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• Thursday, February 23, 2006 08:09 AM

  Reality Check

  So, let me see if I can sum up the critics' objection to "Diary:" They didn't like Tyler Perry's Madea character because she was too over-the-top?

  Gee, I guess they didn't much care for Bruce Willis' "John McClane" character in the "Die Hard" series or Brangelina's campy spies in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." Huh? They did? And audiences liked them, as well? Hmmmmm... I wonder what the problem is here? Maybe if the critics admitted to enjoying Madea, they might be accused of perpetuating stereotypes?

  Sure, Madea is a caricature! But, as film reviewer James Berardinelli wrote recently, "[W]e go to... movies to escape from the real world, not to be immersed in it." Here's the thing, though: Madea isn't so far off target. She's based on real people - real Black women. My wife and I are the only two Whites in a Black congregation of 100 members in the Deep South. Madea made us double over in laughter because she reminded us of people we know! We've rented all of "her" DVDs and enjoyed every one.

  Maybe all of those uptight critics - White and Black need to loosen up and let themselves enjoy Mr. Perry's work. I, for one, will miss Madea when she "retires."

  —Klezmorim
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