In the August 2011 issue of Ebony Magazine, acclaimed Hollywood mogul Tyler Perry talks about his new found respect for formal rival Spike Lee, how his mother’s passing eventually lead to him overcoming his painful past, and shares with readers the shocking revelation that he almost became a father:

On how he almost became a father:
Back in December he began when we thought we were having a kid, I got overwhelmed. (the interviewer asked) Is there a woman in your life? Yeah he responded smiling yet no elaborating. He says, she is really, really special. It’s the longest relationship I’ve been in, largely because I don’t feel any kind of marry-me-now pressure from her.

On respecting Spike Lee:
“Because I saw his children and forgot that the man has kids, he said. I’m gonna be more respectful of him and his family. I believe Spike can do what he does and I can do what I do. We both have a voice and very different experiences in life. There’s room for more than one of us in every industry, and the moment we embrace that as a society, we can get past all this stuff.

On waiting to reveal sexual abuse after his mother’s passing:
When my mother took her last breath, I was able to take my first because I would not be a source of pain for her as long as she was alive,he said. I didn’t know how liberating it would be to sit in the pain of the moment, feel it, allow myself to squeeze it as hard as I could then let it go.

I must say, for the way he’s handled the whole Spike Lee controversy - - Tyler just earned a new level of respect in my book. Keep doing your thing brother! And keep bringing laughter to the community!

Thoughts??