The Mocha Lounge

The Mocha Lounge Black History Month Special Edition

2009-02-18T06:55:00.000-08:00

In honor of Black History Month, Rob Smith hosts a special edition of The Mocha Lounge! Only instead of rehashing regular black history (which you can find anywhere else) Rob and guests Dwight Allen O'Neal (writer/creator of Christopher Street) and blogger Adam Benjamin Irby talk about the past year in black gay pop culture and what to look for in 2009.

Highlights include the success of Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom - the highest grossing gay independent feature of 2008 - and it's NAACP Image Award nominations as well as the fierceness of RuPaul's Drag Race and the diva herself. The guys also discuss the coming out of comedian Wanda Sykes, Rob's prediction that a black male celebrity will come out in 2009, a few little known facts in gay black history, plus much much more.

The Mocha Lounge is going on hiatus (or "to hiate", *thanks Adam*) for a bit, but until then check out this survey and let us know what you think of the show!

Until then, check back here at AfterElton or at mochalounge.blogspot.com for updates and older episodes. For booking/interview information or to be added to the email blast list, send a quick email to mochaloungevb@gmail.com.

See you this summer!

A Mocha Lounge Special Edition: Change, Blame, and Prop 8

2008-11-19T09:30:00.000-08:00

More videos from downelink.com

In a provocative special edition of The Mocha Lounge, Rob and Ramon take on the scapegoating of black voters in California in the wake of the passing of Proposition 8, talk to openly gay pastor Joseph Tolton in New York City about homophobia's roots in the church, and try to figure out what's next for the LGBT community in the continuing struggle for marriage equality.

Next Up: A Mocha Lounge Special Edition on Race, Spirituality, and Proposition 8

2008-11-13T07:03:00.000-08:00

We will be joined by gay black Pastor Joseph Tolton of NYC's Rehoboth Temple for an interesting and provocative discussion about the scapegoating of black voters by those disgusted with the passing of Proposition 8, as well as the homophobia in the black community and its roots in the church. Check back soon, it's going to be a great show!

Mocha Lounge Episode 2

2008-10-21T05:59:00.000-07:00

More videos from downelink.com

In the second episode of The Mocha Lounge, co-hosts Rob and Ramon talk about Darryl Stephens' Instinct Magazine cover story, lament the absence of actual gay men on the cover of gay male magazines, and offer up an early mini-review of Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom. (Note, Logo is releasing Noah's Arc and is also AfterElton.com's parent company.)

Our two co-hosts then discuss this week's "Under the Radar" pick, cult ballroom culture documentary Paris is Burning, and talk about some sobering developments among gay men of color in the "What's New with Us" segment.

To wrap it all up, last week's inaugural "What's the Q?" is finally answered by the guys with some help from last episode's viewers, and a sure-to-be-controversial topic is brought up for discussion heading into Episode 3.

DeMarco Majors Loves The Mocha Lounge

2008-10-13T08:11:00.000-07:00

Shirts and Skins star and sexy San Francisco Rockdogs player DeMarco Majors recently made this comment about The Mocha Lounge at DowneLink:

Thanks for checking out our show and supporting us. Through your continued support, comments about the show, blogging on Downelink, and going onto logoonline.com. This is how we will keep shows like ours on Logo and open the door for other shows like yours. It is very important that we support our shows and share our voice if we want more diverse shows on this network. Thank you both for showing luv we appreciate the both of you and wish you both continued success with your show! SF Rockdogs!!

We love you too DeMarco, and bringing more diversity to the community is definitely why we're here. Feel free to stop by the Lounge the next time you're in the NYC area!

The Mocha Lounge featured on Living Out Loud with Darian!

2008-10-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

The Mocha Lounge was recently featured on the very influential black gay blog Living Out Loud with Darian! Thanks for the love, Darian, and please keep it coming!

You can check out the article here.

The Mocha Lounge, Episode 1

2008-10-13T07:56:00.000-07:00

More videos from downelink.com

In the first full episode of The Mocha Lounge, host Rob Smith introduces his new co-host Ramon Johnson (whom you may know as About.com's gay lifestyle writer) and kicks off the show's features.

This week's Must List discusses the fellas of Shirts & Skins, which cause Rob to Catch a Case. In What's New With Us the guys discuss the black men behind the developments regarding gay marriage in Washington DC, Massachusetts and New York (go Governor Paterson!) and tip off an upcoming panel for black gay men in NYC.

And finally the guys kick off What's the Q?, where they ask questions that they want you, the viewers, to answer. Shoe's on the other foot, fellas!

The Mocha Lounge Press Release

2008-10-13T06:53:00.000-07:00

The Mocha Lounge launches as a groundbreaking series exclusively covering gay men of color in the media

New York, NY

October 16th, 2008 - Out I Want to Work for Diddy star and AfterElton.com blogger Rob Smith and About.com’s gay lifestyle writer Ramon Johnson are launching The Mocha Lounge, a first of its kind show focusing on gay men of color in the media. The Mocha Lounge will be broadcast bi-weekly on AfterElton.com and Downelink.com, both properties of the LOGOonline Network which receives an average of 2.9 million unique visitors per month. An episode archive and regularly updated notification of personalities to be featured on the show can be found at www.mochalounge.blogspot.com.

“This show is here because now is the time to make a more concentrated effort to diversify the images in the gay community,” says creator and executive producer Rob Smith. “The Mocha Lounge will definitely bring something fresh and new into the conversation.”

The Mocha Lounge will cover politics, pop culture, and everything in-between with its gaze fixed on the gay men of color that populate all these different areas. Mocha Lounge co-hosts Rob and Ramon will also engage in conversations and interviews with the hottest people on the scene today! Hiding in Hip Hop author Terrance Dean and I Want to Work for Diddy star and first transwoman of color on reality television Laverne Cox will both appear in the Fall ’08 season, which will air bi-weekly from October 16th through December 11th.

The Mocha Lounge name comes from the hue that is a mixture of all the beautiful complexions of different gay men of color, and is an indication that nobody is to be left out. Co-host Ramon Johnson agrees. “This isn’t about just black gay men, this is about us all. Gay men of color need this representation. That’s why The Mocha Lounge is here.”

Please forward all inquiries to mochaloungevb@gmail.com
www.myspace.com/mochaloungevb
www.mochalounge.blogspot.com