Tyler Perry is reportedly following in the footsteps of his good friend Oprah Winfrey and launching a new cable network, this according to The New York Times.

The NYT reports that Perry and Lionsgate will launch the new network initially playing reruns of his shows like "House Of Payne" and "Meet The Browns" before buying "third-party content that meshes with Mr. Perry's Christianity-tinged brand."

A source tells the publication that the network is tentatively titled "Tyler TV."

Lionsgate and Mr. Perry have declined to comment on The New York Times' story.

Tyler Perry is making his promo rounds as Madea's Big Happy Family hits the theaters today. The actor/producer announced on Conan O'Brien's talk show that he is shooting a TV series based on the couples from the hit film, Why Did I Get Married? entitled, For Better Or Worse.

Sources reveal that the show will likely follow a group of college best friends as they deal with life's issues.

Check out Tyler On Conan.

It seems like Tyler Perry has had it up to here with the criticism. In a Tuesday press conference in Beverly Hills, CA, the director, writer, and actor fired back at his critics, particularly fellow Black filmmaker Spike Lee.

"Spike can go straight to hell! You can print that. I am sick of him talking about me, I am sick of him saying, ‘this is a coon, this is a buffoon.' I am sick of him talking about black people going to see movies. This is what he said: ‘you vote by what you see,' as if black people don't know what they want to see."

"I am sick of him - he talked about Whoopi, he talked about Oprah, he talked about me, he talked about Clint Eastwood. Spike needs to shut the hell up!"

Perry is one of the most successful Black directors in Hollywood history.

Yet, the filmmaker is often times criticized for stereotypical Black characters in his movies, most notable the gun-carrying, loud-mouthed character Madea, played by Tyler Perry in the popular Madea series.

Some critics have gone as far as to call his movies and plays a “minstrel show” and demeaning to Blacks.

Still, Perry said he doesn't understand why the majority of his criticism comes directly the Black community, when directors and actors of other races don't face the same negative feedback from their own communities.

"I've never seen Jewish people attack Seinfeld and say "this is a stereotype," I've never seen Italian people attack The Sopranos, I've never seen Jewish people complaining about Mrs. Doubtfire or Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie. I never saw it. It's always black people, and this is something that I cannot undo. Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois went through the exact same thing; Langston Hughes said that Zora Neale Hurston, the woman who wrote Their Eyes Were Watching God, was a new version of the 'darkie' because she spoke in a southern dialect and a Southern tone. And I'm sick of it from us; we don't have to worry about anybody else trying to destroy us and take shots because we do it to ourselves."

Perry continued to express his frustrations saying, "So me being frustrated with it, and then they go on to say that people of other ethnic groups or white people don't go see my movies, and that's all a lie. I'm standing on stage looking at thousands of people, thousands of faces, with every race represented, and I'm tired of it. I'm tired of just laying down, tired of just being nice and letting them say whatever they want to say however they want to say it without people knowing what the intent really is."

Tyler Perry's latest film Madea's Big Happy Family opens nationwide in theaters this Friday.

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Back in 2005, Lionsgate began a deal with Tyler Perry which brought Diary Of A Mad Black Woman to movie theaters everywhere.

For all of you Madea fans, prepare to see more of the producer/actor/director in a wig and a dress as Lionsgate has extended the situation with Perry to distribute more of his films and home entertainment.

The deal kicks off with Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family on April 22nd.

"Tyler Perry is one of the most powerful and unique entertainment brands in the world today, with a fan base that is virtually unrivalled in its loyalty and passion," Lionsgate co-chairman and CEO Jon Feltheimer said in a statement.

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Yet, in film using the cross-dressing gimmick almost seems cliché, especially among Black actors.

Most of the roles are comical and warm hearted in nature.

However, that still doesn't stop the debate as to whether or not all these cross-dressing characters (many portrayed by strong Black actors) contribute to the perceived “emasculation” of the Black man in America.

Tyler Perry's Madea is the latest he/she role to cause conservative grumbles, but many a Black actor has earned his stripes by dressing up in polka dots.

Hate it or love it, here are 15 TV and film roles involving Black actors who swapped their button down for a blouse.

Is it just a part of the job, or a fail for black Hollywood?

Tyler broke the news himself through his TylerPerry.com blog in one of his weekly updates.

Speaking on the “idiot” who stole his credit card number he wrote a message to his fans asking them for help saying,

“By the way, some idiot stole my credit card number.  Can you believe that?  Take a look at all the stuff they charged.  If you know any of these people, call the police.”

He then lists all the charges applied to his account totaling close to $30,000 including airline tickets from New York to Las Vegas, over $500 at a Toys R US and $7,000 at a Lowes' Home Goods store.

Check out this ridiculous list of charges below.

TOTAL: $28,492.22

4/25/10 - Southwest Airlines - M. Woods (Burbank-Las Vegas) - $3.00

4/25/10 - Southwest Airlines - M. Woods (Burbank-Las Vegas) - $158.70

4/28/10 - Best Buy - $734.00

4/29/10 - Lowe's (Greenville) - $6761.95

4/30/10 - Delta Airlines - S. Archer (NY/JFK-Las Vegas) - $1022.70

4/30/10 - Delta Airlines - Q. Hinton (NY/JFK-Las Vegas) - $1022.70

4/30/10 - Lowe's (Greenville) - $7278.70

5/1/10 - Southwest Airlines - Andre B. (Burbank-Las Vegas) - $158.70

5/1/10 - Southwest Airlines - Justin S. (Burbank-Las Vegas) - $158.70

5/1/10 - Delta Airlines Andre B. (Las Vegas-Los Angeles) - $573.70

5/1/10 - Delta Airlines Justin S. (Las Vegas-Los Angeles) - $573.70

5/1/10 - Fandango.com (movie tickets) - $120.00

5/1/10 - AMC Theatre (North Decatur) - $105.00

5/1/10 - Lowe's (Greenville) - $7000.00

5/1/10 - Abercrombie.com (clothing) - $500.00

5/2/10 - SVM Prepaid Card (retail) - $317.45

5/3/10 - Spirit Airlines - Q. Hinton (Ft. Lauderdale-NY/LGA) - $660.42

5/3/10 - Spirit Airlines - Q. Hinton (Ft. Lauderdale-NY/LGA) - $250.00

5/3/10 - Toys R Us (King of Prussia) - $505.00

5/3/10 - Amex Gift Card - $192.80

5/3/10 - Fandango.com (movie tickets) - $195.00

5/4/10 - Delta Airlines - P. Smith (Chicago-Atlanta) - $312.70 - REFUNDED BY DELTA (caught before use)

5/4/10 - Delta Airlines - P. Smith (Chicago-Atlanta) - $312.70 - REFUNDED BY DELTA (caught before use)

5/4/10 - Delta Airlines - Jason S. (Chicago-Atlanta) - $312.70 - REFUNDED BY DELTA (caught before use)

5/4/10 - Delta Airlines - John H. (Chicago-Atlanta) - $312.70 - REFUNDED BY DELTA (caught before use)

5/4/10 - Express.com (clothing) - $200.00

Can anyone help Mr. Perry find this "idiot?"

“Willie Maxine Perry- February 12, 1945 to December 8, 2009. Thank you for all your prayers.”

His mother was 64-years-old and a pre-school teacher in New Orleans for most of her life.

A cause of death has yet to be released.

The funds donated will be distributed to the organization during a four year period and were given in honor of the organization's centennial anniversary.

Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO of the NAACP, expressed his gratitude to the film maker saying,

“Tyler Perry exemplifies an unyielding commitment to uplifting and bringing hope to the disenfranchised and those less fortunate. Both in his films and in his life, he reflects an impressive ethos of caring and conscientiousness.  We are deeply grateful for his support.”

Nice job TP. Always giving back, I commend you.