Perennial bachelor and very! straight! g-fab movie director Tyler Perry will celebrate his 40th birthday this September by purchasing a private island.
"I'm a loner by nature, so when I'm out there on these islands, I just
feel like the only person in the world," says Perry, whose latest film,
Madea Goes to Jail, grossed a whopping $41 million its opening weekend.
After recently spending a week vacationing on a private island
in the Great Exumas in the Bahamas, he admits it's not all relaxation:
"Renting an island is the best place for me to work uninterrupted." [...]
But he will put one rule into full effect: "There will be no paparazzi on my island!" he declares.
Of course there won't be any paparazzi on Tyler Perry's private getaway. But it's not like there is any special person in his life. "I'm just looking for the right woman," the nearly 40-year-old man told Essence, addressing those perennial gay rumors and explaining why he has never been linked with a woman.
You keep telling yourself that, Tyler. Oh and enjoy the privacy of your island.
i'd like to vote him off the island
Posted by: Shane Moseley | 28 February 2009 at 21:14
HAHA
Tyler Perry is actually saving money. It would be cheaper to rent the island boys if he owns the island.
Posted by: Chris Cruz | 28 February 2009 at 21:23
the chitlin circuit and gospel play crowd have made their tyler perry into a huge celebrity and star. many many millions. and as many women as there are in these churches and places, he still cannot find ONE?
okay ...
Posted by: Daniel | 28 February 2009 at 21:39
I WANNA GO! I WANNA GO!
Posted by: FREELEO | 28 February 2009 at 21:40
This queen needs to stop.
I betcha he will call the island "Madea" or some *ish like that.
What a waste of money. Oh and no serious person believes he is heterosexual.
Posted by: Danny Rivera | 28 February 2009 at 21:49
Freeleo...you want to visit Tyler Perry's private getaway? Just send him a picture. Preferably shirtless. I'm sure that is where Tyler will be conducting "auditions" for actors...lol
Posted by: BGC | 28 February 2009 at 22:01
"I haven't found the right woman" is what Liberace used to say.
In church, you can throw a rock and hit a dozen sisters who'd make a man a good wife.
Tyler is going to be another Luther: sad, closeted and lonely. Because if he ever came out, his constituency would EVAPORATE.
Posted by: Seahawk | 28 February 2009 at 22:37
The Luther analogy is excellent, Seahawk. Never even came to me and you're absolutely right.
Posted by: Rod Mc | 01 March 2009 at 00:25
It wouldn't be surprising if many black folks thought he was gay. We have a weird 'don't ask don't tell' system about black gay folks. Most of the time folks pretend they don't want to know, and just don't want to hear it. The minute something is said they will react violently.
Posted by: Chas | 01 March 2009 at 01:07
I really never understood the infatuation of knowing a person's sex life. Who he giving _____ to shouldn't entertain you any more or less. That's HIS business!!
Make AND spend yo money, pa'tna!!
Please make your points without graphic language. Thanks. -RM
Posted by: 7 | 01 March 2009 at 06:04
@7:
The issue here is not about being "infatuated" with closeted stars (odd choice of words!).
It's about being taken for a fool when people like Latifah, Luther or Perry say one thing, but anyone over 12 can look at them and see what's up.
Black Hollywood has a weird "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy where you can be the biggest queen in red pumps, but if you just don't come out, the church crowd will still support you.
It's like mass self-delusion.
Posted by: Seahawk | 01 March 2009 at 07:07
You go Tyler. You are an example of how to make it in america by giving people what they want, entertainment.
Though none of us are stupid I agree with you decision not to come out yet while there are hundreds of millions of dollars still out there to be made.
As long as there is money left to be pumped from the pockets of fans you will never see Tiger Tyson play bottom on camera either.
Posted by: gurlene | 01 March 2009 at 09:32
I can't stand Perry. His movies are generic messes of mediocrity.
His sexuality? He may be gay or may not be gay. I honestly can't get a read on it and I really don't care. That's his life and his burden but the fact that he's hugely successful with little writing or acting talent is what bugs the hell out of me. The man knows not of originality or subtelty.
And now his own island?
Posted by: HD | 01 March 2009 at 09:44
In total agreement with HD. Gay or Straight (for the record he is sooooo gay)Tyler is a horrible writer/director. This man should be given an award for being able to dupe the entire black church going populace into thinking he has talent.
But he is good looking. I would love to goto his island...Teeheehee.
Posted by: ToddyEnglish | 01 March 2009 at 11:10
VERY! STRAIGHT! G-FAB! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!! Love that description...
Posted by: Andrés Duque | 01 March 2009 at 13:27
Well!!!!!! Since you guys won't call out the, Big Black snake in on this post I will.....he is buying the island to get his freak on with all the lil tall,dark & handsome gym rats he want!!!! Think about it" if it's a private island no one can get there only by boat" so that means all his male hookers can't leave the island unless he say so LOL.I always felt Tyler perry would not last long once the excessive money spinding drys up and once people get tired of his medicore movies" I said ether he will file bankrupt or be caught in some gay sex sting" all in all he do seem pretty lonely and traped.....so sad"
Posted by: Mike | 01 March 2009 at 13:33
Tyler Perry is a gay...we know this in Atlanta where he used to go to Traxx in the 90s and steal his 'Madea' character from drag doll Sophie Macintosh.
The black church folk know this too..its just like Seahawk and Chas say, "Dont Ask, Dont Tell",,
they don't want to hear about it.
I dont have anything against Latifah, Luther and no Tyler Perry but many of us KNOW the truth and you can only deny so much for so long.
Laytifah's "trainer" was with her front row at the Oscars, no one said a word.
Posted by: Georgia Peach | 01 March 2009 at 13:40
Questions:
1. Does Tyler Perry invest anything back into the Black community for their loyalty, other than making schlock movies and coon tv shows ("House of Payne"-ful) for their consumption?
2. Has he ever had a gay character in any of his movies? How were they portrayed and how did they fit in with the trite "all-you-need-is-jeebus" plot?
3. Are we to be offended because he is "obviously" gay and pandering to an anti-gay crowd or are we to congratulate him because he is making millions by hoodwinking the bigoted "Christians?"
4. Since he is "so straight," what are his views on gays and homosexuality? Has he ever spoken about this?
I ask these questions because I feel conflicted about Mr. Perry. On the one hand, I hate his work because it just seems like lazy hack coonery. On the other hand, that stuff does (unfortunately) have an audience and they have the right to be entertained, too.
What say ye? And does anybody have any facts to back up their opinions?
Posted by: Q | 01 March 2009 at 14:31
Sorry, one more question:
Why do some Black gays love his movies when there is no "jeebus love" extended to them in the plots?
Posted by: Q | 01 March 2009 at 14:34
I enjoy his plays and movies! He seems like a nice person and he gives to charity. He has employed many Blacks in his productions and is giving a lot of people work. Leave the man alone! Why can't people do what they want? Why does every suspected gay person have to come out? I've never heard of a straight person having to come out, so why do gay folks have to!!!
Posted by: isis | 01 March 2009 at 14:37
Q, those are great questions.
I cant answer them all but I can definitely say Tyler Perry was a regular at Traxx Wednesday nights in the mid 1990s...he was eventually banned from that show and several drag shows because his Madea jokes were literally stolen from drag performer. I saw him several times myself, that was back in 95 or 96. This was a very popular drag night at a gay club. Many people have discussed this, I think even Rod has. Madea was a stage play back then.
Living in Atlanta I've heard many stories about parties at his home in Alpharetta (seen in the movies) and know several gay ,en who have attended his parties. I myself have not been. But none of these men were very straight! (lol) and apparently neither were many partygoers.
I don't know why many black gay men feel protective or defend Tyler Perry. I know several plays mocked gay men and made gay jokes, there was a flaming queen in or two of them, i remember. I just believe its part and parcel of the "Dont Ask Dont Tell" legacy toward gays and the black church Seahwak and Chas mentions...we are taught not to rock the boat with black straights and they will let us be. the minute we start talking about "rights" "homophobia"
and "coming out"...all hell breaks lose.
Posted by: Georgia Peach | 01 March 2009 at 14:45
But straight people DO come out.
They walk in the street and hold hands, kiss each other, GET MARRIED, write songs and make movies about falling in love, date on tv, Valentine';s Day is devoted to boy meets girl ... The entire culture is programmed around heterosexuals.
And sorry, but Tyler Perry's personal life is KNOWN in Atlanta. I don't know what "charity" he has done, is there a Tyler Perry's Homeless Fund or Tyler Perry's AIDS Clinic? The occasional few thousand here or there doesn't qualify when you have so many millions to buy an island and shoot and produce movies and tv in Atlanta to avoid UNION rules.
Posted by: Former COGIC | 01 March 2009 at 14:52
--->Are we to be offended because he is "obviously" gay and pandering to an anti-gay crowd or are we to congratulate him because he is making millions by hoodwinking the bigoted "Christians?"
I think it can be looked at as a mixture of both. The core audience is definitely not receptive to gay rights. The stage plays were more over the top Christian than the movies. But the same thread is there, "You don't need a man and all you need is Jesus" etc. And yes it's a coon show, imho.
It would be nice if he were to broaden his characters beyond buppies and black church folk and "wayward souls" but that is what he knows. it is what it is.
Posted by: GRANT | 01 March 2009 at 15:16
i'm not a huge tyler perry fan but i understand where isis is coming from. i don't think everyone who is gay 'has' to come out, but it is wrong to profit from 'antigay' attitudes.
tyler perry says he isn't gay. do i believ him? no. but that is between him and god. i would like to see him give back more to the black community besides buying his own little private getaway. but it is what it is.
Posted by: 305 | 01 March 2009 at 15:32
Ok, Miss Tyler, gurl, WHATEVER!
Although...I wouldn't put Tyler in a class with Queen Latifah, though. She simply refuses to answer the question, I'd put her more in the category of...Anderson Cooper, maybe. It's there for the world to see.
But yeah, I have never gotten the appeal of Miss Tyler. To play off of some stereotypes is OK, but this stuff is so over the top that I find it offensive.
Posted by: Kevin | 01 March 2009 at 15:38