Tyler Perry ‘makes matters less ugly’
Tyler Perry — well-known movie director, producer, writer and actor — is sending 65 children to Disney World. To catch you up, Natasha VC from Gawker puts it well:
“Remember that sad story we told you about the group of black kids who were turned away from a swim club pool because the club’s owners feared they would “change the complexion of the pool”? It’s ugly stuff. To make matters less ugly writer/director Tyler Perry has offered to send the 65 kids from Philly on all-expenses-paid three-day trip to DisneyWorld.”
More background
Before Tyler Perry ever got involved, it was in Huntington Valley, Pennsylvania, that the Valley Swim Club changed its mind about letting the children from Creative Steps, Inc. daycare swim there once a week after only one session. Witnesses said the children were well behaved, and many — including the kids — believe the group was, ahem, invited to not return to the club because most of them are black.
The daycare might end up borrowing money to pay for its lawyers now, as it is pursuing a federal civil rights law suit against the swimming club, according to New York Daily News. Things got pretty “ugly” after the president of the Valley Club, John Duesler, said “There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion … and the atmosphere of the club.” For the full story behind the incident, check out this article.
Tyler Perry’s “We’re Going to Disney World”
So, the kids don’t get to go swimming every Monday this summer as they’d planned. However, they do get to go to “the happiest place on earth” for a few days. When asked why he wanted to fund the trip, Tyler Perry said:
“I want them to know that for every act of evil that a few people will throw at you, there are millions more who will do something kind for them.”
Tyler Perry says had seen one of the children crying on the news after being shunned at the club. The director of Creative Steps says she is ecstatic for the children.
Who is Tyler Perry?
For those of you who don’t know who Tyler Perry is and how he has enough money to pay for 65 children to go on an all-expenses-paid trip to Disney World, here’s a little primer.
Tyler Perry started off his film career as a voice actor and director on “Madea’s Family Reunion” and as a producer for “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” in 2002. Since then he’s been director, writer or producer for about a dozen movies and plays. He’s also director and producer of two popular cable television series, “Meet the Browns” and “House of Payne.”
Bringing in the big bucks
Tyler Perry’s most recent feature film, “Madea Goes to Jail,” pulled in more than $90 million at the box office this year. He directed two films in 2008, “The Family That Preys” and “Meet the Browns.” Together, the films made about $78 million at the U.S. box office.
Before Tyler Perry made his break into the movie business, “he was already the owner of a successful play company that tours the country and caters to African-Americans. His plays are also recorded and sold as DVDs,” reports IMDB.
Tyler Perry trivia
IMDB also says that Tyler Perry:
Has been writing plays since he was 18. As of March 2005, his eight plays have grossed over US$75 million in tickets and DVD sales.
His plays often reference The Color Purple (1985), which starred Oprah Winfrey. He credits “The Oprah Winfrey Show” (1986) with inspiring him to write.
Has a 12-acre estate outside Atlanta.
In 2007 he was ranked No. 7 on EW’s The 50 Smartest People in Hollywood.
