Tyler Perry – A big influence on … everyone

Thought you’d all be interested to see this forward from Craig Miller with GPP about Tyler Perry making Time Magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people.   

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/02/08     By Bob Longino
What does Tyler Perry have in common with President Bush, the Dalai Lama, Rupert Murdoch, Vladimir Putin, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain?
In Time magazine’s estimation: world influence.
Atlanta’s top movie mogul is among the artists and entertainers named Thursday to Time’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people.
Actor Rockmond Dunbar, who recently completed filming “Tyler Perry’s the Family That Preys” in Atlanta and who is directing and co-starring in his own film, “Pastor Brown,” in Decatur, said Perry has been a huge inspiration for African-Americans.
“He’s really stepped out of the box,” Dunbar said. “He’s all about ‘Hey, let’s do it. Let’s tell a good story. Let’s uplift our people. Let’s uplift humanity. Let’s entertain.’ And when Hollywood said there’s no market for that, he just broke it. He said, ‘Yes there is and I’ll show you where.’ ”
Once homeless and so poor he had to live in his car, Perry, 38, is known for inspirational stories and donning drag to play the crotchety, tough-talking signature character, Madea, in his hit films and stage plays.
In an e-mail, Perry’s publicist Keleigh Thomas said the filmmaker was “not commenting,” adding that the honor “speaks for itself.”