Tyler Perry has stated publicly that the role of Madea has caused him discomfort for quite some time.
Chris Wallace, once of Fox News and now host of CNN’s Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?, interviewed him and he revealed all.
Perry opens up to Wallace about many aspects of his life in this episode, “including his upcoming film A Jazzman’s Blues, his prior abuse at the hands of his father, his friendship with Oprah Winfrey, and his firm opinion on Madea, admitting he feels “extremely uncomfortable” playing the character.
“I’ve always been extremely uncomfortable in that suit and playing the character, but the audience loves it so much,” he remarked.
I” had planned “to participate in this for a single scene onstage, but the” main actor was late. Thus, the origin of the phenomenon was the character’s nightly growth. I don’t disagree “that it’s awesome and hilarious. I like it, but I” can’t let myself believe that it’s a reflection of who I really am.
Wallace expressed the sentiments of many Madea viewers. He said, “For somebody who’s a little embarrassed or uncomfortable with Madea, you’ve been playing her for 15, how many years?”
Perry chimed in, “I’m guessing 2009. However, the crowd just “won’t let her leave. Even the most recent time I did it, I swore I” wouldn’t do it again. Then everything turns upside down, and we end up with two presidents instead of one. Because of this, I intended to induce mirth. In response, “I said, “What do I have?” Take her out of the movie, then upload it” to Netflix. It dominates the market worldwide. Yes, it’s wonderful, but as soon as her visitors stop visiting, the old gal’s done for. It’s certain that she’s no longer alive.
Perry also addressed the backlash he had for his Madea movies in the early stages of his career.
You’d have to face [criticism] eventually. Spike Lee labeled Madea’s initial release “coonery buffoonery.” As Wallace put it, “there have been a lot of people over the years who say that you’re playing with negative stereotypes of black men and black women,” and “Perry chimed in that he, too, had been accused of emasculating black” males.
Black people in our society, in particular, have a tendency to look down on some aspects of our culture. He explains that the individuals he portrays in his films are the ones he grew up with: “My mom “would take me in the projects with her on the weekends, and she’d play cards with these women”.
“Most of them only went to high school, but hearing them talk about how much they loved each other and how when one of them was down, another would come in and make them laugh made me feel better. I’m five and playing Matchbox cars on the floor with my collection. I was taking a life-changing class. Therefore, when you say this, you’re reminding us of a time in our lives that we’d rather not discuss.
We don’t want the world to know that millions of black people’s experiences are unimportant to you. That’s why I think it’s been so popular,” he went on, “because so many of us can relate to “these women and these” situations, to “Uncle Joe and so on and so forth.
There’s also a connection to the Harlem Renaissance and writers like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston; Hughes” even compared Hurston to the “new Darkie” in an interview. Zora Neale was from the South, while Langston was from the north and quite enlightened. Her role required her to adopt a southern accent. Clearly, this debate predates both “Spike Lee and Tyler Perry. What happens, happens. But what matters most to me is” showing respect for the elders who have guided me and imparted their knowledge.