Tyler Perry doesn’t splurge when it comes to buying Christmas gifts for his son, Aman. The 55-year-old media mogul recently opened up about his practical approach to the holidays during a recent appearance on the Sherri Shepherd show.
When host Sherri Shepherd asked if Aman, 10, had a “Christmas list,” Perry’s response was as straightforward as it was unexpected.
“He don’t get no Christmas list,” Perry said, drawing laughter and surprise from the audience.
Instead, Aman gets just two things under the tree: “Books and Legos,” Perry explained.
“That’s it?” Shepherd asked, clearly stunned.
“He don’t have a job! What else is he going to get?” he responded.
Tyler went on to share how he and Aman’s mother, Gelila Bekele, work together to ensure their son doesn’t grow up spoiled. When Aman was just 5 years old, he started grumbling about flying commercial — a moment that prompted Perry to take immediate action.
“They’ve been going coach for years,” Perry revealed.
Sherri, still in disbelief, asked, “You’re letting your son go coach?”
“Absolutely,” he confirmed, earning applause from the audience. “So that he understands I worked, he did not! So when he works, he can learn that lesson. He’s not going to be one of those ridiculous spoiled rich kids. I can’t stand that. No! He ain’t got no money!”
When Shepherd asked how Perry keeps Aman’s life “normal” despite his massive success, Perry explained that he’s intentional about keeping his son out of the spotlight.
“I want him to know who he is before people start saying, ‘Oh, that’s Tyler Perry’s son,’” Perry shared. “I want to make sure that he’s not seen in public,”
“Even when I’m at a game, I’m in the back so he can play and not be bothered. All those things are important to me so he can have as much of a normal life as he can. Very different from my childhood, but I don’t want him to be that spoiled, rich, entitled.”
