Tyler Perry Slammed With Lawsuit Over Netflix Comedy ‘She The People’ Amid Copycat Claims

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Tyler Perry’s new Netflix series She the People may be trending, but it’s also facing serious legal heat. Activist Aimee Allison has filed a lawsuit against Perry, his company, Netflix, and lead actress Terri J. Vaughn, claiming the show borrows heavily from her nonprofit of the same name.   Allison says she once collaborated with Vaughn on a similar project rooted in her organization, which focuses on empowering women of color in politics. Now, she alleges Perry’s version mirrors her concept in theme, tone, and branding, something she says crosses a creative line. While fans of Perry are enjoying the political satire, others argue it’s another case of recycled storytelling.   Critics, including longtime detractor Spike Lee, have in the past, accused Perry of leaning on tired tropes and caricatures in past work. And on social media, some viewers are calling the show “infuriating,” questioning the portrayal of its lead character.

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00:00Tyler Perry's new Netflix series She the People is steering up conversation and not just because

00:05it's trending globally. Just days before its May 22nd premiere, activist Amy Allison filed a

00:11lawsuit against Perry, his company Tyler Vision LLC, Netflix, and actress Terry J. Vaughn claiming

00:17the show rips off Allison's non-profit name and mission. According to court documents obtained

00:23by News One, Allison states she previously collaborated with Vaughn, who's the lead

00:27actress in Perry's She the People on a docuseries concept rooted in Allison's own She the People

00:32brand, an organization funded in 2018 to elevate the political voices of women of color. Now,

00:39Allison claims the Netflix show borrows from that work, marrying the themes, tones, and even branding.

00:44In an Instagram video posted by Allison, the activist stated,

00:48When I began She the People, I poured nearly a decade into giving life to that idea.

00:53That phrase, those words, carried weight, and they still do. Some comments have shown support.

00:59One user wrote,

01:00So much truth, power, and prescription in your words, Amy Allison. Thank you for the gentle

01:05honesty and reminder to us all to value our work. With the top comment alleging,

01:09Most of Tyler Perry's work is not original. It's always inspired by something we have already seen

01:14before. The accusation that Tyler Perry's work is not original is heavily echoed online.

01:20Many have pointed to examples of how Perry's past projects recycle familiar themes,

01:25such as single black mothers, abusive relationships, and faith-based redemption

01:29arcs across films and shows. According to Medium, director Spike Lee, often cited as one of Tyler

01:35Perry's most prominent and fair-minded critics, once accused Perry's work of leaning too heavily

01:40on caricatures of black people behaving badly. And as for Perry's latest Netflix hit,

01:45While some fans love the show's humor and satire, others find it, quote,

01:50more infuriating than funny. While another ex-user accused Perry of,

01:54portraying this woman as an idiot, happy to be in the office while they push her around.

01:59But for now, Tyler Perry's series continues to rank in Netflix's global top 10.

02:03Share your thoughts below and follow us everywhere at What's Trending.

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