October 2009


There's nothing funny about Tyler Perry's latest work: a revealing account of the horrific abuse he suffered as a child.

"I always thought I would die before I grew up," the comedian writes in an uncharacteristically somber letter to fans on his Web site.

After watching a screening of the lauded movie Precious, which he executive produced with Oprah Winfrey, about a 16-year-old girl who is physically and emotionally abused, the New Orleans native, 40, best known for his comic Madea character, reveals a flood of memories came back, and that "a large part of my childhood had just played out before my eyes."

Beginning with his mother's failed attempt to leave his abusive father, Perry recounts a horrific list of beatings and hardships he suffered.

"My father came home, mad at the world," he writes. "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."

Perry goes on to relate accounts of being seduced by a friend's mother at age 10, to being molested by another friend's father, to finding out that his own father was molesting a friend. And he tells of how his grandmother made a bizarre attempt to rid him of his allergies.

"She said she was going to kill these germs on me once and for all," he says. "She gave me a bath in ammonia."

But seeing Precious, he said, helped him realize once again that he had survived it all.

"It hit me so hard, I sat there in tears realizing that somehow, by the grace of God, I made it through," writes Perry, who signed on as an executive producer on the film. "My tears were tears of joy, being thankful that I made it."

And the most important lesson of all? Learning to forgive, he says.

"I know that there are a lot of people out there with stories far worse than mine but you, too, can make it. To those of you who have, welcome to life. I celebrate you," he said. "We're all PRECIOUS in His sight."



http://www.people.com/peo...38,00.html

Patterns of abuse often reveal themselves as folks grow older and manifest the abuse themselves.


Tyler was abused, and in return, he's abusing the movie going audience.




















ok, I know I shouldn't have gone there. Sorry.

Well, damn.

this isn't news, didn't he already reveal this a few years ago?

Imago said:

I want to brick your ass but that was pretty funny


But I applaud Tyler for speaking on this. the more survivors speak, the more voices will be heard against the cycle and for healing.

@ imago's comment

He's touched on the subject of child abuse in "I Can Do Bad", "Family Reunion", and"Daddy's Little Girls", and being that his flims/plays/tv shows seem very personal anyone think that maybe he was leading up to this next project?
[Edited 10/6/09 10:11am]

I knew he was abused but dayum...sounds like his whole family was fucked up. I hope he didn't carry that psychosis with him and abuse anybody in return. Abusers put up good fronts when in public.

DesireeNevermind said:

some do, some go on to do great things! Like dress in grandma drag

Imago said:

[Edited 10/6/09 10:58am]

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Proof that he's cured.

Statuesqque said:

Yes. He and a lot of other folks in Hollywood. He forgave and moved on. Now he's a Billionaire. Good for him.

diamondpearl1 said:

Although Daddy's Little Girls was a diffrent type of child abuse..it wasnt the same type as it was in I Can Do Bad and Family Reunion. And plus I Can Do Bad was more about selfishness and alcohol abuse. His next movie will be the sequel to Why Did I Get Married.

Imago said:

disappointed in having just witnessed that, kiddo

DesireeNevermind said:

But in this day and age, with every second of everyone who passes gas out loud available for media consumption 24/7...if he had ever had any predatory experiences I think someone would have stepped forward by now.

Ottensen said:

sorry

Is he still in the closet?

GirlBrother said:

WTF?

He's gay?

I've always assumed Mr. Perry was gay but since he says otherwise than I'm going to take him at his word.

Funny thing, I've always assumed the late actor Tony Randall was gay and the late actor Rock Hudson was straight. Assumptions aren't a good thing....



=====
[Edited 10/6/09 14:52pm]

Imago said:

Like my grandma's kaleidoscope purse...

Harlepolis said:

[Edited 10/6/09 15:41pm]

SCNDLS said:

SCNDLS said:

Oh...no.....

Dayclear said:

I thought I'd heard this before. I want to say he talked about it on or to Oprah and I remember reading it somewhere to. In any event good for him.

GirlBrother said:

I don't think so, folks just know what the deal is.

SCNDLS said:

you FLIP that hair gurl alright!!
[Edited 10/6/09 17:07pm]

Gay?

I thought this chick, Gelila Bekele, was his ladylove.

Copycat said:

Yeah, cuz high profile men having beards are a myth. Shit his titties are bigger than hers. Look at his buttons poppin'
[Edited 10/6/09 17:47pm]

SCNDLS said:

that's funny

Harlepolis said: