Image via Complex Original
Tyler Perry’s brand of comedy isn’t uncommon in pop culture but may be the most over-ruminated on. Ever since the writer/director/producer/actor/philanthropist/pitchman-of-the-millennium introduced mainstream audiences to Madea in 2005’s Diary of a Mad Black Woman, the digital space became a free-for-all for pundits and pseudo-intellectuals to criticize the unremarkable quality of his work, which tend to emphasize stereotypes. However, despite the critics, Perry is still the highest-paid man in entertainment—proof that he may be the best worst director in film history.
People who love him continue to stan, but those who despise him argue a moot point—because intellectualizing Perry’s nursery rhyme approach to filmmaking is like talking about architecture to a frog. With the Friday release of his newest project Temptation sure to add more fuel to the proverbial fire, here are 10 reasons why Tyler Perry alarmists need to Commes des Fuckdown.
RELATED: The 25 Best Black Comedy Movies
Written by Sterrene Rhett Rocque (@GangStarrGirl)
(For Michael Arceneaux's rebuttal, please see 10 Reasons Why Tyler Perry Is the Worst.)
You Don't Have to Watch It
The same way we can vote for the officials that hold office, we have a choice in what type of entertainment we want to see. But what's better about the latter is, unlike elected officials, we're not stuck with entertainment that we don't like. Even if millions of people enjoy it we can always choose to turn it off or just not buy a ticket. It's that simple. Perry's work, like it or not, resonates enough to encourage him to keep creating but you don't really have to deal with it. Read a book or watch a (very) pre-Red Hook Summer Spike Lee flick and reminisce about the good ol' days of Black cinema circa Mo' Better Blues.
He's Achieved the American Dream
It's not easy getting a piece of that coveted American Pie-especially when you're under the manicured thumb of the 1%—but despite conventional wisdom Perry's figured out how to master the game. He went from homeless to grand wizard of entertainment based on pedestrian shtick and dressing in drag. Historically, people have been getting rich by seducing the masses with mediocrity for years—see Kim Kardashian and the entire cast of Jersey Shore—but he's also one of Oprah's favorite people, checkmate.
You Still Watch His Movies
Even Tyler Perry's most staunch detractors have to watch his flicks...for research. How else would they have insight for their incessant debates? So whether it's for "research" purposes or there was nothing else on when you got home from the club, bad movies serve a purpose. They give bootleggers films to hock (not that we condone piracy), make great sleep aides, and provide fodder for bad reviews. If a bad movie is screened in an empty theatre and no one is there to see it, is it still bad?
You know what they say about people who assume things about Tyler Perry films—he still manages to makes an ass-load of cash out of you and me. Well, unless he's playing Alex Cross.
Your Movie Doesn't Exist
The digital space provides a place for people who fancy themselves pundits to lament about...everything. However, technological advancements also allow mass access to editing software, video sharing sites, and an opportunity to sell your own limited vision created with iPhone videography and Windows Movie Maker editing. It worked for the geniuses behind Paranormal Activity and Saw, both of which turned into million-dollar franchises based on recycling and repackaging the same ideas to people who actually paid to watch it year after year. So if you really think you can do better than Perry, prove it or pipe down.
Crappy Movies are a Fact of Life
There are awesomely bad movies, like Hot Tub Time Machine and Spaceballs, that we enjoy watching. Then there are bad movies, like Wrath of the Titans, Soul Plane, That's My Boy, She Hate Me, Battleship, The Dictator and Obsessed, that we hate ourselves for watching. Then there are the terrible movies, like the Twilight saga that despite conventional wisdom became a million-dollar, international cult phenomenon. The bottom line is, if badly written folklore involving vampires shining like diamonds in the sun and one-day pregnancies is acceptable for teenie bopper fanfare, then let church ladies live, too.
There Are Worthier Causes to Fight
Protesting a movie is futile unless it's unless it's Birth of a Nation-appalling. Besides, there are other, more sobering real-life atrocities worth fighting, worse than a bad director. For instance, the HIV epidemic, obesity, unemployment, high fructose corn syrup, military drones, torture, Rihanna's acting, and genetically modified everything. Make a difference where it really counts and keep people happy, healthy and safe from pop stars who are better off posting half-naked Instagram flicks. #HiRihanna
Intellectualizing Inanity Is a Waste of Brain Power
By now we should all understand that Tyler Perry isn't Gordon Parks, James Baldwin, or [insert artist here], whose art was created to spark intelligent conversation about issues like race, class and politics, whose art goes beyond the simplicity of a Sunday School lecture.
At most, Perry's movies are simple narratives geared toward Christian brunch clubs and Oprah. Attempting to find depth or potent meaning in any of his films is not the point; it's about showing up and having a good time. It's just a (bad) movie and not meant for everyone.
You Can't Be Selective About Criticism
One of the major arguments against Perry's work is that a Black man doing drag falls in the category of buffoonery. But anyone who has ever laughed at Martin Lawrence as Sheneneh, or enjoyed To Wong Foo, Mrs. Doubtfire, Coming to America (see Arsenio Hall in drag) or The Klumps enabled Madea, who probably wouldn't have been possible without her comedy dragmothers. Which came first, the doily-dressed chicken or the egg with a wig on?
He Pulls Decent Actors
Critics argue that Perry's movies are rife with clichés, stereotypes, bad writing, and silly melodrama (not many arguments here) but legit Hollywood players actually seem to go for it. Perry consistently pulls big-name talent like Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson, Gabrielle Union, Phylicia Rashad, Louis Gossett Jr, Idris Elba, Tracee Ellis Ross, Eugene Levy, Alfre Woodard, Cicely Tyson, and even Kathy Bates (but you know she loves misery). They either see something in his work, really like his personality, or have sold their souls to the devil. Let's go with options A, and B for the sake of optimism.
He Means Well
The recession is technically over (#yeahright) but people are still struggling with un- and underemployment, and sometimes escapism provides a nice release. With Perry, the storylines are always predictable, linear, and get to a happy ending, and that's what his fans seem to enjoy. In the case of his latest flick, Temptation, there's enough eye candy to distract men and women alike from what will probably be a dumb plot-Lance Gross, Jurnee Smollett, pre-pregnant Kim Kardashaian...wait, where was this going again? Oh yeah, positivity goes a long way.