Filmmaker Tyler Perry, a man who has triumphed despite a myriad of personal adversities, was among those honored by Rev. Al Sharpton at his second annual Triumph Awards ceremony. Perry received the Chairman’s Award at the gala in New York City.
Before the ceremony began, Perry told EURweb, he felt “really good” to be there.
Sharpton declared to those gathered at Jazz at Lincoln Center, “This man never apologized for who we were.”
And the civil rights leader lashed out at who he called “proper Negroes” who had been critical of Perry’s films. Perry has come under fire for his movies, particularly the ones, such as “Madea’s Family Reunion,” where he dons a dress and wig and becomes the outrageously funny and acid tongued grandma Madea.
Yet, the movies have been runaway successes in the African American community. Not to mention Forbes Magazine put Perry on their list of Entertainment’s Highest Paid Men. A list of ten men that they noted had only two actors on it.
“The ultimate pride is where you don’t have to bend and adjust for others to accept you.” Sharpton told the packed Center. While Perry thanked Sharpton for giving him the award, he also recognized those who disparage his work.
“When you start out and you’re doing things and you’re trying to do the right things, and you find these attacks happening, and you try and figure out, ‘How do you handle this? How do you deal with this? How do you go there?’ So to have someone like you who has done all that you have done. To stand here and to give me this award, this is really, really awesome.”
Comic actor Chris Rock was another honoree. He and and his wife, Malaak, received the President’s Award. Rock told EURweb, “It’s like a dream come true.”
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article courtesy of Eurweb.com
