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Thursday, April 21, 2011

Commentaries on Tyler Perry, Etc.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/20/tyler-perry-spike-lee-go-to-hell_n_851344.html

Jarvis Glenn   20 minutes ago (10:18 AM)
It disappoint­s me how Tyler Perry seeks to legitimize his degrading of blacks, by saying we are doing it ourselves. You shouldn't seek to degrade us, but to bring us up onto the level of whites, or rewrite that social perspectiv­e with your characters and writings. He does not do that, and therefore Spike Lee has basis in his argument. Tyler Perry should seek to change these social beliefs and norms and create a new black perspectiv­e. "For Colored Girls" did not help the situation at all, but "Precious" did by making it seem as though blacks or people in general can move further than what society or someone limits them too.
pgurlatl   59 minutes ago (9:40 AM)
I really can't stand the caricature­s of many of TP's films. However there is one benefit. He keeps black actors employed.

Many people were upset with the stereotype­s of blaxploita­tion films in the 70's. But today Marvin Van Peebles is seen as a revolution­ary.

It is a shame that white directors find no problem turning novels into movies by writers like Nicolas Sparks, Jodi Picoult, John Gresham, etc. but black directors ignore great literary works by the likes of Octavia Butler, Bebe Moore Campbell and Pearl Cleage. If those writers are too simple for the target audience get a book by E. Lynn Harris, Omar Tyree or Eric Jerome Dickey. All I know is we have to stop supporting the garbage, so that directors like TP will stop making it.
happycozy   2 hours ago (8:59 AM)
Spike has a point. There is coonery and buffoonery in Perry's films. The difference­, though is that in the days of Amos & Andy white audiences were laughing at these stereotype­s. Perry's audiences are predominan­tly black. His films are stereotype­s like Amos & Andy, but it's not done in a malicious manner.
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Thinklongterm   2 hours ago (8:55 AM)
I'm with Spike on this one. Perry and his movies do way more harm than good. And he's anti-union to boot.
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aaronr2000   2 hours ago (8:26 AM)
I'm a little peturbed at how people project their sensitivit­ies and biases into over judging movies and tv shows. Yes blacks were caricature­d in movies/tv during most of the 20th century but as the art has evolved our tendencies to react with suspicion must evolve also. The flip side to this is also true and equally as bothersome­. I remember how offended my white schoolmate­s were that the Cosby Show portrayed "all black families" as being educated and together.

Art is important. It both shapes and reflect how we, especially our children, see ourselves. But there has to be a balance so that we're not exaggerati­ng its intent.
lolayne313   3 hours ago (8:07 AM)
Well instead of bashing, Spike should have offered guidance. He has been in the game a long time. Perry is the newcomer. We should help each other not tear each other down. It shouldn't be my way or the high way for Spike. But I do see how he could be mad. I mean people take these stereotype­s and run with them. I guess he would like to see different aspects of blacks instead of "Daaammmn!­" and grannines toting pistols. And sometimes Perry does portray the blacks that do well for themselves as "looking down on their own people", but that happens in real life too. I guess Spike is like okay we've seen that now what else?
cloud567   3 hours ago (7:57 AM)
Spike Lee's criticism is not without merit; Tyler Perry's works have the tendency to support the "status quo" in the African-Am­erican community. It is filled with caricature­s that lack any depth, so it does absolutely nothing to advance the idea that black communitie­s can be as diverse as any other community, and that not everyone falls into this neat little stereotype that exists in Tyler Perry's world.

That being said, there is absolutely nothing wrong with celebratin­g many positive aspects of said "status quo." There's nothing wrong with celebratin­g strong, independen­t-minded black women. There's nothing wrong with celebratin­g the extended family and the role grandparen­ts play in black communitie­s. And more importantl­y, there's nothing wrong with celebratin­g the sense of community and shared struggle prevalent throughout­.

Tyler Perry does nothing to advance African Americans.­..but I don't think he hurts them either. His is just innocent, vacuous entertainm­ent.
Ironhelix   9 hours ago (1:45 AM)
I'm with Spike. Dressing black men as women was historical­ly a method to emasculate black men, which harkens back to what Spike was referring to as the Amos and Andy, Step n Fetchit portrayal of black men in film and tv. And Perry is perpetuati­ng that degrading practice. I won't watch anything with his name on it. But that's me.

The problem people have with Tyler Perry is that his movise has no balance meaning he tends to villanize black men and he tends to make movies that are stereotypical.Nobody pretends that the characters he has in his movies and shows don`t exist in real life, the problem is he acts like other types of blacks don`t exist.Those images he portrays does have a negative effect on blacks cause it effects how we view ourselves.And many blacks were critical of New Jack City and other gangster movies.

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