So it seems to me that Tyler Perry's comedy deeply divides the African American community. Some see him as offensive buffoonery, some see him as perpetuating negative stereotypes of African Americans, some are upset because he doesn't pay the actors scale, and some are upset because all the actors aren't so talented.
While I would say many of the above have varying degrees of merit, I think there's a huge, mostly invisible divide that no one's talking about. At first I thought it was about class, but it's not. I then thought it was geographic, but think it's not. I now think the dichotomy in Tyler's world exists around faith. If you are an African American, Bible-believing Christian, or have fond memories of growing up in such an environment, then you'll find Tyler's stuff hysterical. You'll see all the stereotypes and archetypes you're familiar with: the person who's sunk deeply in sin and doesn't want to get out, the one who's sunk in sin and doesn't know they're in sin, but wants to be "holy," having no idea what that means, either. There's the person who's "made it" out of the ghetto and either completely turns their back on it or is coming back to rescue it, there's the various relatives, both distant and close, with substance abuse, integrity, financial and other personal issue that are so consuming that they make the characters one-sided.... and there is always the refuge of the church, the holy place, the moral authority, the place that will chastise you but also cheer you, the place that will scold you for doing wrong but hold you in its sanctuary so the cops can't take you away, the place that (usually) vehemently condemns homosexuality while its flaming choir directors lead some of the sweetest music on this side of Jordan (and let's not forget the church who LOVES Madea, who in real life is a 6'3+" crossdressing Tyler Perry).
If you grew up in and still love that apparent duplicity (because it's not a duplicity in your life, any more than the Trinity is three things. We all know it's one God with three divine Persons because that's what we've learned since an early age. We've also learned Madea-type people were normative, since an early age.) If you grew up with that apparent duplicity and were blessed enough to realize that, inside what initially appeared to be madness there was a strong and sweet and loving and caring and strict and accepting core of people who, other issues notwithstanding, could still pray you through your storm, preach you towards salvation, and love you til you could let Jesus give you His eternal love. ... For the most part, the black church would not be the place a young man would attempt to "come out" sexually and expect an affirming environment. He could come out as an over-the-top gifted musician or choir director or something else that made use of what would perhaps be called "flamingly gay" mannerisms -- he could be obviously as gay as he wanted to be, and as long as he didn't flaunt (or even acknowledge) his gay lifestyle, he'd pretty much be accepted by the church. I've known at least a couple of out homosexuals at the time of their ordinations; I believe there's gazillions of people in the black church who are just sexually repressed.
But that's sor of a digression. That whole weird world of strong but slippery moral codes, and the irony with which they are applied is what makes it funny for me. Most of the family with whom I was reared and who behaved that way have all crossed over Jordan, so Madea (Mother dear, which became Ma' dear, which became Madea) Madea brings back those fond memories. Madea who didn't quite understand the religious stuff, but knew enough to send kids to church (threatening them with a 45 if she had to), and who fussed and cussed but always took care of business....
I LOVE Madea and Mr. Brown and Tyler and Ricky and all those other comedians who preserve an integral part of my early identity, which is the insanity that is the African American Church's Social Structure and Etiquette, much of which has influenced secular social structure and etiquette (and interpretation of social cues) in today's African American church and in our greater society.
That's what I think, anyway....
Anyway. Christ the Lord is Risen Today!!!! Hallelujer!!!, as Madea would say....
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