Popcorn, Soda, and Goobers - Movie and DVD Reviews and Film Commentary

I’ve had enough, America. For far too long, we have let Tyler Perry have free rein. He started out on the fringe, writing plays and movies that seemed innocuous. His early Madea series of plays were accepted and lauded by critics, who never expected him to be as successful as he is now. And with his success, we all discovered the monster that is Tyler Perry’s Tyler Perry’s ego. Observe:

FACT: Tyler Perry’s last seven projects where he has been a producer and writer have all started with “Tyler Perry’s …”

FACT: On Tyler Perry’s Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married (2007), his name appeared on the movie poster six times.

FACT: Tyler Perry’s Tyler Perry dresses in drag to play a recurring character in most of his work – Mabel “Madea” Simmons. This character looks nothing like an elderly woman should. In fact, it looks just like Tyler Perry dressed in drag.

FACT: On the cover of his play, “Madea’s Class Reunion,” Tyler Perry’s name is larger than the title of the play AND his face appears twice.

FACT: Tyler Perry’s Tyler Perry’s Tyler Perry’s underwear is all labeled with the monogram “Tyler Perry’s Tyler Perry’s TP.”

I can respect the fact that Tyler Perry’s Tyler Perry wants to build a brand around his (Tyler Perry’s) work. It’s not that I have anything against the guy, but you don’t see me walking around putting my name in front of everything I ever do (which, incidentally, would make my toilet time a lot more tedious). It’s just that at this point, it’s transparent. It’s not like we can’t tell it’s Tyler Perry’s work – it’s full of very stereotypical characters that Tyler Perry over-uses in all his work to fill very common archetypes; and it always features Tyler Perry’s Tyler Perry, dressed in old drag.

It has gone to the point where I have actively avoided anything to do with Tyler Perry, from his TBS show, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, to his new movie, Tyler Perry’s The Family That Preys. I have even boycotted the commercials on TV. He is bordering on Eddie Murphy territory of narcissistic egomania. And that is when you know you’ve gone too far.

A word of advice, Tyler Perry’s Tyler Perry: if your work is truly high-quality work, it should speak for itself. At this point, I just make the association that Tyler Perry means egomaniacal. I urge all of Hollywood to title all of their movies “Not Tyler Perry’s…” This is the only way we can knock an ego that big to size.

I only hope that the new J.J. Abrams-led Star Trek movie with a cameo appearance by Tyler Perry isn’t called “Tyler Perry’s Star Trek.” That would be unforgivable.