Surface Level

4,6 (216)
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A weekly show hosted by longtime friends Jordan, Damon, and Tony, explores the complexities of the Black and Queer experience. Through personal stories, dynamic guests, and curious conversations, this series offers a nuanced understanding of identity, race, and sexuality that goes beyond the surface level, with a touch of humor and a fearless willingness to challenge the norm.

03/12/2025

Beyond The Surface Level 11

Damon, Jordan, and Tony are curious – are you ready to go beyond the surface level? We’re winding down our 11th (!!) season with the classic tradition of responding to questions from our Surface Level insiders. We’re also starting a new tradition of the Surface Level Commenter Awards! This episode is a fun little after party where we crown the messiest commenter, hottest take, most confused comment and the biggest award, most curious commenter. Plus, Jordan and Tony try their hand at guessing Black famous trivia, and we all know how that goes with those two. So buckle up and come have some fun with us to close out the year on a high note. You can join the conversation on socials and let us know your thoughts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 giờ 3 phút
26/11/2025

Black Famous

Damon, Jordan and Tony are curious – Is being mainstream famous better than being Black famous? In today’s social media era many are in pursuit of some type of fame. But while some rise to new heights, they often get questions and judgement about who they’re in it for and why. The Surface Level crew sits down with multi-hyphenate creator Brandon Kyle Goodman to dig into identity, visibility, and whether mainstream approval is overrated. You can join the conversation on socials and let us know your thoughts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

55 phút
19/11/2025

The Gay Cousin

Damon, Jordan and Tony are curious – How much can you respect your family members who don’t respect your queerness? Being Black & Queer in a place like New York, it can be very easy to curate our lives to only interact with people who respect our queerness. But we can’t always do that with family, and in Black families respecting elders is important too, sometimes regardless of how much they respect your queerness. The internet’s favorite viral queer chef William Coleman joins us for this intimate conversation about how to survive the cookout. The group talks about the moments they’ve let slide, the moments they’ve had to stand up to family, and how they each approach this tricky question of respect. You can join the conversation on socials and let us know your thoughts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

48 phút
12/11/2025

Blue Eye’d Soul

Damon, Jordan and Tony are curious – Can white gay men ever truly belong in Black queer spaces? Now this one’s gonna have the girls fired up! We’ve all seen them. They pop up from time to time. Sometimes causing confusion, sometimes controversy, and sometimes delight. White gays are at the Black functions, so how do we feel about them? In this episode, the hosts talk about their feelings on this white presence, what white allyship looks like to them, how to tell the good ones apart, whether some spaces should be homogenous, and yes, who they think is Blue Eye’d Soul. Join us for this ki and feel free to chime in online too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

48 phút
05/11/2025

Black Joy vs Black Resistance

Damon, Jordan and Tony are curious – Is prioritizing Black joy really an act of defiance? “Joy as Resistance” is a nice catchphrase that’s been taking the Black internet by storm. The phrase has mass appeal and some say political strategy to it too, but in the face of extreme threats to personal liberties and even freedom of speech, is it the strategy really appropriate for this moment? Brooklyn’s powerhouse viral city councilman Chi Osse joins us to dig into these questions. He talks about his strategy for this moment as an elected official, while the hosts question their level of involvement as citizens. The conversation even delves into questions of personal liberty vs collective liberation when thinking of the growing movement of Black people going from escapism to actually leaving the US altogether. You can join the conversation on socials and let us know your thoughts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

50 phút
29/10/2025

Sex, Secrecy, and Survival

Damon, Jordan and Tony are curious – Does hiding sex make us safer or is it more dangerous? Many people hide sexual encounters in order to control and manage public opinion, or just because they’re a private lady. But does that secrecy open us up to more trauma? In this especially dynamic episode, the hosts dive into this topic with a pastor and LGBTQ ally, Kristian A Smith. They get into the up and down sides of being private about sex and Kristian opens up about his thoughts on why the church should heal its relationship to sex and sexuality. We getting vulnerable y’all! You can join the conversation on socials and let us know your thoughts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

54 phút
22/10/2025

Too Black, Too Queer, Too Much

Damon, Jordan and Tony are curious – Can you be too loud and proud? We’ve all either had those moments or seen those moments where we or someone in our orbit is wearing their queerness out loud but very hyped up. They’re usually causing a scene of some sort, whether in person or online. And for some that’s always an expression of freedom whereas other queers feel it works against the community. On today’s episode, Broadway and reality TV star Robert Hartwell joins us to unpack the dilemma of if it’s possible to be too loud and proud. Respectability buzzwords aside, the question forces hosts and our guest to outline what freedom looks like to them, what they consider obnoxious or harmful representation and why. Buckle up for this one! You can join the conversation on socials and let us know your thoughts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

43 phút
15/10/2025

Say Less | Why does everyone online have a "Blaccent"?

Damon, Jordan and Tony are curious – Who’s to blame for the mainstreaming of Black language? We’ve all seen the ways that Black slang and especially Black queer lingo becomes everyone’s slang on the internet. Non-Black people have been monetizing off of our twang and sass, and now Republicans are even coopting and weaponizing words like Woke against our communities. All of this can feel like some inevitable uncontrollable charade at times. But there are still people behind these choices. In this unmissable season opener we’re digging into who needs to be stopped in this exploitative system and how. You can join the conversation on socials and let us know your thoughts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

45 phút

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TRAILER

Surface Level Trailer

A show that takes a look at society’s expectations and rejects the ones we don’t see it for — all from the perspective of three black, queer best friends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

03/06/2020

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1 phút

4,6

/5

216 Xếp hạng

Beautiful & Inciteful

22/06/2025

La Shawn Wilburn (HOMAGI)

I enjoy learning. It’s one of the best ways to u destined the importance of being in community and taking others voices with us into policy and advocacy spaces. Hearing directly from communities is a great way to understand their unique experiences, and how their safety depends on what we don’t know. Thank You for inviting us all into your intimate spaces. I’m learning new perspectives.
Thought-provoking show

22/02/2025

Karen_D88

I really enjoy listening to Surface Level. Tony, Jordan, and Damon strike a wonderful balance of fun, humorous, and thoughtful. I learn and laugh on every episode. Thanks for your platform.
Phenomenal

07/11/2024

BD Sam

Much needed conversations! Such a saving grace for people that don’t have other queer people in their circles to discuss these topics with. Highly recommend!
This show and its topics and its hosts are NECESSARY

10/10/2024

NothingNeww

As someone new to this life - You all have saved my life in more ways than one. Thank you for creating a safe space to engage with many topics both trivial and turbulent. I cannot thank you all enough for being so vulnerable, informative, respectful, measured and nuanced while also being fun and engaging.

A weekly show hosted by longtime friends Jordan, Damon, and Tony, explores the complexities of the Black and Queer experience. Through personal stories, dynamic guests, and curious conversations, this series offers a nuanced understanding of identity, race, and sexuality that goes beyond the surface level, with a touch of humor and a fearless willingness to challenge the norm.