Tyler Perry, the legendary filmmaker and actor, is now under fire with some damaging allegations. Derek Dixon’s civil complaint, alleging a history of sexual harassment and subsequent “grooming” behavior amid their work exchanges. The attorneys general’s lawsuit seeks $260 in damages. Specifically, it details a number of concerning allegations that developed from their relationship, particularly during incidents at Perry’s personal island in the Bahamas in 2019.
The legal papers allege that Dixon was given a supervisory position during the party on the island. This unique role put him in constant dialogue with Perry. Their collaboration started when Dixon was an event planner with an event production company that organized the opening gala for Tyler Perry Studios. After their first meeting, Perry and Dixon had traded phone numbers, with Perry taking a particular interest in Dixon’s future goals.
The lawsuit details how Perry allegedly promised Dixon “career advancement and creative opportunities,” which led to an invitation to his trailer for drinks after a night of socializing. This invite was just the start of a very disappointing trend for Dixon. By December 2020, he was already saying that he was worn out by Perry’s nonstop bullying.
Later in June 2021, Perry made a second invitation to Dixon to visit his home. He wanted to talk about the pilot for Dixon’s show, “Losing It.” This invitation came on the heels of a long string of events, in which Perry had previously hired Dixon to play a role in his show, “Ruthless.” It reportedly became worse when Perry asked Dixon if he found him attractive and made other sexually explicit inquiries.
Dixon’s lawsuit claims that he endured Perry’s comments out of fear for losing his job, stating, “Dixon immediately understood that his job security depended on his ‘relationship’ with Perry.” The allegations describe a toxic work environment where Dixon felt compelled to endure unwanted advances to maintain his position in the industry.
“As soon as Derek Dixon left the trailer following Perry’s violent assault, Dixon became severely nauseous and extremely anxious about his job, careers and livelihood.” – Derek Dixon’s lawsuit
The lawsuit accuses Perry of quid pro quo sexual harassment. It implies that he attempted to erase the sexual assault scandal by securing future employment with a television program. Dixon argues that he repeatedly was forced to interact with Perry’s harassment. He feels that the work culture is toxic to his mental well-being.
Perry’s attorney, Matthew Boyd, told WaPo that the allegations were “unequivocally false.” He referred to them as a “shakedown” intended to fleece money out of the documentary creator. Boyd boasted on the record that Perry will not be scared off. In short, he believes the patently false allegations are going to go nowhere in court.
“This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam. But Tyler will not be shaken down and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.” – Matthew Boyd
The lawsuit depicts a horror story of an environment in which the power dynamics between student and administrator were at the center of Dixon’s experience. It notes that from the onset of their interactions, Dixon worked with “the constant fear of losing his job if he did not engage with and endure Perry’s sexual harassment.”
A representative for Dixon’s legal team, the ACLU of Michigan, said they won’t be available for further comment at this time. They attempt to distract by claiming that “the complaint speaks for itself.”
