Tyler Perry, Jamie Foxx Sued By Oklahoma Prisoner, Shamont Lyle Sapp

Jamie Foxx and Tyler Perry are reportedly being sued for $1 million each by an Oklahoma prisoner who claims the two stole his idea for their forthcoming flick "Skank Robbers."

According to documents obtained by TMZ, Shamont Lyle Sapp claims that he gave the two actors the idea to reprise their roles Wanda (from "In Living Color") and Madea (from Perry's various films) along with Martin Lawrence's Sheneneh (from "Martin") for a drama based around a mental hospital.

The legal document states that the prisoner's original concept featured:

"a male white mental patient takes Madea hostage ... He deals with phone calls from the negotiators, as Madea actually pleads for her life in a very sad tear-jerking way ... Her pleas are to be very sad. No jokes at all."

To Sapp's surprise, who ironically is serving time for 10 bank robberies, the project is reportedly being developed into a comedy about the three characters robbing banks.

In addition to Foxx and Perry, Sapp is also suing Fox Broadcasting and producer David Zuckerman for a total of $4 million in damages.

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Comments

[MovngForward316]

04:41 AM on 11/28/2012

Wow! What took the buzzards so long to begin hunting for a free meal?

[slickvic]

05:56 PM on 01/09/2012

i cant wait 2 see this movie i love them both lmao

[LarsMars]

09:51 AM on 01/02/2012

Aren't black men always presumed guilty until proven innocent?

[Lavendar1]

11:18 PM on 01/01/2012

Lawsuits aside, I am embarrassed--as an African-American woman--by an attempt to build an entire movie around the humiliation of Black women for comic relief. In small doses--as isolated additions to films that focus on a variety of characters--any one of these characters can be managable. But in combination, as the stars of their own flick? Please, God, no! So often, people think of African-American women as loud, obnoxious, angry, rude, inarticulate, etc., and it is partly because of films like these that build upon stereotypes and encourage the world to think of us that way. As an educated, intelligent, articulate, soft-spoken, law abiding and polite African-American woman, I am tired of being represented internationally on film as something I am not. Something no Black woman in my family is. Moreover, I am tired of being represented to the world this way by Black men--who should know better than anyone else that not ALL Black women are like these characters, because they are exposed to a diversity of Black women in their own families. I love what Tyler Perry is trying to do as a Producer, Writer, Director and Actor. But I would like to see him diversify the way he represents Black women and I would love to see him present the positive aspects of who we are more. As for the lawsuit? Whoever wrote this should get the credit and promptly be scolded for writing this garbage.

[liberalbarbwire]

02:20 PM on 06/30/2012

you say....that.......... so often people think of black women as loud.. obnoxious..angry..rude and inarticulate...etc.. well many are.... and if you don't know that.. then you must have been living under a rock.. somewhere..
frankly i don.t care what people think.. and a movie is in noway going to make or break..what people think.. about black women....

[Lavendar1]

05:32 PM on 08/11/2012

African-American women are like any other group of women...some are loud, inarticulate, etc. and others are not.  We are by no means monolithic, anymore than White Women or Asian Women or Latin Women are monolithic.  Are there White Women who are racist, cold-hearted and uptight?  Absolutely.  But not all White Women are that way and they therefore do not deserve to be treated as such.  The same applies to African-American women and anything less is unfair and wrong.  A movie may not "make or break" what the world things about Black Women, but it certainly can contribute to an overall image and popular perception.  All I want is for media to be fair and portray the diversity that exists among Black Women rather than pigeon-hole us into a stereotype that simply does not apply to all of us.  If Black Men love their Mothers, Sisters, Aunts and Cousins, then they should try to portray us with the diversity we possess and not disrespect us by presenting and reinforcing a fallacy about us to the world.  That's all I'm saying.  I would like to see Black Women like myself and those in my family better represented on the big screen....I have a Master's Degree, work in corporate America making a more than six figure salary, am multilingual, well-traveled, soft-spoken, articulate, intelligent and God fearing.  I dress in a professional, conservative and understated way but I am not disconnected from my heritage or roots as a Black Woman.  Quite to the contrary,

[Lavendar1]

05:35 PM on 08/11/2012

Quite to the contrary, as I spent years living and working in non-profit outreach in Africa providing education and training in healthcare to women and their children on the very continent that all Black people on earth are descended from. In fact, three of the five languages I speak are African languages. I know, love and respect who I am and who my ancestors are and I would hope that others--particularly Black Men--share enough regard for Black Women as human beings that they would honor the diversity of who we are rather than denegrate it. If that doesn't make some kind of sense, then pigs must be able to fly. God Bless.

[Carolyn Forte]

11:15 AM on 11/28/2012

Its a movie! Have a coke, popcorn & a smile. Have you checked the reality shows lately? The reality show trash is thrown in our face weekly.

[Dustin Risley]

05:44 PM on 12/31/2011

Listen to me. I tell you the truth, If you all feel this way, you should vote for RON PAUL in 2012. You can not vote-in another puppet wearing a mask and parading around to assume power. You have to realize that none of this makes sense. Why is this even being talked about? Because we have career politicians controlling our lives from across the country and are submitting to their demands! Wake UP!

[PhineasGage730]

06:16 PM on 12/30/2011

In case you forgot, Jamie Foxx won an Oscar...

Embarrassing.

[NYGHTCLOUD]

02:00 PM on 12/30/2011

I am so tired of our black men dressing in drag to make movies. There are millions of ways to be funny and that joke has been played too much and for too long.

[Dustin Risley]

05:33 PM on 12/31/2011

ha ha i can see why it makes you mad. don't want them stepping in your territory huh bra?

[Brian Marshall]

01:56 PM on 12/30/2011

I saw this trailer years ago during the BET awards!!! Is this for real?!! How can a convict expect to sue for a movie idea based on characters developed by other people!!!

[Mallory Bernard]

11:08 AM on 12/30/2011

Ummm, what!?!

[ATizz]

10:00 AM on 12/30/2011

Sapp's idea: A mental institute hostage situational drama starring Foxx, Lawrence, and Perry.
Actual movie: A bank robber comedy starring Foxx, Lawrence and Perry.

I fail to see where he could possibly have a lawsuit for "stealing his idea." Does that mean all I have to do is say I think Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider should make a movie, and then I can sue as soon as they do?

[BRUTHAKAY]

08:39 AM on 12/30/2011

Isn't it enough that the general supports Hollywood with to much money and when you have an Idea for a movie, tv show or anything to share with them why must they steal your idea as if it were theirs to start with. This happens far to often and Hollywood's Greed needs to be dealt with economically. Boycott Hollywood all together.

[franklma]

08:31 AM on 12/30/2011

Great, another fine movie of castrated black men in dresses.

[joceeco]

01:13 PM on 12/30/2011

...bet you will never see Dave Chappelle doing such things!

[supreme7]

01:31 PM on 12/30/2011

you are so right,,,dave chappelle says no way he will ever do it,,,

[leisa724]

01:46 PM on 12/30/2011

Yes!! I agree with you 100 percent.

[ms.understood]

11:36 PM on 12/29/2011

our tax dollars are obviously going to the wrong things. how can a convict sue for millions and he's behind bars? this is beyond stu pid.

[Dustin Risley]

05:37 PM on 12/31/2011

why not if the jerks stole his idea? you dont stop being a person when you go to jail.

This guy was a bank robber. Robbed 10 banks, that is not easy. He could be a genius, or he could be a man at the end of his rope- The point is- you don't know. You have to throw in a lot of caviats to try to make your statement justifiabl­e in any way. No offense, but go live in Jighad land if you dont want rights my friend

[gunrunner99]

12:13 PM on 01/01/2012

Aw,I get it Dustin,your one of those, that thinks its fine if a prisoner sues over his cookie,because he likes oatmeal instead of chocolate chip,please,you sound like you admire this idiot,why should these actors,who have made their way up in life,have to even deal with this lowlife? He likes easy money,as proven by his bank robberies,thats it in a nutshell.

[Karmella]

11:01 PM on 12/29/2011

Seems like a spoof on the movie "Set it Off."

[joceeco]

01:14 PM on 12/30/2011

I thought the same thing as I watched the trailer.

[teddyray1]

08:20 PM on 12/29/2011

That trailer is a joke, right? Please tell me it's a joke and not an actual movie.