferently.
Earlier this week, a few of us got into a discussion about Perry on Twitter. I saw "Madea Goes to Jail" on Sunday and quite frankly I'm still cracking up. Perry's brand of comedy is not for everybody but those of us who enjoy it, really enjoy it.
I have purchased copies, certified not bootlegged, of the play "Madea Goes to Jail," which is my favorite of all the plays, and the movies, "The Family That Preys," "Why Did I Get Married?," "Diary of a Mad Black Woman," and "Madea's Family Reunion." So yes, I am a fan.
So the arguement from The Jaded Nyer and 12kyle was that Perry's brand of comedy is reminiscent of "shuckin' and jivin'" and his character "Madea" is a "lil' suspect" because he's a 6'5 black man in drag.
Because I am half-Gemini, I kind of see their point. I'll admit, some of the punchlines are a little simple and some of them are a little slapstick, but it is still funny. Well, I laugh at it and millions of others do too.
Some folks are actually comparing his work to misygonistic rappers saying that what he does is degrading to all black people. That I don't agree with at all. How is it that the work of one man tears down a whole race of people?
The way I see it is Perry is paving the way for a lot of filmmakers and actors of color. As a budding screenwriter who has yet to sell a screenplay, I've been researching how hard it is to get a black story greenlighted in LaLaWood. Not only did he get his stories greenlighted, he's doing them on his own terms. You gotta respect that even if you don't particularly care for his brand of comedy.
Perry's success with his plays and movies, both comedy and drama, have afforded him the opportunity to purchase and run successfully his own studios, production company and operate the two most-successful cable sitcoms to date.
Even if you don't agree with it, if you hate to watch his work, respect his hustle and don't belittle the people who enjoy it.
Obviously there is a market for wholesome entertainment that is not riddled with an abundance of profane language and soft porn sex scenes. And if you can relate to the characters, the stuff is hella funny.
I have never gone to the movies to find the meaning of life or to determine how people should act. I go to enjoy a good movie and to laugh when appropriate.
I don't want to get into a whole lot of this, but I guarantee you I know people who have a lot of the qualities that I see in Perry's characters, Madea included. While my mom has not had any run-ins with the law, she will certainly have you laughing like hell at the things she says and will hit you off with some wisdom at the same time - just like Madea.
As for Brown, there is a man in my home church who can't talk worth a damn who always wants to pray for somebody. My high school basketball coach was always ashy and God only knows where he got those shirts he used to wear.
I could go on and on, but my point is, people can relate to his work and we all just want to be entertained. Let us be entertained, dammit!
7 comments:
I feel like there are worse movies out there, that last movie by Hollywood scumbag Eddie Murphy. No one thinks anything about Martin dressing up to play Big Mommma, we just laugh and move on.
Madea pays the bills so that we can get the Why did I get Married (great movie) and the Family that Preys (which I did not enjoy btw)
And why must EVERY public figure that is Black be a threat to what is wrong with us as a people. I will say this though old Tyler P has serious issues with women that is pretty evident by his scripts.
Back again.... I saw Madea goes to jail and though the same things popped up, predictable, and his clear issue with women I had a much needed laugh.
I have not enjoyed any one movie or TV show by Tyler Perry yet! There have been funny moments here and there, but for the most part BLECH!!!
I just can't get behind his brand of "comedy" especially with his Madea character.
And what's more, his face and hairline annoy me. HMPH!
I don't mind the Madea movies. My favorite one is "Why did I get Married." My mother owns all the plays and I have watched them and enjoyed them.
As you stated you can't knock his hustle. He has worked hard and I ain't mad at him for that! Shyt I'm not a Puffy fan either but he grinded it out!
The humor is sometimes slapstick,hehe haw haw but he always talks about God and family and that's the ish that really matters!
I hear you. Madea makes me laugh. The Browns--not so much. But the Madea jail scenes or just the crap that comes out of her mouth has me in stitches!
@F$%k It List - So what are these "clear issues" Mr. Perry has with women? I am not following. But you did agree that the movie was hella funny. Joe is my dude!
@JadedNyer - One of the few things I find that we don't agree on. Maybe we weren't separated at birth, but we're definitely related. :-)
I get that you don't dig his humor and I respect that. Let's agree to disagree. BTW, what's wrong with his hairline?
@ShellyShell - I couldn't agree more. I just don't watch the ones I don't like. ;-)
@TravelDiva - girl, you get a pass. I'm sure you've got wedding stuff up the wazoo!
As for the Browns, I only laugh at Brown. He sort of reminds me of my high school b-ball coach. He always looked like he'd been making biscuits and had flour all the way up his arm. ROTFL.
take a good look at his hairline. it's like perfect but not; just right but pushed back some. is it receding? is it not? did he draw it in? UGH!!!
IT TAUNTS ME!!!!!!!!
I'm sorry, but sometimes little things like this bother me about a person and I just can't get around it LOL!!!
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