The Problematic Tyler Perry

Brian C. Johnson

The Problematic Tyler Perry

by Brian C. Johnson (Edited)
©2016, Monographs, VI, 251 Pages
The Arts

Series: Black Studies and Critical Thinking, Volume 83

For the past decade or more, few Hollywood stars have experienced a more meteoric rise than Tyler Perry. As much as he is lauded by fans, Perry is panned by cultural critics who reject his work as overtly preachy and rife with racially stereotypical characterizations and controversial themes. This book explores the vast chasm between his fans’ adoration and the critical reception of his work: while some argue that Perry’s brand of «blackness» is little more than buffoonery, others claim he offers representations that are missing in entertainment choices, especially among niche audiences. He is applauded by some for offering films and television shows that are «good entertainment», while others label his work trashy. He can be seen either as an oracle whose morality plays provide a gospel message of family healing, or as an actor with a misaligned worldview. This book asks: what are we to do with the «problem» of Tyler Perry?

Cover

Table of Contents

Introduction: My Problem with Perry (Brian C. Johnson)

Section One: Audience Appreciation

Chapter One: Tyler Perry and William Shakespeare: Playwrights Who Reflect and Influence Society (Jennifer Forrest)

Chapter Two: The Political Economy of Tyler Perry: Replicating Industry Ideals and Exploiting the Commodity Audience (Leah P. Hunter and Jennifer M. Proffitt)

Chapter Three: The Church of Tyler Perry: How Perry Created a Phenomenon (Angels Putman)

Chapter Four: Who’s Your Mammy?: Tyler Perry and the Limits of Black Spectatorship (Stephanie A. Allen)

Section Two: Gender (Mis)Representations

Chapter Five: Playing with Gender, Queering Lines: Should We Be Mad at Madea? (Jessica L. Knouse)

Chapter Six: Tyler Perry as Madea: Homophobia Gets a Pass When It’s a Man in a Dress (Gene Kelly)

Chapter Seven: (In)Visible Messages: Patriarchy in Tyler Perry's Madea Films (Shanna L. Smith and Shavonne R. Shorter)

Chapter Eight: Knight in Shining Blackness: Examining Performances of Black Masculinity in Tyler Perry Films (Kimberly J. Chandler)

Section Three: Steroeotypicality

Chapter Nine: Diary of a Despondent Female: An Analysis of Female Characters in Tyler Perry's Movies (Christal R. S. Johnson)

Chapter Ten: I Can Be Misrepresented All by Myself (Auburn E. Ellis and Tanya Merriman)

Section Four: Specific Works

Chapter Eleven: A Volatile Cocktail of Stereotypes: Black Feminist Reflections on Tyler Perry's for Better or Worse (Evette Dionne Brown)

Chapter Twelve: The Tyler That Preys: Is Tyler Perry Creating New or Recycling Old Black Images? (Friederick W. Gooding, JR.)

Chapter Thirteen: Signifying Practices: Representations of Black Masculinity and Womanhood in Tyler Perry’s Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (2013) (Tammie Jenkins)

About the Contributors

Pages:

VI, 251

Year:

2016

ISBN (PAPERBACK):

9781433130182 (Active)

ISBN (EPUB):

9781454190394 (Active)

ISBN (PDF):

9781453915882 (Active)

DOI:

10.3726/978-1-4539-1588-2

Language:

English

Keywords:

Entertainment, Blackness, Black spectatorship, Performance of Black masculinity

Published:

New York, Bern, Berlin, Bruxelles, Frankfurt am Main, Oxford, Wien, 2016. VI, 251 pp.

Brian C. Johnson is a faculty member in the Department of Academic Enrichment at Bloomsburg University. He is a doctoral candidate in communications media and instructional technology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

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The Problematic Tyler Perry

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