Spike Lee says Do the Right Thing...

Spike Lee had an interview with Ed Gordon on Our World with Black Enterprise scheduled to air this weekend. In the interview he complained about “coonery and buffoonery” and both of Tyler Perry’s shows “Meet the Browns” and “House of Payne,” comparing them to characters from minstrel shows.

“We’ve had this discussion back and forth. When John Singleton [made 'Boyz in the Hood'], people came out to see it. But when he did ‘Rosewood,’ nobody showed up. So a lot of this is on us! You vote with your pocketbook, your wallet. You vote with your time sitting in front of the idiot box, and [Tyler Perry] has a huge audience. We shouldn’t think that Tyler Perry is going to make the same film that I am going to make, or that John Singleton or my cousin Malcolm Lee [would make]. As African-Americans, we’re not one monolithic group, so there is room for all of that. But at the same time, for me, the imaging is troubling and it harkens back to ‘Amos n’ Andy.’”

“Each artist should be allowed to pursue their artistic endeavors, but I still think there is a lot of stuff out today that is coonery and buffoonery. I know it’s making a lot of money and breaking records, but we can do better. … I am a huge basketball fan, and when I watch the games on TNT, I see these two ads for these two shows (Tyler Perry’s “Meet the Browns” and “House of Payne”), and I am scratching my head. We got a black president, and we going back to Mantan Moreland and Sleep ‘n’ Eat?

One of the many attributes I simply adore about Spike Lee is how outspoken he is. We all have that right and he is very assertive in knowing that power he possesses. I've only watched a couple episodes of House of Payne and have not seen Meet the Browns however from what I've seen I would have to disagree with Spike Lee. The very foundation, I gathered, from House of Payne is FAMILY. How family interact during trials and tribulations. Now there are moments when it's a little over the top but "coonery and buffoonery" isn't what comes to mind. There are serious issues troubling our demographic. I understand that we must make people aware of what we take in and media is one of the largest consumption but Tyler Perry offers that laughter at the end of the day. That moment to reflect on the power of God, family, and relationships. Tell me what you think BLAKstar family...