Tyler Perry

Entertainment Weekly recently ran an article about “black america’s secret culture war”. Apparently it's all due to Tyler Perry: the playwright, author, filmmaker, and actor of Madea fame, who has created a franchise around his name and is also responsible for opening the first black-owned studio in the U.S. in October of last year. Culture war or no, Perry certainly sends sparks flying with the characters he puts on screen - some critics say they're lowest-common-denominator, stereotypical representations of black experience (ie. the complete opposite of the too-elite Cosby's).

What's as interesting is the loyal and resilient audience that Perry has developed for his films. In February, his latest, “Madea Goes to Jail” was the top film in the US, bringing in $41.1 million at the Box Office. Not bad for what was always thought of in Hollywood as a "niche" audience. It’s also worth mentioning that Tyler Perry owns it all, from the movies and video library (he’s sold 25 million DVDs of his plays) to his TV shows.

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