Tyler Perry has revealed that he fired his aunt after she refused to work for the money he was sending her. Speaking on Kirk Franklin's YouTube series King of Dens, the billionaire filmmaker explained that he offered her a job to help her build something sustainable, but she frequently called in sick and failed to turn up. 'You want me to hand you the money, but you don't wanna work for it. See that doesn't work for me,' Perry said.
The 55-year-old director also disclosed that after his mother died in 2009, he sent letters to other family members giving them 60 days to find employment. 'They all got jobs,' he added. 'It wasn't even jobs where they're making a lot of money. But it was a job, it was something else for them to do to feel some pride in.'
Perry, whose net worth is estimated at $1.4 billion, stressed that he does not believe in giving handouts. 'That is the worst thing you can do,' he insisted. He compared building a business to crossing the sea in a boat, warning against family members who 'put holes in the boat.' He said he had a relative who got angry when he refused to give them $1 million.
Last month, Perry was sued for $260 million by actor Derek Dixon, who accused him of sexual assault and harassment. Perry's lawyer called the lawsuit a 'scam' and the claims 'fabricated'. Perry has not commented on the lawsuit in connection with his family remarks.
