Funny or Foul: When Tyler Perry Became the Hero

Understand that this is important to me, nay critical to every fiber of my being that I say this here and that I say this now. I am a teacher, an entrepreneur and its 5:06am in Houston, TX and if I didn't feel the way I do now I wouldn't say the following. Hear me out:

Every morning I wake up at 4am to give a wake up call to my friend in Atlanta. On most days following our brief talk I check my notifications on Facebook, shower and find myself back in bed waiting for my day to begin. Today though, started off much differently. After our call I saw a YouTube link on my page entitled: Beauty and the Beat. From a previous conversation this viral video was supposedly hilarious and I was ready to start my early morning off with a good laugh.

But my 5 minute and 6 second experience was far from hilarious. With my eyes on the 10 inch screen of my netbook I couldn't help my disgust for the images shown. Following the video I confessed my truest gut reaction in the small white box of my status, clicked submit and attempted to wash off the feeling of ignorance, self-denial and pity that the video had drowned me in.

In short, the video was not racist. Racism can be defined as "a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination" (Dictionary.com). But it was certainly derogatory, degrading and defiled each and every person who has tried to fight against the uniquely degrading stereotypes of African Americans. This was a 5 minute 6 second onslaught of negativity disguised as comedy. 


Let me also say that the creator of this video, I am sure did not intend on harm. But also know that his intentions have nothing the effects that his actions will have on world. For hundreds of years now African Americans have been the subject of murder in the media. We have been and for the most part still are the only race that has been explicitly told that we are not good enough, not beautiful, not smart enough, and not human. All of these things were evident in slavery propaganda and "research" during colonial times. In the Tuskegee Syphilis study done between 1932-1972 we were nothing but rats in an Alabama lab worth nothing more than the red dirt we now walk on. The list goes well beyond this but you and I both know that the negative images of Black Americans greatly out weigh those of positive ones. Which is precisely why the results the 1940 Doll Experiment were repeated in the early 2000s.  


Videos like Beauty and the Beat aren't funny when its the only image of Black men and women that is available. As a teacher I see first hand the effects of media. All the Black boys want to play sports professionally and the Black girls though some have higher aspirations; too many want to be mothers simply to get paid and/or video girls. All this is because all the people that look like them on TV are doing the exact same thing. It is hard for kids to believe in and shoot for goals that they can't even see and especially hard when the opposite it is so readily available. The Boondocks was funny, The Cosby Show was funny, Everybody Hates Chris (and Chris Rock stand up) is funny. 

Chris Rock and Aaron McGruder (Boondocks creator) were constantly under fire over their racy material. Yet at the end of the day, if you listen you will see that there is a greater purpose and lesson in their chosen medium. 

Originally I felt Tyler Perry was an engine working in the wrong direction. I felt he too often put Black people in a box of being an angry woman, angry male, mono-religious and placed men as the cause of all Black family problems. You can debate it if you wish but his depictions did always have an a message. He may not have been moving at the speed I felt he should as a media titan but even baby steps in the right direction is progress. At the rate things are going I may not have the option to be picky about what helps and what harms when it comes to media. Comparing the two, clearly Beauty and the Beat puts the cape of Tyler Perry. 


Given our position in the country and the things we still have to deal with. We don't have the time to fulfill or entertain this type of "comedy" it gets us nowhere. We must constantly question ourselves and the things that we watch. Are they helping our hurting us as a people? Do I want my kids to think like this? It this portrayal a reality or a stereotype and how do I know this? Does this keep us at the same state and same frame of apathetic state of mind of "its all good"?


What we must realize above all is this: No one person or video will define you, or me. But you an I are but a small percentage of those who's options weigh heavily on us. The George Zimmerman's of the world and others may only know this video and other popular media outlets; and that's dangerous. As we already saw, ones perceptions of the innocent can be lethal. In that call he said he looked like he was on drugs, that he was up to something. What does a thug look like? A gangsta? Where do you think he got that image from? Do you really think he made that up or was he subliminally subjected to believing that through something else just like the children in the Doll Experiment? 





The video in question:

Questions to ask yourself while watching:

If you are upset about the video, if Bell was Black would you have felt the same?
Why weren't there any "decent" Black people?
What message does this send to others? Black people aren't the only ones watching.
If she were strolling through a trailer park with all White residence would it have gone viral? Or is the "hood" more appealing to make fun of? If so why?



Something else to think about...