Comedian Lil Rel Howery to Tyler Perry: Hire Some Writers!

Lil Rel and Tyler Perry (Deposit Photos)

Lil Rel Howery has some advice for Tyler Perry — “Find more writers!”

The comedian offered Perry that bit of unsolicited advice after the studio mogul shared in a January Instagram post that he doesn’t utilize the common industry practice of employing a writers room. Instead, the studio mogul said he writes all of his own TV shows himself.

Perry’s go it alone practice is unusual, and in Howery’s opinion it’s laughable.

While taping an episode of Deadline’s “New Hollywood Podcast” with the African American Film Critics Association on diversity in the entertainment industry, Howery unloaded on Perry.

Related StoryTyler Perry Shot ‘A Fall From Grace’ in 5 Days, Movie Critics Say ‘It Shows’

As the conversation turned to giving back and helping the next generation, Howery said he gives back by helping up-and-coming creatives fund their projects. The Carmichael Show alum then brought up the Madea creator, causing people in the audience to laugh the moment they heard Perry’s name.

Howery praised the writer-producer-director for his success, but questioned the wisdom of penning a show like the BET series Sistas without any input from female writers.

“I love Tyler Perry and I’m proud of him, but I told myself I’ma say something because I don’t agree with that. I don’t understand,” Howery said. “You can’t write a show called Sistas and you’re not a sista. So you don’t want no suggestions or nothing? I know we talk a good game about ‘This is what I’m doing, I’m doing this, I’m doing that.’ Once again, I’m talking, but I’m putting my money where my mouth is.”

After facing criticism for admitting he doesn’t employ writers, Perry said at the press junket for his new Netflix film A Fall From Grace that he tried to hire writers, but the experience “was a nightmare.”

In his podcast interview as he sat alongside Oscar-winning Hair Love filmmaker Matthew Cherry, Howery urged Perry to “find more writers!”

“I don’t have what he got yet, but as I climb up here, I’ma do even more of that [giving back]. We gotta do better man,” Howery said. “It’s all talk, but if you’re really on that, then give people jobs, bro. You can’t base nothing on one writers room, brother. That means you didn’t hire good writers. Find more writers! That’s just real.”


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About Anita Bennett

Anita Bennett is the editor and founder of Urban Hollywood 411. She can be reached on Twitter @tvanita.