Oprah Winfrey

Tyler Perry: A Trailblazer In Black Cinema & Entertainment

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Tyler Perry has become one of the most revered entertainment industry icons. He boasts a highly successful three-decade career covering both the stage and the screen. Perry’s work spans a multitude of plays, movies, genres, and formats, and when he’s not behind the camera, he’s right in front of it. From theatrical characters to one very lovable slapstick favorite, there’s very little he cannot portray. 

The filmmaker is also the recipient of numerous accolades. He is widely regarded as a formidable entity in the Black community. His most exceptional moments of recognition include receiving the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy Awards, as well as being inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame. Perry also may just become the next owner of Black Entertainment Television (BET). His contributions to Black entertainment as a whole have been truly exceptional over the years. 

Difficult Childhood & Early Beginnings

Before finding success with his plays and movies, Tyler Perry suffered a rollercoaster of emotions as a child. He has been very vocal about the many traumas he endured during his youth. Born Emmitt Perry Jr., he would later change his name at 16 to Tyler in order to distance himself from his abusive, alcoholic father. Perry revealed that his father beat him constantly and was sexually abusive to others. Furthermore, Perry himself was the victim of sexual abuse by numerous adults in his life. 

His only source of refuge from the many pains he suffered was going to church with his mother every week. The church has become an active part of many of Tyler Perry’s movies, series, and plays. A DNA test later revealed that Emmitt Perry Sr. was not Tyler’s biological father. After a rough upbringing, the media titan found solace in writing in his twenties, which led to his first successful play, I Know I’ve Been Changed. 

Tyler Perry’s Breakthrough 

By the early nineties, Tyler Perry worked tirelessly to get his plays in front of the right audiences. In September 1999, Perry debuted the now-beloved character Mable “Madea” Simmons. Madea would later become a cultural icon and a staple of Black cinema. The character has appeared in over 20 productions across film, television, and on stage, as well as animated projects. 

His first movie, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, is a cult classic, especially among African American households. From 2006 onwards, Perry began to both direct and write successful films. His most notable films as a director, writer, and producer include: Daddy’s Little Girls, Why Did I Get Married?, I Can Do All Bad By Myself, For Colored Girls, Acrimony, and A Fall From Grace. Perry also co-produced the Oscar-winning drama Precious alongside Lee Daniels and longtime friend and partner Oprah Winfrey. 

Partnership With Oprah

In 2012, Tyler Perry partnered with Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) to create multiple scripted television programs for the network. The most popular series he’s created for OWN is undoubtedly The Haves and the Have Nots, which ran for eight seasons and 196 episodes between 2013 and 2021. The Haves and the Have Nots was a huge success for the network, and was praised for its highly inclusive casting diversity. 

Tyler Perry Studios

Perry is the founder and owner of Tyler Perry Studios, one of the largest film production studios in the United States. With over $900 million in revenue, Perry cemented himself as a leading job producer in Atlanta and the U.S. The studio has accommodated the filming of some highly successful blockbusters over the years. Scenes from the movies Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Red Notice, and A Jazzman’s Blues were shot in Tyler Perry Studios. The upcoming Blade movie featuring Mahershala Ali will also have scenes shot in the famous studio. 

Life Outside Of Entertainment

Tyler Perry has been very open about his personal life while staying relatively private. Themes of forgiveness, love, and grace heavily influenced his earlier works. While his newer projects still maintain many of these themes, they’re much more expansive today. However, most of his work still shows his love for the Black church. Tyler Perry is a devout Christian. Additionally, Perry dated Ethiopian model Gelila Bekele from 2009 until 2020. Together, they share a son, Aman Tyler Perry. The media mogul is also a supporter of many charities and has been noted for his many philanthropic contributions and endeavors. 

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Ari Lennox Apologizes To Oprah Winfrey & Gayle King For “Ignorant Attack”

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Ari Lennox has issued a lengthy apology to Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King after insulting the two back in 2020. Commenting on a post from The Neighborhood Talk‘s Instagram page on Friday, Lennox admitted she was in the wrong for coming at them.

“Y’all can take this however you want,” she began. “But my passion is SINGING. I am not an actress first nor have I been auditioning for anything. I’m beyond content with what God has blessed me with. I apologized because I FEEL I was wrong, and I feel like those women didn’t deserve that ignorant attack from me.”

Read More: Ari Lennox Latest To Slam Gayle King & Oprah

Ari Lennox On Stage

LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 02: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Ari Lennox performs on day 2 of Wireless Festival 2022 at Crystal Palace Park on July 02, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Burak Cingi/Redferns)

She continued: “This is not to impress the self-righteous idiots, the true misogynists that love degrading Black women for their imperfections or flaws. We all have a million reasons as to why we become who we become and I don’t see the point in being judgmental and evil towards people figuring it out. I’m here with no agenda or motive. I was wrong and I want to be very clear about it. I don’t mind being real about it. It’s not my intent to impress you or please any of you.”

Lennox originally called out the two for bringing up Kobe Bryant’s rape allegations following the Los Angeles Lakers legend’s tragic death. “Fuck ass, fucked up, fuck Gayle [King], and fuck Oprah,” she said at the time. “Y’all are some self-hating pieces of shit fuck-asses. I have never seen a c–n more fucking c–nier than got damn kale and okra. I’m over y’all. I don’t give a fuck how rich y’all are, how much you fucking accomplish. Y’all are tearing down the legacies of so many phenomenal beautiful Black men and I don’t fucking have time for it. I’m sick. I’m disgusted. You don’t care about Black people. Okra I knew you wasn’t shit when kids was trying to take a picture with you and she said ‘Ooh I see your little crack phone.’”

Ari Lennox’s Apology

Lennox also shared an apology for the incident on Twitter. “I sincerely apologize to Oprah and Gayle. Y’all legends didn’t deserve that wretched ignorant live.” she wrote in a brief post.

Read More: Gayle King Receives Heavy Backlash Over Kobe Bryant Rape Question

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Oprah on Tina Turner: ‘She Encouraged a Part of Me I Didn’t Know Existed’

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Oprah on Tina Turner: ‘She Encouraged a Part of Me I Didn’t Know Existed'

Oprah Winfrey has joined countless celebrities in remembering the late Tina Turner. In a message on Instagram, Oprah detailed going from “full-on groupie” to “real friends” in an ever-growing relationship with The Queen of Rock N’ Roll.

I started out as a fan of Tina Turner, then a full-on groupie, following her from show to show around the country, and then, eventually, we became real friends. She is our forever goddess of rock ‘n’ roll who contained a magnitude of inner strength that grew throughout her life. She was a role model not only for me but for the world. She encouraged a part of me I didn’t know existed.

Once she claimed her freedom from years of domestic abuse, her life became a clarion call for triumph. I’m grateful for her courage, for showing us what victory looks like wearing Manolo’s and a leather miniskirt. She once shared with me that when her time came to leave this earth, she would not be afraid, but excited and curious. Because she had learned how to LIVE surrounded by her beloved husband, Erwin, and friends. I am a better woman, a better human, because her life touched mine. She was indeed simply the best.

– Oprah

The music world is saddened and shocked by the passing of legendary singer Tina Turner. She was 83 years old.

According to one of Ms. Turner’s representatives, she died in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland, after an acute illness.

Born Anna Mae Bullock on November 26, 1939, in the rural Tennessee community of Nutbush, Bullock met Ike Turner at 17, when she first began recording with the rock n roll guitarist in St Louis in 1957. The couple eventually got married in Tijuana, Mexico, shortly thereafter.

Turner’s career spanned seven decades, with her origins during the early years of rock and roll, while her evolution which spawned the classic “What’s Love Got To Do With It” in the early 1980s taking her into the era of music television. Dubbed “the Queen of Rock n’ Roll”, Turner won six of her eight Grammy Awards in the 1980s and even drew one of the largest crowds ever for a stage performance in Rio de Janeiro in 1988, attracting 180,000 people.

At that time, Turner had been free from her abusive marriage to guitarist Ike Turner for ten years.

In 1985 Turner met German music executive Erwin Bach who became her long-term partner, and in 1988 she moved to London, beginning a decades-long residency in Europe. She released two studio albums in the 1990s that sold well, especially in Europe, recorded the theme song for the 1995 Bond movie “GoldenEye,” and staged a successful world tour in 2008 and 2009.

After that, she retired from show business. She married Bach, relinquishing her U.S. citizenship and becoming a citizen of Switzerland.

She battled a number of health problems after retiring and in 2018 she faced a family tragedy, when her oldest son, Craig, took his life at age 59 in Los Angeles. Her younger son Ronnie died in December 2022.

“Tina’s story is not one of victimhood but one of incredible triumph,” Janet Jackson wrote about Turner in a Rolling Stone issue that put Turner at No. 63 on a list of the top 100 artists of all time.

Her work, contributions to music, and feminine strength will always be remembered and celebrated for generations to come.

The post Oprah on Tina Turner: ‘She Encouraged a Part of Me I Didn’t Know Existed’ appeared first on The Source.

Oprah Gains Neighbors’ Ire Over Flood Wall

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Despite famously being a warm, dry state forever plagued by drought, California is also prone to flooding. January 2023 was especially bad for the state, with Governor Gavin Newsome and President Joe Biden going as far as to declare a state of emergency. San Francisco, Oakland, and Santa Barbara were the worst affected, all getting at least 12 inches of rainwater. Santa Barbara County also experienced mass evacuations due to the severity of the flooding.

Flooding is especially bad in low-lying areas, such as Santa Barbara County. The city sits just 49 feet above sea level and is often one of the worst affected places by flooding. This is exacerbated by the nearby San Ysidro Creek. Notable incidents include this year’s flooding forcing the evacuation of several celebrities and a deadly mudslide in 2018. However, flooding is causing tension amongst some members of the affluent Montecito neighborhood.

Oprah’s Neighbors Worry About Flood Wall Ramifications

Montecito sits just over five miles east of Santa Barbara. Once a haven of banditry, it became a haven for the wealthy at the turn of the 20th Century. It is now best known as being the county’s celebrity town, with many familiar faces making Montecito their home. Ellen famously did some of her pandemic shows from her home in Montecito. Another of these famous faces is Oprah, who moved to her “Promised Land” estate in 2001. However, Oprah’s less famous neighbors are beginning to raise concerns after a boulder wall was installed on her property.

The problem, her neighbors claim, is that the wall protects Oprah’s estate from future flooding…by diverting the water on their property. It is unclear if Oprah ordered the wall’s installation. However, Jimenez Nursery used her address on the necessary Army Corps of Engineers permit request. Additionally, there are concerns about the wall itself. Some have voiced fears that the wall may not actually withstand floodwaters like the ones seen earlier this year. This would not only void the purpose of the wall but potentially cause greater damage if the boulders were washed away. It’s unclear if this will stay at simple neighbor complaints, or if further action will be taken.

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Kim Kardashian, Lori Harvey, & More Attend Oprah’s 69th Birthday

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Oprah Winfrey celebrated her 69th birthday over the weekend, alongside a number of high-profile celebrities. Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Lori Harvey, and more were all in attendance.

The event was also put on to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Anastasia Soare’s famed beauty brand, Anastasia Beverly Hills. During the night, Oprah was presented with a lavish birthday cake.

Others to make appearances at the celebration included Sofia Vergara, Priyanka Chopra, Jessica Alba, Heidi Klum, and Rita Wilson.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 12: Oprah Winfrey is seen on stage during her ‘An Evening With Oprah’ tour at Allphones Arena on December 12, 2015, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Don Arnold/WireImage)

Reflecting on her birthday in a post on her website, Oprah explained that she feels better than ever.

“Today, as many of you know, is my 69th birthday. For me, it is such a reward to be turning 69 and to be strong and healthy. This time last year, I was getting over a double knee operation, and now I have never felt better,” Oprah wrote in the post on her website. “As I turn 69, I choose not to focus on the number. For me, the number has always just been a marker. Instead, I choose to celebrate the time I’ve spent living, taking note of all the shifts, the wins, the accomplishments, how much I’ve grown over the past year and I look forward to all that is to come.”

“Next year I’m going be turning 70. Where do I want to be by the time I hit 70? What do I want to accomplish this year? How do I want to feel? May I suggest you think about these things, too?” she continued. “And as I’ve said, with each birthday, you get to decide whether to mark it as the end of your greatest days or the beginning of your finest hours. I choose the latter and hope that you do too because each trip around the sun gifts us with a new beginning.”

Check out posts from Oprah Winfrey’s birthday celebration below.

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Tyler Perry Takes on the True story of the 6888th Battalion

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Tyler Perry 6888

Tyler Perry’s upcoming film “Six Triple Eight” has queued an all-star cast, led by Kerry Washington and Oprah Winfrey. The period piece about the only all-Black, all-women World War II battalion will be released on Netflix. 

The spectacular cast starring alongside Washington and Winfrey include, Ebony Obsidian, Milauna Jackson, Kylie Jefferson, Shanice Shantay, Sarah Jeffery, Pepi Sonuga, Jay Reeves, Jeanté Godlock, Moriah Brown, Baadja-Lyne Odums and Gregg Sulkin, along with Dean Norris, Sam Waterston and Susan Sarandon.

Washington is set to executive produce the film alongside director and producer Tyler Perry. Perry was inspired to write the screenplay from an article by Kevin M. Hymel published in WWII History Magazine by Sovereign Media. Additionally, the project is produced by Perry; Nicole Avant for Her Excellency Productions; Keri Selig for Intuition Productions; Carlota Espinosa; Angi Bones and Tony Strickland for Tyler Perry Studios. Mandalay Pictures’ Peter Guber executive produces the project alongside Washington.

Kerry Washington Oprah

The story of the 6888th Postal Directory Battalion, consisting of 855 Black women, has been withdrawn from text books for nearly 75 years, concealing an incredible story of great importance. When these women joined the war effort, they were given the arduous task of sorting through, fixing and delivering the three-year backlog of mail. 

The film’s synopsis reads, “Facing discrimination, unfamiliar land, and a war-torn country, they persevered and sorted over 17 million pieces of mail, reconnecting American soldiers with their families and loved ones back home. The motto that kept them going each day was one they created themselves: ‘No Mail, Low Morale.’ The women of the 6888 weren’t just delivering mail, they were delivering hope.”

President Joe Biden signed the bill for the women to receive the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress’ highest honor on March 14th, 2022. 

“Six Triple Eight” marks Tyler Perry’s fourth film directed for Netflix. Previous releases include, “A Fall From Grace,” “A Madea Homecoming” and “A Jazzman’s Blues.” The film’s release was officially announced in December and teased to Variety in August 2022. Perry said, “ the film will feature  “some incredible people that were overlooked for years.” Production for the film officially began earlier this week. 

The post Tyler Perry Takes on the True story of the 6888th Battalion appeared first on The Source.

Oprah Winfrey & More Mourn Barbara Walters Passing

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Barbara Walters’ peers are flooding social media with fond memories of the beloved journalist. Everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Star Jones is speaking light about the passing of Walters — who passed away Friday at age 93. 

Oprah has always been vocal about her respect for Walters. The Queen of media took to Instagram to share her condolences regarding the late broadcaster’s death. “Without Barbara Walters there wouldn’t have been me,” Winfrey began. “Nor any other woman you see on evening, morning, and daily news. She was indeed a Trailblazer. I did my very first television audition with her in mind the whole time. Grateful to have known her.”

NEW YORK – MAY 05: Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Walters attends the Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World Gala at Rose Hall – Jazz at Lincoln Center on May 5, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Time Inc.)
Read More: Barbara Walters Passes Away At Age 93

Walters’ former “The View” cohost Star Jones also penned a heartfelt note following the news of her passing. “I owe Barbara Walters more than I could ever repay. Rest well sister…mother…friend…colleague…mentor.”

Rosie Perez, who also sat alongside Barbara on View, tweeted her reaction to the recasting loss. “An amazing woman,” Perez wrote. “Amazing loss. Shattering the glass ceiling is a huge understatement. She decimated it. Paved the way for so many. I  feel very proud/humble to have known her & to have worked with her.” 

Walters broke down several barriers through her nearly 60 year career. She  joined ABC News in 1976, becoming the first female anchor on an evening news program. Three years later, she became a co-host of “20/20,” and in 1997, she launched The View.

After 17 years as host of the daytime talk show, Barbara made her final appearance in 2014.  “I do not want to appear on another program or climb another mountain,” she said at the time. “I want instead to sit on a sunny field and admire the very gifted women — and OK, some men too — who will be taking my place.”

Our thoughts are with Barbara Walters family and friends at this times. 

Yung Miami Says She Wants To Be The “Black” Oprah

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Yung Miami

Yung Miami stated in a new interview that she aspires to be the Black Oprah Winfrey, which seemed confusing until people recognized the City Girl might be on to something. Yung Miami spoke on a wide range of topics during a new interview with XXL, including her recent podcast, Caresha Please. During the conversation, she […]

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Yung Miami’s Aspiration To Be The ‘Black Oprah’ Has Fans Giggling Because There Is Already One

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yung miami black oprah
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Look, man. We’ve all been there; we meant to say one word and said another. Or perhaps we added an adjective where there wasn’t supposed to be one. It happens to the best of us — even celebrities. The difference between them and us civilians, though, is that their miscues get turned into memes and run into the ground on Twitter. City Girls rapper Yung Miami is finding that out now, as the Caresha Please host’s recent comments about her aspirations for the new talk show have fans chuckling at her expense.

In a new interview with XXL, Miami says her goal with the podcast/talk show is “to take it to the next level. I want to be — I think she has a podcast now — a person like Wendy Williams. I’m dreaming big. I want to go to the highest of the highest. I want to be the Black Oprah.” Of course, daytime talk legend Oprah Winfrey is famously already Black — a big part of the reason she’s so notable is being the first Black woman with her impressive list of accomplishments — so fans have been pretty merciless in roasting Miami’s faux pas, understandable as it is. (As an editor, I’m putting the blame on XXL. You have to edit the quotes, too!)

Some are sarcastically making the quote a commentary of Oprah’s appeal to universal audiences (read: mainstream white ones), while others are taking the opportunity to point out Oprah’s less-than-solicitous stance on hip-hop. Miami herself, though, is taking the hilarity in stride, tweeting “Black Oprah” and “The next (((Black))) Oprah!” to keep the conversation going. Check out some of the responses below.

Oprah-Produced Sidney Poitier Documentary Set to Premiere On Apple TV+

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Sidney Poitier

The world mourned when it was announced that the Bahamian-American actor Sidney Poitier, best known for his lead roles in Lillies of the Field and Raisin in the Sun, had passed away. Apple TV+ released a trailer for Sidney, a documentary detailing his life and lengthy career. On January 6, 2022, the world mourned when […]

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