Oh No He Didn't . . . Tyler Perry Gone Do What?
It was the news heard around the world, heard in every black café, posted on every Facebook mini feed, screamed in abject horror in every black theater class, whispered in body stealing tones in every
black feminist mind that Tyler Perry also known as Medea also known as He Who Has Oprah’s Seal of Approval meaning it’s safe for white suburban soccer moms will direct, produce, and perhaps even star as the woman in red in a film adaptation of Ntozake Shange’s For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf.
When I heard the news a part of me laughed and said, “Seriously you’re kidding right. How can a black man who always portrays black women as prostitutes (i.e. Madea Goes to Jail), drug addicts (i.e. Diary of Angry Black Woman), controlling spouses (i.e. Why Did I get Married), abused women, psychopathic black mothers (i.e. Family Reunion), and emasculating black women (i.e. Daddy’s Girls) direct and produce a film about black women finding and owning their voices?” And of course, the answer to my question is that unless he works with Julie Dash or Aishah Simmons his work is doomed to silence black women.
Okay, I will admit I’m no saint. I’ve watched some of Tyler Perry’s movies because I can’t afford HBO so I watch TBS the home of all things Tyler Perry. And sometimes family gatherings entail a Tyler Perry’s Marathon where my great aunt proclaims in her best evangelist voice, “You can talk about my Jesus, and perhaps my momma, but nobody better talk about my Tyler Perry.” I say all this to say I’ve seen his movies to know their limitations. Meaning, I cannot fathom let alone imagine how Tyler Perry can cinematically enrich Shange’s play whose very origin was a critique of black male violence against black women.
Perhaps, he has not read the play therefore he’s unaware of this critique or perhaps
he has read it and assumes that the character, Madea, can throw hot grits on all the violent black men in Shange’s play and that will end violence against black women. If it was only that easy then Quaker Grits would be in every domestic violence handbook around the world. So, once again I ask the question, how can Tyler Perry produce and direct a film that speaks to the souls of black women? And the simple answer is he can’t. To say the least, I am pissed. Furthermore, I find myself ruminating on how he will adapt my favorite line from the play, “I found God in myself and I loved her I loved her fiercely.” Perhaps, it will become Vickie Winans’ gospel song, “I found King Jesus and I don’t need nobody else.” Perhaps it will become, “I found da lorde in dis good black man and I loved him, I loved him fiercely.” Or, perhaps it will become, “I did not find enuf in myself as a colored girl so I committed suicide.” Yes, the last translation is wee bit dramatic, but given Tyler Perry’s track record it seems quite probable. So, for those who love the play, For Colored Girls what are your sentiments about Tyler Perry producing and directing the play?
So, I decided to end this blog with pictures from various performances of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Sucide When the Rainbow is Enuf to show how powerful this play is and how Tyler Perry cannot do it justice.
"Who will Sing a Black Girl Song."
Speaking Revelations
Woman in Blue
1977 Performance of For Colored Girls
Fallon,
i agree with you. There is no way that Tyler Perry can do this play any kind of justice. What scares me is that he’s also writing the screenplay. None of his movies have had the depth that is needed to adequately adapt For Colored Girls to the big screen. All we can do is wait and see.
Fallon,
i agree with you. There is no way that Tyler Perry can do this play any kind of justice. What scares me is that he’s also writing the screenplay. None of his movies have had the depth that is needed to adequately adapt For Colored Girls to the big screen. All we can do is wait and see.
Tamara,
Perhaps we have to wait and see or perhaps we can cause enough ruckus if not outright hell to ensure the film represents the intentions of the play.
Tamara,
Perhaps we have to wait and see or perhaps we can cause enough ruckus if not outright hell to ensure the film represents the intentions of the play.
fallon,
loved this. gave you a little shout out on mine.
sm.
fallon,
loved this. gave you a little shout out on mine.
sm.
Why condemn it before seeing it? Also, if this is such a travesty, why haven’t we heard from the author of the play? Shouldn’t she be the one expressing outrage that Tyler Perry (gasp!) is going to direct her play?
I’ve never watched the play, but I can guarantee you that Tyler’s movie adaptation will be a hit. He appears to be on a roll right now with his movies all going number 1.
Why condemn it before seeing it? Also, if this is such a travesty, why haven’t we heard from the author of the play? Shouldn’t she be the one expressing outrage that Tyler Perry (gasp!) is going to direct her play?
I’ve never watched the play, but I can guarantee you that Tyler’s movie adaptation will be a hit. He appears to be on a roll right now with his movies all going number 1.
@Cassie,
Critique is very important without we follow blindly behind demagogues. With this being said, yes I am critiquing the possibility of what a Tyler Perry film adaptation of For Colored Girls would mean for everyday black women. I think his previous track record shows how he views black women and their stories–emasculators and every other negative stereotype you can muster to talk about black women.
And just because ntozake shange has not publicly made a announcement about her support of non-support of the film adaptation does not mean that the movie and its director are not problematic.
Also, just because it’s a hit in the movie theater does not mean it is not equally damaging for black women. I can name countless movies that have won best picture through the years and have silenced people of color in many damaging ways.
@Cassie,
Critique is very important without we follow blindly behind demagogues. With this being said, yes I am critiquing the possibility of what a Tyler Perry film adaptation of For Colored Girls would mean for everyday black women. I think his previous track record shows how he views black women and their stories–emasculators and every other negative stereotype you can muster to talk about black women.
And just because ntozake shange has not publicly made a announcement about her support of non-support of the film adaptation does not mean that the movie and its director are not problematic.
Also, just because it’s a hit in the movie theater does not mean it is not equally damaging for black women. I can name countless movies that have won best picture through the years and have silenced people of color in many damaging ways.
I hope that Tyler Perry does a good job with this movie. I have seen the talent that he has pulled together to do the movie and the list is impressive: Loretta Devine, Whoopie Goldberg, Janet Jackson, Facilia Rashad, etc. I hope they have been able to help him to stick to the play.
I hope that Tyler Perry does a good job with this movie. I have seen the talent that he has pulled together to do the movie and the list is impressive: Loretta Devine, Whoopie Goldberg, Janet Jackson, Facilia Rashad, etc. I hope they have been able to help him to stick to the play.