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Tonight at 9 p.m., the Tyler Perry era begins on the OWN Network. Perry has two scripted shows scheduled to debut this week – the 2-hour debut of the drama “The Haves and the Have Nots,” tonight at 9 and tomorrow, the first episode of “Love Thy Neighbor” is set to air at 9 p.m. Sixteen episodes of “The Haves” are on schedule and 26 of “Love Thy Neighbor.” This represents a new day on OWN, as this is the network’s first foray into scripted dramas after successes with reality shows like “Iyanla, Fix My Life,” and “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s.” Oprah Winfrey and Tyler got together this morning on “The Tom Joyner Morning Show” and here’s what we learned from their conversation.

1. IT WAS TYLER’S IDEA TO COME TO OWN

OPRAH: “At the time he was thinking about dong his own network and when I was going through every single media outlet in the country labeling OWN as struggling, struggling, struggling and I was digging myself out of a hole, after just finishing the Oprah Show Tyler said ‘Let me help you. You know, I could write you something. ‘ I was one thousand percent supportive of him starting his own network but let me just tell you it’s more than a notion, starting your own network. While he was thinking about starting his own network, he said ‘Let me write something for you.’”

2. OPRAH IS NOT A CONTROL FREAK 

OPRAH: “Actually, I have let go. Everybody thinks I’m a control freak and that is a bad rap for me. I really try to align myself, through all my work over the years, I have a reputation as a control freak, but I’m not. I try to get good people and let them do what they do. Tyler you can attest to that, can you not?”

TYLER: “Seriously, she is a person who lets go and she lets me do what I do. I know how to  lead and I also know when to follow. It is the Oprah Winfrey network and it’s really great to be able to do a show like “The Have and Have Nots” and “Love Thy Neighbor” with Palmer Williams and Patrice Lovely and Hattie from my plays. Tonight is the big night of “The Haves and the Have Nots.” And to be able to tell these kind of stories and let go and then have the support of Oprah and OWN behind me, it’s really, really  awesome. I can’t wait for people to see it tonight.

All my people out there listening, you know y’all been with me from the very beginning, I need you to watch tonight.  I promise you this show will not let you down. It is what I do, it is what you’ve done for me and all you have to do is watch OWN. Check out “The Haves and the Have Nots” tonight and tomorrow “Love Thy Neighbor.” It’s going to be incredible.”

3. OPRAH DOESNT WATCH TELEVISION

“We’re not sure we believed it when Oprah said some years back that she didn’t own a TV but apparently, it’s true. Whether she ever broke down and bought one or not, the woman who became one of the biggest stars in TV history does not watch much TV. She did become a fan of “The Haves and the Have Nots,” though.”

OPRAH: “I’ve watched every one of the episodes of “The Haves and the Have Nots” and I’m normally not a television watcher. But as Tyler was producing them and getting them ready for air, he would send them to me and I got myself hooked to the point of I’m like ‘I’m at episode 6, where’s #7?’’

4. OPRAH BELIEVED IN IYANLA AGAINST THE ADVICE OF HER OWN PEOPLE 

“Members of my team told me Iyanla would not work, but I knew the moment that Iyanla and I reconciled on the air that final year of “The Oprah Show,” I knew that that was a godsend. As I was sitting there, with her, on the air on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” I knew that that moment was going to allow us to work together in the future. I believed from the beginning that that show would work. That’s actually one of my favorite shows on OWN. “

7 Things We Found Out From Oprah and Tyler Perry About Their New Scripted Series  was originally published on blackamericaweb.com

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