Entertainment
Madea: Strong black woman?
- Details
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08 Jan 2013
- Written by Myron Mays
Yes, you read the headline right. And you will be reading right when you see that the man making the assertion that Tyler Perry's renowned Madea character is a strong black woman is none other than Minister Louis Farrakhan, head of the Nation of Islam.
Yes, he did. Many might expect Minister Farrakhan to denounce the character that has been referred to by so many people as "ghetto" and "buffoonish." Minister Farrakhan, however, makes an interesting point when he says that he doesn't see the Madea character as a man dressed in women's clothing.
He sees the portrayal of Madea as "That strong, black woman who was the cornerstone of her family. She always was that figure that guidance (of) correction, reprimand, discipline, and Tyler Perry brought her to the screen in funny ways, but what I was seeing was the greatness of the strong, black woman who saw us through, from yesterday until today."
Say what you want about Tyler Perry, all of his films – even the Madea movies – have something for the viewer to take away. I mean think about it, taking the silliness out of it, how many times did you get a positive message from any of the "Friday" movies? Don't get me wrong. I loved them just like you did. But we simply cannot hold one filmmaker accountable for something that we are not willing to hold all filmmakers accountable for, right?
Minister Farrakhan goes on to call Tyler Perry "one of the most brilliant young entrepreneurs of our time" and says that he is grateful to him for bringing Madea to the forefront of America's consciousness. I wholeheartedly agree with that statement. And now, I'm sure a lot of us, like "me", will look at Madea at least a little differently now...right?
As far as your events calendar is concerned, grab your pen and jot these down. Here's what's happening:
'I Have a Dream' Fest
Join CLE Events for second annual "I Have a Dream" Fest Weekend, January 18-20. "I Have a Dream Fest" is a 3-Day series of events that includes: a concert at Hard Rock Café, dedicated to promoting unity in the local music scene by bringing culturally diverse artists together; "Fashion In Falsetto," a hip fashion show at the Memphis Rehearsal Complex; and the "Artistik Lounge" at Madison Dance Studio, where artists and lovers of the arts can lounge, mingle and vibe. For more information, contact Catherine Evans at 901-257-9664 or visit ihaveadreamfest.com.
The Bow Wow Club Returns
The Memphis Black Arts Alliances presents an encore performance of "The Bow Wow Club" starting February 8th and running Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., with a closing matinee on Sunday, Feb 10th. It takes place at the Evergreen Theatre located at 1705 Poplar Ave. General admission tickets are $15 and $10 for members. Group tickets are also available. They may be purchased at the FireHouse Community Arts Center located at 985 South Bellevue. For more information and reserve tickets, contact The Memphis Black Arts Alliance at 901-948-9522 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
What's Happening Myron Book Club
Join me for the What's Happening Myron Book Club meeting on Jan. 26 at 4 p.m. at Evergreen Grill located at 1585 Overton Park. This year we have decided to choose the "Curtis Black" series by writer Kimberla Lawson Roby. There are about ten books in this series and we will be dedicating most of this year to featuring them. If you are familiar with the series, you know the "Reverend Curtis Black" is one of the most intriguing characters ever written. The first book in the series is called "Casting the First Stone." Grab yours today and plan to join us on the 26th!
Parting shot:
Next week, I'll have a full slate of MLK weekend events. Remember it's not a "day off" but a "day on." Until then, that's what's happening!
(Got an event you'd like for me to cover or attend? Email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
