Remember Mo from our very first episode of “Ask A Black Man?” Well, he’s back to respond to readers’ comments about what he had to say as part of the five-man panel discussion. Although some of you may thought he came off a little too honest, Mo says he’s really just a nice guy whose looking for his Queen – not prowling the streets. Check out his appearance on “The Life of A Single Man” episode.

MORE ASK A BLACK MAN:

• Series Sneak Peek [Trailer]
• Episode 1: The Life of A Single Man
• Episode 1: The Life of A Single Man [Extended Cut]
• Episode 2: The Dating Episode
• Episode 2: The Dating Episode [Extended Cut]
• Episode 3: The SEX Episode
• Episode 3: The SEX Episode [Extended Cut]
• Episode 4: The Marriage Episode
• Episode 4: The Marriage Episode [Extended Cut]

FOLLOW-UP INTERVIEWS:

• Dozie
• Bentley
• Marco
• Brannue
• Skoob
• Mo
• Demetrius
• Birchell
• Zarette
• Devale

MEET THE “ASK A BLACK MAN” CAST

• Host: Kela Walker
• Panama Jackson
• Lester
• Dozie
• Mo
• Skoob
• Bentley Kapten
• Birchell Glenn
• Jeff
• Demetrius Travis
• Devale Ellis
• LC 
• Stephen
• Marco G.
• L.A. 
• Zarette
• Brannue Life 
• George 2.0 

Source: Fashionbombdaily.com

Revisiting Essence magazine’s shift of their white managing editor into a new role after his right-wing views were exposed on Facebook, I agree with readers here who feel the move was an excuse to get Michael Bullerdick out of the position. The swiftness with which the decision was made and the comparably minute articles he’d posted compared to the public blunders of other media personalities who’ve been allowed to keep their jobs suggests the magazine may have been waiting for an opportunity to remove the white editor in a way that wouldn’t make it seem as though it was simply taking it’s reader’s racial concerns to heart when he was hired in the first place, but perhaps they should have.

It obviously doesn’t take a particular ethnicity to be able to tell when someone’s syntax is wrong or their grammar is off, but when we’re talking about a magazine who’s readers are 99.9% black women it would certainly make sense that someone who would read the content themselves would have a better eye for checking for things like tone, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with saying that. I can’t tell you how many editorial job descriptions I’ve come across for opportunities with a publication or non-profit that explicitly states the applicant must have significant knowledge of the Jewish culture or Hebrew community in order to even be considered. There’s nothing wrong with us doing the same, although for some reason we seem to have this attitude that we’re not being diverse enough if we express that sentiment despite the fact that we aren’t the ones who need to knock down barriers for other people, we need them broken down for us. I know Essence claims that Michael was only involved in production but he listed his responsibilities on LinkedIn as “Edit stories for tone and style,” so it appears one of the parties was confused about what his true role was. Now, that inconsistency is neither here nor there but I do find it interesting that this issue has sort of been swept under the rug with no response from the publication to its readers about how this was overlooked—and who might even replace him. I don’t think anyone who saw Michael’s wall was personally offended, but I do think it proves readers had genuine concern when they protested his hiring, much like the hiring of Ellianna Placas, a white woman, as the fashion director, a year and a half ago. Opportunities being what they are for black people, you would think the one place someone in fashion or publishing could get a high-ranking job if they so choose would be Essence, but the difference between the publication and some of the Jewish ones I’ve come across is those communities owned their content, and last time I checked Time Warner was hardly led by an African American.

That being said and this situation considered, I don’t foresee Essence listening from here on out. The former editor, Angela Burt-Murray, defended Ellianna’s hiring, saying she hand-picked her herself, and Constance C.R. White pretty much did the same with Michael. Whether they truly didn’t see an issue with the hirings or if they were coaxed into it by corporate politics and the powers that be, we’ll likely never know but either way it’s cause for concern. I know the go-to response around anything Essence-related is “I don’t care, I don’t read the magazine anymore anyway,” but we should care and so should they. It’s candid discussions like this that are essentially a free focus group for the magazine and its corporate leadership to see in plain color what their (previous and potential) readers want and how to make it happen. I’m curious how much further readership has to drop for them to get the point. On one hand the issues plaguing the magazine aren’t unique. The interests of society have become increasingly superficial and if you want to thrive and be profitable you have to cater to that somewhat, but being the innovator that it was when it first entered the market many have been hoping the magazine would find a happy medium without selling out to rathetness or racial pressures but that doesn’t appear to be the case.

Hiring a black person doesn’t guarantee that all of their ideologies will be in line with the publication and all black women for that matter but it does significantly increase the odds that the person put in the position will not only understand the issues plaguing black women but also have their best interest at heart with how their addressed and represented in the magazine and no one should want any less. There’s no better way to prove you really are the voice of black women than to have black women be the voice behind the content.

Do you think Essence will finally listen to its readers concerns over its hiring practices as a result of this incident?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

More on Madame Noire!

• It’s So Hard to Say…I’m Sorry
• 10 Things Ladies Should Know About False Lashes
• Oh NO He Didn’t: 7 Things That Annoy Women About Men
• WTH: Couple Held At Gunpoint At New Home When Neighbors Assume They’re Robbers
• All Educated With Nowhere to Go: 1 in 2 College Graduates Jobless Or Underemployed
• Another Unsolicited Tyrese PSA: ‘Some Of Ya’ll Have Wack Sex’
• African Fashion Designers Are Breaking Away From The Traditional
• Do I Stay Single Like Jesus Or Do I Call Tyrone?

As much as we, the editors, strive to entertain you and hold your attention each and every day of the week, you (our lovely readers) keep us in stitches with your hilarious reactions and sharp responses to our daily posts. Some of you get extra personal in your comments, and some of you just let us have it! Hey, we ain’t mad. How else can we improve on our craft?

In any case, we’re using this weekly post to highlight some of the more hilarious and the best comments on our stories from the week. Enjoy! And keep ‘em coming!

Ask the Luv Coach: “He is Not Interested in Sex With Me Anymore”

NieCee McFarlane: Next!! Fool don’t play with me, you love me but you don’t want to knock boots? Get outta here with that, not trying to hear you.” I’m so done” (in my Jacob’s voice)

Chaundra QueenBee Moses: Love and sex go hand & hand!!… If he don”t want the sex, love is obviously nonexistent!!!..moving rite along hunny chile!!

Holly Wood: If he isnt bcomn A Christain…
if he isnt making Mo Money…
if he isnt on Drugs…
thn he has anotha
Homie Lovr Friend.
Hands Down!

As much as we, the editors, strive to entertain you and hold your attention each and every day of the week, you (our lovely readers) keep us in stitches with your hilarious reactions and sharp responses to our daily posts. Some of you get extra personal in your comments, and some of you just let us have it! Hey, we ain’t mad. How else can we improve on our craft?

In any case, though we have the pleasure of hosting some pretty serious discussions on Madame Noire and appreciate some of the more deeper reflections and comments from you guys, we’re reserving this post to highlight some of the more hilarious and light-hearted comments from the week. Enjoy! And keep ‘em coming!

Tracie Marshall in response to Morning Jam: Ghost Town DJs “My Boo”

I LOVE THIS SONG!!! *jumps up on her cubicle desk and starts bootyshakin*

As much as we, the editors, strive to entertain you and hold your attention each and every day of the week, you (our lovely readers) keep us in stitches with your hilarious reactions and sharp responses to our daily posts. Some of you get extra personal in your comments, and some of you just let us have it! Hey, we ain’t mad. How else can we improve on our craft?

In any case, though we have the pleasure of hosting some pretty serious discussions on Madame Noire and appreciate some of the more deeper reflections and comments from you guys, we’re reserving this post to highlight some of the more hilarious and light-hearted comments from the week. Enjoy! And keep ‘em coming! Shout out to JustAshley and ShooShoo Fontana for providing the funniest commentary of the week.

Comments in response to Falling In Love With An Ugly Man

“The Dream is not Ugly!! Just Chubby..Now Seal and Heidi Klum would of been a better portrait for the article…”

“I’ve dated a few Shreks and Gargamel’s in my life and it was because they had other qualities that mattered more to me than looks. If you date an unattractive guy you have to do it for the right reasons, and if you don’t- the first time that Ugly Duckling starts to act up- you’ll be mad at him for being “double ugly” (ugly inside and out) and you’ll be mad at yourself for believing the Beauty and the Beast fantasies. #I’mJustSayin’ LOL” - JustAshley

As much as we, the editors, strive to entertain you and hold your attention each and every day of the week, you (our lovely readers) keep us in stitches with your hilarious reactions and sharp responses to our daily posts. Some of you get extra personal in your comments, and some of you just let us have it! Hey, we ain’t mad. How else can we improve on our craft?

In any case, though we have the pleasure of hosting some pretty serious discussions on Madame Noire and appreciate some of the more deeper reflections and comments from you guys, we’re reserving this post to highlight some of the more hilarious and light-hearted comments from the week. Enjoy! And keep ‘em coming!

Comment from 8 Reasons To Date An African Man

” I don’t remember where they were from. But they were also a couple of the worse sexual experiences ever as well. One kept licking my nostrils and eyes and practically slobbering in my ear, plus yanking my hair like he wanted to pull it out. And someone told him all black woman liked Hennessey and he kept trying to pour that crap down my throat. Ugh. never even spoke to him again.”

Nestled on the corner of 6th Ave & 29th St. in New York City, is a snazzy apartment-like space run by a clairvoyant/psychic woman named Grace.

Read the rest of this entry »

(NPR) — It’s easy to lose your temper on the Internet. Anyone who reads — or writes — comments on blogs and news sites knows that the conversation can quickly stray from civil discourse to scathing personal attacks. For years, many websites just let users go at it, and free speech reigned. But now editors are rethinking just how open their sites should be. Many people who want to participate in online discussions are quickly turned off by the nastiness. Miki Hsu Leavey, a resident of Napa, Calif., wrote a heartfelt, thankful letter to her local paper, The Napa Valley Register, after the health care bill passed. In the letter, she described her own struggle with lupus, her son’s difficulties getting insurance owing to his pre-existing heart condition, and her husband’s liver cancer diagnosis.

Read More…

(NPR) — It’s easy to lose your temper on the Internet. Anyone who reads — or writes — comments on blogs and news sites knows that the conversation can quickly stray from civil discourse to scathing personal attacks. For years, many websites just let users go at it, and free speech reigned. But now editors are rethinking just how open their sites should be. Many people who want to participate in online discussions are quickly turned off by the nastiness. Miki Hsu Leavey, a resident of Napa, Calif., wrote a heartfelt, thankful letter to her local paper, The Napa Valley Register, after the health care bill passed. In the letter, she described her own struggle with lupus, her son’s difficulties getting insurance owing to his pre-existing heart condition, and her husband’s liver cancer diagnosis.

Read More…