David And Tamela Mann: 'It's A Mann's World' Joins Reality TV [DETAILS]
David and Tamela Mann are one happy couple, and no stranger to television.
The duo who has graced the entertainment world in Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns, were asked to do a reality show, where they revealed that they were a little nervous about letting the world into their Mansfield, Texas, home.
“There’s a stigma to reality shows,” David stated, according to The Dallas Morning News. “The emphasis is often on the negative. The producers can push you to be mean and to make it dirty. That’s not what we’re about.”
David, who plays Mr. Brown in Perry's films and sitcoms, is also a comedian who has been married to Tamela for 26 years.
The couple have an integrated family that includes David's daughters Porcia and Tiffany from another relationship and their kids whom they have together, which includes one son David Jr. and daughter Tia. Tamela and David are also raising one niece, Sonya.
The couple are also the proud grandparents to eight grandchildren.
Tamela, who is also a Stella Award- and BET Award-winning gospel singer, claims she and her family were happy with the response they have received through social media about their new reality show.
“It was hard for us to go to bed because people kept texting all through the night and into the morning,” Tamela revealed. “People were telling us they’ve been wanting to see us back on television."
She adds, “They were saying how happy they were to see a show about a family where everyone loves and supports one another. This has just been a blessing.”
Tamela, who starred as Cora Simmons, the daughter of Mr. Brown and Madea, on the hit stage play-turned-sitcom Meet the Browns, revealed that the show has been done since 2011. She claims fans still ask if the actors of the show are going to produce more.
“We stopped making Meet the Browns the show four years ago,” Tamela revealed, “and people still inquire, ‘Are you going to do more?’”
“I think the show was so popular because people saw those characters in their own families,” David adds.
If you'd ask the Manns what's most important, Tamela and David would say, "Family."
“Family is everything to us,” David revealed. “We’re not trying to paint a perfect picture of a perfect family, because we have issues, too, but we find a way to deal with those issues without it turning nasty.
“There’s a situation in one upcoming episode where everyone goes from "people are crying" to "everyone’s laughing." That’s the way we do it: We meet a situation head-on, we handle it, and we move on.
“It’s as if our show is sending out subliminal messages: life lessons wrapped up in laughter.”
The happily married couple have been working together for so long, and revealed that is just how they met. David and Tamela, who come from singing backgrounds, met while David was singing with gospel great Kirk Franklin and Darrell Blair when Tamela came into the picture.
“A friend told us, ‘I know someone who can sing better than all of y’all,’ and we said, ‘Well, bring her on,’” David recalls. “So, long story short, Tamela came over and blew us all away. We became really good friends and hang-out buddies over the years. I know she was probably thinking, ‘I would never date this guy.’ But then I kissed her one day, she fell in love and that’s the story I’m telling.”
Tamela chimes in, “I’m more in love with him today than I was 26 years ago.”
It's a Mann's World was taped in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where the family resides, as Tamela reveals they are no stranger to hot weather:
“I even love the hot summer days, as long as we’ve got a good air conditioner.”
David says, “We’ve traveled the world, but there’s no place like home. I say that as I click my heels.”
Don't forget to tune in to BET Wednesdays at 9 p.m.