Spike Lee Tyler Perry Smack Down

Spike Lee puts Tyler Perry in the hot seat when he is interviewed at the “14th annual Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference”.  Spike Lee compares the images from shows like “House of Payne” and “Meet the Browns” as contemporary “coonery and sambo” images.  I have tried to watch “The House of Payne” and my conclusion was the title stemmed more from the audiences experience rather than the story line. 

Spike Lee says that Tyler Perry’s characters are not uplifting and positive roles.  I guess he is comparing Perry’s character to his riveting, solid portrayal of an educated Black Renaissance man, in his character, Mars Blackmon in “She’s Gotta Have It”. 

Tyler Perry fires back on 60 Minutes and says that he is “pissed off by Lee’s comments” he goes on to say that “he would like to read the criticism to his fan base”.  This is an interesting argument.  I am pushing something that could be damaging but I will have the consumers of that product speak in support.  I wonder if that would work for crack dealers. 

We have seen this before.  “The Color Purple” was nominated for about 12 Oscars but did not receive one largely because the NAACP boycotted the film because of it’s depiction of Black men instead of saying this is one woman’s story.  The fight has never been about one movie representing an entire cultural experience.  The real fight is that there are more films made by other view points to have a richer exploration of that culture. 

I propose that both Spike Lee and Tyler Perry have a title fight in Las Vegas where the proceeds would go to supporting up and coming filmmakers.  The only catch would be the fight would have to be between their alter egos.  It would be the Madea and Mars Mixed Martial Arts Smack down.  My money is on Madea.  Although we might find out they both fight like girls.