I Get Madea!
Okay, I’m going to admit it publicly: I didn’t get Tyler Perry’s Madea.
There I’ve said it.
I first heard of Tyler Perry last Christmas when a friend gave me a couple of his plays for a Christmas gift. We watched the plays and I laughed a little, but I thought Madea was a bit much, a bit too much. That said, I went to see Diary of a Mad Black Woman the weekend it opened. Since a little Madea goes a long way, I still haven’t seen Madea’s Family Reunion.
I consider myself more a David Talbert type of viewer. The same friend who gave me the Perry plays later gave me a couple of Talbert plays and I enjoyed all of them: He Say, She Say, Fabric of a Man, and Love on-Lay-Away.
But I saw Madea Goes to Jail this weekend and now I’m a believer. I cannot express to you how much I enjoyed that play [on DVD]. I finally understood what Tyler Perry is doing with the completely over-the-top and irreverant Madea and I was moved. I wanted to watch it again. I’m going to buy a copy along with a copy of Madea’s Family Reunion. I just hate that I didn’t see Family Reunion in the theatre.
I haven’t seen Tyler’s television series, House of Payne, but you had better believe I’m going to scour the TBS listings to find it. I have nothing but love for Tyler Perry.
So tell me what you think of the Perry and Talbert plays. You have to try them!
September 7th, 2006 at 6:59 pm
All I can say is whenever I’m down, all I have to do is pop in a Madea DVD (the real thing–not bootleg!!
) I have never laughed that hard. I first saw the play Family Reunion. Since then I’ve seen the plays Diary of a Mad Black Woman and I Can Do Bad All By Myself. At the movies, I’ve seen Diary AND Family Reunion. Family Reunion is his best work YET. I laughed, but then I cried!!! Tyler Perry is a genius!!!! I LOVE MADEA!!! Everytime he tries to retire her, she comes back even stronger!!!! I haven’t seen Madea Goes To Jail, but I heard it’s hilarious. I think I’ll go and get it tomorrow! 
September 8th, 2006 at 10:45 am
Maybe I need to see Madea Goes to Jail, because I am definitely not a fan. However, I do respect Tyler Perry for doing as they say “His thang.” We all have to work our angle.
September 8th, 2006 at 11:08 am
Okay, okay. If you can confess, so can I.
I not see any Tyler Perry productions. None. Not on stage, not in the theatres, not on TV.
In the mid ’80s, there were Black plays making the rounds that were indistinguisable in plot with names similar to the titles of Mr. Perry’s work. They were great for a night out but really weren’t very good. The characters were often over the top and the plot likes very weak. They were more vehicles for singing than anything. From what I’ve seen in promos, I assume Mr. Perry’s productions are similar, although perhaps the production quality has improved and the songs have been dropped. Therefore, I haven’t been interested. Unfair yes but true.
I just checked out the link for House of Payne, which I knew NOTHING about. Guess it didn’t air in my region. Anyway, I liked what I saw, so maybe I’ll give Mr. Perry a chance.
September 8th, 2006 at 11:42 am
House of Payne is wonderful. Allen Payne is a cutie and the issues are so real. It is a great show. They put it on TV here in MD for a couple of weeks and I was just so into it. I wish Tyler Perry the best.
September 8th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
Nah Patricia not fair. Give a brother a chance at least, then form your opinion. His work is clean and has a message. We need more like him.
September 9th, 2006 at 6:06 am
I have been a Tyler Perry Fan for years. I have seen every play that has come to Detroit and I have all of his plays (purchased from his website). Some would say that Madea is messy and others critize Tyler Peryy from a Christian perspective and say that he shouldn’t dress as a woman. That may be their outlook, but I see the approach that he takes to reach the downtrodden and try to add humor to the lives of those with broken spirits. God has been his message from day one and I believe that no matter what venue he uses to reach, he’s reaching! God bless his efforts!
September 9th, 2006 at 11:11 am
Amen Jacque, what is the problem with Tyler dressing up like a woman?? It’s called ACTING!!!! I am a Christian, and sometimes I wonder if people even realize what real Christianity is. Good grief. Glad to read the comments of another fan. I was kinda disappointed about one thing though. In past plays, the only profanity Perry ever used was “hell” but I see he’s added A$$ to his play/movie profanity now. I wish he wouldn’t have done that. His play would have been fine without it. I understand Madea is not saved, but I still believe his plays have a Christian base. I just hope Perry doesn’t contiinue to add more “words”.
September 11th, 2006 at 6:52 pm
I saw Madea’s Family Reunion (play) and also saw Dairy of a Mad Black Woman (movie); enjoyed both. I think Tyler Perry is reaching folks with his message / Christianity. I plan to purchase the “legit” DVD’s since I don’t believe in “bootleg” anything. All the episodes of “House of Payne”
were shown here (Dallas area) on Father’s Day; enjoyed it also; it was reality & didn’t “sugar coat” issues.
September 11th, 2006 at 8:22 pm
Hey, I have to join the choir here. I didn’t buy/get bootleg copies either. I just wanted to go on the record.
September 12th, 2006 at 8:26 am
I am a big fan of Tyler Perry. This brother, in my opinion, is very talented. I have seen all of his plays and movies. Madea’s Family Reunion is his best work yet. For me, the attraction is that I can see some of my family and friends in everything that he does. In other words, I can relate. In closing, I think that everyone needs a “Madea” in their family. Someone to keep it real and deal with issues head on.
September 12th, 2006 at 12:43 pm
I think I heard somewhere that he’s coming out with a new movie–Daddy’s Little Girls or something like that. Does anyone have any information about that?
September 14th, 2006 at 2:43 am
I’ve never heard of this writer–for maybe obvious reasons. I’m not African-American and I take it he is.
Sometimes I’m really sorry that there is such a big information gap between the two “worlds”. I don’t know if the BET Channel is still on the air but we can’t get it anymore. We only had it for a very short time. I’m not a big TV fan so, no, I didn’t watch it a lot but sometimes I wanted a different perspective on certain news items.
I don’t know when I’ll get a working TV again. It’s not that mine’s broken but I don’t have the funds to get it connected. I don’t even have the necessary rabbit ears to get better reception of the only local station I’ve been able to get at all. We’ll see what happens in 2007 when my debts should be paid off.
But it is truly difficult to find “black” information here although we do have “black” people here.
And that is one of the dilemmas I constantly come up against. What should I call you: black, African-American, or something else. There are people who object to all of them and I want to give the least offence possible. I don’t want to attach a label to anyone but in some instances it’s just necessary for clarification. To me. you are simply people and if you’re Christian, “brothers and sisters in Christ”. That is the dearest appellation along with “friend”.
September 14th, 2006 at 6:33 am
Sigrun, I think if you say African-American, you’ll be politically correct with the majority of my people!
Some of us now welcome the term “people of color”.
Where do you live by the way?
September 14th, 2006 at 3:42 pm
Geigh, you can go on Tyler Perry’s website to find information about that new movie.
Now, I loooove Tyler Perry’s productions. I haven’t seen all of them but I love the one’s I have had the opportunity to see. But the thing is, not everything is for everyone and we tend to criticize everything from our own perspective without being mindful of the fact that it may be the avenue for others to be reached. It’s as simple as this: EAT THE MEAT AND SPIT OUT THE BONES! If its not for you, then find out what is, but don’t judge and don’t criticize because whose to say that God hadn’t ordained it to be this way.
September 14th, 2006 at 7:03 pm
Amen Meme!!! Hallelujer!!!
October 30th, 2006 at 5:54 am
Madea is so full of wisdom for the young folks.
“adea goes to Jail”‘has a scene in which she is explaing why people come and go from your life. “Let them go”.
She makes me think and I like that.
” I’ll take Jail for 50 Alex!”
December 12th, 2006 at 9:03 am
i love all tyler perry show , myself. But my grandbaby LOVE madea ,mr brown. She;s five yrs old. she know every one by name. the one;s that she have seen , i have to buy her the dvd every time we go into a store were madea been stole. If i nned sometime to myseft all i have to do is to put madea on she would set there .laughing at madea.I wish one day i’ll be abl to take her to a live show , It will be a blessing if that child can be bless enought to meet madea/mr.perry in person. Not only but the childern just love madea, ‘Madea coming in home to the childen that alway want ed/wish/needed the love and protection of a big mama like MADEA! “Thankyou Mr.Perry for coming into the childen life ,
June 4th, 2007 at 11:42 am
Angela,
Thanks for blogging about Tyler Perry’s House of Payne.
Check out the newest sneak peek of the show on TBS.com.
http://www.tbs.com/video/0,,110825,00.html
If you need anything else or have any questions of concerns, let me know.
Seth Miller
Director, Digital Marketing
TBS/TNT/TCM
June 15th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
[…] Daddy’s Little Girls didn’t do anywhere near as well at the theatres as the Madea movies, but it should have done better because it’s a movie for everybody. There are no over-the-top characters; just real people living, loving and growing through life’s challenges. If you haven’t seen this movie, go out today and rent it. You will not be disappointed. […]
June 21st, 2007 at 10:04 pm
Hey Angela,
How is it going. We missed hanging out the last time you were here, maybe we can get it together one of these times.
All is well. I am excited about my next children’s book. I plan to submit it to a main stream publisher. I need someone else to pay for my publicity on this third one. (good luck right?)
My next book is going to be fun but I am still working Pinksta & The Polka Dotted Pinstriped Pants Wearing Princess. I am going birthday spa parties with the products on my websited related to the book.
Have a blessed day.
Sy
June 21st, 2007 at 10:04 pm
Hey Angela,
How is it going. We missed hanging out the last time you were here, maybe we can get it together one of these times.
All is well. I am excited about my next children’s book. I plan to submit it to a main stream publisher. I need someone else to pay for my publicity on this third one. (good luck right?)
My next book is going to be fun but I am still working Pinksta & The Polka Dotted Pinstriped Pants Wearing Princess. I am doing birthday spa parties with the products on my websited related to the book.
Have a blessed day.
Sy
November 15th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
spa weekend…
i love this post, this is exactly what iam looking. thanks for posting this, take care….