Posted 2:33 PM by Blah blah

NegroPlease.com: Jason Toney

Finally, I found this fantastic blog for my link list, by a BLACK writer, Jason Toney! It's called NegroPlease. I'd been wondering where the hell the black community was in the blogging universe. My friends Marcus and Lisa are two highly articulate members of the Bay Area black community, as are their friends, but I've been at a loss to point them out to something like a community on the web for black bloggers.

Well no more.

From his rat-tat-tat hip talking bio of himself, Jason works in the TV business in LA and is probably more obsessed with TV writing than I. He also loves the sound and rhythm of good dialogue. Now that's an extremely rare person to find. Reading his entries sounds like listening to Chris Rock riff on stage or Malcolm X tell stories in that passionate book I loved, The Autobiography of Malcolm X.

Jason just celebrated his one year blog-versary yesterday! As he writes:

There have been 233 entries, approximately 2600 comments, and, apparently, I'm one of the go-to guys to discuss underwear ads in the black community. This site has been referred to in articles at Slate and in print form by The Washington Post. I started a blogging community controversy. Yes, I am the evil de-linker. I met amazing black people that are my peers, which is a big deal, as I knew very few in the real world. I met cool people of all walks of life (although, without fail they seem to be pretty damn Queer. Queer-gay, Queer-straight, but most of all Queer-Positive, which seems to be the one running similarity between all of the sites I link to). And just because people ask me on a pretty regular basis and are shocked to find out that I'm not what they think I am: I am Queer-straight and Queer-positive. I just can't watch Queer as Folk.

Which probably didn't clear up anything unless you've been reading this place for awhile and know how I think.

Because of this site, I met Lynne. Lynne gave me my first real paying writing gig. She also peeped me to another location where I write on occasion.

Because of this site, I met KD. An off-the-cuff remark by me led to her creating WAM! I should post there more often.

One of the few blog-type folks I've met in real life is Skits. She let's me write about television at snarkfest! I should also post there more often.

Mostly through the other negro (no, not that negro, the other one), I've met the fabulous writers and people Hanne and Heather.

Melly is still my secret internet girlfriend and Michelle and Monique are still my internet best friends.

I never imagined that this would be a way to meet intriguing people. Never imagined that it would alter my life. I did imagine, however, that it would improve my writing. It has.

Congratulations, Jason! His writing crackles with wit and energy, with a sizzling vital voice. He's got talent. And what a coincidence---tomorrow is MY one year anniversary of starting Tiger Cafe! Jason seems as much a compulsive writer as I. Plus he likes Aaron Sorkin (which is how I found his blog)!

A warm hi to a kindred soul, Jason.