Could Tyler Perry Cause Barack Obama To Lose The Presidency?

Black Hollywood's Tyler Perry, one of Barack Obama's staunchest supporters and prized campaigners and film biographers, is being accused of union busting, according to a complaint filed Thursday with the National Labor Relations Board. This is not a good look for brother Barack, particularly since his pro-labor stance is diametrically opposed to this type of drama.

Perry invited the presidential candidate to the grand opening of his entertainment studio on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia, this coming Saturday night. But if Obama attends he will be met by picket lines thrown up by the Writers Guild of America with support from other unions including the Teamsters, even though the latter union has officially endorsed the Democrat. "This is just the first step. We've got a lot more planned," a WGA insider told me last night, indicating that the Perry picketing may widen to Time Warner's TBS and Warner Bros which broadcasts his hugely popular House Of Payne sitcom, and an upcoming TV spinoff of one of Perry's movie's Meet The Browns.

Perry is much more than just another Barack Obama supporter. He is a donor of the maximum $4,600 to the campaign. (In fact, he donated $6,900 but then took back $2,300 when it exceeded the limit.) He also has announced plans to make an Obama film. Perry told the press he is already writing, and plans to direct and produce as soon as late this year, a love story inspired by the relationship between Obama and his wife Michelle. (Perry has said he dreams of casting Denzel Washington and Angela Bassett in the lead roles.) It's not known if the Obamas are cooperating with the film, but the idea occurred to Perry after he heard their story when he had dinner with the couple as well as from his close pal, Oprah Winfrey, who is Obama's biggest showbiz supporter. (Perry this summer traveled with Oprah to Italy. And it was Oprah who recently convinced Perry to write his autobioraphy. In fact Perry credits his entire writing career to the inspiration he received watching the Oprah Winfrey Show.) Perry told reporters about the Obamas, "They just inspired this amazing story. It’s a love story with a little political twist... It’s called For the Love of You and it’s about his love for his woman. It’s going to be amazing."

Also, around the time of the Democratic National Convention this summer, Perry suggested that Obama bring onto the ticket "Madea" -- the recurring character played by Perry in Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Madea’s Family Reunion, and other of his films. "Madea is the running mate -- Obama and Madea, that's it," he joked to reporters. "She's heading up foreign affairs and I think she'll be Chief of Staff so we'll see!"

Perry also has been stumping for Obama, most recently in the battleground state of Florida in front of faith-based groups because of his religiousness. The entertainment mogul and native Southerner spoke to several hundred people at the New Mount Olive Baptist Church in Fort Lauderdale Friday to encourage them to register and vote for Obama. He said he'd never cast a ballot in his 39 years but recently registered in Georgia because he said Obama had moved him to do so, "not because Barack Obama is black. That would be a ridiculous reason to vote for somebody. [But because] he is the best candidate and the most qualified to lead this nation." Campaigning in Miami-Dade and Broward counties over the weekend, he gave what he described as "embarrassing testimony" about being one of those people who didn't believe his vote made a difference. "There are a lot of people who think that way. I was wrong," said Perry. But after hearing a speech in which Obama outlined his background, "it became clear to me that finally someone has come along who can relate to hard working people."

Why allegations of union busting against Perry are so embarrassing to Obama is not just because unions are the stronghold of the Democratic Party but because he had to spend considerable time and effort courting the national unions for their primary and general election support. Most of the union support had first gone to Hillary Clinton and John Edwards in the first stages of the primary, and then began to swing to him when Edwards dropped out of the race and swung his support to Obama. That's only when Obama got close to equalizing Hillary's advantage with organized labor. Union support will prove vital to Obama in battleground states with McCain like Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania which have hundreds of thousands of manufacturing and blue collar jobs over the past 15 years. Nevada is another battleground state with McCain, and many credit Obama's caucus win there over Hillary to the endorsement he received from the state's influential 60,000-member Culinary Union, which represents Nevada's casino, hotel and restaurant employees, in conjunction with its parent union, Unite Here, which has 460,000 members nationwide. Among other endorsements received by Obama are the steelworkers, mineworkers, and AFL-CIO.

The Writers Guild played a role during the Democratic presidential primary when Obama, Clinton and Edwards all refused to cross picket lines while the Hollywood guild was on strike. (Edwards even visited one huge WGA rally, and Obama was criticized for not attending.) In addition a CBS televised debate among the Democratic presidential candidates had to be canceled to avoid a potential conflict with striking WGA writers. The decision was made by the Democratic National Committee concerning a December 10th, 2007, debate at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, where pickets gathered every day.

The Perry company's alleged union-busting activities were kept secret until last night when at 4 pm PT I reported that the WGA West had issued a surprise news release about what had gone on for the past six months inside his production company, House of Payne, LLC. that same day, the guild filed unfair labor practice charges with the NLRB, alleging that House of Payne unlawfully fired four writers in retaliation for their union activity. The charge also accused the company of bargaining in bad faith with the Guild, which had been seeking to negotiate a contract covering the writers on Perry’s cable television series House of Payne and Meet the Browns. The four scribes, Kellie Griffin, Christopher Moore, Teri Brown-Jackson, and Lamont Ferrell, are all African Americans and together have written over 100 episodes, according to the WGA.

A lawyer for Perry is claiming that the firings had nothing to do with contract negotiations but was related to "the quality of their work". But the timing of the firings is especially suspicious since it comes just as House Of Payne was being syndicated (which is when the big money starts to roll in) and just when the writers were working on the development of Perry's new comedy premiering in January on TBS. Perry's lawyer admited that all the contract issues were pinned down except one -- residuals from repeats shown on broadcast TV stations. Those small residuals are vital to the financial security of showbiz writers. By contrast, Perry signed a $200 million 100-episode deal with TBS for the show. Besides residuals, Perry has refused to agree to a WGA contract that would give the writers health care benefits or pensions. On Tuesday of this week, Perry fired the writers, after warning them some weeks ago that they should “be careful about pushing the WGA deal or you could be replaced,” according to one of the axed scribes.

Although Perry's entertainment content has been criticized for perpetuating African American steroetypes, his production business is one of the most active and profitable around. He owns 100% of his films and TV productions, so, as an indie, he can forgo a guild agreement even though most producers become signatories in order to employ WGA-caliber writers.

This weekend is the grand opening of his 60,000 square foot production complex on 28 acres situated in Atlanta's outskirts. Tyler Perry Studio is a monument to himself as well as the first independent studio of its size to open in Georgia. It features a 300-seat screening room, three soundstages, and a theater. It will also host a theater company and acting school in the future. But on Saturday and again on Sunday, the WGA, the Teamsters, and other union groups will be picketing the gala. A large crowd of Hollywood actors wo'veworked with Perry as well as local luminaries are expected to attend. But the WGA unions are asking them to respect the picket line and stay away.

Source?

Diary Of A Mad Black Filmmaker: Tyler Perry Set To Do It Again, This Time With "Meet The Browns"

Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns marks the big screen return of everyone’s favorite aggressive Southern matriarch, Madea. (Well, sort of — if the film is anything like Perry’s 2004 play of the same title, her role is reduced to a mere cameo). Either way, Perry, who has portrayed the character in two prior films, will also play Uncle Joe in Meet the Browns, which he directed and adapted for the silver screen.

In this one, Perry’s fourth film, Angela Bassett stars as Brenda, a single mother of three trying her best to make ends meet. After suddenly being laid off work, she for the first time loses hope, until a letter arrives on her doorstep announcing the death of her father, who Brenda never met. Desperate for help, she travels to Georgia with her family to attend the funeral, though nothing could have prepared Brenda for her father’s fun-loving, ridiculous Southern family. While struggling to get to know the family she is meeting for the first time, Brenda is also presented with the possibility of a new romance, which just might change things for the better.

After building a strong reputation on the stage with his witty plays, Perry quickly became a household name through his films in just a little over two years. In 2005, Perry absolutely shocked box office analysts when his debut film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, opened to a strong $21.9 million, and $50.4 million in total when all was said and done. A year later, Madea’s Family Reunion was even bigger, grossing $30 million in its opening weekend and $63.3 million overall. And finally, 2007’s Why Did I Get Married? fits snuggly in between the two — $21.4 million in its opening weekend, $55.2 million overall.

Critically, however, Perry’s films don’t rank so hot. According to Rotten Tomatoes, Diary of a Mad Black Woman is a whopping 16 percent positive with critics, Madea’s Family Reunion is slightly better at 28 percent positive, and Why Did I Get Married? bests them all at a still underwhelming 48 percent positive. Even so, given Perry’s string of successes — financially speaking, of course — there’s no reason to expect Meet the Browns to perform any differently. (Eric Hughes/BOP)

Will Smith & Tyler Perry Rank In Entertainment Weekly’s 50 Smartest People in Hollywood List

Holding their own in the top ten, Will Smith and Tyler Perry were representing big time in Entertainment Weekly’s latest list of who's who. Check it out:

1. Judd Apatow, director/writer/producer
2. Steven Spielberg, director/producer
3. James Cameron, director/producer
4. Ari Emanuel, partner of the Endeavor Agency
5. Will Smith, actor/producer
6. Meryl Streep, actor
7. Peter Rice, president of Fox Searchlight
8. Tyler Perry, actor/director/writer/producer
9. David Heyman, producer
10. John Knoll, visual-effects supervisor of Industrial Light & Magic

Click Here to view the list in its entirety. Pic & story from Bossip

TYLER PERRY IS A BLACK MAN WHO WANTS TO NOW CONQUER THE INTERNET

Tyler 'Madea' Perry, producer of the sitcom Tyler Perry's House of Payne, who is perhaps best known as the star and creator of Diary of a Mad Black Woman, has launched his own broadband video channel.

Do your thing Black man!

According to MediaWeek, the new site and online talk show, TylerPerry.com, will feature exclusive episodes of Perry's soon-to-launch talk show, The Tyler Perry Show.

Resulting from a recent partnership between William Morris Agency, which represents Perry, and Narrowstep, a broadband technology company, Perry is banking on the new online video site/community to better connect him with his growing roster of fans.

“Part of being an artist is learning how to engage and empower my audience, my fans, with my art,” said Perry. “My art is an extension of my life. I knew I wanted to create, tailor and build an Internet TV channel as a part of that extension.”

Tyler Perry's New Flick With Janet Jackson & Jill Scott Asks, "Why Did I Get Married?"

Does this trailer make you want to see this movie???

This looks eerily similar to "The Big Chill"

The 1983 film told the story of several University of Michigan college friends who reunite after many years for the funeral of one of their friends who commits suicide. It starred Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, and Meg Tilly, to name a few.

Very White, but the soundtrack was jammin'. I hope at least the music's good in 'Married.' Otherwise, Perry may need to slap on that wig and bring back Madea!

TYLER "MADEA" PERRY: IS GAY THE NEW BLACK?

Essence Magazine Asks What Some Folks Are Thinking!

Tyler Perry, riding the wave of his Madea films and successful -- yet uninspiring House Of Payne -- is still by his damn self.

Rumors, however, persist about his romantic life—everything from relationships with various African-American starlets, including Tyra Banks, Tracee Ellis Ross and Oprah's BFF, Gayle King, to the suggestion that he's gay.

Perry, who will neither confirm nor deny the Banks relationship, says that his "friend" King is a hang-out buddy, and that he did go out on a date with Ross, "but if you go on one date, it's not dating."

Beyond that, the notoriously private Perry refuses to say more. But he doesn't hesitate to address the gay rumors, acknowledging, first, that climbing into a dress and wig and packing his face full of Maybelline could very well lead people to question for which side he's hitting.

"It used to bother me a whole lot in the beginning, it really, really did," says Perry. "But what it's done is give me firm seating in my manhood. And if some people can't separate the character from the man that I am, then that's their issue, not mine."

Not that there's anything wrong with it, but this sounds like the brother is denying being gay, family. What say you?

BLACK COMEDIC FAMILY THE WAYANS BROTHERS GO THE TYLER PERRY ROUTE

The Brothers Try To Get Their 40 Acres And A Mule In Oakland

(AP) — The Wayans family, undeterred by previous efforts, could soon be headed back to the bargaining table to build a movie studio and theme park in an area once known as the hub for Black folks in the Bay Area.

An earlier agreement with the California city ended with little progress on the project.

Helmed by political icon Mayor Ron Dellums, an Oakland City Council committee planned Tuesday to consider an exclusive four-month negotiating agreement with a team led by Keenen Ivory Wayans to develop 70 acres on a run-down former Army base.

An earlier 18-month agreement with brothers Keenen Ivory, Damon, Shawn and Marlon Wayans expired in May after the team failed to meet most deadlines. City officials said the new agreement will require the developers to meet a series of tight deadlines to ensure the project moves forward.

"The biggest concern I have is that it's been a couple of years now," City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente said. "The longer we take, the longer we don't have jobs or tax revenues for the city."

Keenen Ivory Wayans met with Dellums last month to pitch the project, which would include a movie production studio, business park, retail village and luxury hotel.

Developers said it would create more than 1,500 jobs in one of the city's poorest neighborhoods.

Considered royalty in Black Hollywood, The Wayans had a hit 1990s TV series "In Living Color."

Keenen Ivory Wayans wrote, produced and directed the 2004 film "White Chicks," which starred Shawn and Marlon Wayans.

SO WHY IS DAMON WAYANS APOLOGIZING?

BASSETT TO STAR IN PERRY'S 'MEET THE BROWNS'

Tyler Perry is popular with the ladies. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he has just nabbed beauty Angela Bassett for a co-starring role in his theatrical adaptation of Meet the Browns.

This will be Perry's fifth film for Lionsgate. It will revolve around Bassett's character, Brenda, a single mother living in Chicago. She is faced with the task of taking her entire family to Georgia. She arrives there for the funeral of her own father, whom she has never met. In the process, she ends up meeting the Brown's, her father's fun-loving side of the family. There is also a romance thrown into the mix just for good measure, and to keep Bassett on her toes.

The film will be released in early 2008, probably in February.