Loni Love inspires women through laughter

A co-host on the daytime talk show “The Real,” comedian Loni Love’s life has changed substantially since the show first aired in 2013. Speaking by phone recently, Love remarked that the show has not only exposed her and her stand-up to a wider audience, but also has allowed her “to inspire people and to entertain them at the same time,” something about which she feels very strongly.

“That’s what we set out to do for the show and that’s what the show is for,” said Love.

Love and her co-hosts, singer Adrienne Bailon, fashion expert Jeannie Mai and actress Tamara Mowry-Housley, will continue to inspire their fans in the near future, as “The Real” recently was renewed for two more years, through the 2017/2018 season.

Paying it forward

In addition to using the talk show as a platform to inspire women, Love also co-hosts the nationally syndicated radio program “Café Mocha,” with rapper MC Lyte and on-air personality Angelique Perrin, on SiriusXM. Described as “radio from woman’s perspective,” Café Mocha was created exclusively by and for women of color. Since the program’s inception, they’ve interviewed a range of guests from President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama to entertainers John Legend, Toni Braxton and Hill Harper. On a weekly basis the program tackles today’s issues and offers social commentary along with a dose of inspirational self-help advice.

Coming from humble beginnings, Love realizes how fortunate she’s been in her life to have the career that she has today. When asked why it’s important to her to inspire women in her work and in the projects that she takes on, she responded, “If there’s a place in their life maybe that’s not the best atmosphere for them, I can show them there are ways that they can get out of their situation. Basically, it’s me paying it forward,” said Love.

Role model

The Detroit native recalls that when she was in her 20s, she didn’t have a person like herself that she could follow or relate to, who could offer her personal and professional advice, or tell her that “things happen for a reason and that things will work out.” Love says, “I didn’t have that. I think that’s why I have this desire and passion to help women because I just want to make sure that if someone out there doesn’t have that person, I want to be that person.”