Tyler Perry Receives COVID-19 Vaccine, Hopes To Encourage Skeptics In Black Community

BYErika Marie2.0K Views
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Tyler Perry, BET, COVID-19, Vaccine, Special
The filmmaker has a BET special where he tackles tough questions pertaining to COVID-19 & the vaccine while addressing concerns of the Black community.

We're inching closer to an open America where quarantine mandates will be a thing of the past, but how far that is in the future remains unclear. The first rounds of COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed, and government officials are hoping that everyone has access in the next coming months. Within the Black community, there have been conversations regarding skepticism surrounding the vaccine, especially considering the historical context of Black people being used as medical experiments in America. Tyler Perry is hoping to ease those fears with his forthcoming BET feature, Covid-19 Vaccine and the Black Community: A Tyler Perry Special.

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Perry sat down with CBS This Morning to talk about the special while sharing why he decided to get both doses of the vaccine.“I’m not taking this vaccine because I want you to take it, I want to give you the information so you make your own choices,” said the media mogul. “I think that’s what it’s about, education and information.” Perry recognizes and this may “[raise] flags for us as African American people" but he still believes education is key.

The filmmaker admitted that he, too, didn't trust the vaccine when it was first announced, but after doing his research, he was more comfortable with the process. “I think that it’s just important that people know that, if you take your chances with Covid you never know how it’s going to affect you and it could affect your long-term health."

Perry's special airs on BET this Thursday (Jan. 28) at 9:00 p.m. Watch his clip with Gayle King below.


About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.
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