, and it employs some of the same characters seen in Perry 's movies and stage plays -- including a play and film named `` Meet the Browns , '' which is only mildly related to the TV series . The show focuses on Mr. Brown and his daughter Cora , played by Mann 's real-life wife , Tamela Mann , as Mr. Brown tries to turn his house into a home for the elderly . Those who have followed Perry 's productions know that Cora was the conceived during a brief fling between Brown and Madea , Perry 's female alter ego . `` If it had n't been for Cora , Mr. Brown and Madea probably would have killed each other by now , '' Mann said . `` Cora is the glue to this whole thing . Cora keeps everybody grounded . '' Mann said Mr. Brown 's speech and mannerisms are from a combination of people . `` Grandfathers , uncles , relatives , you know , different friends you see . '' he said . `` I use to go to a nursing home and just look at people , watch -- ` OK ,
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- You are about to meet Mr. Brown . David Mann and Tamela Mann -- a real-life couple -- star in `` Meet the Browns '' as father and daughter . He 's David Mann , star of the TBS sitcom `` Tyler Perry 's Meet the Browns . '' To borrow a phrase from the network 's marketing -- he 's very funny . Mann 's character -- `` Downtown '' Leroy Brown -- is a lovable , sometimes outrageous and always off-the-wall senior citizen who has stolen every scene he 's entered in Tyler Perry 's plays , movies and TV shows . Mr. Brown no longer has to steal scenes , because TBS -- owned by CNN parent company Time Warner -- has ordered 80 episodes of half-hour comedy , based on the success of 10 pilot episodes . `` Just in case I 'm dreaming , do n't pinch me , '' said Mann . `` I 'm living the dream . '' `` Meet the Browns '' is a spinoff of Perry 's `` House of Payne , '' a sitcom that has yielded strong cable ratings for TBS