and the tyler perry film, "family reunion." what is the message.t's all about communication, it's entertainment. but you're communicating a message. some messages i want to communicate just to that audience. some messages i want to communicate, like this show, that's appealing to me, you can play this president that looks like you and me, with our hue and still speak to an international audience. >> that's an interesting thing. and i think another issue that's really interesting to me in terms of the work you've done is that some of the roles you played haven't been good guys. on "madea's family reunion" you play a heck of a character. >> man, yeah. >> i was scared when i saw you in the green room. >> right, right. >> how much do you try to balance your sort of artistic freedom with the representation that people will see when they go into the theater? >> definitely try to balance it. my first ten years in the business, a lot of that was "l.a. law" i made a conscious effort to look for roles that were very dark, very different. the next role i play

but there is opportunity for us to shine and, you know, you look at what tyler perry has done with his films and his television shows and his studio. you know, his -- his business model, his business acumen, that gives other playwrights and screenwriters and actors hope. you know, it's like, if he did it, i can do it. so, yeah, more doors were opened and we have more tons. but, you know, the doors can be opened wider and there can be much more topportunities than what there are right now. >> you seem to be taking advantage of those opportunities not just as an actor but beginning to executive produce some television shows. tell us about those projects. >> i had a short lived show on the wb called "all about the andersons" that i created, wrote and produced with my partner, adam glass. i just recently produced a documentary on black south african comics called "township to the stage," that, knock on wood, hopefully will be at sun dance and all these other film festivals this year. so it's about creating those opportunities. you know, i always tell, you know, talent and actors it's about