Madea Don't Play That

Did you know there's such a thing as Dickipedia? There is, and the next new entry should be for John Duesler. He's the Valley Swim Club director in Philly who shutout a bunch of inner-city daycare kids allegedly because they're minorities. So much for the City of Brotherly Love.

Tyler Perry — the famed actor-writer-director-producer behind films like Madea Goes to Jail and Madea's Family Reunion and TV shows like House of Payne — decided to take a stand. No, he's not dressing up as Madea to go punch Duesler's lights out, but he is sending those 65 kids to Disney World. The Orlando trip will take place on the first three days of August, and Tyler will be footing the bill for the transportation, food, admissions and lodging.

And I'm guessing he'll put them up in a hotel with a nicer pool than the Valley Swim Club.

Tyler, whose latest TV project is called Meet the Browns, describes his feelings about the situation on his website: "I saw a little boy on the news crying his eyes out. So I turned it up. Here is this kid talking about being kicked out of the Valley Swim Club outside Philadelphia because he was black. Did you hear me? I said, 'No way, this can't be! It's 2009. I don't believe this!'"

Following the coverage, Tyler learned they were part of Creative Steps, a nonprofit started by Althea Wright to help inner-city kids. Wright paid the swim club nearly $2,000 so the kids could use the facilities over the summer.

"The news reporter went on to say that the president of the club and its members said, and I quote, 'We don't want to change the complexion of our club.' The president refunded the money of the children and asked them not to come back," Tyler continued. "I said I have to do something for these children. I can't let them think that they are inferior because of the color of their skin … for anyone that has grown up in the inner-city, you know that one small act of kindness can change your life … I know it to be true because I was one of them."

Tyler went on to make the trip announcement: "Since you all have put me in the position to be able to do something, I feel like by me doing this we are all doing it together … I'm sending these kids to Disney World, and then to a Disney water park. I want them to know that for every act of evil that a few people will throw at you, there are millions more who will do something kind for them. This is all about the kids."

He went on to say, if you see the kids at the airport or hotel or at Disney World, to make sure you show them the love and respect that they deserve. And if you see Duesler? Well, I wouldn't want to put that in writing.

Photo courtesy of Represent.co,za via Flickr.