Tyler Perry Says President Obama Made Him Stop Drinking

July 6th, 2012 - By Brande Victorian

Source: greenfield-sanders.com

We know a lot of things about Tyler Perry but his drinking habit wasn’t one of them, until recently. During an interview with Essence on his latest film, Madea’s Witness Protection, Tyler divulged that he’d developed a bit of a habit after his mother passed. Interestingly, Tyler admitted this after being asked an innocent question by the interviewer about his non-stop projects and work ethic: So, when do you sleep?

“I actually get eight hours of sleep,” Tyler responded. “And I’m doing a lot better now since I stopped drinking about four months ago when my mother died. When she got sick in 2009 I started drinking every night because I couldn’t sleep — every night up to a couple of months ago. I never had a problem but I certainly was on way to having one.”

Tyler said Cognac was his drink of choice, adding that he’d have a nice big glass of Hennessy to sleep through the night, but then suddenly that all changed.

“It was President Obama’s visit to my studio,” Tyler said. “I don’t know what happened there, but when he came everything became clear. I just kind of came out of a haze. It was like, ‘Wake up, kid. You know life is still going on. I know you miss her, I know you care but wake up. Life is still going on’ I swear the day after he left was the day I just said I am going to sleep without it.”

It seems that’s been working ever since. Switching gears a bit, Essence also asked Tyler what he thinks about the reality shows like “The Real Housewives” and “Love & Hip-Hop” being filmed in his city and he said that’s not something he’s losing sleep over either.

“I’ve never seen Love and Hip-Hop. The reason things are coming our of Atlanta is I fought very hard to have a 30 percent film tax incentive there. This year 58 movies were shot there and a bunch of television shows are getting this tax break so that’s why they are being shot out of Atlanta. I don’t have any criticism for other people’s work but I have seen one or two things that have made me go, ‘What the hell is this?’ The quality, the film quality and they way it looks is so fantastic but the show itself is so bad. I’m thinking, ‘Man, you’ve got it. Why can’t you find another way to make this better? You’ve got it but the show itself yeah.”

I’m just going to tiptoe out of this because I’m sure somebody is about to lay into this man for his own Tyler Perry Studios productions. But besides that, are you surprised to learn about his drinking habit?

Brande Victorian is the news and operations editor for madamenoire.com. Follow her on twitter @Be_Vic.

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  • Pingback: Defender Network » Blog Archive » Tyler Perry says Pres. Obama made him stop drinking » Defender Network

  • Jacquiline Perkins

    LIFE HAPPENS EVERYDAY…AND WHEN ”STOP” ITS OVER…no do overs…try to get it right

  • http://twitter.com/TheLewisEffect Yolanda Lewis

    We all have demons so no I am not surprised.

  • http://twitter.com/LSekou Lema Sekou

    I care. I’m always glad when someone of great means stays loyal to positivity. With all the success Tyler Perry has, a sale is the last thing he actually needs. He’s done great things.

  • FromUR2UB

    I’m really tired of the Tyler Pery criticisms, as if every movie he makes includes the Madea character. Diana Ross, with her old skank self, needs to go somewhere and sit down. If she didn’t want to be in the man’s movies, she could have expressed that to him directly when he tried to reach her. She might even have been able to suggest the type of role she wanted to play, and he might have accomodated her. Watch. Some white director will probably want her to play a madame or something like that, and she’ll jump at it, talking about what an exciting possibility it is for her. Then, she’ll have an affair with the director. The difference between Madea and reality TV, is that she is NOT REAL. Most comedy is based upon outrageous characters or quirky personality types and ‘what if’ situations. Kevin Hart does a routine about his father, which is probably fact-based, yet exaggerated. When you know people like that in real life, those situations are more tragic than funny. But comedy and tragedy are close relatives. Regardless of what people think of his method, Tyler Perry is a pioneer…an employing pioneer. That’s why people really need to get a grip and stop acting like Madea is taken seriously by anyone.

  • DoinMe

    Really? So he’s taking all the credit for the film incentives and tax breaks in Atlanta?? TP is getting too full of himself and he needs to stop!

  • bridget

    Is this the new thing where you tell about your “problem” to get a sale? I’m glad he stopped his habit, but who really cares???

  • Yvette

    No I’m not surprised. He is human like everyone else. People need to realize that this man is just that…a man. I totally understand what he is saying because I too drank very heavy after my mother passed a couple of years ago. The pain just got to be too much. It never became a problem for me (one too many hangovers did the trick for me). He takes alot of jabs and punches from his own race. While I will concede that I do not like everything Tyler Perry has put out, I at least respect the fact that he is living his dream and not sitting back throwing shade at others. Also remember that he is keeping many black folks working (both in front of and behind the camera) so instead of being overly judmental, congratulate and not hate.

  • keyturn

    Now only if he can make you stop dressing up like an old woman.

  • Pingback: Tyler Perry Says President Obama Made Him Stop Drinking | 93.1 WZAK

  • bluekissess

    No I’m not. God works in many ways. It took out president for him to stop. That’s a beautiful thing.

    I have no clue about the tax situation. So, I won’t comment on something I don’t know.

  • Charla

    Puhlease! He’s just trying to name-drop.

    • correct

      Girl, all the man does is name drop. Who is he trying to prove his worth to??? And I KNOW he is not questioning somebody else’s quality of work. That is more than questionable!

  • http://twitter.com/DearLeader10 Amy Farrah Fowler

    Like it or not, Tyler Perry is bringing business and commerce to a city that fronts like it has it, but NEEDS the income! 75% of US cities have major deficits, and Hollywood CA ain’t one of em. Why? The film industry feeds into so many other industries. Stop knocking that man and give him his props. Atlanta could become the Hollywood of the South!

  • HONEY LOVE

    Not a bit. There is a very high percent of ppl in the industry that have vices. Whether it be women, gambling, dope, food, etc.They see any and everything and if you arent strong enough to handle the business, you will indeed self distruct.

  • Trina

    pot, meet kettle.

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