Tyler Perry Reprises His Roles as Madea and Her Brother Joe in a Hilarious New Ad for BET Plus
Tyler Perry retired his “Madea” character earlier this year, but in a new hilarious ad for his streaming service partnership with BET, the filmmaker brought her to life one more time.
Perry, 50, teamed up with BET to launch a new streaming service – “just like Netflix” – called BET Plus.
To promote the service, Perry created an ad that features his beloved “Madea” character and her brother Joe, also played by the producer/director. The ad, posted to Perry’s Instagram page, shows Madea and Joe arguing over the TV when Perry walks in.
Perry noted, however, that "if there's something else for [Madea] to say, maybe one day she'll return."
“You don’t have to argue over television anymore,” he says before introducing BET Plus and reeling out some of the content available on the platform.
WHY MADEA RETIRED
For Madea fans, Perry’s ad will be a welcome sight and something to laugh over after the studio owner announced in March that he was retiring her character.
Asked why he was saying goodbye to the iconic character that gained a cult following earlier on with Perry’s productions, the acclaimed filmmaker told CNN:
"I'll be 50 this year and I'm just at a place in my life where this next 50 I want to do things differently."
ON ONE CONDITION
Perry noted, however, that "if there's something else for [Madea] to say, maybe one day she'll return." And return she has, to help Perry promote his latest big venture in partnership with BET.
"Well this is finally a dream come true,” Perry captioned the ad. "I’ve partnered with @BET to launch @BETplus. It’s easy to operate just like Netflix. And we have tons of content. I’m working on new shows and movies for it right now. Get @BETplus. You’re gonna love it!"
BET PLUS: DETAILS
According to BET, the streaming service launched on September 19, and per The Streamable, it houses exclusive content from African American content creators like Tracy Oliver, and Will Packer.
Taraji P. Henson revealed that Perry was the first person to cut her a $500,000 check
BET Plus will also become the official home for Perry’s broad range of productions, including series, movies, and selected stage plays.
COUNTING YOUR BLESSINGS
Perry’s latest project launches even as the filmmaker penned a letter to his five-year-old self, celebrating their achievements.
“I love you, and I am so thankful to God that you survived,” Perry wrote alongside the picture of his five-year-old self. “Even when I didn’t want to, your pureness and innocence ushered me here. Thank you for these 50 years. I love you. We made it.”
PERRY'S LEGACY: BIGGER THAN FILM
Besides being one of the most talented filmmakers in Hollywood, Perry also continues to receive praise for selflessly supporting people of color in Hollywood and spearheading philanthropic efforts.
Earlier this month, the Louisiana native dispatched his private jet to help with Hurricane Dorian relief efforts in the Bahamas, and in June, “Empire” star Taraji P. Henson revealed that Perry was the first person to cut her a $500,000 check for a role in Hollywood.
Tyler Perry & Taraji P. Henson at the 2019 BET Awards on June 23, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. |Photo: Getty Images
Here’s to greater wins, Mr. Perry!