Tyler Perry
Making a Difference

Tyler Perry has risen to phenomenal heights as a writer, director, producer, and actor. His stories bring laughter and inspiration to diverse audiences while presenting thought-provoking lessons. Although Perry grew up in poverty (in New Orleans) and spent many of his childhood years escaping family abuse, he was determined to follow a higher path. Oftentimes being in his mother’s presence (the reason he can write women’s stories so well) and writing plays were his escape. With successful stage plays and films under his belt (Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Madea’s Family Reunion, Why Did I Get Married, Meet The Browns and The Family that Preys, just to name a few) Perry doesn’t just want to make movies and write plays. He wants to make a difference. Perry’s latest release, MADEA GOES TO JAIL, leaves audiences in stitches, but also gives hope to those who might have experienced a troubling past.

In person, Perry is tall and commanding, but even with his strong presence, he manages to exude a meek aura that makes others comfortable approaching him. Before long he’s laughing or joking about something - breaking down any defenses one might have. Perry admits he can sometimes be “silly.”
Below are a few quotes from my interview with Tyler Perry.

On Madea:
Madea is my aunt from Texas. Madea is the PG version of her. She is wide open and says the first thing that comes to her mind. But the wisdom side of Madea is my mother. In 1999 I did “I Know I Been Changed,” my first play. And I was doing the second play – and had seen Eddie Murphy do The Clumps, and I said, ‘Okay. I did my old man and he was very successful. This time I’m going to do a woman.’ I’ll never forget telling a couple of folks that, and they were like, ‘Are you crazy?’ So, I put the costume on for the first time and I looked at myself in the mirror and I’m like, ‘What are you thinking?’ I was shaking. It worked. It didn’t work right away. It took about a month or two to really get into it. I had only intended to do Madea that one show and be done with it.

On his Crossover Appeal:
I’ve always thought that [my stories] were universal stories even though my audience in the beginning was predominately African-American. On my last tour I saw the racial makeup of the audience start to change. The most amazing thing is to stand on stage at the end of the night and see every generation represented and to see all the races represented. And it just let me know to stay right where I am – to continue to sell these stories, because they are universal. And people talk about ‘Crossover, crossover. What are you going to do to crossover?’’ I don’t think there’s a line there. I think if you relate to it, you can relate to it. That’s what I’m finding.

On whether success has changed him:
It has. I’ve had to change. I’m a person that’s really giving and really, really outgoing, so I’m a little more selective of how I do things.

On Barack and Michele Obama:
I was just inspired by Michele and Barack Obama to write a new script that is phenomenal. I’m writing it right now. Just watching him in the debate with Hillary and meeting him and Michele and having dinner with them inspired this amazing story. It’s a love story with a little political twist. It’s called, “For the Love of You,” and it’s about Barack’s love for his woman.

On Haters and Naysayers:
The naysayers are going to be the naysayers and I’m gonna let them keep naying and saying.

On filming movies at his home: (Diary of a Mad Black Woman was filmed in Perry’s suburban Atlanta home).
I’m not using my house or going anywhere near it. I was an idiot. I just did not know. I didn’t know that when you do a movie at your house, 2,000 people come and kill every plant and scratch and break everything in your house.

On Having Kids:
I worry if I have kids, because sometimes you never know. What happens if they grow up and you don’t like them? Then what do you do? I’ve got relatives that I don’t like. I love you, but I don’t like you.

On Good Directing:
I hire people that are capable of bringing it on their own. The key to being a good director – and I think I’m decent, not great – is to hire actors who know what they’re doing, and they always make you look good.

On his Formula for Success:
Pray, pray, pray. Talk to God all the time. The biggest thing is to just rise above the foolishness. Keep your focus. Keep your head above all the foolishness . . . and don’t believe the hype. I don’t care how many number ones - don’t believe how much they say you’re great. Don’t believe it. Just stay in your lane and do what you’re supposed to do.
And no matter what your faith or belief, what’s most important is that you walk away knowing that you can rise above, no matter who you are.