Tyler Perry: Coonery or Comedy?
Ever since movie #1, I have witnessed the debate on Tyler Perry and his portrayal of Blacks in the media. While many do seem quite entertained by his efforts, there are people who also feel that Perry brings forth the stereotypes that many Blacks have chosen to sweep under the rug. Always the outspoken one, Spike Lee has gone public with his feelings for Perry and his movie, citing them as a modern day Amos & Andy.
What say you, folks? Do you feel that Perry and his movies are comedic or coonery that doesn’t deserve the screen time?
October 25th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
i think mr. perry's movies are classics. they're educational, informational, real, & EXTREMELY comedic. they are the dosages of REALITY CHECCS that everyone needs, & fa anyone to believe that they are demeaning or coonery or bafoonery is quite ridiculous, imo.
October 25th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Cookery!!! His dramatic efforts like ‘Why Did I Get Married” appeal to me much more than the half-witted, stereotypical mind cancer that is Madea, “House Of Payne” and Brown. He seems to have used the minstrel show to draw people to some underlying elements that can be artist and uplifting, but at what cost? Do we continue to shuffle & jive to reveal a shimmer of virtue? Is the lesson that, in order to gain recognition in mainstream media, we need to grab a shine box and mickle sack? I can’t fully reject him but I can’t align with him either.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Madea is comedy, Mr. Brown thats Coonery
October 25th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
I think his movies are great it's educational and funny like miss jayy said. I've never seen the negatives that spike and other people are talking about because i don't focus on that i focus on the positive message in his movies and that's what everyone should do also if someone watches a tyler perry movie and believes ohhh all black people act like madea then i'm sorry but that person has issues with themselves that they need to deal with.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
I like T. Perry movies even though they are very predictable. I think that a lot of times people can't see the forest through the trees. At least he's hiring and employing black actors in his movies. I applaud him.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
For the most part.. his movies/plays are straight coonery and Sambo-like. There was one that wasn't that bad.. the one with Janet and Jill Scott. But all of the Meet the Browns crap, is embarassing and has HORRIBLE acting on top of that!
October 25th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
I may be alone on this one, but Spike always received the same criticism in his beginning films. Jungle fever much, but for those that were not closed minded we understood that he had an underlying message in all of his films. I just think that we need to stop bashing and uplifting in 2009. I've started anyone want to join me?
October 25th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
I dunno… I think it's just the sitcom characters that are lame LOL. The movies usually go completely opposite with all these lawyers, doctors, architects, bankers, etc. Characters like Mr. Brown and Madea do connect with a lot of people and aren't offensive to them. They may be stereotypes, but they're reality for some. I can think of someone in my life that's similar to Brown, Madea, Cora, etc.
October 25th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
Why can't we have a mixture…movies/shows from Tyler and Spike lee who IMO talk about black history more documentary type stuff but on the big screen…there are only a hand full of black directors in Hollywood can't they all just get along…..
October 25th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Spike has some valid points. Hollywood was mad at Spike cause he was pusing the enevlope and calling them out on their BS. I am not a fan or Mr Brown but I do find Madea funny at times. I will be going to see Why did I get Married but I want him to go deeper with his writing and storylines they can be very basic it is time for him to stretch himself IMO. I think there is room for both Spike, Tyler, F Gary and any other black producers/directors.
Sidebar the word in the ATL has always been that Tyler does not pay all these black folks he employes well at all *shrug*
October 25th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
I totally 100% love & respect the spiritual & positive messages that Perry brings across in his stage plays, movies & sitcoms. On the other hand, there are certain areas that makes me cringe a little. I'm sorry, but some things (I personally feel) are a little over the top, but that aside, I do respect Mr. Tyler Perry!
October 25th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
I don't think that it is Coonery. I know that I can keep saying this but if you want to look at coonery and start up ignorance turn your eye and voice to the music industry. I think that the problem is that people know a Madea and the know a Brown. So to see that some people fee uncomfortable. And if you don't like don't watch. And Spike needs to stop his hating ass up. Does he think that he is the only person who can make money off of "black"life.
response to side bar.
If Tyler isn't paying his employees well…they can quit.
October 25th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
The movies are entertaining and sends positive messages! coonery is not Tyler, its a whole alot of videos and artist that you can call coonery
October 26th, 2009 at 12:37 am
Black people like Spike Lee need to come off of there high horse and get real with themselves. Tyler Perry characters have a wide range from doctors to crackheads that is a true reflection of us as black people. Black people just want to see movies were we can relate and not see the token black person and I think Tyler Perry has told the triumphs and struggles that everyone black hispanic, and white can relate to. So in closing Spike Lee do you and let Tyler Perry do what he does.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:50 am
I definitely consider it all comedy. It's amazing to me how some black people stick their noses so far up in the air that they are so quick to label black comedy as "coonery" & "buffoonery". I mean come on, black people can't be funny? Does everything have to be a documentary or about black pride all the time? We can't have a laugh every once in a while? Tyler Perry's works are comedic but they also have a message in them. If you can't see the messages that he portrays in his movies, plays, & shows, then you're just dense. Spike Lee is acting like another crab in the barrel who's mad that his movies don't get the same attention as Tyler Perry's & the fact that big name actors & actresses in the black community & from outside of the black community (i.e. Kathy Bates) flock to Tyler Perry's movies, not to mention the establishment of Tyler Perry Studios. If his works don't appeal to you or you don't like comedy, then don't watch but to label it "coonery" is just nonsense. If you want to speak out on coonery, then talk about Flavor Flav, Tiffany "New York" Pollard, Frankie, & the BET Awards.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:27 am
True,
I still stand by everything I said 1000%, but I totally agree
with everything you just said,
Peace!
October 26th, 2009 at 2:28 am
100% agree!!
October 26th, 2009 at 2:32 am
I find his movies to be comedy. Spike Lee better step down off his high horse and call Tyler and ask to do a film together, I'm just saying. But Tyler is just shining light on the things some black people like to hide behind or lie about, I love him and his movies. Each one is a lesson learned.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:33 am
Comedic and inspirational!! IMO nothing preaches about GOD is coonery. His story has a message. My faith is strong and I recognize God has brought me threw a lot so I understand the messages he is trying to convey. When you are down and out nothing but Jesus can lift you up again.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:48 am
positives: tyler is a black director, who employs black actors, and gives back to the black community
negatives: tyler is an EMBARASSMENT to the filmmaking world….i mean get real yall he makes lifetime movies except with a black cast lol
but the positives outweigh the negatives, so sit down spike
October 26th, 2009 at 2:54 am
I go to see Tyler Perry's movies because they are "feel good" movies filled with people that I can relate to. Madea reminds me of my own Grandmother, so are you saying I should consider my Granny a coon?
I find it hard to believe that people don't understand branding and marketing. He can't have a serious "Tyler Perry" movie…his fan base would never let him. He has to stick with a certain genre . In short I have no problem with the movie but then again I'm not overthinking this either.
If Spike Lee and others have a problem then they should do what he did…use your own money and make your own film.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:58 am
Exactly!
October 26th, 2009 at 4:18 am
I love all of, Tyler Perry's movies.
October 26th, 2009 at 7:59 am
I think his movies are great, i love them all!
October 26th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Look at it like this, Spike let his frustration out finally. True people are employed from Mr. Perry works and the works are making money, but at what costs? Spike didn't make Bamboozled for a reason. They both talk about issues within black America. Spike was a little raw(for mainstream) while Tyler seem to add humor and wear a dress. Like em both and even though I don't like some of the things they put out, and I was to make flicks that had some substance but may not make a lot as far as material $$$ ish……I'm goin raw! Exercise the 1st with dignity and respect of course cuz nobody else gonna do it.
October 26th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
I think that spike lee has forgot about the stereotypes he portrayed in his own movies…Hmm Let's see pookie in do the right thing (dead beat baby daddy), robin harris and the men sitting on the corner (black men with no jobs sitting on the corner drinking)…..Jungle Fever (every black man has to at least one day have sex with a white woman) School Daze ( Greeks against Greeks (blacks against blacks in college….Light skinned against dark skinned), She Got to have it (every black woman is over sexed) Mo Better Blues (black man chasing a dream and not taking responsibilities) and I am not going to even get started on She hates me and bamboozled.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
…don't get me wrong I like spike lee movies and I never really got them until I took an Intro to film class in college but we have to understand that just like we have black folks that are college graduates we also have black folks who work regular 9 to 5s….it’s just entertainment(I think Perry is very clever about how he educates as well as entertain at the same time and you don't have to take a college course to figure out what he is trying to portray on the screen)…why can't we have our Tyler perrys and our spike lees..Why do we always have to make a manifestation of the Willie Lynch letter a reality through judgment of each other and separation. I say Tyler Perry keep doing what you’re doing….you can't please everybody! And as fair as Spike Lee…how can you be so down with empowerment of black people and downing a man who use to be homeless and became wealthy by never giving up on his dream….it looks to me like spike lee your the one who is with the coonery!
October 26th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
great points
October 26th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
I agree. You've made some very good points
October 26th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Spike is all lip service and has deemed himself the spoke person for black films. Who is he to determine what all blacks should view as “worthy”, his stuff? Not hardly. Furthermore, in a recent interview I read, the writer wrote that Spike vacations in the Hamptons, has a light-skin black wife from a wealthy, prominent black family, is a member of the Boule- an exteremely secretive, prestigious black male organization. All the establishment things that he fought against. Interesting.
Has has really done very little for the black community other than support Morehouse college his alma mater, which also pushes the idea that it is a college more elite than all other black colleges.
Him going off on Tyler Perry, who at least tries to balance this movies out along with his community service is the worst kind of coonery and buffonery. He never came after all those young black directors in the 90s making all those gangsta films that did FAR more damage than even some hip hop music. Spike is truly the last person who should open his mouth.
This about nothing more than the old crab-in-the-barrel mentality and pure jealousy.
October 26th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Thank you Tonya4ever! I stated much of what you are talking about on another blog. He has alot of nerve dogging TP when he has shown black women and men negatively in like 95% of his work.
October 26th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
I understand that he is tryin to address issues in the black community while puttin forth some black entertainment, but I always felt like his films were over the top. I never really liked Madea. As for whether its coonery or comedy, I think it blurs the line to get us to laugh at ourselves and to be better than what we have been as a people, but as an avid movie goer, his movies are always predictable and I would always rather see somethin else. Im not even hating on black entertainment either. I thought I was gonna hate T.D. Jakes "Not Easily Broken" and lumped it in with Tyler Perry's movies but "Not Easily Broken" was amazing and not predictable and overall entertaining as a movie. I would rather watch another Tyler Perry PLAY instead of a movie. He was a major success on the play circuit and I think he's tryin to use the same formula in the movie industry and its a lil out of place. In short, its comedy and coonery but TOO coon for theaters to me.
October 26th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
I agree 100%
October 26th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
I know I'm late but I agree with Tonya4ever! Spike Lee has never had a movie (that I can think of) where one of his main characters (a good guy) was a lawyer, architect, or successful at all! Everytime I saw a Spike Lee movie I felt worse about my people than I did earlier that day!! If anything, Tyler Perry gives us a mixture of both. While Madea and Brown are over the top, they are as Perry said it "bait." So he can get u there to preach to u and teach u something.
And to be honest, Madea has more pearls of wisdom than some folks give her credit. If u ever watch any of Perry's plays Madea always has a wonderful monologue where she gives out some wonderful advice people should take. Brown is about pure comedy, makin fun of the old super saints that we all know in our church. Spike needs to quit actin like he's never met a "Brown."
October 26th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
I don't find Tyler P. movies interesting.They are all the same and no creativity.I don't have a Madea or the browns in my family.He must be talking about the hood life,not all Black people are from the hood and embraced ghetto lifestlye.He use God in way to get away with his coonerey,only uneducated people can't see that.Why do Black-Americans embraced bad stereoptypes and bad behaviors as a badge of honour?
I'm wondering if these so called his messga is about God would support him,if he announced that he's gay,lol.
October 27th, 2009 at 12:50 am
I haven't gotten too much into the Browns, but Madea is awesome. I see Perry's message throughout all his films, and it involves God. That's good, and there's moments where the funniest characters bring out positivity. I don't look at his films in a negative light, more so of a shining one that brings truth to screens everywhere.
October 27th, 2009 at 6:26 am
The hood life? I haven't seen a movie of his yet where Madea was living in the hood. You say that only undeducated people can't see the coonery yet you don't even't spell "coonery" right. What are the bad stereotypes and bad behaviors that Black people are embracing or are you just trolling?
October 27th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Hollywood is the place for a**holes these days. Tyler Perry is just trying to appeal to the community and telling them that anything is possible, and he is doing it in a more comedic way. Why should he be penalized for that?
I agree with Tyler Perry. That pisses me off, too. If I were him, I wouldn't give a damn about what people, especially in Hollywood, think of him.
January 10th, 2010 at 3:42 pm
Black people wake up,now if white folks put out these kind of movies.