When Tyler Perry decided to show off his screenwriting prowess, let’s just say it didn’t serve the inspiration he intended and the whole display ended up as dramatic as his television shows.
In a recent press junket for his upcoming film A Fall From Grace (which is just begging to be a part of my Negro Noir series) Perry addressed the convo with Essence, who recently posted the clip of the interview on Instagram.
“I don’t know what people are complaining about because I’m writing specifically for my audience,” Perry ensured.
“What people don’t know is early on, I had a writers’ room and it was a nightmare for me,” Perry added. “Not only that but I had writers writing shows [and] they were turning in scripts that didn’t speak to my audience and my ratings took a dip.”
Critical analysis of his content’s quality aside (because as we’ve mentioned, it’s quite obvious that he cranks out all of said content himself), there was never any argument on whether or not his method was successful. Shit, so is Jeff Bezos, but he’s going to get this ethical criticism, ain’t he? Perry can’t be lauded as the “successful black man who gives black folks jobs” if that excludes a highly significant job in the business—writers.
Regardless, Perry did end up going on record saying he has plans to incorporate a writers’ room for other developing shows.
“As far as me and my shows The Have and the Have Nots, The Oval, Sistas, the comedies, I’m going to write those shows. But there are other shows we’re developing at the studio where there will be writers’ rooms with other showrunners and giving other people opportunities to do that.”
“The Haves and the Have Nots just returned to number one, The Oval is number one on Wednesday nights,” Perry continued. “I have the receipts, but I understand wanting other people to have the opportunities as well.”
And Bingo was his name-o.