- Is that comfortable enough Mr. Perry?
- Yeah, that's fine.
And leave my hands up here?
- [Karen] That's correct.
- I don't like this.
Where you go, I feel like you're setting me up.
What's about to happen next?
Okay, I'm sorry, go ahead.
[clears throat] I'm serious.
Sorry, I'm sorry, what were you saying?
[electricity buzzes] [switches flip]
- [Interviewer] Tyler, do you know why you're here today?
- No.
- [Interviewer] You're about to take a polygraph exam.
- Okay.
- [Interviewer] This is Karen, our polygraph expert.
- Why does she look so serious?
- [Karen] It's my job.
- Well, smile when you're doing your job,
you ain't gotta look so serious when you just like, okay.
Go on, I'm ready?
What you got, throw it at me.
- [Interviewer] Is your full name Tyler Perry?
- No.
- [Interviewer] What's your full name?
- Emmitt Tyler Perry.
- [Interviewer] Are you a director?
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] Are you about to take a polygraph exam?
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] Are you nervous?
- No.
- [Interviewer] Why not?
- Because, I can fight.
- [Interviewer] Yeah?
Good to know.
Let's start with your career.
You spent your life savings producing your first musical.
Do you think you've gotten a decent return
on your investment?
- Absolutely.
Yes, [laughs] yes.
- [Interviewer] So overall,
are you pretty happy with your career?
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] So you don't regret any
of the plays you made?
- No.
- [Interviewer] Why not?
- I don't live in regrets.
- [Interviewer] What's your favorite play?
- Madea's Big Happy Family.
- [Interviewer] Why is that?
- It's really sentimental to me.
I wrote it at a really tough time in my life.
So that was the one I enjoyed the most.
- [Interviewer] Is it true that you used the money
from your stage productions to produce
Diary of a Mad Black Woman?
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] Did you ever read reviews
for this first film?
- No.
- [Interviewer] Why not?
- Because they don't matter.
- It's inconclusive.
[Tyler laughs]
- Sorry. Okay.
- [Interviewer] Why don't you think the reviews matter?
- Because they're not from the people that I'm writing for.
If they were from the people that I'm writing for,
then it would matter.
But if people don't relate, how can you review?
I mean, when I see a movie that isn't necessarily
where I'm the target, I don't speak on it.
I know that's right.
There ain't nothing move over there, that's right,
I'm telling flat out truth.
I don't give a damn about them tomatoes.
- He's telling the truth.
- [Interviewer] You grew up in New Orleans,
but reside in Atlanta.
- No.
- [Interviewer] No?
- Just checking your machine.
Yes, I do, I did.
- [Interviewer] So does Atlanta have better food
than New Orleans?
- No.
- [Interviewer] Have you turned your back
on your adopted home?
- How do you get to that from asking me about jerk chicken?
Where are you going?
Oh, that doesn't mean I don't love my hometown.
What are you saying to me?
- [Interviewer] It's just a question.
Let's move on.
Eddie Murphy's Nutty Professor II: The Klumps--
- I don't talk about Eddie.
- [Interviewer] Why is that?
- Because he's the GOAT.
Greatest of all time.
Why are we talking about Eddie?
- [Interviewer] Well, there's a reason why.
- Okay.
- [Interviewer] That was the reason you decided
you could play Madea?
- Exactly right, yes.
- [Interviewer] Is Nutty Professor II
your favorite Eddie Murphy movie?
- No.
- [Interviewer] What is your favorite Eddie Murphy movie?
- Coming to America.
- [Interviewer] Coming to America or Coming 2 America?
- Coming T-O America, not the number two.
- [Interviewer] Does Eddie Murphy know
that he was your inspiration?
- I'm not sure, I think so.
- [Interviewer] Do you want him to find out?
- Absolutely.
- [Interviewer] Do you want to say something
to him right now?
- Yeah.
- [Interviewer] Go ahead.
- Mr. Murphy, I'm a huge fan of yours.
Thank you for the inspiration and everything you've done.
And I really appreciate you.
It's all true, right?
- That's the truth.
- See, here we go.
- [Interviewer] You've said Madea is a homage
to your mother and your aunt.
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] Do you think they would get
along with Madea?
- 100%.
- [Interviewer] What would they talk about?
- Cooking, men and cooking.
- [Interviewer] What kind of men?
- Men who cook.
- [Interviewer] Good taste.
Do you ever accidentally use Madea's voice in conversation?
- Never, [clears throat] no.
Sometimes.
Once, on occasion.
Okay during sex.
Like "Hello, er, er"
So, sorry. [laughs]
- [Interviewer] Is that your "Hellur" face?
- That was "Hellur", "Hellur",
that was "Hellur" face, that's right.
"Hellur it's me.
I was wondering if after all the years you like to meet."
Remix, Adele, Adele, yep.
- [Interviewer] Do you think Madea would be honest
taking a lie detector test?
- No.
- [Interviewer] Why not?
- She has too much to hide.
She's wanted, she warrants.
- [Interviewer] Can you answer that as Madea?
- "I will not be answering no damn live botecher.
'Cause I will not be detecting no lies.
Yeah. If it ask me that
if it strap me up to none stuff, it strapped up all my life.
I had some tequila woke up, strapped up mule in Mexico.
One day didn't even know my name.
They called me Ariba.
So no, you cannot strap me up to this thing."
That's what she was saying.
- [Interviewer] You've directed more
than 20 films in your career.
Do you think that makes you a better director than this man?
- I'm sorry to this man.
I have no idea who that is.
I'm so sorry to this man.
Who is that?
- [Interviewer] JJ Abrams.
- Sorry, what has he done?
What name of movie that he's done that I know.
- [Interviewer] Star Trek 2009.
- Oh damn, he's pretty major.
- [Interviewer] Yeah.
- Let me see again.
That's JJ Abrams.
What did you call him?
- [Interviewer] JJ Abrams.
- No, that's not what you said.
You said you JJ Abram.
That's JJ Abrams, I know JJ Abrams.
Yeah, he's a much better director than I am.
He's much better than I am.
- [Interviewer] What about this man?
David Fincher.
- David Fincher is one
of the most incredible directors there is.
Are you asking is he better than me?
- [Interviewer] Or are you better than him?
- Am I better than him?
No.
- That's the truth.
- [Interviewer] What about this man?
Adam McKay.
- Adam McKay.
Is he a better director than I am?
- [Interviewer] Or are you a better director than him?
- Am I a better director than him?
No, I am not.
- [Interviewer] Why do you think that?
- Because he has tremendous this patience and vision
and I don't have that much vision,
I'm only 20/20 in one eye.
And he has glasses that makes him 20/20 in both eyes.
- [Interviewer] You've worked with all of these directors.
So do you have a favorite?
- No.
- Mm hm.
[Tyler laughs]
- Okay, I like Adam.
I like working with Adam.
- [Interviewer] Have you told him that?
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] Have you stolen
any directing techniques from them?
- Yes, I learned how to change lenses during shots
after working with David Fincher.
- [Interviewer] You didn't know how to do that before?
- Before I didn't change lenses,
we were just used our same lens for the whole movie.
Then I, after he did, I was like, oh,
so we should use the 75, maybe a 35, maybe 18 for wides
or hundred mill for really tight?
So I learned all that from him and Ben Affleck.
Why do you do this with your eyes?
Where you look and then you go, "Hmm,"
and then you look down, what is that?
Trying to trip me up?
Look, you're gonna do it again.
And you look down.
Okay, this is creepy. [laughs]
- [Interviewer] You played James Patterson's Alex Cross
in the 2012 film?
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] Who do you think writes more?
You or James Patterson?
- Me.
- That's correct.
- Truth.
- [Interviewer] Who is more dangerous: Alex Cross or Madea?
- Allie Madea.
- What would Allie Madea sound like?
- "Hell we ain't fixing to do this right now
but I'm gonna get it all together
so y'all can see it when we do it."
Yeah, they would just be all together.
Kind of, you know
- [Interviewer] You previously retired the Madea character.
Did you bring her back because you missed wearing her wigs?
- No.
- [Interviewer] Why'd you bring her back?
- I missed wearing the shoes.
I wanted people to laugh.
That's why I brought her back.
- [Interviewer] So you think you're funny?
- Yes.
- Hmm.
- What? I do!
I think I'm funny, pretty funny.
- [Interviewer] You wrote your first book,
"Don't Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings:
Madea is uninhibited commentaries on life and love."
Do you ever think
that maybe the title could be a little longer?
[Tyler laughs]
- You forgot his first two words of it,
"Tyler Perry's," that's that makes it longer.
"Tyler Perry's Don't Make a Black Woman
Take Off Her Earrings:
Madea's uninhibited commentary on life and love."
Yeah.
- [Interviewer] Have you ever thought
about titling something without "Tyler Perry"?
- Mm, I have, but won't do it.
- [Interviewer] This whole building
is named Tyler Perry Studios.
- It has to be.
- [Interviewer] Just in case you forgot your name?
- Just in case, you know, something happens
and people need to know,
like you think Apple would call their watch, "John's watch"?
No it's Apple.
You think Coca-Cola would call their Coca-Cola "Pepsi"?
No, it's Coca-Cola.
Building a brand sir, that's how you do it.
- [Interviewer] Since 1998, you have written
and/or directed at least one play and one film a year.
- This paper is getting really long.
- [Interviewer] Do you not believe in vacations?
- Yes I do.
- [Interviewer] What's your favorite way to decompress?
- Weed.
- [Interviewer] Do you have a dealer you can recommend?
- I have several, but then I'd have to kill you.
- [Interviewer] Nevermind.
We're going to move on to pop culture.
- Oh, we're not done yet?
Okay, fine. - No, sir.
- Okay. - In a previous video
with Vanity Fair you said you had never been on Tinder
but that was four years ago.
Have you been on Tinder since?
- No.
- [Interviewer] Have you been on any dating apps?
- No.
- It's inconclusive.
- I haven't!
How can I be on a dating app?
When they looking at me.
They'd be like "That's Tyler Perry."
What do you do, how do you do that?
- [Interviewer] Is being famous overrated?
- Oh no, no.
- [Interviewer] Pretty great?
- Pretty damn good.
- [Interviewer] You've become good friends with Oprah.
- And what are you getting at?
- [Interviewer] Are you a member of her book club?
- No, I'm not a member of her book club.
- [Interviewer] Is that because you think
she has bad taste in books?
- No, Oprah has great taste. [laughs]
Forgive me Oprah. [laughs]
"Does she have bad taste in books?"
Let's just say we don't always agree on the titles
and the names of the content and the author
and the writers and the way it's written and the pages.
- [Interviewer] Do you think there should
be more "Tyler Perry's" in the titles?
- I think there should be one.
I mean, she didn't put on inhibitor commentary
as one of the book club members so.
[Tyler blows raspberry]
- That's definitely right.
- Hello.
- [Interviewer] You're also friends with Will Smith.
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] Do you have a favorite Will Smith song?
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] What is it?
- Miami.
- [Interviewer] Why?
- Because it's fun.
Is it called "Miami"?
Is it called "Summertime"?
♪ Summertime, summer, summer, summertime ♪
♪ food sound and then buzz and trying to love ♪
Okay, I like the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme song,
that's the truth.
- [Interviewer] Do you know all the lyrics?
- Of course.
- [Interviewer] Go ahead.
- In West Philadelphia, born and raised,
on the playground is where I spent most of my days,
cooling out nice and relaxing outside of the school.
When a couple of guys who up to no good
started making trouble in my neighborhood.
And mama said, you moving with your uncle in Bel Air
and the Brady Brady Brady bunch...
- [Interviewer] Will filmed "Bad Boys for Life"
on Tyler Perry's studios lot.
Was he a good guest?
- The best.
- [Interviewer] Did you watch Bad Boys for Life"?
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] Really?
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] You're on Forbes'
highest paid entertainers list.
And so is Dwayne Johnson.
Do you think you can beat him
in an arm wrestling competition?
- [laughs] No.
- [Interviewer] What about Jay-Z?
- Times 10, I'd slam him down those little puny rapper arm.
Beat him and Beyonce and Blue Ivy, do the math.
- [Interviewer] You would beat a child?
- In arm wrestling, yeah, I do it with my son all the time.
I'm not letting him win.
You'll learn the hard way kid.
- [Interviewer] What about Warren Buffet?
Can you beat him in an arm wrestling competition?
- Yes. [laughs]
It depends on which hand it's holding the money.
- [Interviewer] Which hand do you hold the money in?
- The right hand.
So if he's got all the money in the left hand, he'd win.
- [Interviewer] My final question.
At any point during this interview
did you lie and we didn't catch you?
- No, I don't lie.
Can you tell?
- Yes.
- [laughs] No, all I told the truth.
- Showing that it's inconclusive.
- "Inconclusive" is not a lie, it's inconclusive.
Thank you.
We good?
- [Interviewer] We're good.