Madea's Oprah Reunion

Tyler Perry—creator of the hugely popular Madea series of plays and, now, movies—is the latest guest on the Oprah sofa. The interview was fairly lackluster, but a later comedy routine with his alter ego of Madea Simmons was truly hilarious and The Malcontent offers a full video clip. Tyler was on the show to promote his latest movie Madea's Family Reunion.

It's more than somewhat ironic that Tyler Perry has based his act on a legendary Atlanta female impersonator (Ms. Sophia McIntosh, profiled here), performs as Madea in a dress and wig, yet, the scripts often take potshots at gays. Hopefully the film adaptation will lack the gay jokes that have become standard operating procedure in plays such as Family Reunion. ("Is your son still playing with Barbie dolls? Or has he graduated to playing with Ken?") For the most part, the musicals are inspirational, family-oriented and based in the traditions of the black church. But, as many of us have learned from experience, that can also mean that the humor can be judgmental and elitist.

Tyler's segment was neatly divided into two parts. The first part contained the intro, clips and the predictable interview. The second part was much more interesting; with Tyler Perry supposedly sitting on the set, Madea Simmons appeared "Live via Satellite" from her home in Atlanta. (Actually, we all know that Tyler lives in an Alpharetta mansion, but why quibble.) The talk back with Oprah, the audience, and "Tyler" was hilarious—especially when Tyler asked his alter ego for advice on dating a woman. Almost anyone from Atlanta will that ... let's just say amusing.

The stage version of Madea's Family Reunion is one of our fave Madea plays; Terrell Carter's solo is spectacular, plus he looks almost as good, if not better, than his voice. (Which is, well, spectacular.) Of course, Tamela and David Mann, as Cora and Mr. Brown, are remarkable. Unfortunately, none of these people will be incorporated into the film adaptation. The movie version of Family Reunion will boast a galaxy of gay-familiar names—Lynn Whitfield, Boris Kodjoe, Henry Simmons, Jenifer Lewis, Cicely Tyson and Maya Aneglou. The soul and the music will be out, the stars will be in. Nothing new there.

In more ways than one, this was a gay show. Before Tyler-slash-Madea appeared in wig and make-up to offer dating advice, Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal sat on the sofa to talk Brokeback Mountain and The Malcontent offers has another great clip of the segment. Readers familiar to these pages will recall Oprah segments where we have called her to task for being gay-friendly but not gay-literate. We've always thought that perhaps Oprah was much more comfortable around gay men and gay topics that were not black-oriented—especially steering clear of black men who were closeted. But it seems that we aren't the only ones who've noticed this. The mainstream (okay, white) gay audiences are not necessarily singing her praises after the Brokeback interview: Lady O seemed to be pre-occupied with their same-sex kiss and worries that the actors wouldn't be typecast. The comments section at Towleroad and The Malcontent—who has the video clip—are heated with debate on the interview.

A big muah and thanks to The Malcontent for video and screen caps!

Chinese censors ban Brokeback but okay Memoirs of a Geisha. Just last week, director Ang Lee—born in Taiwan—was hoping for approval, saying that Asian audiences were possibly more receptive to gay themes.

Comments

[boogie tonight]

i would like to see the Oprah after the show of this show, Rod can you get a recap?

[algie]

i love tyler perry. i look forward to the movie. i hope its as good as it looks and does well at the box office because tyler deserves it

[MsSophiaFan]

Tyler, please stop with the "I am waiting on a woman" schtick. You know you ripped Madea off of Ms. Sophia from all those Monday nights you would catch the ATL-legend hosting the drag show at Traxx. Looks like Madea's dresses aren't alone in Tyler's closet. I will give Tyler credit for providing the best eye-candy in his flicks.

[Mark Norris]

Red Light!!!!!! Terrell Carter was in Madea's Class Reunion, and Meet The Browns not Madea's Family Reunion. I have been a Tyler fan from almost the beginning. Check it out.

Good stuff Rod as always. Besides the mistaken identity you are right on target as usual. You actually answered the questions me and my sister were trying to figure out. Who was live and who was taped. It makes sense that Tyler part was taped and edited in during the Madea interview.

Thanks,
Mark

[a thomas c]

personally, i think the entire interview with dude was lackluster at best...

perry bores me...

[Mr. Prince]

It was interesting to watch the BBM part, because at the beginning you could tell she was going to go for her pantented "Gay married man" routine, but after one question, she backed off? I don't know, I'm dissapointed in you Oprah; I mean you're Oprah!!! you should know better.

[Jennifer]

Mr. Prince, What do you expect? Tyler is not giving Oprah a book/movie deal like Terry "Scary" McMillian and her ex Jonathan.

Ever wondered why Oprah is a pantheist, because her God is Money and she's a capitalist cunt.

[Dexter]

I cannot wait to see "Madea's Family Reunion." I hope that it will be as funny, if not funnier, than the previous installment.

[Major H.]

Mr. Tyler, keep up the great work. I really enjoyed Madea's Family Reunion it was a "BLAST". I hope one day you will make a movie Medea's military stories. Soldiers, needs something funny relating to the military for a moral booster. Furthermore, I will make sure my soldiers will buy your videos from the "STORE". Have a Bless day and thanks again.
MAJ H.

[tyler jones]

you guy's really need 2 know your real t if tyler stole it from sophia who did she steal it from ask around who was doing granny hightower before sophia www.comedianpt.com check her out
miss sophia stole that from her pt ws working at the clun metro b4 sophia got thier