Perry discusses his own abuse as he promotes ‘Precious’
Tyler Perry
Atlanta filmmaker Tyler Perry has a very personal reason to attach his name to the upcoming film “Precious,” due out Nov. 6.
“Turning 40 is such a blessing,” writes the Atlanta director in his latest message to fans. “Especially because as I child I always thought I would die before I grew up.”
Upon seeing seeing an advance screening of the drama starring Mo’Nique as an abusive parent, Perry says: “I sat at home watching this movie not knowing what to expect. After the movie was over, I sat there for a long time just thinking about what I had just witnessed. I watched all the things that Precious, a 16-year-old girl in the film, went through. I watched her mother be unusually cruel to her and I realized at that moment that a large part of my childhood had just played out before my eyes. It hit me so hard, I sat there in tears realizing that somehow, by the grace of God, I made it through. My tears were tears of joy, being thankful that I made it. It brought back memories so strong that I can smell and taste them.”
Perry writes of being sexually abused by the mother of a childhood friend and the frequent beatings he suffered from his father.
Recalls Perry on his blog: ‘You ain’t [expletive] and ain’t never gonna be [expletive]! ‘ I heard this every day of my childhood. As my father would beat and belittle me, he played all kinds of mind games with me.
“My mother was out one night, as she loved to play bingo, and my father came home…mad at the world. He was drunk, as he was most of the time. He got the vacuum cleaner extension cord and trapped me in a room and beat me until the skin was coming off my back. To this day, I don’t know what would make a person do something like that to a child.”
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15 comments Add your comment
Big Jon
October 6th, 2009
5:03 pm
Welcome to the real world Tyler. It happened to all of us. Except we do not use our stories to get on Oprah. Please do not get on T.V. and start balling to identify with your girly girl side. Your to big of a man to act like a sissy. Do not use this to sell movies. ” I wish my father would have been that nice, Life goes on, my friend…:You do not even know what abuse is, if that is the worse that happen to ya. Act like a man. America is in the mess it is in because too many men have become sissy’s…Just a thought. Have a Great Day!!!
Marcus Graham
October 6th, 2009
5:11 pm
Sorry that happened to you. But I hope that you are not using this to test the waters about coming out of the closet. Sexual abuse and being gay are not connected at all AND honey we all think you are a little sweet.
sugarapple
October 6th, 2009
5:25 pm
Enter your comments here
I am sorry for the abuse you suffered it is my hope that your have forgiven those who committed those acts on you and you will move on
Tressa
October 6th, 2009
5:31 pm
Tyler is one big sissy buffoon. He has found a cash cow with his low budget recurring theme of stereo-typical black issues. He was abused?..is that why he is emotionally impaired…Gosh, I can’t find any adult that was born in Tyler’s time whose parents did not whoop their behinds and everywhere else. Grow up, sissy boy…have children, get a family and face challenges like a real man…then you wouldn’t have time to be crying like that sissy Micheal Jackson. If whoopings pushed you to suceed…share the wealth throughout Atlanta with all the sorry young sissies like yourself.Give them a whooping…poverty will cease in the hood!
Bushwacker
October 6th, 2009
5:48 pm
Your right BIG JOHN,It saddens me to say we are no longer LAND OF THE FREE AND HOME OF THE BRAVE, but HOME OF THE GUTLESS.
Don’t listen to the lies from the left about how evil we are, that’s why the world thinks we are evil because they spent the last 8 years telling thw world we are evil,that’s bull crap.
We are still the good guys no matter what any leftists politician tells you.
Remember History, when Ceasar sat down and talked with Atilla The Hun to work out a deal, he thought everything was cool, then Atilla came back in the middle of the night and started chopping heads off, the beginning of THE END OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.
You cannot negotiate with people who want to kill you, you have to kill them first!!
Its time to MAN UP AMERICA and take our country back from the spine less sissy boys who want to be nice to murderous dictators of the world..
Bushwacker
October 6th, 2009
5:50 pm
PS My father beat the crap out of me and I thank him for it now, he probably kept me out prison..
One other thing, I cannot remember but I probably deserved every butt whooping I ever got!!!
StrawBerrie
October 6th, 2009
5:54 pm
Tyler i think your movies are great. Each one has a message with it.i,m sorry you had to go through that in your child life.But God was with you and he saw something in you that you yourself did not.And about you being in the closet it don,t matter to me. You only have to answer to God, he knows your heart in and out so keep up the good work much sucess to you.
Shawn H.
October 6th, 2009
5:59 pm
Why are you all hating on Tyler Perry? Because he’s successful? Because he’s willing to open up about the abuse he has endured? We have plenty of people in society who chose not to open up about their abuse and as a result have become abusers. So what if he is gay as Marcus believes. Does that mean he not allowed to deal with what his childhood was like. Don’t get me wrong, I was whooped with extention cords, thorn-bush branches, and even the buckle end of the belt. I personally don’t call it abuse but discipline just the same. My offenses warranted it, believe me. Props to Tyler for being able to come to grips with what he went through. The rest of you…stop hating and start relating. Don’t be mad at him cause he pulled himself up. Stop living like crabs!
Alicia
October 6th, 2009
8:39 pm
Thank You Shawn H.! Sometimes people are so wrapped up in their crap that they don’t understand that talking about the things that happened in your past is what starts the healing process. Tyler was already famous before he revealed this. Stop running your mouth about it. If you don’t like it then keep your mouth and your fingers shut. Leave the comments to people who really like him and can relate. Good for you Tyler.
Ronald
October 6th, 2009
10:16 pm
Enter your comments here I dislike that some very successful black entertainers, who clearly benefited in some form or fashion from their father’s strict discipline, come up for air from their oceans of money and bash their fathers and dwell on only negative things about their dads. Brothers are bashed when black women fill up the prisons raising all these children by themselves; a brotha pull out an ocassional belt and now pops is the devil. Damn. Focus on the positive Tyler. Noboby’s life is problem free and you were able to navigate out of the mess. Talk about that, inspire somebody and don’t dont the typical sissy thing and bash yo black daddy. He probably whipped you cuz he saw you in a dress. Don’t hate Tyler. Be a man!
Melody
October 7th, 2009
7:59 am
I say forgive and forget and move forward. Life is too short to stress over the past. Mr. Perry, keep up the good work. You make people laugh, I believe it’s what God has called you to do. People, remember this one thing, lauging is good for the soul, if you can’t laugh, something is seriously wrong with you. I speak many blessings in your life and I hope you forgive your abusers.Just as God forgives us, He expect us to do the same. Be encouraged:)
Mallore
October 7th, 2009
11:36 am
Enter your comments here
You’ve gotta be kidding me with these comments. Have some respect and empathy for a man who grew up with abuse. This is an obviously sensitive and talented man who has the courage to tell the truth and share his feelings. Until you walk in his shoes, don’t judge him. And also, don’t tell him to just forgive and forget and man up. Abused children are like holocaust survivors…they’ve survived a soul killing experience. Would you tell a holocaust survivor to man up and let it go?
Healing from that is a lifetime process that is different for all. Honor it, don’t judge it.
M.J.
October 7th, 2009
12:58 pm
I think its sad that so many people hate on Mr. Perry. This man has provided quality entertainment to a segment of the population that has long been ridiculed or ignored by Hollywood. It also sadden me that many African Americans strive to tear down each other (through gossip or whatever means available). With this type of behavior, who needs the KKK? I am an African American and I think we are doing a fabulous job at backstabbing, hating, and killing each other. We need to take that nasty and negative attitude and raise our children as good people instead of being hateful and petty. Mr. Perry, continued success and God has blessed you. Let no one take your joy away.
Malcolm
October 7th, 2009
5:38 pm
Give me a break, blacks can criticize blacks; it ain’t no crime. He chose to be in a field where criticism is expected. And these white movie reviewers have been slaughtering TP and his movies since day 1. Where was you and your silly klan accusations then? Y’all Madea heads only want to defend TP when a black person got something to say. That ain’t right; we can share our criticism too. Grow up. And there are some people who just ain’t interested in seeing movies with no sissy-fied black man dressing up like no woman. Period. Tyler aint no genius. You’d be surprised of how wide opportunities from Hollywood open up when a black man will dress like a girl. Every black actor or comedian has been prodded by Hollywood to do that. Thats why Dave Chapelle ran off to Africa when he did. So dont go and try to act like this man is walking on water. If you is a man and wanna make a movie, just be a sissy man in a dress–and it’ll happen soon enough. The problem with TP–and I agree with who you callin’ “haters”– and his butt whuppin whining is that he IS only doing AT THIS TIME to get you to see that ghetto version of “Mommy Dearest”, Precious. He isn’t sincere. He only trying to manipulate us to go make him some money. I love my sons and don’t want them looking at no black man dressed up like no girl. And me having that opinion, in a free country, don’t make me no klansman. And don’t be bringing up horrors of our history to defend no Madea.
Clazz Of 2010
October 28th, 2009
4:45 pm
People always got something negative to say shut the hell up like 4 real I am young boi and I probably have more manners than yall if you ain’t got nothing nice to say keep it to ya damn self it make yall look dumb. And if he is gay who cares it’s not like he want any of yall and he not even worried about yall cause he makin his own money gay,straight,Bi,Black,White,Blue he makin money.But I forgot if yall did not have anything to say ya life would probably be boring so keep on hatin haters and the others thumbs up…….Always love Tyler