By Sandra & Allison Lord  

THE MOST REMARKABLE MEDIA PERSONALITIES:

Tyler Perry and alter ego , Madea (©) 2010 Lord Sisters. All Rights Reserved.

Six foot five, good looking, and successful - is this what makes Tyler Perry a media icon? We don’t think so. It is his determination to overcome his difficulties, sticking to his faith, and believing in himself, even in the toughest moments.

After Tyler attempted suicide due to a childhood trauma, where he was a victim of physical abuse as well as sexual molestation, he understood that he had to take the reins of his life in order to defeat the ghosts of his troubled past and set on a journey of a thousand miles, which began with a single step. 

Being a high school drop out, Tyler quickly realized that it took lots of passion to accomplish his goals. It is this passion and personal experiences that he poured into his first theatrical musical production, “I Know I’ve Been Changed.” The play was a total failure. But Tyler was meant to succeed despite his poverty, hunger, and homelessness and he did not deviate from his goal; he kept his eyes on the prize. 

Eight years later after a few more rewrites, Tyler’s musical became a total success. The rest is history. 

Tyler has gone on to conquer the stage, television and feature films, and has added ‘best-selling novelist’ to his list of accomplishments. 

The release of his first movie, DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN, in 2005, sealed his national celebrity status. Tyler played the lead, his famous female character, Madea, based on his mother and other strong black women who were around him during his upbringing. The film has spawned a Madea franchise that has struck box office gold! 

In October 2008, Tyler launched his multi-million dollar motion picture and television studio in Atlanta. 

Critics have claimed that Tyler perpetuates negative stereotypes in his movies. He disagrees and says that his characters are real and hiding them would only deny their true existence. He has stood his ground. 

In 2009, Tyler Perry was ranked the sixth highest paid man in Hollywood by Forbes magazine. As of July 2009, Tyler’s films had grossed nearly $400 million worldwide. 

How about that? 

Beyond his career and financial success, Tyler Perry serves as an inspiration to everyone who uses life’s setbacks as an excuse for failure and he continues to “give back” in various forms to the community, especially to underprivileged children. 

Tyler Perry is an admirable representation of hard work and ethical conduct and his journey is vivid proof that the American dream is still alive and possible.