Influencer: Big Men Edition - Lo Lo Vonz
Lo Lo Vonz, a voice actor and podcaster hailing from the vibrant D.C. area, embodies a captivating blend of authenticity and resilience in his creative pursuits. From discovering his passion for voice acting through childhood accolades to co-hosting the acclaimed Big Boy Brunch podcast, Lo Lo's journey is a testament to his unwavering commitment to celebrating Black, fat, queer, and nerdy excellence.
Navigating the complexities of identity as a bisexual man in a traditional Liberian family, Lo Lo has embraced his true self while inspiring others through candid social media representation. With a knack for storytelling and a dedication to pushing boundaries, Lo Lo continues to redefine the landscape of voice acting and podcasting, fearlessly charting his course toward his dreams while fostering community and empowerment along the way.
Join us as we delve into the vibrant world of Lo Lo Vonz, where creativity, resilience, and self-discovery converge to create a narrative that is as inspiring as it is authentic.
Growing up I’ve always had people tell me I had a great voice. My first grade music teacher literally called me “the man with the voice” cuz she liked my singing. I was too scared to back then but this year I’m gonna learn to do it. I did poetry recitation in high school and in college where I wrote my own poems, and after college on my podcast. It was a Facebook ad that caught me in the pandemic in 2020 for an intro to voice over session that got me started on that path. I trained with an online V.O school for a few months, then they helped me record my first demos. I felt like I finally found what I was meant to do.
I definitely incorporate the laid back sage elder vibe into my reads. Y’know, the cool uncle that lets you curse and take a sip of his drink before you’re old enough, but gives you lessons that stick with you forever. One day I wanna meet Donnie Simpson just to tell him thank you.
I think all of them present an equal challenge because it’s all about matching the particular tone the client’s looking for. It could be a corporate ad but they want you slightly laid back, or if they want a particular African accent for a role. I’m Liberian, so our version of pidgin is different from what you’d hear in Black Panther. But you do your best to adjust. It’s fun. I live for the challenge.
For voice over I have a slightly more formal tone because I gotta really sell it, but my podcast voice is real laid back. On Big Boy Brunch, it’s just me and Dre geeking out. I want it to feel like it’s just two friends chewing it about their favorite superheroes. I could do that forever.
I drink at least a liter of room temperature water an hour before I get started. Too hot or too cold and it messes with the vocal cords. I also do tongue twisters which stretches your mouth and helps your speech flow.
When I did a TV ad for Whitman Walker. It was really important to me as a Black queer person from the DC area who goes to Whitman Walker for treatment to be able to represent them in that way. HIV/AIDS treatment has come a long way and I’m glad I could do my part to honor the Black queer people who came before me because without them I wouldn’t be able to be this free today.
Look for voiceover classes on Fiverr because even though I appreciate my teachers I think I paid way too much. Take improv classes, they help flex your creative muscle. You may even create a few characters you can use!
If I could voice a plus size Black queer superhero I would be so content. That’s my dream role. I’m gonna get it one day.
First get a new mic cuz my current one died on me, and then be more consistent with submitting auditions. I need to revamp my platform. A lot of things fell apart for me ever since my grandmother passed away last fall. It’s been hard picking myself back up but I’ll get through it one day. But I do plan on going to the next big voiceover convention in Atlanta this year. I know my voice can reach somebody there, I just need to be in the room.
Post college, I fell into the world of podcasting. The Read, Jade & XD, and The Friend Zone. I love how they’re unapologetically Black and queer, but I noticed they don’t talk about nerd stuff as much as I’d like. Or if they mentioned it I’d be screaming at my phone like “HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW THE NAME OF THAT OBSCURE HERO” Lol. There were nerdy Black YouTubers I would follow who either tip toed around the topic of racism or didn’t center queer Blackness enough for me. So I decided to just do my own thing. I sent out a few posts saying I was looking for a co-host and after some trial and error (I recorded with 3 different potential hosts before Dre) we finally made the match in heaven. Now I can’t see myself doing the show without him.
Out loud. Dre and I talk about whatever the hell we want to, no topic is off limits. However, we differentiate from certain Black queer podcasts by not focusing on dating topics too much. It’s a sore subject that pulls out a lot of deep seated insecurities and our goal is to focus on fun. So we’ll talk about sex of course, but in a real playful way. We do our best not to take ourselves too seriously.
It’s hard to pinpoint one but it feels good to interview dope queer Black artists who then go on to do even more amazing things later on. We interviewed Durand years before his Tiny Desk performance, DDm before he went on tour with CupcakKe, Rob Milton before he was on the Jennifer Hudson show etc. To be clear, these artists were killing it in their field before they agreed to do our show, but to watch their careers grow after getting to know them a little better warms my spirit. Like, these guys are the real deal and they deserve all the blessings they’re getting.
So we joke around a lot on the show in general, so when it’s time to address a serious topic like transphobia or racism or sexism we can flip the switch for a bit to grill whoever needs it, and then get back to our goofy selves right after.
I’m biased but my mom. I never in a million years thought I would be openly talking to my mother about my sexuality…and that she’d be uplifting me about it. We have our ups and downs to this day but I’m happy that she’s always in my corner.
We love reviewing something nerdy that recently dropped, usually a TV show or a movie. We talk about what we like and roast what we don’t. With our particular show set up we give people a bit of food talk, a bit of news, a bit of TV, a bit of music and a bit of tea. There’s a lot of ingredients in this pot.
Dre sought therapy after my fisting story, but other than that we been good.
Brian Tyree Henry. I would love to pick the brain of the man who played the first Black plus size queer superhero to hit the big screen. And that nigga fine as hell. Me and Dre are eternal sisterwives for that man.
When I’m finally out of the trenches we’ll be back to business as usual. Weekly episodes with some dope guests sprinkled in. We love what we do, can’t wait to get back to it.
Honestly just working to get back on my feet, but this year I’m focusing on voiceover, comedy, my podcast and rugby. Those things bring me joy and in a perfect world my weekly schedule would incorporate all 4.
It’s been gratifying getting such a positive response over the past few years. I never thought I was attractive enough to have a girlfriend growing up, but having my looks praised suddenly by all these guys really helped my self-esteem. It warms my heart when other big boys say they’re inspired by me. It’s a humbling feeling.
Heartbreaking but necessary. I come from a line of affluent Liberian men. My grandfather was a Supreme Court justice, his father was a Vice president. No one I knew on my father’s side was openly queer. That’s not what men do. When I was 24 I sent my parents two separate emails, my mom in early 2016 and my dad later that year. My mom said she was shocked but ultimately she said she loved me. My dad said nothing to me but blamed my mom for making me this way. I tried to come out to everyone on my 25th birthday but my mom talked me out of it for my own safety. I remember being sad and lonely that day. But I’m glad I did it. I couldn’t lie to myself or anyone else anymore. On the plus side (no pun intended) I wrote about it on Into, and a cousin from my dad’s side reached out to me and said she loved me. I never thought that would happen. I have no regrets.
Hm. It’s very hard for me to focus on one thing at a time. ADHD is a double edged sword, it floods my mind with ideas but often makes it hard to pin those ideas and plant them into something fruitful. I also suck at asking for help. Ever since I graduated college I was on my own. I needed a cushion because I didn’t have a job in my field yet but both my parents were living in Liberia, so I had to fend for myself. There were many times when I would ask for help from people I thought I could depend on who ended up letting me down, so I taught myself not to ask for help until I absolutely needed it. I need to learn to let that go. I need to learn to stop comparing my journey to that of my peers because everyone is going at their own pace. But it’s hard not to do when it feels like you’re hitting 10 speed bumps in a row.
People don’t get my character mixed up that often. Everyone who meets me says I’m the exact same on and offline, which I appreciate. I never try to come off as anything I’m not. Just a regular dude trying to live out his dreams.
Sing in front of people. I will do it one day, tho.
Laid up with my boyfriend butt naked watching superhero shows.
Special Thanks
I would like to express our sincere appreciation to Lo Lo Vonz for you giving so freely of your time and wisdom throughout the interview. Our understanding of your amazing story has been enhanced by your honesty, openness, and readiness to share details of your personal journey. We are inspired by your complex talent and unflinching resilience, as are countless others.
