Tyler Perry Jokingly Confronts Jimmy Kimmel About Missing His Atlanta Studio Opening Party

The famous writer and director put the Jimmy Kimmel Live! host on the spot for missing the 2019 opening of Tyler Perry Studios

Photo: Randy Holmes/ABC via Getty Images

Jimmy Kimmel has some explaining to do!

During Thursday's episode of his late night show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the TV host was confronted by Tyler Perry about missing the director and producer's studio launch party in 2019.

At the start of the episode, Kimmel, 54, pointed out that the last time Perry, 52, made an appearance on the show was right after he opened Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta.

Perry then quipped: "Yeah, that you didn't come to."

"The big party I had ... I remember. I'm still scarred from it. You said you would send me a gift and I still don't have the gift ... Where is the gift? You didn't come. You didn't send a gift. Where is the gift?" said Perry joked.

Kimmel then hilariously asked someone on set to run to the Hollywood souvenir shop next door and grab something for Perry.

"I apologize for that. I don't know what I was doing. Oh COVID, I think COVID maybe was happening," said Kimmel in response.

Tyler, however, didn't buy the excuse and asserted that his opening celebration took place before the pandemic.

"You knew [the pandemic] was coming. You were ahead of it all," said Perry.

Kimmel then said he thought the invite might have been intended for The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon.

"Well it said Jimmy Kimmel and I did a special video to you saying please come so I don't know how you could have gotten that mistaken," said Perry.

The 330-acre space in Atlanta — the first studio exclusively owned by an African-American — features 12 sound stages named for black entertainment icons, and sits on a former Confederate Army base. The studio celebration was attended by big name celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Terrence Howard, Bill Clinton, Will Smith, Whoopi Goldberg among others.

During his appearance on the show, Perry revealed he has plans to expand the studio to allow the general public to enjoy it.

"It's 330 acres and I just bought 37 acres in front for an entertainment district so I am pretty excited about that," said Perry.