• TBS
• It's Tyler Perry's house, we're just visiting

No matter how one feels about the merits of Tyler Perry's films, plays, and television shows, one thing is beyond dispute: the man is a master marketer and promoter.

Yet even here, those who prefer to temper Perry's cultural significance offer such dismissive comments as, "he knows his audience" or that he makes works that cater to an under served market so hungry for content that they'll support anything.

In other words, Tyler Perry is a one-trick pony who has found an audience of African American women, whom he is exploiting ad nauseum. (This is equivalent to writing off a cultural phenom like Justin Bieber by saying he appeals to teen girls. It simultaneously demeans the audience, and undermines the talent and hard work of the artist. Is Bieber prepackaged? Yes. Will his success be short lived? Probably. But Is he talented? Undeniably.)

To downplay Perry thus is a miscalculation.

Every aspect of his empire is built on advancing the relationship Tyler Perry has established with his audience. This personal connection inspires fierce loyalty.

This makes him unique in the film world. His marketing and outreach strategy is closer to that of musical acts like Lady Gaga and Radiohead, allowing him to circumvent traditional media strategies like television marketing and critic's screenings.

How has he done it? A visit to his Web site offers a peak. To get the full picture, one must subscribe to his emails. (The Web site invites visitors "To Receive Personal Emails from Tyler.")

The emails are breezy, intimate, filled with religious affirmations, and decidedly personal.

Like an email from a friend.

If, after reading some select emails below, you don't feel a little closer to Tyler Perry, you will never grasp Tyler Perry's appeal:

Well, I'm sending you this email from my little vacation spot. It's so
beautiful and peaceful here. I was just thanking God for his grace and
mercy when I realized that I hadn't written in a while. He so knows I
needed this break. We performed 125 shows in 126 days. We saw almost
700,000 people on this tour. Madea's Big Happy Family set all kinds of
records!

Thank you for coming out and seeing the show. I really appreciate it. I
just want you to know that if you haven't seen it, new tour dates will be
announced in a few weeks. So don't worry it's not over yet! I still have
the fall leg of the tour to do. You'll get to see it. :-)

By the way, some idiot stole my credit card number. Can you believe that?
Take a look at all the stuff they charged. If you know any of these
people, call the police.

TOTAL: $28,492.22
4/25/10 - Southwest Airlines - M. Woods (Burbank-Las Vegas) - $3.00
4/25/10 - Southwest Airlines - M. Woods (Burbank-Las Vegas) - $158.70
4/28/10 - Best Buy - $734.00
4/29/10 - Lowe's (Greenville) - $6761.95
4/30/10 - Delta Airlines - S. Archer (NY/JFK-Las Vegas) - $1022.70
4/30/10 - Delta Airlines - Q. Hinton (NY/JFK-Las Vegas) - $1022.70
4/30/10 - Lowe's (Greenville) - $7278.70
5/1/10 - Southwest Airlines - Andre B. (Burbank-Las Vegas) - $158.70
5/1/10 - Southwest Airlines - Justin S. (Burbank-Las Vegas) - $158.70
5/1/10 - Delta Airlines Andre B. (Las Vegas-Los Angeles) - $573.70
5/1/10 - Delta Airlines Justin S. (Las Vegas-Los Angeles) - $573.70
5/1/10 - Fandango.com (movie tickets) - $120.00
5/1/10 - AMC Theatre (North Decatur) - $105.00
5/1/10 - Lowe's (Greenville) - $7000.00
5/1/10 - Abercrombie.com (clothing) - $500.00
5/2/10 - SVM Prepaid Card (retail) - $317.45
5/3/10 - Spirit Airlines - Q. Hinton (Ft. Lauderdale-NY/LGA) - $660.42
5/3/10 - Spirit Airlines - Q. Hinton (Ft. Lauderdale-NY/LGA) - $250.00
5/3/10 - Toys R Us (King of Prussia) - $505.00
5/3/10 - Amex Gift Card - $192.80
5/3/10 - Fandango.com (movie tickets) - $195.00
5/4/10 - Delta Airlines - P. Smith (Chicago-Atlanta) - $312.70 - REFUNDED
BY DELTA (caught before use)
5/4/10 - Delta Airlines - P. Smith (Chicago-Atlanta) - $312.70 - REFUNDED
BY DELTA (caught before use)
5/4/10 - Delta Airlines - Jason S. (Chicago-Atlanta) - $312.70 - REFUNDED
BY DELTA (caught before use)
5/4/10 - Delta Airlines - John H. (Chicago-Atlanta) - $312.70 - REFUNDED
BY DELTA (caught before use)
5/4/10 - Express.com (clothing) - $200.00

Anyway, talk soon. Wish you
were here.

Tyler

Big Announcement!

I wanted to tell you this before the tickets went on sale in most
places….Madea is officially going on tour! That's right, a Madea play,
live on tour! I have managed to carve out about a year to go on the road
and see you all again.

I gotta tell you, I have missed you. There is nothing like a live
performance and if you've never seen a Madea play, then you haven't seen
Madea at all. It is an experience, just ask someone who's seen it…..SMILE

It's been 5 years since I've been on the road and the timing just happened
to fall right into place. I needed to get away from Hollywood for a
second…clear my head. There is no better way to do that than to come out
and see your faces and be reminded of where this all started.

The show is called MADEA'S BIG HAPPY FAMILY. I'm going to come through as
many cities as I can. I know I can't get to all of them but I'll try and
get as close as I can. Get your tickets early! I want you to have the
opportunity to get good seats first before the rest of the country hears
about the advertising, ok?

I can't wait to see you! This play is going to be amazing!

MADEA'S BIG HAPPY FAMILY

Here are some tour dates:

Denver, CO - January 5 - Pepsi Arena
Colorado Springs, CO - January 6 - World Arena
Sacramento, CA - January 8 - Arco Arena
Seattle, WA - January 10 - Key Arena
Portland, OR - January 11 - Memorial Coliseum
San Diego, CA - January 13 - Sports Arena
Fresno, CA - January 14 - Save Mart Center
Oakland, CA - January 16-18 - Paramount Theatre
Los Angeles, CA - January 20-24 - Kodak Theatre
New York, NY - January 28-31 - WAMU
Raleigh, NC - February 3-5 - RBC Center
Fayetteville, NC - February 6 - Crown Coliseum
Charlotte, NC - February 7 - Crickett Arena
Macon, GA - February 9 - Macon Centreplex Coliseum
Charleston, SC - February 10-11 - North Charleston Coliseum
Columbia, SC - February 12-13 - Colonial Life Arena
Augusta, GA - February 14 - James Brown Arena
Nashville, TN - February 25 - Nashville Municipal Auditorium
Memphis, TN - Febuary 27-28 - Orpheum Theatre
Chicago, IL - March 2-6 - Arie Crown Theatre
Milwaukee, WI - March 16 - US Cellular Arena
Hartford, CT - March 19-21 - The Bushnell Theatre
Greenville, SC - March 25-26 - Bi-Lo Center
Dayton, OH - April 6 - Nutter Center
Cincinnati, OH - April 7 - Cintas Center
Louisville, KY - April 8 - Freedom Hall
Chicago, IL - April 9-11 - Arie Crown Theatre
Atlanta, GA - April 13-18 - Fox Theatre
Baltimore, MD - April 22-25 - Lyric Theatre
Philadelphia, PA - April 27-May 2 - Liacouras Center
Detroit, MI - May 6-9 - Fox Theatre

NOTE: More cities will be added as we go.

I'll see you soon.
Tyler

Wow!

Sorry it's taken me a day or so to collect myself but I was out of the
country. Friday, after my last promotion for the movie, I flew over to my
little piece of heaven. I spent all of Resurrection weekend in prayer and
meditation, talking to God, my Mother, and myself. On Monday, I dialed
into the States to see how the movie did. I was blown away and so grateful
to you! YOU HAVE NO IDEA! THANK YOU, do you hear?! I cannot begin to
tell you how much I appreciate you for going to see WHY DID I GET MARRIED
TOO. Believe it or not, after opening 9 movies in 5 years, it still never
gets old. I am so thankful that you are on my side. God bless you for
that. Wasn't it incredible?! What about Janet's performance? She blew
me away. If you haven't seen it, this is a good time to see it. It was
sold out practically everywhere opening weekend.

Hi there,

I know you've been waiting to hear from me. It's been a little crazy,
sorry. I just gotta say, thanks for all the encouragement and for all the
sharing you did with your own stories after my last email. I knew I
wasn't alone. Just know that as I take this journey into all that my 40s
will be, I am looking forward to every day of it, and I am thanking God
for it and you. I like being this age. It has given me a sense of
liberation. I'm no longer a boy...I finally feel like a grown man (smile).

So many people have asked me why I started talking about this now...I
don't know where they've been for the last ten years. I've always talked
about it but never to this degree, I guess. I think it became overwhelming
after turning 40 and also filming a 60 MINUTES interview. If you get a
chance to watch it, the interview airs this Sunday after the football
game.

It made me come face-to-face with so many things. Byron Pitts asked me so
many questions, that it started me thinking about my entire life. We went
back to my old neighborhood and the house I grew up in. Wow! That was
hard! But it's a journey that I have to face. I feel as if God is
allowing me to look back...for my future...if that makes any sense.

For instance, when my father heard about my last email, he sent a message
to me through my brother. He told him to tell me this: "If I had beat
your ass one more time you probably would have been Barack Obama." I don't
even know what to do with that. No sooner than he sent me this message,
my aunt called telling me to come home because my mother was very ill,
(she needs your prayers) so I've been flying back and forth trying to keep
my obligations all over the country and at the same time be by her side.
It is very hard to see her this way, as well as my having to sit ten feet
from my father, when I do...God is funny; He will make you deal with stuff
even when you think you're over it.

I said all of that to say, it may be a while before you hear from me
again. I need to take some time away. After the PRECIOUS premiere on
November 1st, I've decided to take the rest of the year off. I just need a
break.

I thank God for you and, again, thanks for being there and understanding.

Tyler