Project Runway: Season Three's Got Seasoning

From The ATL to Atlas New York: Michael Knight

Blink and you missed him in the first few episodes, but Michael Knight's eye for fashion is undeniable. The glimpses we got of his coffee filter dress in episode 1 and his stunning number in the dog challenge made us hungry for more. He looks more hip hop than high fashion, and may have been wrote off early by the likes of judges Heidi Klum, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia. But Mike has obviously got skills that could possibly pay the bills for a spot in the final three. Only time will tell. For now, we're just waiting for him to get at least a minute per episode in...

Black Girls Rule The Runway

If you've been keeping tuned in to Bravo's Reality Darling, Project Runway, then you've probably noticed the unmistakable flavor of this season's cast. Aside from the drama in the workroom--and there's lots of it--is the drama on the stage. We're not eluding to backstage catfights, or seam sabotage, but to the FIERCE runway stylings of a sizeable number of sistas that take the stage each week. The proof is in the pudding. The first three challenges have went to exquisite garments made even more exquisite by models at the top of their game.

Anybody who knows Cocoa Lounge's history knows that we love to profile fresh faces in the industry. The good casting folks at Runway have cut our job in half. Take a look at some of our favorite models from the show:


Clockwise from top left: Camilla B, Katia Bissou, Marilinda, and our personal favorite, Nazri Segaro.

Barbara Walters: A Lesson in Inappropriate Touching

Barbara Walters couldn't seem to keep her hands to herself--and off her African American guest hosts, Brandy and Tanika Ray, two of many black women sitting in the seat once occupied by Star Jones on The View.



The clip made VH1's Best Week Ever and highlights an issue many African Americans--women and men--find themselves tangled in (pun intended).

Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child (right) recently sat-in with The View chicks. Someone must have informed Barbara that the touching thing wasn't going over well because she didn't fondle Kelly's hair but she did touch some sensitive spots for the singer--namely her recent split with her football fiance. Ouch!

That Barbara Walters is out of control!

Raven Symone takes on 'Adventures'

Though the Disney television series That's So Raven has run its course, the Walt Disney company isn't finished with its hitmaker, Raven Symone yet. Raven has signed an acting and producing deal with Disney and is now attached to star in a remake of the 80s classic "Adventures in Babysitting." You guys remember this one, right? The 1987 film, which starred Elisabeth Shue, follows the misadventures of a high school teen stuck babysitting a trio of trouble-makers for one night. We're sure Raven could spice this one up with that crazy comedic timing of hers.

The deal follows a successful nearly five year partnership between Raven and Disney. That's So Raven has been one of the Disney Channel's highest-rated shows for several seasons. Symone also struck gold on the network with the Cheetah Girls films based on the books written by Deborah Gregory. Raven stars in the upcoming Cheetah Girls 2 set to air on the Disney Channel this August.

Tamara Dobson Returns?

If you haven't seen Cleopatra Jones in action, then you probably don't know who Tamara Dobson is. The model-turned-actress starred in the successful Cleopatra Jones action films in the early 1970s and disappeared from the film and television scene altogether shortly after. Along with Richard Roundtree (Shaft) and Pam Grier (Foxy Brown), Tamara Dobson was the equivalent of a superhero to action fans of the era.


Rumors have it that Tamara Dobson will return to the screen in an upcoming Rudy Ray Moore Dolemite film but with Rudy's recent health issues, we're not sure if this one will ever see the light of day.

In the meantime, if you'd like to see Tamara Dobson again (or for the first time), we'd recommend renting Cleopatra Jones or Cleopatra Jones and the Casino Gold.


The Casino Gold film is a Cocoa Lounge favorite. How often do you get to see an action flick starring an African American woman filmed on location in Hong Kong? Correct us if we're wrong, but we don't think that has happened since 1975.