"At home, I hadn’t been able to relax enough to pursue any personal, exploratory writing that wasn’t tied to a check or “work” in any serious way. Here these few days, there’s no endless hustle or slothlike crowds to drive up my pressure." (Self-care, Clarity, and Sunshine: On Taking My Own Advice)
“Just how much value does getting a fresh floor-length Zamundan Yaki sew-in each week contribute to your life?” (How to prepare for a move abroad)
“Just know that I’m not bringing a girl home for Thanksgiving any time soon.” (Discussing ‘the gay’ with your parents)
“At worst, it’s an insult sprinkled with casual dehumanization, wrapped in a compliment and bedazzled with shards of kindhearted homophobia.” (Gay men are not ‘a waste)
“At worst, it’s an insult sprinkled with casual dehumanization, wrapped in a compliment and bedazzled with shards of kindhearted homophobia.” (‘Blackbird’ and the wealth of po’ Black gays on screen)
“Translation: For a fee, you, too, can be a contestant on The White Is Right.” (Whitenicious and YOUR self-hatred)
“In the case of Amy and Whitney, it was perhaps their fierce defiance and insistence on the nonexistence of any cause for concern that ushered them both into the next lifetime.” (Danny Brown, Mental Health, and Black Man Tears)
“We’re not talking about the legacy of Annie the Popeye’s Lady. We’re dealing with the memory of Sir Human Nature here. Have some decorum.” (Michael Joseph Jackson is Dead)
“This is news because, in the year 2014, the idea of an athlete who is a homosexual who is Colored who is not ashamed of or running from his sexuality can spawn 35 hundred dozen thousand think pieces.” (Why Black Gay Dads Matter)
“The disgraced calorie enthusiast is vying for the mirror ball trophy and public forgiveness alongside the show's usual mixed bag of contestants, rebuilding her audience with every toothy howl.” (Judging Paula Deen’s Debut on ‘Dancing With the Stars’)
"Each grammatical stumble feels like an affront to Janet Jackson and a failure as a Panamanian grandchild." (So I'm Leading Mental Health First Aid Trainings In Spanish)
"When life gets unjiggy, having an unbiased, noncoddling professional with whom you can bust your emotions open and make sense of life in this wretched post-Teen Summit society can be an invaluable asset. " (21 Ways to Find a Therapist)
"Much has been said and many good and flimsy tributes speak to the magnitude of Freakum Pantsuit Hall of Famer Aretha Louise Franklin’s brilliance and musical mastery. But forget ye not her culinary offerings. As impassioned as she was in her vocal wizardry, so, too, was she in her love of a good gravy." (Cooking with Ree Ree: 5 of Aretha Franklin's Best Kitchen Moments)
"Life for Black folks in the age of dumpsterhearted presidential swampdonkeys ain’t been no crystal stair. It’s had hate in it. And macroaggressions. And hope burned up. And cretins with no seasoning on their food—Bare." (12 Books on Mental and Emotional Health by Blackety Black Folks)
"2. Behind every wretched Miley rap hand and misguided twerk is a group of enabling Blacks who’ll sell their culture for some Yeezys and a pack of Black n Milds. Enter Migos, who cosigned Katy Perry’s stint as Cornball Barbie on SNL." (The Wackness Hall of Fame)
"It came time to try the macaroni and cheese. I was hesitant, because there was a sole burnt spot on top, which told me:
- This situation was unlovingly broiled merely for cosmetic reasons.
- (after research) That American cheese burns this way." (Alex Gotta Eat #2: Redemption By Burger)
"18. Mowing the lawn, my least favorite of all chores, is still the devil." (Hey, Thirty-Two: part two)
"As the halfro-Panamanian son of a Panamanian immigrant and grandson of the Janet Jackson of rice, it's long been understood that aside from acquiring at least one gold tooth, being able to produce a respectable pot of rice is part of my destiny." (How I Got Over Myself and Learned To Make Rice)
"Disparities in the way white doctors assess the pain of their black patients versus their white patients are well documented. These disparities are why many patients of color prefer to go to a doctor of the same race or cultural background." (I'm Black and My Doctor Should Be Too)
"Like disenfranchisement and harassment from racist jerks on the eve of a Trump presidency, lupus affects Black, Latina, Asian, and Native American women significantly more than white women. (The Male Faces of Lupus)
"But things are different now. The fruitless War on Drugs rages on, but now that the struggle has outgrown inner cities and reached rural and Middle America, sympathy, abundant resources, and an aversion to criminalization are en vogue. Imagine that." (This is What Addiction Was Like Before it Became a White-People Problem)
"9. Tell them that their delicate feelings and comfort level are irrelevant when lives are at stake.
You’re not required to deliver uncomfortable truths and advice with a smile, a ribbon and a dance routine. Weaponizing your allyhood or rescinding support when your punk-ass feelings are hurt or your “Official White Savior” ladybug broach isn’t praised makes you a self-involved dickface and a drone-strike- and eternal-bedbug-worthy threat." (How to Respond to White Folks Who Ask How They Can ‘Help’)
"But stop inviting everybody to the motherfucking cookout. Love yourself and respect your blackness a little bit more. For the kids, the community and the perseverance of the already limited supply of ribs." (Please Stop Inviting Everybody to the Damn Cookout)
"Remember that time a foot-faced, soul-sucking gargoyle became a beacon of hope for previously shamed racist swampdonkeys and self-hating Black folks everywhere and won the U.S. presidential election, thus empowering a new wave of oppressive shitbaggery and violence by the hateful, unmoisturized masses?" (When Jethro 'Becomes' Jamal: Alabaster Fucknuggets and Their Laughable Digital Blackface)
"Your therapist is providing a service, not working to be the Pam to your Gina." (Things To Consider When Starting Therapy)
“I got used to being one of no more than three Black dudes in a class, and occasionally, the lone Mandingo warrior in a sea of Lena Dunhams.” (Dancing The Blues Away: How Ballet Became My Therapy)
“It was like discovering an artist, and everything you hear by them makes your bootyhole twinkle with delight, as if their work was produced entirely for you.” (I'm Reading James Baldwin For The First Time And I'm Falling In Love With His Work)
“But watching him tap dance between trends, following Chris and Trey and that Bieber f*ckboy, short of breath while dancing in his leather pants, through life? That was enough.” (Usher Raymond: “Good Kisser” or Just Somebody’s Crackhead Uncle)
“I have even washed my hair with the lavender situation, but after it left my scalp and locs as dry as Miley’s most digdeepingest “twerk,” I stopped.” (Keep Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap Away From Your Fuckparts (Just Trust Me))
“The sketch is pretty fucking brilliant. It’s almost two weeks old now, and I still cry collard green tears of joy after watching it. And after I stop crying, I plunge into despair once I remember Negrotown is but a dream. Sigh. Maybe next lifetime.” (Why I’d Give An Entire Kidney To Live In Key & Peele’s ‘Negrotown’)
If Halle Berry can make eye contact with people after Catwoman, then you can get through this. It’s not right, but it’s okay.” (The Five Stages Of MacBook Charger Death)
“I am giddy at the prospect of educating a young mind on the beauty of travel, the magic of books and the terrors of sugared grits. I look forward to sharing the glory of Anita Baker and Janet Jackson and 70s Aretha and raising releasing one less fruit punch enthusiast unto the world.
Because fruit punch is stupid.” (Visions of Pappyhood)
“How serious is he about this departure? He told Gossip Viv, Hynaken, and DJ Thoro of Thisis50 Radio to expect a lot of autotune. And that T-Pain is his peer now. This is like when my Jovial Uncle met crackand lost it all. Where’s a praying grandmother when you need one?” (Musiq Soulchild Is A Rapper Now And I’m Annoyed)
“He is likable here. Gone are the cavemanly marriage mores and the woman-fixing. Okay, so that inner misogynistic grandpa leaks out every now and then. But…it’s not a total turn off.” (Growing To Appreciate Steve Harvey's Shuckey Jivey Charm on Family Feud)
“Hours later, ‘round midnight, the spirit called unto me and said, “Alex, my chile…”
“Sí, papi.”
“Call up room service and see about that shrimp and grits,” the spirit directed.
And so, I did. And the French toast, too.” (I Went To Memphis for A Screening of Underground and Here is What I Ate)
“What do we gain from reposting the final moments of somebody’s uncle, somebody’s wife, somebody’s babyboo? Awareness is one thing. Casual savagery is another.” (The Importance of Self Preservation Casual Savagery)
“If I had moved to New York last fall as intended, you would be surely be referring to me in the past tense today.” (What A Difference A Year Makes: On Battling and Beating Depression)
“She is the Chris Brown of White women.” (Meet Diane Stretton: Thug Nanny)
“I had forgotten how refreshing it was to see dozens of Us on screen at once being creative in ways that don’t entail throwing or dodging paternity suits, niggerish stereotypes, horrendous Steve Harvey-scented life advice or champagne bottles. ” (14 Thoughts On The Wiz Live After Taking A Week To Fully Process Its Blackassness)
“In the meantime, I’m eating heartily, having a Blanche Devereaux moment and enjoying laughing, eating, and drinking with my parents, who are saints and superheroes.” (I’m 29 Years Old, And I Just Moved Back Home With My Family)
“In an attempt to put a band-aid on an axe wound, Sir Convenient WhiteBlackness has dedicated his next project to the mending of his shattered relationship with his high school sweetheart, out in the open, in front of company.” (Seriously, Though: F*ck Robin Thicke)
“It’s a debate as old as time. It’s a topic as divisive as Vanessa Huxtable’s uselessness or blue contacts in post-pubescent Negroidian eyes. Like pop versus soda. OG Chocolatey Aunt Viv versus Creole Lady Flustered McHumorless Aunt Viv, and so on.” (Rep Your Set: Dressing or Stuffing?)
“I know people who have incorporated quotes from their favorite characters into their daily speech. I even had an old manager who used to chastise employees with Bunk’s classic inquiry, ‘You happy now, bitch?'” (True Confession: I’m Just Now Watching The Wire For The First Time)
“Being able to masturbate and nap in the middle of the day is a luxury everyone should experience at least once.” (On Returning to America After Life in Panama)
“This eternal spring of joke-wrapped anti-Negress vitriol is a side effect of Black men historically finding a whole new rack of material by putting on dresses, wigs, and pearls for laughs once they run out of engaging roles to play as themselves.” (The Cold War Between Straight Black Women and Gay Black Men)
“I am still unsure if it was from tremendous sympathy for this young uncle-less man or from the sight of My Uncle Charles, Y’all’s eyes fading to black. Or perhaps a little hyper-emotional pre-teen queer combination of both.” (Watching ‘Tha Crossroads’ As An Adult)
“Auntie Fefe turned a 5-minute budget meal demo into the pilot for next spring’s top-rated show on OWN, cussing her way right the fuck into the hearts of hundreds of thousands of dozens of hearts on the Internets in a matter of days.” (An Ode to Felicia O’Dell and All The Black Dramatics We Love)
"As chirren, teachers, staff, parents, and administrators greet new year of adventure down at the schoolhouse, let’s take a look back pon some of the phattest and most memorable moments from Black academia’s past. When report cards and parent-teacher conferences roll around, you might might need some positivity to help keep hope alive." (Black In The Day: Back To School Edition)
"If you didn’t know, voguing was a thriving dance form among young Black and Latino LGBTQ club kids in Harlem long before Madonna slathered mayonnaise on top and used the praise from being laughably labeled a pioneer of voguing to fuel her ascendance to Queen of the Culture Vultures." (Black In The Day: Stage And Screen Mainstays)
“With the help of longtime collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, she opined, lamented, warned and wandered across a smartly produced, genre-melding soundscape.” (The Revisit: Janet Jackson’s The Velvet Rope)
“The Emerald City Sequence from The Wiz has been known to reunite families, add luster to the dryest of Naturals and end paternity battles. It is magical.” (Black In The Day: Always Extra, Always On Point)
“Those born in post-Homeboys In Outer Space America missed out on a time when talk shows were about more than celebrity face swaps, Kardashian fuckery, and DIY home makeovers. (I still can’t fully trust someone who’s never witnessed a Jenny Jones makeover.)” (Black In The Day: Black Excellence Express)
“I happened upon “Young, Fresh n’ New” right as my campaign for independence began gaining momentum. I was brimming with a newly legal person’s boundless confidence; enamored with the choreographic brilliance of Gil Duldulao; and overjoyed about pushing myself further, physically and mentally, through movement. This song spoke to all of that exploration. It gave me wings.” (The Revisit: Kelis’ Wanderland)
“Only on a movie soundtrack in 1999 (The Best Man) could you get Sporty Thievz, Beyoncé, and free agent LaTocha Scott all at once for under $20. You just can’t get that kind of magic for the low anymore.” (Are Black Movie Soundtracks A Lost Art?)
"3. Teamwork makes the dream work. Facing bills, hardships, difficult decisions, Netflix binge sessions, and aging will be much easier with a partner-in-crime. You can share awesome moments (becoming parents!) and not-so-awesome moments (finding out you're growing ear hair) and kick life's ass together." (The Best Parts About Getting Hitched)
“In reality, this fog felt like a pain somewhere on my body that I couldn't exactly put my finger on. Some days, it was a dull pain that allowed me to function. Other days, it was debilitating. Putting on pants was a victory worth celebrating.” (On depression: to anyone else living in a fog)
“We spend too much time babysitting the emotions, preferences, and fancies of proud bigots.” (On Michael Sam and Babysitting the Emotions of Bigots)
“2. The trailer features the music of Iggy Azalea.” (The New Aaliyah Movie Is Going To Be Fucking Terrible)
“Dr. Herman's "I thought you were special" speech to Arizona was uncomfortably similar to the "Imagine my surprise when I discovered you were mediocre" speech that a furious Ellis Grey spat at Meredith season ago. Both would make a thin-skinned surgeon want to crawl into a hazmat bin and die. Ouch.” (Rooting for TV's Longest-Running Gay Marriage to Fail
“Last night's How To Get Away With Murder was dedicated to the loser in you.” (How to Get Away with Murder Gets Away With Less Than Usual)
“She loves her drugs and she knows the power of a strategic hump. There's a rehab escape, a car accident, a willingness to fuck her way to freedom once detained, and a statutory rape charge. Naturally. There's a LouPearlmanly movie producer with some damn issues and a mother who only exploits you because she loves you. Can you guess the ending already?” (Law and Order: SVU's Predictable Spin On Wayward Former Child Stars)
“Tonight, I also confirmed my theory that the ever-startled Wes The Young Tenderoni was born to live in a horror film. He scurries in shadows, ready to nervously throw down and/or save the day like a marvelously faced Chocolate Peter Parker.” (How to Get Away with Murder: I Stab You Because I Love You)
“Like Lieutenant Dan, ABC's black-ish found some legs to stand on last night.” (Black-ish Takes On the Birds and the Bees)
“We sat together on social media and in over-decorated How To Get Away With Murder watch parties and loved on Viola Davis. We fawned over her boundless talent; appreciated her masterful timing and thundering voice; and envied her flawless skin (It's okay. #melanin). We adored her brusque and her despicable. We watched Viola Davis be a person. Finally. Shit.” (How to Get Away With Murder Gets Away With Primetime Analingus)
“Plus, her casts are as diverse as America itself. Nonwhite characters likeScandal's Papa Pope and Grey's Anatomy's Cristina Yang aren't black jerks and Asian jerks; they're just jerks who happen to be black or Asian. TIME calls this "casual diversity." I call it "reality." Whatever.
And there is also a lot of humping.” (Why Shonda Rhimes Rules ABC's Thursday Nights)
“THE WORKWEEK IS OVER
We can all agree that contending with pop-up conference calls, meetings about forthcoming meetings and rampant abuse of the reply-all function in email chains aren’t part of anyone’s official job description, right? Walking that bureaucratic tightrope all week makes the arrival of the weekend that much sweeter.” (7 Moments You Deserve To Unplug)
“Cognac deserves better than a red plastic cup. The key to enjoying cognac’s oaky, warm-chested drinking experience is selecting the right vessel. No dollar store cups here, friend.” (Cognac 101: Your Guide To Optimum Enjoyment)
“Do you have moscato or rosé?
You probably heard a Drake song on the radio sometime back in 2011, and your liquor sensibilities haven’t matured much, or at all, since then.” (What Your Drink Order Says About You)
“In short: unless you want to be the person who fucks up Granny PumPum’s 113th Great Day In The Morning Super Turnt Episcopalian Celebration of Life dinner with a dry-ass turkey, know your motherfucking role in the kitchen.” (Lemon and Ice: The Rules of Blackpeoplegatherings)
“Each time I strip down and peel back the scumbagginess on that dangerously comfortable couch, I feel a few steps closer to Better Personhood, like the Fuckshit hasn’t all been for naught.” (Hey, Therapy)
“I appreciate that Selma didn’t glamorize King’s doings and screwings by hopscotching over his shortcomings. Ava didn’t shy away from controversy, imagined puritanical legacies be damned.” (On Selma, the movie)
“Whether it was for your last meal or your last paycheck, chances are that you come into contact with a small business at some point in your day.” (Mom and Pop Business Owners Day: Black female entrepreneurs represent)
“Stay in your lane. It’s normal to want to project success and occasionally judge your progress against that of your peers, especially as part of Generation “Bussit Open for a Retweet.” Don’t fret over the accomplishments of others. Pro tip: Playing “Keeping up with the Knowleses for the ’Gram” is a full-time job that pays piss-poor wages.” (Dear 20-Somethings, Stop Chasing Perfection!)
During college, living at home means that money you would have spent on room and board can be directed toward important matters like stacking luchini for life beyond the nest, helping your Jordan collection prosper and even—perhaps—helping out thy former guardians financially for a bit. Imagine that!" (Mom’s House or the Flophouse? Where to Live After College)
“OZY:
If you had to attribute your success as a writer to particular habits or behaviors, which would they be?
Roxane Gay:
I am naked about my ambition, I am relentless, I work my ass off, and I am always open to learning more and becoming better.” (Roxane Gay: The Hottest Writer On The Market?)
“This weekend, grills will be rolled out, coolers will be stocked and meats will be marinated ahead of Labor Day’s barbecue-inspired overindulgence. What better way to mark the beginning of the end of summer and the arrival of a new school year than with new ways to drink a brewski?” (Bombastic Beer Cocktail Recipes)
“Carbone’s week of life among the [dark and] lowly underscored a few points about white supremacy and taught me a few lessons about ego-driven allyhood.” (On Bad Allies and White Victimhood)
“Don’t attempt to save their soul from the vicious wrath of Heteronormative Jesus.” (What NOT to Do When Someone Comes Out To You)
“Deep, potentially ugly introspection doesn’t really jibe well with our era of expertly curated Instagram personas andengineered emotional imperviousness.” (Love of the Black Queer Variety, with Darnell Moore)
“He’d ventured out too deep in the waters of Lake Blackness and opted for that which never lets them down: the White Life Jacket. Sorry Janet.” (Bitch, Have Some Decorum: On Justin Timberlake)
“Unless You Are Leaking More Nudes, Delete Your Twitter Account.” (Dear Chris Brown)
“Upon the news of her signing with the original Vampire of Brooklyn, Sean “Diddy” Combs, she quickly clarified their union as a partnership.” (Soulbounce Honors 2010’s Album of The Year: Janelle Monáe’s The ArchAndroid)
"Remember that time a foot-faced, soul-sucking gargoyle became a beacon of hope for previously shamed racist swampdonkeys and self-hating Black folks everywhere and won the U.S. presidential election, thus empowering a new wave of oppressive shitbaggery and violence by the hateful, unmoisturized masses?" (When Jethro 'Becomes' Jamal: Alabaster Fucknuggets and Their Laughable Digital Blackface)
"Your therapist is providing a service, not working to be the Pam to your Gina." (Things To Consider When Starting Therapy)
“I got used to being one of no more than three Black dudes in a class, and occasionally, the lone Mandingo warrior in a sea of Lena Dunhams.” (Dancing The Blues Away: How Ballet Became My Therapy)
“It was like discovering an artist, and everything you hear by them makes your bootyhole twinkle with delight, as if their work was produced entirely for you.” (I'm Reading James Baldwin For The First Time And I'm Falling In Love With His Work)
“But watching him tap dance between trends, following Chris and Trey and that Bieber f*ckboy, short of breath while dancing in his leather pants, through life? That was enough.” (Usher Raymond: “Good Kisser” or Just Somebody’s Crackhead Uncle)
“I have even washed my hair with the lavender situation, but after it left my scalp and locs as dry as Miley’s most digdeepingest “twerk,” I stopped.” (Keep Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap Away From Your Fuckparts (Just Trust Me))
“The sketch is pretty fucking brilliant. It’s almost two weeks old now, and I still cry collard green tears of joy after watching it. And after I stop crying, I plunge into despair once I remember Negrotown is but a dream. Sigh. Maybe next lifetime.” (Why I’d Give An Entire Kidney To Live In Key & Peele’s ‘Negrotown’)
“Life is unfair. Ke$ha is still a thing. George Zimmerman walks the Earth unmurdered and power adapters pass away. This is our reality.
If Halle Berry can make eye contact with people after Catwoman, then you can get through this. It’s not right, but it’s okay.” (The Five Stages Of MacBook Charger Death)
“I am giddy at the prospect of educating a young mind on the beauty of travel, the magic of books and the terrors of sugared grits. I look forward to sharing the glory of Anita Baker and Janet Jackson and 70s Aretha and raising releasing one less fruit punch enthusiast unto the world.
Because fruit punch is stupid.” (Visions of Pappyhood)
“How serious is he about this departure? He told Gossip Viv, Hynaken, and DJ Thoro of Thisis50 Radio to expect a lot of autotune. And that T-Pain is his peer now. This is like when my Jovial Uncle met crackand lost it all. Where’s a praying grandmother when you need one?” (Musiq Soulchild Is A Rapper Now And I’m Annoyed)
“He is likable here. Gone are the cavemanly marriage mores and the woman-fixing. Okay, so that inner misogynistic grandpa leaks out every now and then. But…it’s not a total turn off.” (Growing To Appreciate Steve Harvey's Shuckey Jivey Charm on Family Feud)
“Hours later, ‘round midnight, the spirit called unto me and said, “Alex, my chile…”
“Sí, papi.”
“Call up room service and see about that shrimp and grits,” the spirit directed.
And so, I did. And the French toast, too.” (I Went To Memphis for A Screening of Underground and Here is What I Ate)
“What do we gain from reposting the final moments of somebody’s uncle, somebody’s wife, somebody’s babyboo? Awareness is one thing. Casual savagery is another.” (The Importance of Self Preservation Casual Savagery)
“If I had moved to New York last fall as intended, you would be surely be referring to me in the past tense today.” (What A Difference A Year Makes: On Battling and Beating Depression)
“She is the Chris Brown of White women.” (Meet Diane Stretton: Thug Nanny)
“I had forgotten how refreshing it was to see dozens of Us on screen at once being creative in ways that don’t entail throwing or dodging paternity suits, niggerish stereotypes, horrendous Steve Harvey-scented life advice or champagne bottles. ” (14 Thoughts On The Wiz Live After Taking A Week To Fully Process Its Blackassness)
“In the meantime, I’m eating heartily, having a Blanche Devereaux moment and enjoying laughing, eating, and drinking with my parents, who are saints and superheroes.” (I’m 29 Years Old, And I Just Moved Back Home With My Family)
“In an attempt to put a band-aid on an axe wound, Sir Convenient WhiteBlackness has dedicated his next project to the mending of his shattered relationship with his high school sweetheart, out in the open, in front of company.” (Seriously, Though: F*ck Robin Thicke)
“It’s a debate as old as time. It’s a topic as divisive as Vanessa Huxtable’s uselessness or blue contacts in post-pubescent Negroidian eyes. Like pop versus soda. OG Chocolatey Aunt Viv versus Creole Lady Flustered McHumorless Aunt Viv, and so on.” (Rep Your Set: Dressing or Stuffing?)
“I know people who have incorporated quotes from their favorite characters into their daily speech. I even had an old manager who used to chastise employees with Bunk’s classic inquiry, ‘You happy now, bitch?'” (True Confession: I’m Just Now Watching The Wire For The First Time)
“Being able to masturbate and nap in the middle of the day is a luxury everyone should experience at least once.” (On Returning to America After Life in Panama)
“This eternal spring of joke-wrapped anti-Negress vitriol is a side effect of Black men historically finding a whole new rack of material by putting on dresses, wigs, and pearls for laughs once they run out of engaging roles to play as themselves.” (The Cold War Between Straight Black Women and Gay Black Men)
“I am still unsure if it was from tremendous sympathy for this young uncle-less man or from the sight of My Uncle Charles, Y’all’s eyes fading to black. Or perhaps a little hyper-emotional pre-teen queer combination of both.” (Watching ‘Tha Crossroads’ As An Adult)
“Auntie Fefe turned a 5-minute budget meal demo into the pilot for next spring’s top-rated show on OWN, cussing her way right the fuck into the hearts of hundreds of thousands of dozens of hearts on the Internets in a matter of days.” (An Ode to Felicia O’Dell and All The Black Dramatics We Love)
"If you didn’t know, voguing was a thriving dance form among young Black and Latino LGBTQ club kids in Harlem long before Madonna slathered mayonnaise on top and used the praise from being laughably labeled a pioneer of voguing to fuel her ascendance to Queen of the Culture Vultures." (Black In The Day: Stage And Screen Mainstays)
“The Emerald City Sequence from The Wiz has been known to reunite families, add luster to the dryest of Naturals and end paternity battles. It is magical.” (Black In The Day: Always Extra, Always On Point)
“Those born in post-Homeboys In Outer Space America missed out on a time when talk shows were about more than celebrity face swaps, Kardashian fuckery, and DIY home makeovers. (I still can’t fully trust someone who’s never witnessed a Jenny Jones makeover.)” (Black In The Day: Black Excellence Express)
“I happened upon “Young, Fresh n’ New” right as my campaign for independence began gaining momentum. I was brimming with a newly legal person’s boundless confidence; enamored with the choreographic brilliance of Gil Duldulao; and overjoyed about pushing myself further, physically and mentally, through movement. This song spoke to all of that exploration. It gave me wings.” (The Revisit: Kelis’ Wanderland)
“Only on a movie soundtrack in 1999 (The Best Man) could you get Sporty Thievz, Beyoncé, and free agent LaTocha Scott all at once for under $20. You just can’t get that kind of magic for the low anymore.” (Are Black Movie Soundtracks A Lost Art?)
"5. Marking the occasion with sexytime. Getting the keys and waiting for the cable/Internet/phone installation are fantastic moments, but few things top that first commemorative hump in your new home. Make it a good one." (7 Great Moments That Happen After You Buy a House)
"3. Teamwork makes the dream work. Facing bills, hardships, difficult decisions, Netflix binge sessions, and aging will be much easier with a partner-in-crime. You can share awesome moments (becoming parents!) and not-so-awesome moments (finding out you're growing ear hair) and kick life's ass together." (The Best Parts About Getting Hitched)
"4. You can cross something major off your bucket list. Have you always wanted to rent a castle in Ireland, scuba dive in the Mediterranean Sea, or go on safari in Africa? You can't do any of that on the couch. Just think of the Instagram possibilities..." (7 Reasons You Should Get Out of Town)
"5. You get to wade in a new dating pool. Is your local Tinder crop drying up? Ran out of coworkers to flirt with? If your life partner prospects were looking bleak in your old area code, seeking out new fish may be the spark you need to revive a lackluster love life." (8 Perks of Packing Up and Moving to a New City)
“In reality, this fog felt like a pain somewhere on my body that I couldn't exactly put my finger on. Some days, it was a dull pain that allowed me to function. Other days, it was debilitating. Putting on pants was a victory worth celebrating.” (On depression: to anyone else living in a fog)
“We spend too much time babysitting the emotions, preferences, and fancies of proud bigots.” (On Michael Sam and Babysitting the Emotions of Bigots)
“2. The trailer features the music of Iggy Azalea.” (The New Aaliyah Movie Is Going To Be Fucking Terrible)
“Dr. Herman's "I thought you were special" speech to Arizona was uncomfortably similar to the "Imagine my surprise when I discovered you were mediocre" speech that a furious Ellis Grey spat at Meredith season ago. Both would make a thin-skinned surgeon want to crawl into a hazmat bin and die. Ouch.” (Rooting for TV's Longest-Running Gay Marriage to Fail
“Last night's How To Get Away With Murder was dedicated to the loser in you.” (How to Get Away with Murder Gets Away With Less Than Usual)
“She loves her drugs and she knows the power of a strategic hump. There's a rehab escape, a car accident, a willingness to fuck her way to freedom once detained, and a statutory rape charge. Naturally. There's a LouPearlmanly movie producer with some damn issues and a mother who only exploits you because she loves you. Can you guess the ending already?” (Law and Order: SVU's Predictable Spin On Wayward Former Child Stars)
“Tonight, I also confirmed my theory that the ever-startled Wes The Young Tenderoni was born to live in a horror film. He scurries in shadows, ready to nervously throw down and/or save the day like a marvelously faced Chocolate Peter Parker.” (How to Get Away with Murder: I Stab You Because I Love You)
“Like Lieutenant Dan, ABC's black-ish found some legs to stand on last night.” (Black-ish Takes On the Birds and the Bees)
“We sat together on social media and in over-decorated How To Get Away With Murder watch parties and loved on Viola Davis. We fawned over her boundless talent; appreciated her masterful timing and thundering voice; and envied her flawless skin (It's okay. #melanin). We adored her brusque and her despicable. We watched Viola Davis be a person. Finally. Shit.” (How to Get Away With Murder Gets Away With Primetime Analingus)
“Plus, her casts are as diverse as America itself. Nonwhite characters likeScandal's Papa Pope and Grey's Anatomy's Cristina Yang aren't black jerks and Asian jerks; they're just jerks who happen to be black or Asian. TIME calls this "casual diversity." I call it "reality." Whatever.
And there is also a lot of humping.” (Why Shonda Rhimes Rules ABC's Thursday Nights)
We can all agree that contending with pop-up conference calls, meetings about forthcoming meetings and rampant abuse of the reply-all function in email chains aren’t part of anyone’s official job description, right? Walking that bureaucratic tightrope all week makes the arrival of the weekend that much sweeter.” (7 Moments You Deserve To Unplug)
“Cognac deserves better than a red plastic cup. The key to enjoying cognac’s oaky, warm-chested drinking experience is selecting the right vessel. No dollar store cups here, friend.” (Cognac 101: Your Guide To Optimum Enjoyment)
“Do you have moscato or rosé?
You probably heard a Drake song on the radio sometime back in 2011, and your liquor sensibilities haven’t matured much, or at all, since then.” (What Your Drink Order Says About You)
“Each time I strip down and peel back the scumbagginess on that dangerously comfortable couch, I feel a few steps closer to Better Personhood, like the Fuckshit hasn’t all been for naught.” (Hey, Therapy)
“I appreciate that Selma didn’t glamorize King’s doings and screwings by hopscotching over his shortcomings. Ava didn’t shy away from controversy, imagined puritanical legacies be damned.” (On Selma, the movie)
During college, living at home means that money you would have spent on room and board can be directed toward important matters like stacking luchini for life beyond the nest, helping your Jordan collection prosper and even—perhaps—helping out thy former guardians financially for a bit. Imagine that!" (Mom’s House or the Flophouse? Where to Live After College)
If you had to attribute your success as a writer to particular habits or behaviors, which would they be?
Roxane Gay:
I am naked about my ambition, I am relentless, I work my ass off, and I am always open to learning more and becoming better.” (Roxane Gay: The Hottest Writer On The Market?)
“This weekend, grills will be rolled out, coolers will be stocked and meats will be marinated ahead of Labor Day’s barbecue-inspired overindulgence. What better way to mark the beginning of the end of summer and the arrival of a new school year than with new ways to drink a brewski?” (Bombastic Beer Cocktail Recipes)
“Deep, potentially ugly introspection doesn’t really jibe well with our era of expertly curated Instagram personas andengineered emotional imperviousness.” (Love of the Black Queer Variety, with Darnell Moore)
“Upon the news of her signing with the original Vampire of Brooklyn, Sean “Diddy” Combs, she quickly clarified their union as a partnership.” (Soulbounce Honors 2010’s Album of The Year: Janelle Monáe’s The ArchAndroid)
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