Yesterday on 60 minutes, filmmaker Tyler Perry was allowed to offer his two cents in response to the comments made by Spike Lee.
During a May interview regarding the state of black entertainment in an interview with Ed Gordon, Spike was quoted as saying “I think that there is a lot of stuff out today that is coonery and buffoonery. I see ads for ‘Meet the Browns’ and ‘House of Payne’and I’m scratchin’ my head
“We’ve got a black president and it seems like we’re going back. The image is troubling and it harkens back to Amos and Andy.”
Reporter Byron Pitts read the comments to Perry as a part of the interview and he was obviously affected and incensed by Lee’s words.
“I would love to read that to my fan base,” Perry responded. “Let me tell you what Madea, Brown and all of these characters are bait. Disarming, charming make you laugh bait so that I can slap Madea in something and talk about God, love, faith, forgiveness, family…any of those things…you know.”
“So that pisses me off, it really does because it’s so insulting,” Perry continued obviously nearly overcome with emotion. “It’s attitudes like that make Hollywood think that these people do not exist and that’s why there is no material speaking to them…speaking to us.”
Information from 60 Minutes contributed to this report.
