Madea’s brash, bold and beautiful. It’s hard to believe she has been in our lives for 20 years — almost just like us! As Deco’s Chris Van Vliet reminds us, she’s been a very busy woman.
Madea has pretty much done everything at this point. She’s gone to jail, had family reunions, celebrated Christmas, celebrated Halloween — twice — and now after 20 years, Tyler Perry says “A Madea Family Funeral” will be Madea’s last film. So I hopped on the first plane to New York City to talk to him about it.
Tyler Perry (as Madea): “We here because your daddy’s dead. I’ll be coordinating the funeral.”
The movie starts out as a family reunion, then turns into a nightmare when a family member dies, and they scramble to plan a funeral.
Chris Van Vliet: “So I think you scared a lot of people when you said you were going to say goodbye to the Madea character this year, and then your next Madea movie was ‘A Madea Family Funeral.’ Everyone thinks that Madea is going to die here.”
Tyler Perry: “Do they? Well, they have to come and see what happens. But it’s time for her to hang up the shoes and the muumuu.”
Chris: “So this is it?”
Tyler Perry: “This is it, this is it. It’s been fun.”
Tyler Perry (as Madea): “I know something about funerals. I’ve buried a lot of men.”
Tyler has been playing the lovable Madea for the last 20 years, and you never know when she might just show up.
Tyler Perry (speaking as Madea): ‘Who’s that in the damn closet? Get out of the closet. You distracting me with that damn purse. (reverts to Tyler Perry mode). I’m sorry, go ahead, go ahead. It’s early.”
Chris Van Vliet: “I love that you can just turn it on just like that.”
Tyler Perry: “Just like that, just like that.”
David Otunga: “You OK, babe?”
Tyler Perry (as Madea): “Yeah, I’m fine. I was just — oh, you’re talking to her. Don’t be whispering up this ear. I was getting ready to give you some.”
The movie also features WWE superstar David Otunga, who is blown away by Tyler Perry’s talent.
David Otunga: “To watch him play this character, responding to the others, then switch and sit here and play that character responding to them and everybody, and it was in sync, and he’s also the writer, the director — he does everything.”
Tyler Perry (as Madea): “We’re here to encourage you, lift you up and let the Lord have his way with the dead man.”
Chris Van Vliet: “Not that Madea is dying or that we’re going to a funeral for her, but do you have a eulogy that you would deliver about Madea?”
Tyler Perry: “Yes. ‘She lived by the pistol, and she died by the pistol.’ I don’t know, something like that.”
“A Madea Family Funeral” offers its condolences to moviegoers beginning on Friday, March 1, and you know who’s going to be in Miami on Thursday talking to us? Madea herself, Tyler Perry, is going to be back in South Florida for a special screening of the film — so this week in Deco Drive it’s all Tyler all the time.”
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