Media mogul Tyler Perry sued by actor over sexual harassment charges
Tyler Perry, the media mogul and creator of the Madea movie series, has been sued by actor Derek Dixon for sexual harassment.
After his friendly treatment of airport workers in Georgia didn’t go as planned, Tyler Perry found a workaround.
The director of “A Madea Homecoming” tried to hand over cash to a TSA agent at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on March 26, but was denied due to federal regulations, USA TODAY has learned. He then worked with the Transportation Security Administration to find another way to support the agency during the Department of Homeland Security shutdown.
And on March 27th, the actor and filmmaker will donate $250,000 worth of Visa gift cards to TSA workers at the Atlanta airport.
The donation comes as the Department of Homeland Security shuts down with no end in sight and more than 64,000 airport security personnel are working without pay.
President Donald Trump signed an order Friday declaring an “unprecedented emergency” to direct federal funds to pay TSA employees. The measure would allow TSA employees to receive paychecks as early as March 30, without having to wait for unpaid payments after the shutdown ends.
Collectively, TSA employees, who are considered essential workers, have lost nearly $1 billion in pay since the shutdown, leading to many absences as they seek alternative financial support.
Tyler Perry faces $77 million sexual assault lawsuit
On December 25, Perry was sued for $77 million by Mario Rodriguez, who accused the Hollywood director of making unwanted sexual advances after making 2016’s Boo! A Madea Halloween.
In the lawsuit, Rodriguez claims Perry invited the actor to his home to discuss future roles, but only to sexually assault him. He also accused Perry of intentionally inflicting emotional distress.
Perry’s legal response, filed Feb. 27 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, “vehemently” denies Rodriguez’s “frivolous” allegations, calling the sexual assault lawsuit both a “money grab” and an attempt to sway Rodriguez with “falsehoods.”
“After appearing in a very small role in one of Perry’s films ten years ago, (Rodriguez) repeatedly turned to Perry as his piggy bank,” Perry’s filing states. “Anxious about losing his golden goose, when Plaintiff’s repeated requests for further financial assistance were met with silence, Plaintiff created a false story that the two had engaged in a non-consensual relationship, distorting the real reason for the payment and causing a media firestorm, all to fuel his last cash grab and thrust him into the spotlight.”
Perry’s lawyers characterized Rodriguez’s visits to the director’s home from 2016 to 2019 as part of a “fake friendship” in which “Rodriguez repeatedly preyed on Perry’s generosity.”
Contributor: KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY
