Okay, so of course I know that there are several differences between the two series. Like for example, the character of Madea Simmons started off in stage plays on what is often referred to as the “Chitlin’ Circuit” (though, Ebony magazine referred to it as the “urban theater circuit”), so in that way, they were primarily made for black audiences, while Ernest began with TV ads, with the character eventually making his way to the big screen. Ernest movies were made for general audiences, and usually aimed at children.
And with Madea’s black audiences came black casts and story lines, so the stories sometimes focused on inner city issues. In addition, the Madea movies usually had some kind spiritual element to them, so they sometimes dealt with topics like infidelity and succumbing to the streets, only to find salvation in Jesus. That said, there are still a lot of similarities between the two series, and that’s what I aim to talk about today.