American actor, filmmaker and playwright Tyler Perry has apologised for being absent when President William Ruto visited his studio on Tuesday.
The President, his family, US Ambassador Meg Whitman and members of his entourage visited the Tyler Perry Studio for a tour.
Ruto and his entourage was welcomed by American TV host Steve Harvey who showed them around.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Perry said he wasn't there to welcome the visitors because his schedule was tight and he did not manage to squeeze in Ruto's visit.
"Unfortunately, my schedule was booked and I’m heartbroken that I couldn’t move things around in time to be there to greet President Ruto of Kenya as he and his family and delegation toured Tyler Perry Studios," Perry said.
On the positive side, however, the celebrity film maker said this now gives him sufficient reasons to ensure his anticipated trip to Kenya happens.
He thanked Harvey for stepping in to welcome the President saying his visit to Kenya is now a matter of when and not if.
"The good news is that means I will have to make my way to Kenya very soon! I am honoured, humbled, and thankful that you stopped by President Ruto. Thank you Steve Harvey for stepping in. What a blessing."
The President, who is on a four-day visit to the United States, including a state visit that officially started on Wednesday, met stakeholders in the film industry to explore ways to partner and grow the local film industry.
Some of the leaders who accompanied ruto include content creator Eddie Butita and President Ruto's two daughters.
Perry is the creator and performer of Mabel "Madea" Simmons, a tough elderly woman, and also portrays her brother Joe Simmons and her nephew Brian Simmons.
Perry's films vary in style from orthodox filmmaking techniques to filmed productions of live stage plays, many of which have been subsequently adapted into feature films.
Madea's first appearance was in Perry's play 'I Can Do Bad All by Myself' staged in Chicago in 1999.
Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s.
His breakthrough performance came in 2005 with the film 'Diary of a Mad Black Woman', which he wrote and produced as an adaptation of his stage play of the same name.
He also developed numerous television series, most notably 'Tyler Perry's House of Payne', which ran for eight seasons on TBS from 2006 to 2012.
In 2011, Forbes listed him as the highest-paid man in entertainment.
In 2012, Perry struck an exclusive multi-year partnership with Oprah Winfrey and her Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).
The deal featured scripted projects such as The Haves and the Have Nots.
In 2019, he produced the political drama series The Oval for BET.
