And even if he is, how do you weigh that against the good he’s doing?
Doubtfire, say, with car chases and reefer jokes.
But there are very few black images in Hollywood, so black people are going to his movies.
Credit: Alfeo Dixon
Tyler Perry is making money.
Alotof money.Jailhas already earned more than $75 million, making it Perrys highest-grossing film to date.
He may already be the most divisive.
But Madea does have connections to the old mammy bang out.
If a white director put out this product, the black audience would be appalled.
Perry and his supporters disagree, to say the least.
the chitlin circuit) that even Hollywood couldnt ignore him.
These characters are simply tools to make people laugh, Perry says.
And I know for a fact that they have helped, inspired, and encouraged millions of people.
In truth, the films are laced with moral lessons trumpeting forgiveness and personal responsibility.
Hes not out there promoting gangster culture, says Vicangelo Bulluck, executive director of the NAACPs Hollywood bureau.
If anything, hes trying to make us think about family values.
Nor is every African-American cultural critic up in arms over Perrys caricatures.
Thats why intellectuals have a hard time with humor.
NEXT PAGE: Tyler Perry is simply reflecting the thinking of a lot of uneducated, working-class African-Americans.
