Love his work or hate it, no one should really be surprised that Tyler Perry — Hollywood's highest earner — made a calculation about box office dollars and cast reality TV star and big-time celeb Kim Kardashian in his upcoming film, The Marriage Counselor.
Yet many of his fans were outraged about the decision, especially in light of Kardashian's recent super-short marriage, which they say makes her a bad role model. If that were the criteria for getting a part, Hollywood would pretty much shut down. But instead of responding, "Have you seen my movies? I'm very clearly a businessman, not a social engineer," Perry issued a response explaining the decision and defending himself and the actress.
Read an excerpt from the YBF:
After I finished writing this movie, I sat back and re-read it. Half way through my read, the gravity of what I had written hit me. I knew that this message was not only for my age group, but for all audiences, especially the youth. ESPECIALLY THE YOUTH!! YOUNG FOLKS NEED TO SEE THIS!!! And not just the young people that follow me, but the young people that are following other young people, as well. I wanted a younger cast, that’s why I put Jurnee in the lead and invited Lance Gross, Robbie Jones and Brandy. About two months ago, long before I even heard about Kim's marriage or divorce, I was trying to finish up the casting. I said to one of my producers, "who else is out there that young people are looking up to?" One of my producers showed me pictures that his daughter had taken of several hundred kids lined up around the corner to get into a Kardashian store. They wanted to meet Kim. I thought, what better person! She literally has millions of young people following her. I thought and still do think, that it would be very responsible of her to be a part of this film. To have the young people that look up to her, see her in a film that is about, what happens in life when you make the wrong choices. Whether you're aware of it or not, to be honest with you I wasn't, millions of young people adore her and are following her every move. If one of those young people see this film and find the strength to live a better life and not go through what these characters went through in this movie, then we have all done what I feel I'm being led to do here. I hope you understand. I really do!
Read more at the YBF.
In other news: Alleged White House Shooter 'Hates' Obama.
Like The Root on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.