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Japan Unveils Designs For First Underwater City, And We're In Awe

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We've seen people living in tiny homes, big homes and everything in between -- but nobody has ever taken underwater dwelling to a level like this.

A Japanese architecture firm has unveiled renderings of what would be the world's first underwater city, which the firm says could be constructed as early as 2035. The massive, spherical structure measures more than four football fields in length, and its electricity and water supplies extend almost two miles deep into the sea. There's space for businesses, hotels and homes for up to 5,000 people off the coast of Japan. An "Earth Factory" recycles CO2 for the society, which we're assuming can be entered via a ship port (though the details teeter on fuzzy).

The goal, says Shimizu Corporation in a press release, is to "make the most" of undersea space, as some neighborhoods on land face damage from rising sea levels. "The Ocean Spiral," while not likely to be constructed anytime soon, would have sustainable fisheries, plazas and promenades for its residents. Oh, and did we mention the deep-sea gondola system?

Making a home on land is awesome, but in this case we're so ready to take the plunge.





h/t ABC News

Grading The Best & Worst Of The 2015 Golden Globes

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The Golden Globes were actually great this year. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler capped three stints as hosts with their greatest punchlines yet, while the slate of often surprising winners kept Twitter relatively pleased -- particularly on the television side, where freshman shows "Transparent," "Jane the Virgin" and "The Affair" steamrolled the awards. Moreover, the acceptance speeches were especially genuine this year. Even Amy Adams' uncharacteristically nonplussed delivery (that lady did not think she was going to win!) had its charm, and the number of people who championed diversity made it a meaningful night. Alas, the Golden Globes were not without their blemishes. Let's grade the highs and lows:

BEST: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's monologue. The ladies' opening bit included jokes about North Korea, Emma Stone looking like a Margaret Keane painting, celebrities not knowing what cake is, the civil-rights movement, Wes Anderson arriving "on a bicycle made of antique tuba parts" and Bill Cosby having "put the pills in the people." It started as a standard "look's who's here" checklist and ended with a game of "Would You Rather?" and a call-and-response chant that had the TV section hollering that they're "better" than the movie people. We'll miss you gals.
Score: 8.5

BEST: Jessica Chastain and Helen Mirren's reactions to the Cosby jokes. Prepare to see a lot of this online today.
Score: 8




BEST: "Fargo" nabbing Best Miniseries or Television Film. We would have been satisfied with another "True Detective" win, and "Olive Kitteridge" was one of 2014's most under-appreciated gems, but "Fargo" deserved this.
Score: 7

WORST: Billy Bob Thorton's acceptance speech. At first it seemed like maybe Billy Bob Thronton had given us pithy words to live by: "You can say anything in the world and get in trouble. I know this for a fact. So I'll just say thank you." Then the number of moving, legitimate speeches that followed made us realize that he'd taught us exactly what not to do. At least go full Merritt Wever if that's what you're going for.
Score: 5.5

WORST: Jeremy Renner's crack about Jennifer Lopez's boobs. "You've got the globes, too" is the night's signature boorish moment.
Score: 2.5

BEST: "Transparent" winning Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy. Jill Soloway dedicated her moving speech to anyone persecuted for being transgender, and it felt like a pinnacle of all the social advancements television represented last year.
Score: 10

BEST: Prince showing up. Even better: "The Help" co-stars Viola Davis and Allison Janney freaking out over his unexpected arrival.
Score: 7.5




BEST: Common's speech. "I am the hopeful black woman who was denied her right to vote. I am the caring white supporter killed on the frontlines of freedom. I am the unarmed black kid who maybe needed a hand, but instead was given a bullet. I am the two police officers murdered in the line of duty. 'Selma' has awakened my humanity."
Score: 9

WORST: The North Korea bit with Margaret Cho. Cho had her moments as a stone-faced North Korean soldier obsessed with Meryl Streep and dubious of the "Orange is the New Black" category placement, but this was the joke that would not end.
Score: 5

BEST: But thankfully, it led to Benedict Cumberbatch photobombing Meryl Streep and Margaret Cho. Cumberbatch hopping through the background of their photo-op was the real treasure.
Score: 6.5



WORST: Ricky Gervais. He bumbled his way through the presentation of Best Actress - Musical or Comedy while holding a glass of booze and giggling like he was so proud to have come up with mean jokes that made the audience chuckle politely. Déjà vu!
Score: 3.5

BEST: Oprah reacting to things. She laughed, she cried, she got excited to see Viola Davis.
Score: 8

BEST: Frances McDormand reacting to things. She stared.
Score: 8.5

BEST: Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader's loony take on famous movie lines. Their bit was nowhere near as sharp as Wiig inventing movie plots with Will Ferrell at the 2013 Globes, but we still say they should host next year's awards.
Score: 6.5



BEST: Jeffrey Tambor's win for "Transparent." Tambor somehow made it through "The Larry Sanders Show" and "Arrested Development" without a single Golden Globe nomination, yet "Transparent" is so fantastic that we aren't even screaming about what retribution this is. "This is much bigger than me," he said when he got to the stage. Bravo.
Score: 9.5

BEST: HBO went home nearly empty-handed. Matt Bomer ("The Normal Heart") was the source of HBO's only Globe, which we don't say to spite the network's excellent slate of programming. We say it to point out that there is superb television also happening on Netflix, Amazon, Showtime, FX, The CW and SundanceTV, not to mention the many wonderful networks that didn't take home hardware.
Score: 7

BEST: Seeing these two together. Joint Gyllenhaal nominations at every award show please!
Score: 8

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BEST: Julianna Margulies and Don Cheadle presenting George Clooney's Cecil B. DeMille Award.
Margulies: "Has he ever asked you to tour a disaster area with him?"
Cheadle: "Yeah, I went to the set of 'Monuments Men.'"
Score: 7.5

BEST: Tina and Amy's Oprah joke.
Tina: “Our next presenter is a woman who’s known by only one name.”
Amy: “Winfrey!”
Score: 7

WORST: Letting Michael Keaton talk as long as he did. Heartfelt, sure, and it introduced us to his attractive son. But the telecast had 20 minutes left, and two commercial breaks later, everyone was frantic about being behind schedule.
Score: 4.5

BEST: "The Grand Budapest Hotel" keeping the Oscar race interesting. Amid one of the haziest Oscar derbies in recent memory, we answered few questions about what will take home Academy Awards next month. "The Grand Budapest Hotel" was expected to win the Globes' screenplay prize and "Birdman" was predicted to win Best Picture - Musical or Comedy, but their flip-flopping points to an interesting ride between now and Feb. 22. (Who are we kidding? "Boyhood" is winning.)
Score: 8

BEST: Wes Anderson trolling the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Anderson started his Best Picture - Musical or Comedy speech by saying he's "not going to spend many of my few seconds up here thanking people like ...," and then named a bushel of people associated with "The Grand Budapest Hotel." But he made it clear he was spotlighting those who are truly important: “Instead, I’m going to focus on the membership of the Hollywood Foreign Press: Yorum and Dagmar and Yukiko and Munawar and Lorenzo, Armando, Husam, Jean-Paul, Hans, Helmut -- these are the people I want to thank tonight, and many others with names nothing like theirs, but equally captivating -- Kirpi, Erkki, Anke, and so on. I thank you for this Golden Globe.”
Score: 7

WORST: Someone didn't turn on the air conditioning. Paramedics were called after an unnamed attendee passed out because the lights were too hot. Everyone seemed to glisten a little more than usual, and Frances McDormand, when not burning a hole in the stage with her eyes, was seen fanning herself. Just look at Clive Owen!
Score: 5

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WORST: Not enough Tina and Amy overall. This was their last time hosting!
Score: 3

Overall grade: 6.77

Artist Documents The Inside Of A Women's Prison Through Raw And Disturbing Comic Series

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In June 2014, comic artist Elana Pritchard was arrested for violating a court order. For two months, she served time for her violation in the women’s division of the Los Angeles County jail system, first at Century Regional Detention Facility and then at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility. As an artist, she was equipped with nothing more than a golf pencil.

Inspired by her mentor, animator-director Ralph Bakshi, Pritchard resolved to put that pencil to good use, documenting her stay in the women's jail in all its dark detail through a series of comics. Pritchard's images are disturbing, to say the least, offering an uncensored view of a world that normally remains cloaked in mystery. She chronicles filthy cells strewn with toilet paper and moldy bread and male prisoners pressuring her to expose her breasts. A particularly grim comic depicts an apathetic guard denying Pritchard a shower after four days unbathed, claiming most prisoners go a week before showering.

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First published in LA Weekly 2015


Pritchard's works were published in LA Weekly, along with written accounts describing the events illustrated. Again, the accounts spare no specifics, elaborating the daily realities of jail inmates, including the squat-and-cough, enacted every time one enters the facility.

"The dreaded squat-and-cough: You have to do it every time you enter the jail. In a room with about 40 other people, you strip naked, lift up your breasts, open your vagina, squat down and cough on command. If nothing falls out, you get up and put on your jail uniform as fast as you can. After the ordeal, they give each person an orange juice and a microwaved burrito. It’s the closest thing you get to compassion in jail."

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First published in LA Weekly 2015


After Pritchard published her images, she was overwhelmed by the positive reaction to her work, receiving responses and support from strangers all around the world in regard to the inhumane practices of the facility. "I have been in communication with the LA County Sheriff's department," Pritchard wrote to The Huffington Post in an email, "and they have told me that due to these comics they have issued a new policy that all inmates must be given showers within 24 hours of entering the jail. We are scheduled to meet next week to discuss further improvements."

"And throughout all of this it seems the original, humble message of these comics is sticking: that we were people. Even though we had a barcode on our wrist with a number and were called 'bodies' by the staff, we were still people."

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First published in LA Weekly 2015


Pritchard's images combine humor and dismay, yielding an honest portrait and scathing critique of the incarceration system and the people who find themselves stuck in it. "Many people in jail are still on trial and haven't even been found guilty or innocent yet," she expressed. "Many people made mistakes that you or I have made before in private, only they got caught. There were mothers in there that missed their children. There were kind people in there that cared about the arts and cared about each other. I drew these comics to make us all laugh and remind us that even though there was a whole group of people with badges and better clothes than we had telling us we didn't matter... we did matter and we were people."

Read about Pritchard's time in jail in greater detail over at LA Weekly.

Elana Pritchard is a cartoonist and animator in Los Angeles. She is currently doing a Kickstarter to finish an animated cartoon and recently worked on Ralph Bakshi's upcoming film "Last Days of Coney Island" (to be released in the summer of 2015). Follow her on Twitter.

13 Ways You Can Make Coloring Books A Part Of Your Adult Life (NSFW)

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Note: Some of these coloring books are especially adult. You have been warned.

Coloring is not just for kids. We've established that. The act of coloring "incorporates the areas of the cerebral cortex involved in vision and fine motor skills," psychologist Gloria Martínez Ayala explained to HuffPost. Read: coloring actually exercises your brain, which is not all that surprising. "The relaxation that it provides lowers the activity of the amygdala, a basic part of our brain involved in controlling emotion that is affected by stress," she added. Bonus: it helps you de-stress. So why isn't the whole world coloring?

It's a new year, and you're probably about one week into actively keeping struggling to keep up with those resolutions you made just over 10 days ago. We're here to make those visions of self-improvement seem a little more attainable. Here are 13 ways you can make coloring books a part of your adult life.

1. Outside the Lines

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The Voices in Our Heads, Steven Harrington, © Steven Harrington, 2012


Organized by author Souris Hong-Porretta, this book includes monochromatic versions of artwork by Shepard Fairey, Steven Harrington, Ryan McGinness and Keith Haring.

2. Coloring for Grown-Ups

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From the minds of comedians Ryan Hunter and Taige Jensen, this very adult coloring book turns issues of injustice, celebrity worship, relationship realities and hipster humor into visual fodder worth coloring in between the lines.

3. Between the Lines

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Michelle Andrade


Ai Weiwei, Laurie Simmons, Richard Prince and nearly four dozen other big names in contemporary art contributed pieces to this book. The project comes from RxArt, an organization committed to both art and health in the United states, which distributes the fine art coloring books to children in their partner hospitals across America.

4. Printable Mini Zine Coloring Books

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Available on Etsy, this is a downloadable and printable coloring book inspired by Zendoodles.

5. Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book

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As you might have guessed, this coloring book is filled with horticulturally-inspired black-and-white visions.

6. The Indie Rock Coloring Book

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In this coloring book, artist Andy J. Miller created special "activity pages" for particular indie bands.

7. Tee Corinne's 'Cunt Coloring Book'

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In 1975, artist and photographer Tee Corinne self-published the Cunt Coloring Book. It's still a big hit.

8. The 1990s Coloring Book

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How can you reject a coloring book with a catchphrase like, "All That and a Box of Crayons (Psych! Crayons Not Included.)"

9. Graffiti Art Coloring Book

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Thirty pages of street art masterpieces illustrated by Dondi, Lady Pink, Dalek, and Shepard Fairey. A favorite from author Aye Jay.

10. The Punk Rock Fun Time Activity Book

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Who doesn't want to fantasize about their own unique CBGB graffiti or Henry Rollins' tattoos? Thank you, once again, Aye Jay.

11. A Coloring Book by Mike Perry and YOU

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Mike Perry specializes in hand type and illustrations and has worked for big brands like Apple and The New York Times. This coloring book gives you chance to collaborate with the well known designer.

12. Roy Lichtenstein Coloring Book

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Lichtenstein's Ben-Day dot heavy pieces are begging to be splashed with new colors. Allow Prestel Publishing to help you do it.

BONUS: Thrill Murray

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Need we say more?

No Child Left Behind Rewrite Should Limit Standardized Testing, Duncan Plans To Say

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After years of dancing around Congress to help states evade the No Child Left Behind Act, the Obama administration thinks it's time to go back to the legislative drawing board.

No Child Left Behind, the Bush-era school accountability law, must be rewritten, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan plans to say in a speech Monday, according to prepared remarks. And despite an ever-growing chorus against required standardized testing, tests must remain mandatory, Duncan is expected to say, because "parents, teachers and students have both the right and the need to know how much progress all students are making each year."

But, as Duncan stated last summer, the law must "ensure that tests -- and preparation for them -- don't take excessive time away from instruction." So the administration will call for placing limits on the time states spend on standardized testing and test preparation.

The speech comes as Congress renews its bid to rewrite the sweeping federal education law. It also comes at a moment when sentiments against standardized testing have reached a fever pitch. In recent months, some teachers, parents and advocates from both sides of the political aisle have voiced concerns in light of new tests associated with the Common Core State Standards and the implementation of teacher evaluations based on those scores.

NCLB, which was signed into law by President George W. Bush, mandated the annual standardized testing of public school students in reading and math in some grades, and it doled out consequences based on those test results.

Since then, while schools have made progress by showing increased minority test scores and posting the highest-ever high school graduation rates, Duncan will say, "we cannot allow ourselves to believe we are yet doing justice by all of our young people. Not when other countries are leaping ahead of us."

The United States is on a precipice, Duncan is expected to say: "Congress faces a choice. One path continues to move us toward that promise of equity; the other walks away from it" and would "turn back the clock."

While many have lauded NCLB for exposing the differences in educational attainment between racial and socioeconomic groups, even its biggest cheerleaders have come to criticize the law for using blunt metrics for measuring student achievement.

In his Monday speech held at a Washington, D.C., public school, Duncan is expected to address NCLB's perceived shortcomings: its crude metrics, the alleged focus it removed from the arts by testing reading and math, and the morale-dampening effect the law is said to have had on teachers. "The arts, history, foreign languages, and advanced math and science are essentials, not luxuries," Duncan is expected to say. "Teachers deserve to be paid in a way that reflects the importance of the work they do."

Duncan timed the speech to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the speech during which Lyndon B. Johnson called for "full educational opportunity as our first national goal." That speech led to the creation of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the civil rights law that was later retooled and rebranded as NCLB. But the law, Duncan is expected to say, has become "tired, prescriptive."

"No Child Left Behind created dozens of ways for schools to fail and very few ways to help them succeed, or to reward success," Duncan is expected to say. "We need to do precisely the reverse."

Presenting a legislative fix to NCLB is a new tact for the federal government, at least since the turn of the decade. In 2008, President Barack Obama campaigned on rewriting NCLB, and when he came into office, he gave Congress a 2011 deadline for the task. NCLB expired in 2007, and despite a few fits and starts -- and a Republican bill passed by the House of Representatives -- it has not been renewed, though it still remains in effect.

So the administration used executive action to help states get out from under the law. It allowed states to request waivers from the law's strictest facets, in exchange for agreeing to implement several Obama-favored education reforms, such as test-based teacher evaluations, revamped systems for holding schools accountable and the use of common educational standards.

Though the administration stated that rewriting the law itself would be optimal, it had all but given up on hopes of a bipartisan overhaul, much to the chagrin of some members of Congress. So Duncan's speech represents a sea change in administration policy toward federal education law.

Duncan's prescriptions for a new NCLB include several perennial administration favorites: improved access to "high-quality preschool," better supports for low-income schools, "genuinely helpful" teacher evaluation systems that "take into account student learning growth," and high standards.

In terms of reducing the burden of testing, "we want to work with Congress to urge states and districts to review and streamline the tests they are giving and eliminate redundant and unnecessary tests," Duncan is expected to say. "We'll urge Congress to have states set limits on the amount of time spent on state- and district-wide standardized testing, and notify parents if they exceed these limits."

Duncan is expected to address politicians who want to end testing entirely. "I'm concerned about where a Republican-only ESEA reauthorization might be headed," Duncan is expected to say of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. "Will we work together to ensure every parent's right to know every year how much progress her child is making in school? Or is that optional?"

Duncan might be addressing Republicans such as Sen. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), the former secretary of education who is the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee chairman as of this month.

"Of course we should be asking the question: Are there too many tests? Every teacher and parent is asking that question, and if there’s going to be a requirement for 17 tests in reading, math and science, we need to make sure that’s justified," Alexander said in a statement to The Huffington Post. He added, "Secretary Duncan's recommendations are welcome."

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), a former preschool teacher who just became the HELP Committee's ranking member, said she is pleased about Duncan's foray into the legislative process. "I am very glad that Secretary Duncan is so focused on reforming this broken law in a way that works for our students and  makes sure no child falls through the cracks," said Murray, who was briefed on the speech in advance. "I am looking forward  to working with him, Chairman Alexander, and all our colleagues on a truly bipartisan bill to get this done."

Bits of the speech were leaked to the press in the days leading up to Duncan's announcement, giving interest groups and advocates intent on making their mark in the law a chance to promulgate their perspectives over the weekend.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers union, said, "It is time to return to the law's moral and legal roots as a vehicle to ensure civil rights," according to a statement. She listed "the fixation on high-stakes tests that has eclipsed all other learning and accountability measures" among the factors that have "undermined that goal."

A coalition of civil rights groups, organized by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, sent out a long list of NCLB principles, such as the adoption of "college and career-ready state standards" that includes "access to early childhood education" and "annual, statewide assessments."

The Council of Chief State School Officers similarly called for regular standardized testing in grades 3-8 and high school in the already-mandated subjects, as well as testing in science at least three times between third grade and the end of high school.

This Artist's Beautiful Plaid Swatches Are Made Entirely Out Of Teeny, Tiny People

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For seven years, Beijing-based artist Zhang Bojun photographed people he saw on the street. In his latest work, he's woven them together into massive composite photographs titled "We."

Everyone always seemed tired, Zhang explained in an artist's statement. Indeed, for over thirty years, the Chinese government has pushed rural citizens towards its rapidly expanding cities with the promise of employment. Just earlier this week, the government made life in new cities a bit easier by granting access to education and unemployment benefits for people outside their hometowns.

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But many feel unsettled, Zhang wrote, traveling back and forth between city and country, "like migratory birds." And the crowds he photographed rendered individuals "just like ants."

Separating the individuals in his images and regrouping them to form patterns leaves Zhang's work open to interpretation, argues French photo journal The Eye of Photography. His large-format composite photographs could be viewed as "purely formal." Or alternatively -- and as Zhang suggests in his statement -- the project represents a collective struggle. Indeed, city life has proved grating on young migrant workers, who commonly suffer depression and anxiety. The work "is all about people," Zhang explained.

Take a look at some of his incredible images below, courtesy of OFOTO Gallery in Shanghai.

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How Allison Williams Kept That Racy 'Girls' Scene Professional

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While the Golden Globes demanded the public's attention Sunday night, "Girls" was charting new territory in its Season 4 premiere. Though even the show creators joked it's hard for "Girls" to do any kind of funny sex they haven't already done, the episode managed just that by (spoiler alert) featuring Marnie (Alison Williams) and Desi (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) engaging in some butt play. But while the scene itself is very NSFW, Williams and acting partner Moss-Bachrach kept things the picture of professional on set.

Speaking to Vulture, Williams opened up about preparing with crew members for the scene:

Because of my wiring, I read it in the script and I went into total action mode. I got everyone together and I was like, “All right, Grace [in wardrobe], you and me -- we’re going to come up with something so ingenious that he is going to feel comfortable.” I mean, think about where he is, right! It was our first day back of shooting and it was my birthday -- everything was happening. I grabbed the makeup girl and said, “I want to smell like a cake,” so we put vanilla cream everywhere so everything smells good. And then I’m like, “Grace, we’re going to rig something invisible from the side but that feels like a pillow when he puts his face into it.” And, that’s what we did! You wouldn’t know; it’s total TV magic.


In the same interview, showrunner Jenni Konner commented on Williams' commitment.

"She was game -- a down girl," she said. "She’s a serious actress and she takes it all seriously. She was brilliant."

Moss-Bachrach spoke to MTV about the trust Williams put in him for the scene.

"You’ve gotta have a good trust with your scene partner," he continued. "Allison and I really like each other. I trust her and I think maybe she had to trust me more for that particular scene, but I think she does. It’s fun. It’s a comedy."

To wrap up: Allison Williams takes her craft seriously and "Girls" can still surprise us. Here we go, Season 4!

These Are The Last Remaining Old School Mississippi Blues Musicians

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Since 2008, photographer Lou Bopp has been capturing the now elderly men who constitute the Mississippi Delta Blues musicians of a previous era. With calloused hands, worn faces and twinkling eyes, the blues artists are living remnants of a bygone time, one of juke joints and fiery soul.

"As a photographer and part of my overall DNA, I wanted to go where most do not, could not, nor dare not venture," Bopp explains in his artist statement. "Their stories seem embedded in their skin, scent, hands, stares; they are draped in history."

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Blues originating from the Mississippi Delta, land of fertile soil and extreme poverty, emerged around the turn of the 19th century, combining messages of despair and hope with the help of harmonica and the cigar box guitar. "I’ve been inspired by the blues, the overall culture and the way that the genre shaped American and English rock music, and by extension, myself, most of my life," Bopp wrote to The Huffington Post in an email. "I started traveling to the delta a few years ago and realized that the older generation of blues musicians are getting up there in age, and we have already lost so many. From that point on I was on a mission to document and photograph as many as I could within this era."

"While many were not as commercially as successful as say BB King or Muddy Waters, many of my subjects played with them and have had an important influence within the blues and have created great music on there own. There are really good younger musicians in the Mississippi delta as well, many that I have also documented. However, my curatorial focus has been documenting the previous, elder generation."

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Bopp's photographs act like historical documents, capturing the spirit of an American culture that could soon be lost. From the scuffs on a musician's guitar to the droplets of sweat on his face, every detail contributes to the greater story of blues in America. "In general, I suppose, like all visual art, [I hope to evoke] an emotive reaction, good or bad. I am also hopeful that these images bring awareness to the people and music that helped create the blues, and the place where the blues came from."

Take a look at Bopp's work below and let us see your thoughts in the comments.


Cheyenne Jackson Gets Personal With 'Eyes Wide Open' Show At New York's Café Carlyle

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Over the past three years, Cheyenne Jackson has been the subject of intense media scrutiny for everything but the dynamite song-and-dance chops that made him a Broadway and television heartthrob.

In 2013, he divorced Monte Lipka, with whom he'd tied the knot just two years earlier, after more than a decade together. Then there was a stint in rehab, an alleged sex scandal, some new tattoos and, finally, a second marriage (to entrepreneur Jason Landau) last September.

It's a tumultuous, if ultimately joyous, period that the 39-year-old actor-singer plans to explore with candor in his new cabaret act, "Eyes Wide Open." The show, which opens Jan. 13 at New York's Café Carlyle, will take an honest and entertaining look at what Jackson describes as a journey of "loss, love, revelation and recovery."

"The past few years have been really, really important in my life. They've been really difficult and really wonderful -- up and down, and everything in between," Jackson, whose recent credits include the films "Behind The Candelabra" and "Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks" as well as the City Center Encores! production of "The Most Happy Fella," told The Huffington Post in an interview. "I would be remiss if I didn't talk about [those experiences] and how those things have informed my art."

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Jackson married Jason Landau (left) in September 2014.


Featuring tunes by Cole Porter, Louis Armstrong, Lady Gaga and Sam Smith, "Eyes Wide Open" could be Jackson's most intimate show yet. In keeping with the revelatory theme of his show, Jackson plans on breaking away from the tried-and-true cabaret mold of many of his musical theater peers by taking to the piano while singing during the performance.

"I've learned that if something scares you, then it means you have to do it. I write and play at home, but it's not something I've ever done in front of an audience," he said. "But [my musical director Willy Beaman] challenged me to do it. He dared me. So I thought, 'Why not do that for the first time at the most prestigious club in New York City?'"

Jackson's "go big or go home" mindset, of course, predates his Carlyle engagement. Throughout his career, the star has made no secret of his sexuality, and while he says he never expected to be a role model to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth, it's a position he now embraces and takes very seriously.

"If living my life openly, which I always have done, has an effect on people, then I am happy to be considered a role model," Jackson said. He went on to describe a time a young gay fan asked him for an autographed photo. Though it seemed like a perfectly simple request, Jackson couldn't have anticipated what happened after he'd responded.

"This [young man] wrote back to me and said, 'I just came out to my family, and the reason I asked for your picture is because I draw so much strength from the way you have always been so honest. I wanted to have your picture on the inside of my jacket when I talked to my parents, because I felt that it would make me stronger,'" Jackson recalled. The fan's letter, he said, "made my head explode. The fact that I gave him strength and he drew from that … I just thought that was the most beautiful thing."

He went on to note, "I'm proud that people can look to me. The blessings outweigh anything negative."

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In April 2014, Jackson starred opposite Tony winner (and longtime pal) Laura Benanti in the City Center Encores! production of "The Most Happy Fella."


If he has his way, Jackson could prove to be even more prolific in the forthcoming year. While he's mum on details, he says he's just signed on for an all-new project that he describes as "a really, really big part" and "definitely the biggest thing" he's ever done.

Having recently relocated to Los Angeles after 12 years in New York, Jackson is hopeful he'll return to Broadway in the near future, but says he'll hold out for "the right show that's worth uprooting myself again for." Ideally, he hopes any eventual project will be "something that hasn't been written [or produced on Broadway] yet," or, at least, a collaboration with stage directors Casey Nicholaw and Christopher Ashley.

For now, however, Jackson is perfectly content to concentrate on his Carlyle stint, as well as a more personal milestone.

"The thing I'm most proud of is my sobriety. When I focus on that, everything else pretty much falls into line," Jackson said. As for the message of his new show, he noted, "I want my audience to feel inspired about the possibility of what they can do in their own lives and to not be afraid of change or of the unknown. I want my fans to feel that they can put themselves out there. That's what life's about."

Cheyenne Jackson performs at New York's Café Carlyle in "Eyes Wide Open" from Jan. 13--24. For tickets and more information, head here.

Charlie Hebdo Cover Features Muhammad Holding 'Je Suis Charlie' Sign

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Charlie Hebdo revealed their cover image for this week's issue, printed just days after two gunmen opened fire on the newspaper's Paris office, killing 12 people. Four of the Charlie's cartoonists were killed in the attack.

charlie cover

The cover shows the Prophet Muhammad holding a "Je Suis Charlie" sign with the caption, "All is forgiven."

The newspaper said that it will print over 1 million copies this week, with financial help from Google, Le Monde and other organizations. They may even print an extra 2 million depending on the demand. It usually prints around 60,000.

How Did Applying For College Become Such A Nightmare?

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You've FINALLY finished your college applications and now you wait patiently until you find out which schools have deemed you worthy of attendance. *Insert eye roll.* The process is painstakingly brutal -- but it hasn't always been this way. Applying for college used to be relatively low-key.

Here's how the modern-day college admissions process happened to nice people like you:

Getting into college used to be hella easy (if you were rich).



The 1901 Dartmouth College football team, from Reddit user PleaseVoteForPedro

If you were an 18-year-old in the 1800s, getting into college was as easy as streaming "Orange Is The New Black" on Netflix today. In The Atlantic, Julia Ryans describes the process of getting into schools like Tufts University. She explains that in the 19th century, if you could afford the $200 downpayment (about $5,000 by today's standards) and had graduated from a top high school, you would have been accepted.

At worst, you had to take a entrance exam. If you passed, you were in.

retrofile college

If you didn't attend an elite high school, no worries: Ryan says that all you would have to do is take a pretty simple entrance exam, pay the downpayment and show "good moral character."

At most universities, the process remained fairly simple through the first decades of the 20th century.

Here's a sample application from Elon College from 1922, found by an archivist at the college who posted on Reddit:



A five dollar down payment, and you were already reserving a dorm room! As John Thelin, University of Kentucky professor and author of "A History of Higher Education" tells The Chronicle, "Most colleges would essentially admit any applicant who could reasonably do the work, especially if they could pay."

The admissions process began to change when "undesirable" students started passing those entrance exams.

retrofile college

College officials at Harvard, Yale and Princeton in the early '20s were shocked as immigrants, particularly Jews, started making up larger and larger proportions of their student body, according to Jerome Karabel's book, "The Chosen." Some administrators even referred to the trend as the "Jewish invasion," according to NYU professor Harold Weschler.

One Harvard president wanted to impose a quota on Jewish students -- but instead, schools found more subtle ways to handpick their student bodies.

Over the next decades, elite college admissions redefined "merit" to include subjective personal qualities.

retrofile college

Karabel tells Bloomberg that throughout the '20s, "An entirely new system of admissions was invented, with emphasis on such things as character, leadership, personality, alumni parentage, athletic ability, geographical diversity. They started, for the first time, to do interviews." According to Karabel, the purpose of these policies was to subtly reduce the number of minority students.

Over the next few decades, colleges stared emphasizing "subjective character," that was determined from interviews with applicants. These interviews screened students for qualities like being well-dressed, well-spoken and generally likable. In his book, Karabel describes how these standards favored wealthy students.

These standards for applicants maintained college as a place for the wealthy elite, typically white man.

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Total Ivy League material

In the '50s, applicants who exuded "manliness" were favored. According to Karabel, one student, described as academically "mediocre," was admitted because “we just thought he was more of a guy.” Karabel says the "manliness" quota purposely excluded applicants who were suspected to be gay. Sometimes, admission details were comically superficial. Karabel tells the New York he found notes on one rejected student that read, "Short with big ears.”

As the social movements of the '60s and '70s transformed America, colleges finally started recruiting more diverse student bodies.

college student microscope


Karabel tells Bloomberg that the brave activism, and the social turbulence, of the Civil Rights Movement pressured colleges to admit more diverse student bodies. For example, from 1968 to 1969, Karabel says, the number of black students at Ivy League colleges doubled. Many schools started using affirmative action to reverse the racial biases that had always dominated American colleges.

Over the next few decades, the population of college students soared:

college archive

The number of coveted "Ivy League" schools stayed the same, schools just had more applicants to chose from. To make the application process easier, 15 private colleges started using the Common App in 1975. Hundreds of schools would adopt the Common App over the next few decades.

The Common App kept many of the "subjective" ideals of the past, like leadership positions and personality -- but these factors were used to make colleges more inclusive to a wide variety of students. Thanks to increased government financial aid, more students than ever were able to go to college.

Growing media frenzy surrounding top colleges only made them more competitive.

harvard yale

U.S. News & World Report released the first "Best Colleges" rankings in 1983. Colleges with high rankings became even more competitive: By the late '80s, elite schools were rejecting students with perfect GPAs and test scores in the 98 percentile.

As more students gained access to college, schools had to sift through many more applications -- and students had to do more to stand out. Some schools started using "quirkier" questions to attract their ideal student personality. In the '80s, the University of Pennsylvania popularized this approach with a prompt that offered the hypothetical: "You have just completed your 300-page autobiography. Please submit Page 217." Other colleges followed suit, most famously, the University of Chicago, which in 2002, asked "How do you feel about Wednesday?"

Today, college admissions are more diverse and more competitive than ever.

harvard yale

More students are applying to more schools than ever before, thanks in large part to the convenience of online admissions. As a result, a whole industry has cropped up to help students battle the competition, including the the multimillion dollar test prep industry.

And while colleges are more diverse than ever before, the intense requirements to be admitted still puts some students at a major advantage. As a result, students from wealthy backgrounds are far more likely to get into a top college.

While our media culture remains obsessed with the "Ivy League," getting in is more of a crapshoot than ever before. But remember: you can become a major league success -- without going to an Ivy League school.

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Say Goodbye To NYC's Beloved Graffiti Mecca With This One-Minute Time-Lapse

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New York City's historic street art haven is no more.

The abandoned building complex in Queens -- that once played home to a highly publicized trove of graffiti -- has officially been demolished. It was white-washed in 2013, but the structure was finally razed in the last months of 2014.

If you missed out on the chance for one last goodbye, do not fret. ANIMAL New York created a time-lapse of the warehouse's demise. While we wait for the space to be replaced by a residential high-rise, you can mourn properly in just over one minute above.

RIP 5 Pointz.

Kyle MacLachlan Returning To Showtime's 'Twin Peaks' In 2016

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Special Agent Dale Cooper is officially coming back for the limited run of "Twin Peaks" on Showtime in 2016. The show's co-creator, David Lynch, confirmed that Kyle MacLachlan would reprise his role after the network and MacLachlan announced the news at TCA:




“I’m very excited to return to the strange and wonderful world of Twin Peaks,” MacLachlan said to the crowd. “May the forest be with you.”

The cult classic show will return to TV for nine new episodes next year, which will coincide with the 25th anniversary of its two-year run on ABC. Showtime announced the news back in October. At the time, co-creator Mark Frost told TVLine that "Twin Peaks" will pick up where it left off. "The story continues," he said. "The seeds of where we go were planted where we've been."

Legendary Cartoonist Robert Crumb on the Massacre in Paris

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Robert Crumb is considered by many to be the single best cartoonist America has ever produced. The creator of counter culture icons like Fritz the Cat, the Keep On Truckin guy and Mr Natural, Mr. Crumb was inducted into the comic book Hall of Fame in 1991, the same year he moved his family to France, where he has resided ever since. Writer Celia Farber reached him at his home on Friday, January 9, 2015, to talk about the massacre of cartoonists and others in Paris this week. 

The Book We're Talking About: 'The First Bad Man' By Miranda July

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The First Bad Man
by Miranda July
Scribner, $25.00
Publishes January 13, 2015

What we think:

It’s not surprising that Miranda July’s first novel was praised by Lena Dunham, who lauded her “ability to pervert norms while embracing what makes us normal.” Like Dunham, much of July’s work seems to center on offhanded descriptions of kinky sex. Also like Dunham, the artist, writer and filmmaker’s humor is self-deprecating. Fans of both writers seem to appreciate the frankness with which they confront taboos, and the wacky predicaments they construct around their fumbling characters.

But, both Dunham’s “Girls” and July’s work, which includes two films, a short story collection, and now a novel, seem to beckon vocal detractors. In July’s case, it’s easy to mock her too-precious plots -- whether or not meaning is burrowed beneath their cloying cuteness seems, thus far, to be a crapshoot.

In The First Bad Man, frumpy, middle-aged Cheryl is governed by her personal routine, which involves punching the clock at a self-defense video nonprofit, exchanging niceties with her potentially homeless gardener, and lusting after a member of her company’s board, the suave and silver-haired Philip. Her hopes are high that a chance encounter with him in the waiting room of his Chromotherapist’s office (yes, that’s color therapy -- our story takes place in Los Angeles) will allow him to remember the centuries-long bond she is sure they share. Instead, her carefully deliberated days are unpleasantly disrupted when her bosses’ daughter, a messy, burly bombshell named Clee, is plopped onto her couch against her will and for an indeterminate amount of time. Spurred on by Clee’s self-proclaimed misogyny and Cheryl’s memorization of the dialogue in Open Palm’s self-defense videos, the two agree to begin fighting violently whenever the mood strikes.

The surreal set-up is an excellent stage for examining the absurdity of certain gender norms, and July does so pithily: “That’s the problem with men my age,” she says of longing for Philip. “I’m somehow older than them.” Unfortunately, these smart non-sequiturs aren’t strung together by a cohesive or plausible story -- even within the world of July’s subverted social strictures, the actions of her characters are bizarre and inconsistent. They don’t evolve so much as undulate wildly -- often for the sake of laughs, which, to July's credit, are plentiful. Clee's hatred towards women inexplicably snaps into her identification as a lesbian. This could've been a nuanced take on the convoluted ways we realize our sexuality, but instead was played out as an uncomplicated comedic routine. Similarly, self-possessed but lonely Cheryl morphs into a super-mom on autopilot in no time -- too few pages are given to her sudden lack of autonomy, and she thoughtlessly accepts her role as the mother of a child that isn't hers.

While such sudden, complete value shifts are to be expected by young, immature characters such as Clee or the women on “Girls,” they make a narrative seem baseless when experienced repeatedly by an otherwise mild narrator. What’s worse: Many of Cheryl’s observations have an aesthete-like quality -- she humorously notes the looks of things, continuously calling Clee “bull-like” and “vacuous,” but without exhibiting much interior depth herself.

The effect -- intended or not -- is that The First Bad Man reads less like a thoughtfully constructed literary work and more like a diary of clever observations. Which isn’t to say it isn’t worth a read. July lays intimate desires bare, an act that can allow readers to feel more comfortable with their own strange inclinations.

What other reviewers think:
The New York Times: "The novel starts off tentatively, veers into derivative and willfully sensational theater-of-the-absurd drama -- part Pinter, part Genet -- and then mutates, miraculously, into an immensely moving portrait of motherhood and what it means to take care of a child."

Slate: "It incorporates a boldly feminist recasting of familiar tropes and genres, without worrying itself over empowerment at the expense of emotional honesty."

Who wrote it?
Miranda July is a writer, artist and filmmaker. She's the author of the short story collection No One Belongs Here More Than You, and the writer and director of "The Future" and "Me and You and Everyone We Know."

Who will read it?
Fans of quirky humor not unlike Lena Dunham's "Girls."

Opening lines:
"I drove to the doctor's office as if I was starring in a movie Phillip was watching -- windows down, hair blowing, just one hand on the wheel. When I stopped at red lights, I kept my eyes mysteriously forward."

Notable passage:
"At the Ethiopian restaurant I requested a fork. They explained that I had to use my hands, so I asked for it to go, got a fork at Starbucks, and sat in my car. But my throat wouldn't accept even this very soft meal. I put it on the curb for a homeless person. An Ethiopian homeless person would be especially delighted. What a heartbreaking thought, encountering your native food in this way."

Rejected Cover Designs For Edith Pearlman's 'Honeydew'

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Rejected Covers is an ongoing series for which artists reveal their inspirations and unused design ideas for popular titles. Below, Little, Brown Senior Designer Lauren Harms shares the process of selecting a spare yet melancholic image that suits the touching quality of Edith Pearlman's acclaimed short stories, for her latest collection Honeydew.

Edith Pearlman’s story collections are intimate and honest portrayals of life. Edith’s editor, Ben George, said to think elegant and sophisticated, with a touch of the melancholy that Binocular Vision, Pearlman’s previous collection, had portrayed so well. A cover that would be quiet but striking, like honey infused with sunlight.

After reading a few of the stories early on, I started to think about the beautiful, ephemeral things in life: iridescence, bioluminescence, prisms, sunbeams. There’s a character who sees pentachromatically, which means they interpret five color channels instead of the three the rest of us see. Because of that, I wondered if there was a way to portray a part of something as more vivid. Also, the title story involves a drug that is made from a ground-up moth grub found in Brazil. That spurred the idea of a macro shot of moth or butterfly wings.

pearlman 1

pearlman 2

pearlman 3

Shortly after getting the assignment to work on Honeydew, I was browsing Pinterest. As a visual person, I love Pinterest. It’s a great tool for collecting inspiration and every once in a while I’ll come across an illustrator or image that relates to something I’m working on. One day, I was scrolling the infinite scroll and came across a beautiful image of butterflies, soft and slightly out of focus, with flickers of light. I knew this would be a great image for Honeydew.

The clothing brand Anthropologie had pinned the photo, which led to a Tumblr post, which led to the Flickr profile of Sophie Banh (PSA: credit the images you repost and share that aren’t yours!). Sophie is a design student in Australia and has posted on Flickr some really wonderful photographs she’s taken. After a quick search I was able to find her design and illustration portfolio site and contact info. She graciously allowed Little, Brown to license use of the image.

pearlman 5

pearlman final

As you can see, the original image has a different coloring. I warmed it up with some color adjustments, making sure to keep the depth. We also decided to print on a pearlized paper that radiates and invites you to pick up the book.

Many people have asked why I chose to make the title and author name the same size. To me, it was instinctive from the start. They hold equal resonance, this is Edith Pearlman’s Honeydew.

John Galliano Debuts Margiela Collection In Highly Anticipated Return To The Runway

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We've been waiting for John Galliano's first Maison Martin Margiela collection to hit the runway since the designer was appointed creative director this past October. That moment finally happened Monday afternoon in London.

Galliano's "Artisanal" or couture collection debuted during London Collections: Men, and quickly eclipsed all other menswear shows thanks to the sheer anticipation of the designer's triumphant return and the hashtag, #MargielaMonday, which allowed the world to watch as it all unfolded.

SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS

It's been nearly four years since Galliano's infamous dismissal from Dior and many, including us, were uncertain if Galliano would ever design again after such a public and disgraceful meltdown. But he's back and delivered a 24-look collection that featured the type of over-the-top costumery we've come to expect from the 54-year-old designer -- coupled with Margiela's signature crystal-encrusted masks. The show notes promised “a process of discovery, returning to one’s roots: Piece by piece, deconstructing and constructing a new story for Margiela.” From the looks of things, that's exactly what audiences received.

Reviews have been mixed, with some echoing WWD's sentiment that the collection "fell short of the triumph so many were hoping for." However, Anna Wintour, one of Galliano's biggest and arguably most important supporters, couldn't disagree more.

“It was brilliant,” Wintour told WWD. “What I loved was the mix: There was so much that we know and we love about John, but then he took the Margiela vocabulary and translated it in such an appealing and innovative way. I loved seeing all the toiles at the end where you can see all the work and the new embroidery.”

The commentary on Galliano's return will definitely continue -- fingers crossed Cathy Horyn, legendary fashion critic who recently joined The Cut, will share her unfiltered views on the matter.

In the meantime, here's a look at Galliano's Margiela debut. What do you think?




This is everything you can ask for in a couture! @jgalliano #margielamonday

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He's Back. #MargielaMonday

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More #Margiela #MargielaMonday details

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#MargielaMonday first exit. The trim is toy black cars #regram @rebeccalowthorpe #Galliano

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#MargielaMonday hotpants #Galliano #regram @rebeccalowthorpe

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#MargielaMonday #JohnGalliano #hautecouture #LCM #Jazz #Goodtime

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The Finale part 2 #Margiela #MargielaMonday

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Amazon Orders Woody Allen's First TV Show Straight To Series

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A television series created by Woody Allen is coming to Amazon Prime, Amazon Studios announced on Tuesday. According to a release, Allen will write and direct what will be his first television series. The untitled program (currently using the name "Untitled Woody Allen Project") will include half-hour episodes and already has a full-season order. Allen will write and direct every episode.

“Woody Allen is a visionary creator who has made some of the greatest films of all-time, and it’s an honor to be working with him on his first television series,” Roy Price, Vice President of Amazon Studios, said in a statement. “From 'Annie Hall' to 'Blue Jasmine,' Woody has been at the creative forefront of American cinema and we couldn’t be more excited to premiere his first TV series exclusively on Prime Instant Video next year.”

“I don’t know how I got into this," Allen said in the same statement. "I have no ideas and I’m not sure where to begin. My guess is that Roy Price will regret this."

Allen's next feature film, an untitled project with Emma Stone and Joaquin Phoenix in starring roles, is due out this year. He has no other movies currently in development.

The news came just two days after Amazon Studios won its first two Golden Globes for Jill Soloway's landmark series, "Transparent." The show won Best Comedy Series and its star, Jeffrey Tambor, won Best Actor in a Comedy Series.

Remember Diem Brown In This New Clip From MTV's 'Challenge'

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MTV premiered the new season of one of its most popular franchises, "The Challenge," last week. But as fans of the series know, this season, "Battle of the Exes 2," developed a different feel and tone. Two cast members, Diem Brown and Ryan Knight, died after filming had wrapped. Brown died on Nov. 14 following a battle with cancer and Knight died on Nov. 27 of unknown causes. This season is dedicated to them both.

The show's producer, Jonathan Murray, has said that the deaths influenced how they edited the show. When asked in a Reddit AMA if they had considered not airing the show, he said, "All the cast and people who make the series believe that Diem and Knight would have wanted us to air the shows. We worked hard to make sure these final show do them justice.”

The season premiere echoed this sentiment, and in a new clip from Tuesday's episode, debuting on HuffPost Entertainment, viewers see Brown and her ex/teammate, CT Tamburello, compete in a kissing challenge. Drop the card, kiss your ex. Easy, right?



"The Challenge: Battle of the Exes 2" airs Tuesday at 11:00 p.m. ET on MTV.

Fran Lebowitz Tells Vanity Fair What We're All Feeling About Juice Cleanses

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Fran Lebowitz may not be the first name that pops into your mind when you think of social media, but a new collaboration with Vanity Fair might just change your mind.

The famed author, public speaker, documentary subject, International Best-Dressed List inductee and quintessential New Yorker teamed up with the glossy on a series of Instagram videos, where the sardonic icon gives her quick-witted, no BS thoughts on a slew of topics. Some commenters have observed that it seems like she doesn't care for anyone or anything, but we can totally get on board with at least some of these responses.

Highlights include her thoughts on juice cleanses ("I don't believe in magic,") her realization that most people don't "understand what an animal is" and how she really feels about the Clinton family.

Take a look at some of our favorite videos below.

#FranLebowitz on juice cleanses.

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#FranLebowitz on the Clinton Dynasty #nofilter

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In an interview with Vanity Fair, #FranLebowitz defines an animal.

A video posted by Vanity Fair (@vanityfair) on




#FranLebowitz, lost in Brooklyn.

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#FranLebowitz on the one place she'd smoke an e-cigarette.

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