![]() Joe’s taunts generally are dismissed possibly because we all have a Joe/Josephine in the family. Tyler Perry treats us with an array of Black women body types, and Madea fits comfortably within that community. Wait a minute: Laughing doesn’t feel so good. In Joe’s eyes, Madea is a “wildebeest in its natural habitat” and her butt must be hungry because it is “chewing through dress.” We laugh. The camera follows Joe’s focus through Kate and lands on Madea’s behind. Kate stands long and lean in her warrior and tree poses in the living room while Madea prepares breakfast. ![]() Joe signifies on Madea’s elephantine buttocks during his lecherous eyeballing of Kate’s slim rear-end. The über-thin white delicate body compared to that of the rotund black body ensures two things: the delicate sexy Kate (desirable) and the desexualized and harsh maturity of Madea (undesirable). Kate (Denise Richards) looks extremely waif thin in the presence of Madea (Tyler Perry). Kate and Madea side-by-side reflect a popular pair in Black film history: Scarlett O’Hara (Vivian Leigh) and Mammy (Hattie McDaniel). The casting choice of the lithe Denise Richards for Kate Needleman also changes the Madea dynamic. In the end, impertinent white young adults need understanding and a “cooling off” impertinent black young adults deserve a slap, a punch, and/or a battle royal with Madea. Nikki, for instance, is a runaway placed in foster care with Madea. For sure Cindy is not Madea’s child nor a relative, but neither are the other young adults. Suddenly the physical violence dispatched to Nikki, H.J., and the student on the school bus isn’t so forgivable. A furious Madea pours a bucket of water on the bad-mannered teen. She yells “Go Away”, and throws a pillow at Madea. In one scene Cindy frustrates Madea’s attempts to awaken her. Cindy tells her stepmother to “go to hell” and, without reserve hollers “you suck” and “I hate you” to her father. In Witness Protection, however, Madea searches for reasons why Cindy is so mad and angry. The prosecutor (Tyler Perry) hides them in Madea’s house under witness protection, and it is there that Cindy acts out.Ĭindy, (Danielle Campbell) throws a pillow at Madea in anger that the matriarch has awakened her.As aforementioned, in all other Madea films, Madea rightly broaches no patience for insolent Black young adults. Her father was set-up to take the fall for a mob-backed Ponzi scheme. In summary, Cindy Needleman (Danielle Campbell), daughter of George Needleman (Eugene Levy) and step-daughter to Kate (Denise Richards), is a white teenager who is abruptly thrown into the witness protection program. These choices bring to relief a film-viewing uneasiness. In addition, the casting of Denise Richards recalls a certain moment in Black film history. Madea’s Witness Protection, however, showcases a Madea with a different approach to chastising white young adults. We forgive her because Perry made her our own mediator in chaos, and we know that she loves us. (Stevie Wash, Jr.) for his ill-manners towards her and when she demands that the parents take back their authority within their own household. In Madea’s One Big Happy Family, she drives her Cadillac through a fast food restaurant but we absolve her of that when she delivers a back-handed slap to H.J. We excuse the two punches in the face to the rude black male teenager at 3:00 who yells out “shut-up old lady” on the school bus in that same film. All is forgiven, however, when she inspires Nikki to believe in herself. For instance, in Madea’s Family Reunion, we flinch when she reaches in the back seat of the car (butt to camera) to slap the disrespectful runaway Nikki (Keke Palmer). When she accepts the challenge, she is pardoned for every inane comedic antic. Be it the punishment of an impertinent young adult or the reprimand of distracted parents who allow her to act out, we count on Madea’s courage to speak the truth. ![]() Each installment of the Madea franchise guarantees the restoration of order in the landmine of the domestic sphere. ![]()
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