According to Darren, it's only a matter of time before his reign as television royalty begins. And when it does, Darren told XBiz, he will maintain his commitment to the same tough, gritty show topics that first launched 'The Darren Austin Show' on CeGay and catapulted the progressive talk show host into the adult entertainment industry mainstream.
XBiz chatted with the popular Internet radio personality and marketing executive from his new digs at Adult Entertainment Broadcasting Network Inc.'s (AEBN) headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. With hurricane Isabel tapping at the windows and making huge dust sweeps along the street, Austin confessed his delight in finally seeing some "weather" after many hot, dry years in Southern California.
Only six days into his new life in Charlotte, Darren is elated by the change of scenery, the close proximity to friends and family, and the relaunch of 'The Darren Austin Show' (thedarrenaustinshow.com) under AEBN's wingspan. The show's debut is scheduled for October, although no exact date has been set.
"I've come back home," Darren told XBiz, referring to his native homeland of Charleston, North Carolina. "This is literally the best move I've ever made. I'm so much more relaxed here. I can breath better. AEBN is treating me amazingly and has welcomed me with open arms."
Under AEBN's roof, Austin will also serve as director for Gaystream.com, AEBN's gay pay-per-view site for membership content packages, which according to Austin has some of the best gay adult content available online.
In keeping with the current explosion in the gay market in Prague and Europe, Darren told XBiz that AEBN is making a global push for Gaystream.com. Darren attributes the rise in demand for gay content and entertainment to an overall shift in gay consciousness, due in part to popular television shows like "Will & Grace," "Boy Meets Boy," and "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy."
"Research and homework are what make gay sites a success," Darren told XBiz.
Darren made his first mark on Tinsel Town as an actor with film and television appearances on shows like "Die Hard 3," "Sweet Justice," and "Veronica's Closet." He then transitioned to CeGay as marketing director, and from there launched the first incarnation of 'The Darren Austin Show,' which quickly gained status and reputation within the adult entertainment industry for its controversial show topics.
Darren went out with a literal "bang" on his last radio segment for CeGay on Aug. 25 with "Inside the Circle," a show that focused on the Ku Klux Klan and created a virtual backlash within the white supremacy movement.
The show also featured Darren's own admission that he at one point had dated a clansman, although at the time he didn't know it.
"The phones were ringing off the hook," said Darren. "It was incredible."
As soon as Darren's custom-built studio at AEBN's headquarters is complete, the new and improved 'The Darren Austin Show' is slated to tackle topics related to prison inmates, the Bible Belt, and religious groups that believe they can turn gay men straight.
The show will debut as an audio broadcast from AEBN's site, but by Thanksgiving, the strategy is to transition to a video feed. And from there, Darren hopes to eventually springboard into network television.
"The controversy we have planned for the show will be bigger, broader, and better," Darren told XBiz, but it will also focus on lighter topics, like Darren's lifeblood: music.
A self-confessed music-aholic, Darren told XBiz that on a typical day he has an ongoing soundtrack playing along in his head. Today's song, Darren told XBiz, is "Shine" by Cyndi Lauper, a confirmed favorite.
In the meantime, Darren has high hopes for the future.
"I want to make AEBN an unsurpassed name in the industry," Darren told XBiz. "I want to take their established reputation and run with and make it as big as I possibly can. I want to do something that will inspire people, but I want to do it in a way that I can be myself, not controlled. I believe in the universe and a higher power. I believe there is a divine plan for everyone on the planet, and great things will happen when I'm ready."
