You know you have arrived when Spike Lee belittles your films’ success. In a recent interview with 60 Minutes, Tyler Perry addressed the comments in which Spike Lee compared Tyler Perry films and TV shows to Amos and Andy. Not only did he compare it to slap stick racist humor, he also used “baffoonery” and “coonery” as additional descriptions of Perry’s work. Now if Spike Lee would have picked on “Who’s You Caddy” then I wouldn’t raise an eyebrow. But Tyler Perry started in the theater with plays, and built a loyal following with his body of work. His plays were so successful that he was able to sell them on DVD, and claim 3 top ten spots for his sales. Naturally he decided to make a movie, and has been going ever since.

I would love to read that to my fan base. Let me tell you what Madea, Brown, all these characters are are bait. Disarming, charming, make-you-laugh bait, so I can slap Madea in something and talk about God, love, faith, forgiveness, family, any of those things, you know. So yes, I think, you know, that pisses me off. It really does.

It’s so insulting. It’s attitudes like that that make Hollywood think that these people do not exist. And that’s why there’s no material speaking to them, speaking to us.

Spike Lee problem is that he doesn’t no how to end his movies, and even if they start out exploring some deep socialogical issue, they lack a connection to real people. Where as Tyler Perry is able to capture the essence of real people, and real problems. Everytime you watch a Tyler Perry movie, you are shaking your head because you know someone like Madea. Maybe Spike Lee doesn’t have any Madea’s in his family or neighborhood, and every member of his family are deep philosophical people without a connection to reality, but to the surreality.