Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for BET
Tyler Perry’s old friend, Walter Hampton, insists the playwright was openly ghey before he found fame. Tyler’s personal life became an open book last week when a former employee sued him for sexual harassment.
Aspiring actor Derek Dixon, who played the pharmacist Dale on “The Oval”, sued Tyler for $260 million alleging inappropriate behavior in the workplace.
In past interviews, Tyler expressed frustration over the constant questions about his sexuality. “I believe people have the right to privacy – and that includes me,” he said.
But Walter insists Tyler was living openly as a ghey man in Atlanta before the fame.
“He was living openly before the fame,” Walter said. “But once he got big, he got scared of what his audience would think.”
In a Facebook post, Walter wrote: “No one should be surprised by what Tyler Perry is being accused of. This has been going on for decades. Finally someone spoke out! The rest live in fear.”
Tyler began his career performing as a feisty older female character named Mabel “Madea” Simmons in Atlanta theaters. By 1998, word of mouth made Tyler’s stage plays a hot ticket in town. Videos of his plays sold like hotcakes.
WENN.com
His early fanbase was made up of conservative black church women. His popular plays toured the “Chitlin’ Circuit” in the south.
In 2005, Forbes magazine reported that Tyler sold over $100 million in tickets, $30 million in videos and $20 million in merchandise. An average of 35,000 people attended his productions every week.
WENN.com
But Tyler lived a ghey lifestyle that he kept hidden from his conservative, black female fans.
Tyler was sometimes seen in the company of younger black males who could be described as sex workers in the 1990s and 2000s.
Tyler has not publicly responded to the allegations made by his former employee. He attended his friend Beyoncé’s concerts in Paris, France after the lawsuit made headlines last week.
Tyler Perry attends Beyoncé’s Paris concert, ignoring $260M sexual assault lawsuit by actor Derek Dixon. pic.twitter.com/1kDXFacJSI
— kolaqhazim (@Kolaqhazim) June 20, 2025
Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for BET
Tyler Perry’s old friend, Walter Hampton, insists the playwright was openly ghey before he found fame. Tyler’s personal life became an open book last week when a former employee sued him for sexual harassment.
Aspiring actor Derek Dixon, who played the pharmacist Dale on “The Oval”, sued Tyler for $260 million alleging inappropriate behavior in the workplace.
In past interviews, Tyler expressed frustration over the constant questions about his sexuality. “I believe people have the right to privacy – and that includes me,” he said.
But Walter insists Tyler was living openly as a ghey man in Atlanta before the fame.
“He was living openly before the fame,” Walter said. “But once he got big, he got scared of what his audience would think.”
In a Facebook post, Walter wrote: “No one should be surprised by what Tyler Perry is being accused of. This has been going on for decades. Finally someone spoke out! The rest live in fear.”
Tyler began his career performing as a feisty older female character named Mabel “Madea” Simmons in Atlanta theaters. By 1998, word of mouth made Tyler’s stage plays a hot ticket in town. Videos of his plays sold like hotcakes.
WENN.com
His early fanbase was made up of conservative black church women. His popular plays toured the “Chitlin’ Circuit” in the south.
In 2005, Forbes magazine reported that Tyler sold over $100 million in tickets, $30 million in videos and $20 million in merchandise. An average of 35,000 people attended his productions every week.
WENN.com
But Tyler lived a ghey lifestyle that he kept hidden from his conservative, black female fans.
Tyler was sometimes seen in the company of younger black males who could be described as sex workers in the 1990s and 2000s.
Tyler has not publicly responded to the allegations made by his former employee. He attended his friend Beyoncé’s concerts in Paris, France after the lawsuit made headlines last week.
Tyler Perry attends Beyoncé’s Paris concert, ignoring $260M sexual assault lawsuit by actor Derek Dixon. pic.twitter.com/1kDXFacJSI
— kolaqhazim (@Kolaqhazim) June 20, 2025
