Your People’s Champion of 2020 has spoken.
Taking the stage at the 2020 E! People’s Choice Awards to accept the honor after a spirited introduction from his pal Tiffany Haddish—with a virtual assist from the staff at his studio in Atlanta—Tyler Perry delivered a moment that won’t soon be forgotten.
“I’m so inspired and moved by this moment. I’m grateful. When I think about all these people…they always inspire me,” he said, referencing his employees watching from home. “So when this pandemic hit, I know I had to do all I could do to make sure they could continue in this great place they’re headed towards in their lives…As I think about them, I though about this moment I wanted to share with you really quickly.”
The filmmaker treated us all to a story about needing to dig a well outside his first house, how much trouble it caused him, and how, just when he was about to throw in the towel, the man he’d hired finally hit the payload and found the water needed. Why this particular memory? “In this world, we’re all digging wells. In our lives, we’re digging wells. We’re digging wells in relationships, where we put all this time and effort and energy and sometimes it doesn’t give us what we need. We put all out time and effort and energy in dreams and business and it doesn’t give us what we were after, but if you just keep digging—my God, if you could just hear me now—keep digging. You may be four inches away from every gift and blessing you ever wanted in your life.”
