Tyler Perry Studios Catches Fire

A fire erupted at Tyler Perry Studios in southwest Atlanta late last night (May 1st.) Atlanta fire officials responded to and began battling a 4-alarm blaze at the facility that began burning around 9pm. The studio opened in 2006 and includes a 200,000 square foot studio, five sound stages and a 400 seat theater.

"One building [stage 5] on the Tyler Perry Studio lot has, partially collapsed due to fire damage," said Atlanta Fire Department spokesman Capt. Jolyon Bundrige.

There is no immediate news regarding how the fire began and there have been no reported injuries. Perry has not yet responded publicly to the disaster.

Jamie Foxx, Tyler Perry Face Goofy Suit

Actors Jamie Foxx and Tyler Perry are being sued by a man serving time in Oklahoma for ten bank robberies who alleges that the Hollywood heavyweights stole his idea. Shamont Lyle Sapp says that he gave Foxx and Perry the idea for an upcoming movie called Skank Robbers, slated to star Foxx and comedic actor Martin Lawrence.

The film is a vehicle for two long-defunct television 'drag' characters from Lawrence and Foxx's earlier days; Foxx's ugly girl 'Wanda' from sketch comedy hit "In Living Color," and Martin Lawrence's hoodrat character 'Shenehneh' from his sitcom "Martin." Perry allegedly also is expected to make a cameo as his infamous sassy granny character 'Madea.'

Sapp claims he had the idea to unite the three characters in movie, but, according to TMZ, his version was a drama about a mental hospital.

"A male white mental patient takes Madea hostage," the suit says, outlining Sapp's version. "He deals with phone calls from the negotiators, as Madea actually pleads for her life in a very sad tear-jerking way ... Her pleas are to be very sad. No jokes at all."

TMZ reports that Sapp is also suing Fox and producer David Zuckerman for $4 million in damages.

Good luck, buddy.

Talib Kweli Praises Tyler Perry?

Brooklyn rapper Talib Kweli voiced his support for Tyler Perry's films and Tyler's decision to cast Kim Kardashian in his upcoming film The Wedding Planner. Kweli says people are being ridiculous is some of their criticisms of the controversial-but-very-successful director. "That’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard all day. I don’t know what the film is about, but she may be perfect for the role," Kweli said. "Maybe she’s not perfect for the role, but he cast her because when you put her in a movie, people are going to come see her. Either way, it’s a win-win for him; either way, it’s a good decision on his part. I’ve got respect for any businessman who employs some of my favorite artists, from Cicely Tyson to Taraji P. Henson, all of these women have gotten checks from Tyler Perry. Tyler Perry has been supporting the Black actress more than anyone in Hollywood. Whether you agree with him or not, whether you like his movies or not." "But we’re not talking about quality plots or storylines and this and that. But the idea that you boycott? First of all, if you’re the type of person who cares about race issues, then you need to respect that man for what he’s done for Black actors," he added. "I’m talking as a working artist, not as a community leader. Personally, I’m not a fan per se of his films, but I damn sure know why they work. And if you are a fan of his films, you don’t have any business worried about if he casts Kim Kardashian, that’s a great idea."

Brooklyn rapper Talib Kweli voiced his support for Tyler Perry's films and Tyler's decision to cast Kim Kardashian in his upcoming film The Wedding Planner. Kweli says people are being ridiculous is some of their criticisms of the controversial-but-very-successful director.

"That’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard all day. I don’t know what the film is about, but she may be perfect for the role," Kweli said. "Maybe she’s not perfect for the role, but he cast her because when you put her in a movie, people are going to come see her. Either way, it’s a win-win for him; either way, it’s a good decision on his part. I’ve got respect for any businessman who employs some of my favorite artists, from Cicely Tyson to Taraji P. Henson, all of these women have gotten checks from Tyler Perry. Tyler Perry has been supporting the Black actress more than anyone in Hollywood. Whether you agree with him or not, whether you like his movies or not."

"But we’re not talking about quality plots or storylines and this and that. But the idea that you boycott? First of all, if you’re the type of person who cares about race issues, then you need to respect that man for what he’s done for Black actors," he added. "I’m talking as a working artist, not as a community leader. Personally, I’m not a fan per se of his films, but I damn sure know why they work. And if you are a fan of his films, you don’t have any business worried about if he casts Kim Kardashian, that’s a great idea."

Clifton Powell Blasts Spike Lee

Veteran actor Clifton Powell had some harsh words for director Spike Lee. While being interviewed on The Russ Parr Show, Powell blasted Lee's criticisms of director Tyler Perry, and Lee's hiring practices.

"I don’t like Spike, for real," Powell said during the interview. "I’m just saying it publicly on the radio. Spike is a hater. He was doing all these movies, Sam and all these guys know he’s a hater. He kept all the money, there was lawsuits against him.[...]I’m from the streets and you gotta carry your people. We talk about what “The Man” does; Spike need to go sit his punk a– down, and stop talking about Tyler Perry."

"Tyler Perry was homeless about 10, 12 years ago and Spike wasn’t writing him no checks," he added. "I think it’s wrong, and I shouldn’t do this, but I don’t like Spike Lee because I don’t like his politics as it pertains to how he deals with African Americans. I’ve auditioned for Spike several times, he kept all of us waiting for hours. It was insulting. He’s made people fly across country, pay for themselves and come to auditions. Spike is the worst, and he needs to go sit his punk a** down. If you got a problem with it, Spike, I’m right here and I’ll beat your punk a**."

"He has never hired me," Powell continued. "I don’t really care, because I would never want to work with him.[...]Tyler has found his genre. The problem with being African-American in film as a producer, you have to be so worried about stepping on toes. We have just a few outlets in terms of the dimensions we are as a people. [...]We zero in because there are not enough dimensions of what we do.”

Tyler Perry: "Spike Lee Can Go To Hell"

Tyler Perry finally had enough of Spike Lee taking potshots at him. The directors have never seen eye-to-eye, and Lee has gone so far as to call Perry's work 'coonery.' Tyler finally fired back in a round of media interviews for Madea's Big Happy Family.

“I’m so sick of hearing about damn Spike Lee. Spike can go straight to hell! I am sick of him talking about me. I am sick of him saying, ‘This is a coon, this is a buffoon.’ I am sick of him talking about black people going to see movies. This is what he said: ‘You vote by what you see’ — as if black people don’t know what they want to see."

“I am sick of him. He talked about Whoopi, he talked about Oprah, he talked about me, he talked about Clint Eastwood. Spike needs to shut the hell up!” Tyler added. “I don’t even understand it. There [are] so many people who walk around, and this is where the whole Spike Lee [issue] comes from — the negativity, ‘This is Stepin Fetchit,’ ‘This is coonery,’ ‘This is buffoonery’ — and they try to get people to get on this bandwagon with them, to get this mob mentality to come against what I’m doing.”