Tyler Perry VS Spike Lee – Are Tyler Perry’s Movies Negative?
Tyler Perry and Spike Lee's movies are very different. But they are a great example of how they make their way through the industry as African American Directors. Makes it not all that surprising that Spike is not impressed with Perry's work which he has expressed for some time. Now Perry lashes back in perhaps an attempt to stir up dust about his new movie Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family.
Perry posted on his website some vagueness talking about lifting spirits with comedy and the like. He let it go at a press conference to promote his new movie.
Huffington Post - "I'm so sick of hearing about damn Spike Lee," Perry said during the press conference (via Box Office Magazine). "Spike can go straight to hell! You can print that. I am sick of him talking about me, I am sick of him saying, 'this is a coon, this is a buffoon.' I am sick of him talking about black people going to see movies. This is what he said: 'you vote by what you see,' as if black people don't know what they want to see."
Mr. Perry is not wrong that people go see his movies. $520 million in ticket receipts over the past six years is no small number. But Spike doesn't seem to think that means Perry's work is worth seeing. Lee let his feelings be heard -
Huffington Post - "Each artist should be allowed to pursue their artistic endeavors, but I still think there is a lot of stuff out today that is coonery and buffoonery," he said in '09. "I know it's making a lot of money and breaking records, but we can do
better. ... I am a huge basketball fan, and when I watch the games on TNT, I see these two ads for these two shows (Tyler Perry's 'Meet the Browns' and 'House of Payne'), and I am scratching my head. We got a black president, and we going back to Mantan Moreland and Sleep 'n' Eat?"
What do you think of the argument? What side do you find your self leaning towards? I'm going with Spike on this one, but mainly because I like his movies more.
More From KISS FM
