Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Mahj Salon

The Mahj Salon is where serious Mahjong play collides with sharp opinions and very real table stories. Hosts Jennifer Hohman and Cathy Herrington dig into pet peeves, tile choices, money etiquette, and the unspoken rules that shape every game, so listeners feel like they are sitting in on the best post-match recap.

Season One covers everything from Guinness-level stunts and tile upgrades to where people are playing now and how Mahjong has become a full-on industry, giving players a place to laugh, nod, and recognize themselves in the chaos.

The Mahj Salon is presented by Mahjong Meets Moxie (https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet Jenn and Cathy, the Texas duo behind The Mahj Salon, where tiles are hot and conversations are hotter.

Hear their backstories, why Mahjong Meets Moxie was born, and why listener discretion is advised: this salon serves faith, politics, f‑bombs, and big laughs in equal measure.

The Mahj Salon is presented by Mahjong Meets Moxie (https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/)!

Join the conversation in our Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14hVXtxPYwo/)!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your tile set says more about you than your handbag. And yes, people are judging.

Jenn and Cathy spill on bougie vs vintage tiles, tile obsessions, and the “Mahj misdemeanors” that should be felonies, from renaming dots to touching $500 tiles with chicken‑wing fingers.

The Mahj Salon is presented by Mahjong Meets Moxie (https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/)!

Join the conversation in our Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14hVXtxPYwo/)!

Five Key Takeaways

1. Your tiles broadcast your personality and status just as much as your handbag or outfit, whether you’re rocking bougie, vintage, or one beloved set.

2. Many players start with trendy “bougie” tiles, then slowly fall in love with vintage sets that carry history, stories, and emotional meaning.

3. Function vs. form is real: some players need traditional, easy‑to‑read tiles for tournaments, while others crave colorful, artsy sets for open play.

4. Sensory details—tile weight, sound, and feel—matter more than people admit and can completely change how satisfying your game feels.

5. Table etiquette is non‑negotiable: misnaming tiles and touching expensive sets with greasy fingers are “Mahj misdemeanors” that might just be felonies.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mahjong is either costing you money, making you money, or awkwardly sitting somewhere in between—and Jenn and Cathy are here to name names (without naming names). From coin purses and “say it or lay it,” to high‑stakes Houston games, charity play, and the business drama behind the tiles, they dig into when you play, when you pay, and when you actually get paid.

The Mahj Salon is presented by Mahjong Meets Moxie (https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/)!

 Join the conversation in our Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14hVXtxPYwo/)!

Five Key Takeaways

1. Mahjong has always been a money game at its core—dots, bams, and cracks literally trace back to coins, strings of cash, and monetary values. Playing “just for quarters” is still on theme. 

2. Weekly play adds up: open play, social “pay to play,” charity events, private high‑stakes games, and tournaments all sit on a spectrum from free habit to pricey hobby. 

3. House rules matter: kitties, caps (the “pie”), and long‑time “masters” in Houston show how different groups handle stakes, high hands, and etiquette around paying promptly. 

4. Not everyone wants to—or can—play for money, so alternatives like ducks, trinkets, or magnet “Mahj trackers” give players a way to keep score without cash while still feeling competitive. 

5. The Mahjong business space is booming and a little spicy; with so much demand, Jenn calls for abundance over drama—build your own brand, fix your fouls, and keep the Mahj world generous, not malicious.  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Four women played 48 straight hours of Mahjong to smash a Guinness World Record—and Jenn and Cathy were there to see it happen.

From Russian record‑setters and “gentling” difficult players to jazz‑singing table designers, dragon‑loving moderators, and husbands hauling in custom chairs, this live‑from‑Summerville episode celebrates the dream team behind Mahj 48 and the global Mahjong community it represents.

The Mahj Salon is presented by Mahjong Meets Moxie (https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/)!

 Join the conversation in our Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14hVXtxPYwo/)!

Key Takeaways

1. Mahj 48 was led by a “dream team” of Mahjong players—Nancy DeZutter, Jan Egri, Jennifer Clayton, and Kim Yerkie—who combined teaching, tournament experience, table design, and community building to push the game into Guinness history.

2. The record they broke was 33 hours set by four Russian players in 2012; aiming for 48 hours creates a huge buffer against future challengers and underscores just how intense continuous Mahjong can be.

3. The attempt relied on a full ecosystem: timekeepers, witnesses, correspondents, a dedicated videographer, nutrition‑planned meals from The Pickle Bar, and husbands serving as neck‑rubbers, runners, and chair‑delivery support crew.

4. Pace and play stayed shockingly strong—about five games an hour, strategic “to drink or not to drink” decisions, shared bio‑breaks, stand‑up tables, and stat tracking on Mahjong That’s It (including the fun fact that no quints had been won mid‑attempt).

5. Beyond the record, the event highlighted Mahjong’s culture: regional quirks like Pennsylvania’s “dot, bam, crack” calls, the idea of “gentling” tricky players, stuffed‑dragon mascots, and a celebration when the women hit 33 hours and then 48.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when the Mahj-obsessed wives hand the mics to their men?

Kip and Hal step into the Husband Hot Seat to confess how many tile sets live at home, what they really thought Mahjong was, and how their formal living rooms became full‑blown salons. From “nurse or purse” to spa‑jong gifts and AI agents negotiating play time, this one’s equal parts love letter and roast.

The Mahj Salon is presented by Mahjong Meets Moxie (https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/)!

 Join the conversation in our Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14hVXtxPYwo/)!

Key Takeaways

1. The husbands admit they play a little (or under duress) but genuinely love that Mahjong gives their wives passion, friendship, and a thriving community.

2. Mahjong has literally taken over the house, with living rooms turned into salons and weekends packed with lessons, tournaments, and multiple tables in play.

3. “Nurse or purse” becomes a running joke about aging, partnership, and why Kip and Hal better stick around so their wives never have to date again.

4. Gifts have gone from last‑minute jewelry to $750 vintage bone‑and‑bamboo sets, spa‑jong weekends, and dreams of pricey Chrysloid tiles and automatic tables.

5. The guys learn real Mahj etiquette—no touching discards, rack it then think, and stop committing Maj misdemeanors like reorganizing tiles in the middle.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Because Mahjong is no longer just a living‑room hobby, it’s a full‑blown lifestyle—Jenn and Cathy take you from Bean & Bottle in Houston to cruise ships, country clubs, and all the places you’ll play.

Recorded live with original Moxie members, this episode hits AI‑Dr. Seuss Mahj poetry, “I’m not playing to win” weirdness, dream celebrity tables, and the delightfully tacky merch that proves we’re all a little obsessed.

The Mahj Salon is presented by Mahjong Meets Moxie (https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/)!

 Join the conversation in our Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14hVXtxPYwo/)!

Five Key Takeaways

1. Mahjong has gone lifestyle: coffee‑and‑wine bars, cruises, lodges, ballrooms, leagues, and big‑ticket destination tournaments are now standard ways to get your weekly Mahj fix.

2. Dream tables say a lot—RBG and Scalia, Ann Richards, Ali Wong, Wanda Sykes, Sally Field, and the Maj Bros vs. the “Salon Sisters” show how politics, comedy, and pop culture collide over tiles.

3. Around‑the‑table lines like “I’m not playing to win today” and “the ass that asks” reveal how differently people approach competition, socializing, and speaking up about what’s really going on.

4. Mahjong merch gets gloriously ridiculous: bird bam sweaters, bedazzled “Mahjong” tops, lucky socks, cat card bags, and 3D‑printed tile cases are part of the fun—and sometimes a Mahj misdemeanor.

5. Community is everything: original Moxie members, open play seven days a week, and invitations to meet up in places like Times Square prove Mahjong is as much about who you play with as where you play.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jenn and Cathy go full tile-nerd in this episode, tracing Mahjong’s glow-up from classic sets to bougie designs, pricey mats, sculpted racks, and wild themed cards. From cultural-appropriation backlash to Texas leather mats, dragon dresses, and Taylor Swift mini-Maj decks, they ask what’s worth the splurge, what’s useless-but-fabulous, and how this “little game” turned into a serious shopping problem.

The Mahj Salon is presented by Mahjong Meets Moxie (https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/)!

 Join the conversation in our Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14hVXtxPYwo/)!

Key Takeaways

1. Modern Mahjong is big business, with creative tile makers, salons, and retailers reinventing how (and where) you play.

2. Tiles, mats, and racks are the investment pieces, from vintage bone-and-bamboo sets to leather and neoprene mats and long, buttery wood racks.

3. The hosts tackle the Mahjong Line controversy, arguing you can honor the game’s roots and still love pretty, modern, “bougie” tiles.

4. Merch has no chill: dragon dresses, Mahj pajamas, custom hats, giant one-bams, card covers, shufflers, and themed cards (hello, Taylor Swift).

5. Behind the glam is real gameplay: good teachers, solid strategy, and understanding the difference between social play, lessons, and true tournament conditions.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mahjong personalities are real. If you don’t recognize them at your table, it might be you.

From league drama and “your hand is dead, sweetie” to Texas‑proud tablescapes, moaners, sandbaggers, and no‑show offenders, Jenn and Cathy break down the characters and conflicts that prove there is absolutely no crying in Mahjong.

The Mahj Salon is presented by Mahjong Meets Moxie (https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/)!

 Join the conversation in our Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14hVXtxPYwo/)!

During the episode we mentioned The 12 Steps of Mahjong (Anonymous):

Step one: We admitted were powerless over pairs, and that all the new Mahjong cards

have become unmanageable.

Step two: We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves—perhaps Jokers—could

restore us to sanity.

Step three: We made a decision to turn our hands and our picks over to the Gods of luck as

we understood them.

Step four: We made a searching and fearless inventory of every missed exposure and joker

exchange.

Step five: We admitted to our fellow players, our table, and ourselves the exact nature of our bad Charleston passes.

Step six: We were entirely ready to have all these weak hand choices removed.

Step seven: We humbly asked for the strength and timing to call for a needed tile.

Step eight: We made a list of all the players we had harmed and became willing to make
amends for groans of being “just one away” when our friends called Mahjong.

Step nine: We made direct amends to anyone whose tile we took that led to their missed mahjong.

Step ten: We continued to take inventory of our friend’s tells and favorite hands, and when we misnamed a tile, promptly admitted it.

Step eleven: We sought through practice and patience to improve our hand-reading skills and the power to carry it out in a tournament.

Step twelve: Having had a mahjong awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to
practice these principles in all of our in person and online games, continuing to play with kindness at every opportunity.

Five Key Takeaways

1. League play changes the stakes: honest mistakes still mean dead hands, and guilt‑tripping the table to stay in is a major etiquette foul when prizes and rankings are on the line.

2. Every table has “types”—from moaners who complain their way to top scores, to sandbaggers, silent assassins, and guests who leave early or no‑show and wreck the game flow.

3. Tablescapes are a whole personality: Texas‑themed tiles, leather mats that slide just right, and even badass‑women code names for league ranking keep things fun while protecting egos.

4. House rules and expectations (like four‑player preference, bob setups, and how you label fouls) are key to avoiding tears, resentment, and passive‑aggressive “honest mistake” debates.

5. Mahjong gossip is alive and well in leagues and online; the healthiest response is to own your fouls, learn the rules, and keep the space generous, not manipulative.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mahj Salon is presented by Mahjong Meets Moxie (https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/)!  

Join the conversation in our Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14hVXtxPYwo/)!

Tournament legends Fredell, Susan, and Linda—the Sharks of Houston—join Jennifer and Cathy at Mahjong Meets Moxie to dish on tiles, superstitions, table talk, and “maj misdemeanors,” while cheering on newbies and spilling what decades of national tournament play have really taught them.

Key Takeaways

1. The “Sharks of Houston” have collectively played and placed in scores of tournaments over decades, often traveling nationwide with a “have card, will travel” mindset.

2. Mahjong Meets Moxie tournaments in Houston intentionally blend newbies and longtime players, creating a single, supportive community instead of separate groups.

3. Table talk ranges from cheeky lines about jokers to the belief that your Mahjong group can be your go-to source for life advice, referrals, and emotional support.

4. Players see tournament success as a mix of luck and skill, where card mastery, strategy, and mindset meet the unpredictable fall of the tiles.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.