By shelz.
So Spike Lee has issued an indictment of Tyler Perry and his coonerific productions. With his trademark candor in full force, Lee told Ed Gordon of Our World that Perry’s imagery is troubling and reminiscent of Amos and Andy. He then suggested that the new millennium rise of the archetypal, one-dimensional black character in film and television is not completely Perry’s fault. It is also the fault of the black consumer.
“I know my audience and they’re not people that the studio knows anything about.” ~ Tyler Perry
Judging from the above quote, it looks like Lee and Perry agree on this. From major motion picture releases to 30 minute sitcoms, it is the consumer’s selection that drives what becomes popular and what doesn’t. That considered, it’s almost unfair for Lee to rag on Perry because he couldn’t continue to make it if we didn’t continue to watch it.
And watch it, we do. Almost all of Perry’s films have achieved commercial success. His last release, Madea Goes to Jail had an opening weekend gross of over 40 Million Dollars. His television show “Tyler Perry’s”House of Payne” landed Perry a $200 million deal with TBS and led to a 2nd Perry television production, “Meet the Browns.” There is also talk of a 3rd show entitled “Floyd’s Family.”
Perry’s fans are staunch, supportive and dismissive of the pot shots. According to some, there is depth in his work. He tackles issues that face the black community with a style that isn’t heavy handed. He deals well with female emotion and even suggests ways to break from bad relationships and undeserving men. Others don’t see the depth but still find his work amusing. It’s just entertainment. His contributions have to be kept in proper perspective. He’s funny and not to be taken seriously.
Even black folks who have a problem with Perry’s imagery can’t bring themselves to speak as frankly as Lee did. Perry has gone from troubled and homeless to arguably Hollywood ’s only major black player. He employs black actors in bulk. He deals in family issues we all have experienced. He makes lots and lots of money. It’s the American dream and difficult to take issue with without being branded a hater. But Perry’s success is not the issue. It’s the black stereotypes he stood on to achieve that success that make some uneasy.
If we don’t take how we are represented on the world media stage seriously, who will? And when studios are rolling these images out without any substantial black characters in tow and we are no longer seeing any balance, will it still be acceptable? When your only option for movie night is Madea Goes to Jail After Shooting Her Triflin A$$ Baby Daddy Who Abandoned Her With Eight Illegitimate Kids Even Though He Knew She was a Welfare Queen, will it still be funny? I know that title was a bit much, but for all of you who believe Perry is not a one trickpony drivel and his next flick will be something deeper with better content, think again. Madea is the slated star of his next film, I Can Do Bad All By Myself.
Spike did admit that the black community is not monolithic. We are interested in different things and there is space for different viewpoints on the movie making front. I don’t agree. If Black consumers continue patronizing this type of entertainment in the volume we currently do, it won’t be long until the filmmakers who don’t take that route disappear from our entertainment landscape completely. It also won’t be long until white filmmakers hop on that cash bandwagon and produce Perry-esque pieces since that seems to be what we shell out our cash to see.
If you take a look at today’s Hollywood , Lee and Perry are the only Black filmmakers who work on a regular basis. The rest have been relegated to “specific niche” status suggesting that studio heads don’t believe a more thoughtful Black vision casts a wide enough net into the movie going public. In other words, we don’t seem to be interested if Black characters aren’t stereotypically shallow and immersed in clichéd storylines.
Vigilance is key. We have to be more concerned about the changing tide of entertainment aimed at the black audience. We have to support more thought provoking projects. And if art imitates life, we really need to start seeing ourselves in a better light. If we don’t, Amos and Andy The New Generation might be coming to a theatre near you. And how funny would that be?
Follow us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/planetill
Follow shelz. on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/shelzp
I don’t think Tyler is promoting buffonery at all. I believe he has found a niche that a lot of black folks enjoy. It only appears as “coonerific”, in my opinion, because it’s pretty much the only example of Black Americans on TV right now. Granted, some of his characters are a bit ni**a-ish but I think his over all message is one of self-empowerment and love. Take Madea for example, as hood as “she” may be, “her” underlying message is very positive and “she” takes care of her family (between gun shots) and others.
Spike has a point though, as stated above. When does it stop? I hope Perry has a limit to which he will push the envelope but, playing Devil’s Advocate, let’s say he doesn’t. Just like Spike’s “Bamboozled” Perry could very well find himself in a Pierre Delacroix senario and decide to produce the new age minstrel… Would black folks still support him on his name alone? I would reluctantly say yes. And that’s sad. Now I don’t think the brotha would do that so in turn I don’t believe it would ever happen. But Black people need to learn when enough is enough. We need to support more positive shows.
We need to bring back shows like The Cosby Show or Different World or Fresh Prince of Bel Air. While funny, those shows tackled very real issues that affected the black community. From unplanned pregnancy to racism to internal racism to smoking to… just everything. That was a show I remember my parents calling us into the room to watch as a family. We need that back. Kids need shows they can watch and see successful Black people doing the right thing… Entertain as you teach… Isn’t that what Sesame Street and all those other shows were about. It’s a scientific fact that human beings learn better when they are actually interested in what they are learning… Oh… You thought that was just for school huh? My bad. (putting bubble back together) “Didn’t mean to burst that”…
But we need for than gun totting drug dealers which, by Hollywood standards, are the only roles we seem to qualify for. I’m going to get off my soap box now but all in all, I think Perry is not the turn coat Spike may think he is. He is simply a brotha that has made it. And while his subject matter may, at times, seem a bit over the top, he definitely has a creative side that has changed the face of Black Film as we know it. Spike should be used to this type of attention. People had the same amount of harsh words for him when he first came out… And I’m not talking about white folks. Black folks were mad at him too… Stirrin’ up all that trouble, lol. How soon we forget, right?
Bless!
bc,
the people who took issue with lees work at the beginning of his career are the same folks who support perry now. there is no interest in depth of character or storyline for them. they simply want to be entertained by a filmmaker who profits off of stereotypes and cliched black issues. no one forgot, but the trouble spike stirred and continues to stir with his work is worth the dialogue it engenders… perrys work, in all its stereotypical negro silliness is not… i really dont understand how the two can be compared on any level outside of being black males.. its apples and oranges.
I think that when Spike Lee conjured images it was always followed by a discussion. There was enough depth in characterization to at least draw out the rationale behind those sterotypes. So far there is nothing in Perry’s depictions that warrant further inspection. That in my opinion is the inherent different. John Amos quit Good Times ratherthan suppor thte increasing buffonery of the JJ character. How many Black people in that arena would have the same integrity.
Our image is our induring legacy and the protection and projection of that image are things that we shoudl be keeny aware and protective of. We don’t have the latitude that other groups have
When I spoke the “How soon we forget” line, I was speaking in reference to Spike and how he felt when people attacked him for making movies his way. With Perry though, I agree with you, for the most part. His characters are not very deep, his story lines are repetitive and his stereotypes can definitely go to the point of “putting our business in the street”. But, in his defense at least his characters are mostly black, they aren’t all thugs and dealers trying to make a fast buck… and as “hood” as Madea may be, she is always the one that brings the story full circle. The proverbial “mother” of the family that, no matter how bad things get, she always has the perfect sentence to bring you back when you are standing on the precipice of ill fact.
Granted, his story lines are a bit played. I can definitely see that. Step 1, Girl has no good man, she can’t seem to shake him, she finds the strength in God and is able to overcome… Step 2, Remove girl, insert guy, repeat…
Ok, we get it. But it’s still a positive message. I myself have referred several people to take a look at his play “Madea goes to jail”… the part when she is talking to her nephew after he found out his wife was cheating… That is still a powerful scene with good information no matter how much you might not like him. He has a strong message and if only 1 person is helped per movie by something he says, he has done his job. Now, I’m only speaking from the aspect of his plays…. His television shows and movies, I have not seen enough of to make a judgment on that and from what I’m told, that is the bulk of Lee’s problems.
But that is the bulk of Black tv as a whole today. Perry has never jumped into deep water and dealt with issues outside of Blacks’ interactions with other Blacks… But let me ask you this? (Totally Playing the Devil’s Advocate here) Did Martin Lawrence? Was “Martin” a panicle example of Black America? I don’t think so… But people loved him…. With Tyler’s fan base, he doesn’t need to “step out of the box”. As you said, the same people that supported Lee in their 20’s are now supporting Tyler in their 40’s. So these people are not necessarily affected by Perry’s work because they have already been molded. Set in their ways, so to speak. The problem comes in when Perry’s “view of Black America” infiltrates our kids… If what is being said about his tv shows is true, he isn’t giving them something to think about. And that’s a problem. And that also shows Hollywood that besides hookers, thieves, drug dealers and thugs… oh yeah, they can play buffoons too… And that’s not a good look. So in that aspect, I definitely agree!
Bless!