Ilana Glazer and Jillian Bell would like to address the “old dinosaurs” of Hollywood. Their new movie, “Rough Night,” is about rowdy women doing rowdy things ― something that shouldn’t be a fresh phenomenon. It’s a stopgap, though hardly a solution, in a genre of storytelling that has largely remained the purview of men. 

Glazer, best known for “Broad City,” and Bell, the “Workaholics” star with standout roles in “22 Jump Street” and “The Night Before,” know “Rough Night” will invite correlations to macho capers like “The Hangover,” “Very Bad Things” and “Weekend at Bernie’s.” Scarlett Johansson, Zoë Kravitz, Glazer and Bell play college BFFs who reunite for a bachelorette weekend in Miami, where they are joined by the bride-to-be’s eccentric Australian pal (Kate McKinnon). The group’s booze- and cocaine-fueled hoopla takes a nosedive when they accidentally kill a stripper (Ryan Cooper) and attempt to dispose of the body. It’s the sort of antics that men undertake on the big screen all the time.

“We talked a lot about what people were going to compare us to,” Glazer told HuffPost last weekend at the movie’s New York junket. “Female-centric work is always more harshly compared and pigeonholed into some box when it’s described.” (For the record, Glazer has proudly never seen “The Hangover” and has no desire to change that.)

Last month, a Sony press release touted “Rough Night” as the first R-rated comedy produced by a major studio and directed by a woman since Tamra Davis’ “Half Baked” in 1998. Vanity Fair later published a headline with the same erroneous statistic, which discounts Nancy Meyers’ “It’s Complicated” and Mary Haron’s “American Psycho” (if you’re willing to consider that a comedy). Glazer also repeated this factoid, latching onto the notion as evidence of Hollywood’s resistance to adult female humor. The exact data almost doesn’t matter, though ― there are too few films that put women at the helm of bawdy material. Glazer is determined to speak out. In keeping, “Rough Night” ― directed and co-written by “Broad City” veteran Lucia Aniello ― represents another small step forward.

And yet. Glazer and Bell are keenly aware that one-off success stories can read as false progress. Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon have long said the 1991 feminist classic “Thelma & Louise” did little to galvanize female-focused projects, despite an Oscar-winning script by Callie Khouri and $81.5 million in domestic grosses when adjusted for inflation. Similarly, “Bridesmaids” was expected to precipitate a boom in female comedy, earning $169 domestically and an Oscar nomination for Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig’s script. Alas, here we are, still having conversations about the inhibitions surrounding women on the big screen.

“People get cocky,” Glazer said. “They think the change has happened.”

There’s a similar dynamic at play with “Wonder Woman.” Now that it’s a bona fide critical and commercial success, the conversation turns to what that success means for female directors. Will more be invited to the table? It’s a reasonable question, but it carries the burden of implying that, had “Wonder Woman” failed, these aspiring filmmakers would still be stuck in the dugout. That’s a lot of pressure for one movie to carry. With regard to “Rough Night,” Aniello has spoken about not wanting to “mess it up for the next woman to come along.”

Thankfully, Bell and Glazer are also writers who have devoted themselves to telling stories about women. The next season of “Broad City” premieres Aug. 23. Bell is working on one script with Charlotte Newhouse, her writing partner on the series “Idiotsitter,” which she likens to a Coen brothers movie. “And then the other one I like to call my little feminist project,” she said, referring to another she’s writing. Bell declined to elaborate, other than to emphasize, “It’s what I want to see as a viewer.” She’s determined to recruit a woman behind the camera, because “to hear the facts about female directors is actually upsetting.”

“Hollywood should look at itself,” Glazer said.

“Rough Night” opens June 16.

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It’s hard to work on a TV show like “The Handmaid’s Tale” and not be “jolted” into a “state of consciousness,” according to Joseph Fiennes. 

Fiennes plays Commander Fred Waterford, the leader of the oppressive dystopian republic called Gilead in Hulu’s hit series “The Handmaid’s Tale,” based on the book of the same name by Margaret Atwood. The book has been heralded as a feminist classic and (after some initial back and forth) the show seems to be following suit. So it comes as no surprise that Fiennes says he’s become an even bigger feminist after playing the Commander on a set full of iconic women like Elisabeth Moss (the show’s protagonist Offred) and Yvonne Strahovski (Serena Joy, the Commander’s brilliantly sadistic wife).

In a June 15 interview with Marie Claire, Fiennes said the series has really awoken him to women’s issues ― especially since the “most important people” in his life are his wife and two daughters. 

“Certainly the show has jolted me into a much more alert state of the inequality amongst the sexes,” he said. “By virtue of that, I feel much more switched on to feminism, and what it means and stands for. I want my daughters to live in a world where there is equality and parity of pay. We’ve got a long way to go. I read a statistic that if you’re a Hispanic woman it’ll be over 200 years until you achieve parity of pay. So yes, the show has jolted me into a state of consciousness.” 

The show has jolted me into a much more alert state of the inequality amongst the sexes. By virtue of that, I feel much more switched on to feminism, and what it means and stands for.
Joseph Fiennes

Fiennes also spoke about the eery way the dystopian future depicted in “The Handmaid’s Tale” has begun to feel closer to real life over the last year. From the U.S. pulling out of the Paris climate deal to the constant war over women’s bodies and reproductive autonomy, Fiennes pointed to the parallels between fictional Gilead and the United States in 2017.

“When you wake up and you see that America has pulled out of the climate deal in Paris, that sends huge messages about putting coal before the planet. Gilead has suffered from a fragile ecology that is now toxic and affecting fertility rates,” Fiennes told Marie Claire. “There is truth to it ― there is connection, themes, and parallels, sadly. It’s getting sharper and sharper, especially for women ― the autonomy of their bodies, and pro-choice vs. pro-life. Look at the administration, the imbalance of the female presence ― there’s a lot to draw on.”

One silver lining? The protests and resistance the U.S. has seen since President Donald Trump took office. 

“It was wonderful seeing the woman’s marches, and seeing numbers bigger than the president’s inauguration,” Fiennes said. “It gives one great heart that there are people present, alert, and awake, and voicing their frustrations. We need more of that.”

Head over to Marie Claire to read the rest of Fiennes’ interview. 

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While “Pretty Little Liars” may be coming to an end this month, you won’t have to say goodbye just yet.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood has launched a new “Pretty Little Liars” exhibit that fans can visit all summer long in Los Angeles. This is not a drill, people!

“We are thrilled to celebrate the success of the 7 seasons of ‘Pretty Little Liars’ with fans from around the world,” Gary Soloff, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood’s director of marketing, told HuffPost. “We wanted to bring fans a special exhibit that allows guests to step behind the lens and see what went into the making of the series here at Warner Bros. Studio.”  

“Tour guests can see authentic props, set pieces, costumes, and Pretty Little Liars filming locations on their Warner Bros. Studio Tour,” Soloff added.

From the dollhouse to the board game, this exhibit has every A.D. torture device you could ever want. Take a look at the tour highlights below. 

Join our weekly #PLLWatchParty by following HuffPost Entertainment on Instagram!

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Rock legend Neil Young announced he’s no longer sponsoring the Bridge School Benefit Concert in California, a legendary annual event that has featured some of the biggest names in music for three decades.

Young, 71, said he is dropping the concert for “personal reasons,” and did not elaborate. This year’s concert, which usually takes place in October, has been canceled. It’s unclear if it might return in the future.

The Bridge School, located in Hillsborough, teaches children with serious speech and physical disabilities. Young’s sons, Ben, with ex-wife Pegi Young, and Zeke, with the late actress Carrie Snodgress, both have cerebral palsy. Pegi Young co-founded the school to help Ben and other children, and she and Neil Young launched the annual concerts in 1986 to raise funds to keep it operating.

Young split with his wife in 2014 after 36 years of marriage, after he began a relationship with actress and activist Daryl Hannah. The upheaval immediately sparked speculation about the future of the concert.

Young also may have health concerns. He backed out of inducting Pearl Jam into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year due to an undisclosed illness. He said in December that he wasn’t going to tour in 2017, but will perform at the annual Farm Aid benefit in September.

Young said he’ll continue to raise funds for the school. “For personal reasons beginning this year I will no longer be hosting The Bridge School Concert,” he said in a statement on the school’s website.

“Of course, I love the students most of all because the light in their eyes tells me we have been doing the right thing. We have earned millions of dollars and the school is stable financially.”

He thanked the artists, who have “been so generous with their time and great performances.” He thanked his ex-wife for “coming up with the idea and pursuing it with such great dedication, working for the kids like our child Ben, young children with disabilities who needed more than our education system offered.” He thanked the Bridge School Community and those who attend the concerts, “bringing their love.”

Finally, he thanked “my incredible son Ben Young for being there at my side throughout these many Bridge School years. I love you. buddy.”

The two-day all-acoustic concerts have featured some of modern history’s best musicians.

Headliners have included Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir, Tom Petty, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Brian Wilson, the Cowboy Junkies, Patti Smith, Axl Rose, The WHO, Pearl Jam, Eddie Vetter, Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Jack White, Nora Jones, Steve Martin, and Tom Waits. All but one of the concerts were held at Shoreline Ampitheatre in Mountain View.

Children from the school always sat along the back of the stage during the performances, and several musicians, especially Young, would often turn to sing to them.

Here’s Young full statement:

After thirty years of hosting the Bridge School Concerts, I would like to say thanks to everyone involved. Of course, I love the students most of all because the light in their eyes tells me we have been doing the right thing for the last thirty years. We have earned millions of dollars and the school is stable financially, able to go forward although we still need an endowment and would welcome one.

Thanks to Pegi Young for coming up with the idea and pursuing it with such great dedication, working for the kids like our child Ben, young children with disabilities who needed more than our education system offered. Our heartfelt thanks and appreciation go to the artists who have been so generous with their time and great performances. Certainly, my love and appreciation go to Executive Director Vicki Casella, who has given 100% to skillfully support and guide the school over the years. Thank you to our wonderful staff, made up of the finest educators I have ever known. I would also like to thank the Board of Directors for their dedicated efforts on behalf of our students and Bridge School mission.

My long-time friends, manager Elliot Roberts and agent Marsha Vlasic have been putting these concerts together and gathering the incredible artist line ups year after year. Thanks to you both and to Frank Gironda for all the work you’ve put into the event. I would also like to thank Tim Foster and the crews he has ably led while handling production of the concerts and making everything so easy for us. Great job Tim.

The Bridge School Concerts would never have been possible without Bill Graham and BGP, as well as Another Planet Productions. Thanks to Jerry Pompili and all the people who worked for these production organizations and made our wonderful concerts so easy for everyone.

To the Bridge School Community, the folks who attend the concerts year after year bringing their wonderful enthusiasm and love, I say thanks and lots of love to every one of you. You are the soul that kept everything happening for all these years. I know the concerts have become part of the Bay Area Landscape and we were all there together. I appreciate being part of it.

Although I will continue in fund raising efforts, for personal reasons beginning this year I will no longer be hosting The Bridge School Concert. I wish everyone the best as the school heads into the future. My heart is with each and every child we have had the honor to serve and those we will continue to serve, and your parents, siblings, and extended families. Thanks to you all for the honor of serving such a great mission. Thanks to my incredible son Ben Young for being there at my side throughout these many Bridge School years. I love you buddy. The Bridge School would not have been possible without you.

Neil Young

 

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Lil Yachty took it to Springfield for Thursday’s “Tonight Show.”

Alongside house band The Roots, the 19-year-old hip-hop star rapped his way through “The Simpsons” universe to a reworked version of the animated show’s theme tune.

“I got more lines than Bart with chalk, I spit more lines than Maggie’s talked,” spat Lil Yachty, as host Jimmy Fallon shuffled through flash cards that matched each rhyme. 

Check out the full segment above.

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It’s an a cappella clash for the ages.

Actor-singer Jamie Foxx challenged “Late Late Show” host James Corden to a riff-off Thursday, and the resulting battle didn’t disappoint.

Things got pretty heated as the duo, with backing from The Filharmonic vocal group, fought for singing supremacy.

And when it all got a bit too much for Corden, it was up to Foxx’s “Baby Driver” costar Ansel Elgort to make a late appearance and smooth things over.

Check out the full segment above.

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This story is part of a series on ocean plastics.

Artist Benjamin Von Wong is drawing attention to an ugly problem with some beautiful pictures.

Von Wong’s mermaid photo series, which he staged and shot last year, features a woman dressed as a mermaid, drowning in thousands of plastic bottles. By visualizing the massive problem of ocean plastics pollution, Wong is hoping the series will get people to take action.

“I really wanted people to realize that within their lifetime, they would be personally responsible for generating 10,000 plastic bottles of waste,” Von Wong told HuffPost. “I wanted them to feel like they could make a personal difference ... to talk to their close friends and family about it.”

Von Wong used 10,000 real bottles in the shoot, to represent the number of bottles a person likely tosses in their lifetime. The average American goes through 167 bottles per year, according to a 2007 article from Fast Company ― reaching 10,000 bottles by age 60.

Wong’s video on the project clearly has gotten some people talking: Posted in December, it has garnered 30 million views so far. His petition on Change.org, asking people to reduce the amount of plastic they use in their everyday life, has more than 14,000 signatures.

Around 8 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year, according to a 2016 report from the World Economic Forum. That’s the equivalent of tossing the contents of a garbage truck into the ocean every minute. Over time, the plastic breaks down into smaller pieces, called microplastics, which marine animals like seals or fish can ingest or get tangled in, often leading to injury or even death.

To create the photo shoot, Von Wong borrowed thousands of bottles from a recycling center. He gathered friends and family to help remove the labels and caps, and clean the bottles and stage them for the shoot. Once the project was done, he returned the bottles to the recycling center.

The resulting photographs dramatically bring to life just how massive the problem of plastic pollution really is.

On the upside, there are a few simple tactics you can use in your everyday life to help reduce your plastic waste: You can carry around your own reusable bottles and take-out containers, for one. Experts recommend reusable containers and cups rather than single-use items, which people often toss in the trash.

See more of Von Wong’s plastic photo series below, or on his website.

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On Tuesday evening, a group of students ― pre-kindergarteners to 12th graders from New York public schools in all five boroughs ― converged at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The young people were not gathering for some sort of field trip, but rather to welcome visitors at the landmark museum to the opening night of their group exhibition.

For the past 10 years, The Met has hosted a group exhibition entitled “P.S. Art,” featuring artwork from a variety of media highlighting the innovation and skill emerging from public art education programs in and around New York City. On opening night, the young artists were given lanyards to distinguish them from the hundreds of visitors clamoring to get a glimpse of the work. Visitors were encouraged to approach any and all lanyard-wearers, providing the ever-rare opportunity to discuss an artwork on display at The Met with its maker. 

“One of the most powerful parts of the show is the moment when the young people realize their ever first show is happening at The Met,” Sandra Jackson-Dumont, the Museum’s Frederick P. and Sandra P. Rose Chairman of Education, told HuffPost in an interview. Jackson-Dumont oversees programming at the museum geared toward teaching and learning, from coordinating lectures and artist residencies to managing accessibility programming for museumgoers with vision loss or dementia. 

Every year, Jackson-Dumont explained, over 1,000 students submit their work to a jury comprising art world figures and staff members at The Met. The works are judged in comparison to others in their age group, though the criteria is inevitably subjective. “They’re looking for youth voice,” Jackson-Dumont said. “Even at that age, we encourage them not to copy. We want them, as artists, to use their own creative impulses and let that guide the process.” 

This year 103 artworks were selected, including a first-grader’s Picasso-like depiction of the Statue of Liberty and a 12th-grader’s wildly realistic sculpted bust titled “Self As Alexander.” Jackson-Dumont recalled hearing multiple comments in the vein of “Michelangelo should watch out” uttered in in the vicinity of the work at the opening. 

The show is a galvanized grab-bag of subjects, media, styles and skill levels, the work a visual reflection of the artists’ heterogeneity. “People make assumptions about who is featured in a show like this,” Jackson-Dumont said. “But we’re really looking at the full spectrum of education in New York public schools. We show work by every kind of student, including students with special needs.”

When asked if there were any salient themes tying the sundry works together, Jackson-Dumont responded: “There are a lot of portraits in the show, which I think communicates a sense of self-realization.”

This year marks the 15th iteration of “P.S. Art” and the 10th housed in The Met’s hallowed halls. As the tradition continues and evolves, Jackson-Dumont hopes to expand upon the number of works selected and exhibited. Currently approximately one out of every 10 artists is selected; she hopes to see that ratio grow over time. 

“It’s a matter of expenses,” Jackson-Dumont added. “This isn’t treated like a throwaway project. All the works are framed and arranged like they would be in any other Met exhibition. The labels here are the same as the labels upstairs.” 

Another longterm goal is building awareness of these kinds of exhibitions ― those that value local community and the universality of artistic expression as opposed to the fabled genius of the dead, white chosen few. “It’s not as if these projects haven’t been happening all around the country,” Jackson-Dumont said. “And yet you can probably count on your hands the number of times you read about something like this. People, I think, are now realizing that when you nurture young people in this way, you are nurturing the next generation of young innovators.” 

Conversations about exhibitions like “P.S. Art” often end up in a similar space, discussing the indispensable impact of an arts education on a young and growing mind. “The work speaks to the quality of arts education we want to see erupting,” Jackson-Dupont said. “I continue to be blown away by the commitment teachers and educators have shown to include arts education — not as something that is ancillary but a part of the basic education system.”

For those skeptical of the effect an artistic education can have on a young person in flux, Jackson-Dupont recommends stopping by an opening of a “P.S. Art” show and watching a third grader hardly big enough to reach a microphone proudly explain the motivations behind her work. “This is a space for young people to share their voices,” she said. “To live out loud as themselves and be celebrated, not scrutinized. When we provide a space for them to be their best selves and they show up that way.”

“P.S. Art” will show at The Met until Oct. 29, 2017. Between Wednesday, June 21 and Friday, June 23, 27 artworks from the show will be projected on the Clear Channel Spectacolor sign in the center of Times Square ― 43rd and 44th Streets on Broadway. The works will be shown for four minutes every hour beginning at midnight on Wednesday, as well as for one hour on Tuesday, June 20 at 2 p.m. 

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Is street art still street art if it dwells not on storefronts and avenues but 69 floors up in a Manhattan skyscraper? This is the question at the root of “ART4WTC: Gallery in the Sky,” an artistic collaboration between street art legends in the unlikely setting of 4 World Trade Center. 

Ron English, Jenna Morello, Lauren YS, Stickymonger and Kimyon333 are among the artists contributing to the project, which collapses the space between renegade, guerrilla artwork and corporate design. 

“What I find so entertaining is this contradiction of terms on all levels,” creative producer Robert Marcucci said in a statement. “And the fact that it is nestled in this very corporate structure gives it the attention I think it deserves ― a proper look at a contemporary art movement born out of a extremely stressed fabric of modern society, that is evolving more and more each day, blending various styles of art and sending a message out to larger audiences.”

Marcucci explained that the recruited artists had free rein to create whatever they so pleased in the space of the open 69th floor, though they were encouraged to seek inspiration from New York City, as well as the memory of 9/11 and ideas of rebirth, strength and patriotism. 

The project, dubbed an “art world in the sky,” captures the strange juxtaposition of corporate wealth and street energy that is unique to New York City. See some of the work below. 

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article’s headline misidentified the building as One World Trade Center.

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Tom Cruise is generally said to be a swell guy. Scientology screeds aside, his Hollywood collaborators often attest to what a fun oddball he is ― so much so that Vulture just published a list of 19 “unsettlingly nice” anecdotes about Cruise. Yet he is inarguably one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, and that role comes with a certain exacting baggage, for better or worse.

Case in point: the control Cruise reportedly demanded on “The Mummy,” which bombed in North America last weekend despite hefty grosses in foreign markets that still worship Cruise when he’s in action-star mode. (For the record, let’s agree right now that the best Tom Cruise is hardscrabble charmer Tom Cruise, as in “Risky Business,” “Jerry Maguire” and “The Firm.”) 

According to a blunt Variety piece, “The Mummy” is “a textbook case of a movie star run amok.” Cruise reportedly requested a script rewrite that amplified his screentime, supervision over the editing process and input in Universal Pictures’ marketing strategy. Sources also told Variety that Cruise “micro-managed” the set, dictated shots to director Alex Kurtzman and pushed for a June release to coincide with summer blockbuster season. (HuffPost reached out to Cruise’s rep for a response, but we haven’t heard back.)

That’s a lot for an actor without a producing credit. But Cruise hails from a distant era of moviemaking ― you know, the 1980s and ‘90s ― when stars were the guiding force behind most of Hollywood’s business model. Actors and actresses used to drive the film economy (think Cruise, Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson, Robin Williams); now that’s the duty of superheroes, franchises, reboots and adaptations. With great paychecks came great power, but those days are largely over.

“The Mummy” inaugurates Universal’s Dark Universe ― a lengthy series of monster movies green-lit before the first installment even opened ― but Cruise seems to have turned this film into a standard action vehicle for himself. To be fair, some insiders told Variety that Kurtzman was in over his head, so perhaps Cruise’s know-how was necessary. Whatever happened, the movie’s reviews were scathing. 

Cruise clearly wants to remain a moneymaker in a landscape that doesn’t make that as easy as it once was. Maybe that’s why he’s suddenly so keen on a “Top Gun” sequel, 31 years after the original. He had the biggest hit of his career ― “War of the Worlds” ― one month after his image-damaging appearance on Oprah Winfrey’s couch, but his movies have since been spotty at best. Cruise seems uninterested in playing the romantic leads and hard-working everymen that once defined his career, roles that offer a dose of humanity that action spectacles do not. And no matter how excited you are for another “Top Gun” or “Mission: Impossible” installment, there’s no denying that Cruise has sought some sort of higher plane in Hollywood, a look-at-me-go-I’m-an-Operating-Thetan-or-whatever confidence that shortchanges the talent he possesses when not attempting gravity-defying stunts. Even if he’s still the nicest guy on the block, it’s hard not to pine for the old Tom.

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The ladies of Twitter never fail to brighten our days with their brilliant ― but succinct ― wisdom. Each week, HuffPost Women rounds up hilarious 140-character musings. For this week’s great tweets from women, scroll through the list below. Then visit our Funniest Tweets From Women page for our past collections.

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Asian immigrant dads are often depicted in pop culture like that “high expectations Asian dad” meme ― strict and constantly disappointed.

Truth is, they can be just as goofy, embarrassing, and caring as any other dad. And though some may not explicitly say it, they love us and show it in the most powerful ways. 

In honor of Father’s Day on Sunday, HuffPost asked readers to share the sweetest thing their “strict” Asian dad has ever done. From working several jobs to make it in America, to going great lengths to cure their child’s homesickness, these stories prove that our fathers are perfect in their own ways.

Check out the sweet stories below. 

The Dad Who ― Rushing Out Of His Restaurant Job ― Endured A Burn To Be There For His Kid

“My dad heard I was crying at my nanny’s and rushed to finish cooking at the restaurant he worked at to get to me. Consequently, he accidentally gave himself a third degree burn from the wok in his effort to be there for me. There are moments like this throughout my childhood where he put me first despite his own comfort. I am indebted and sincerely grateful.” ― Jessica C.

A Father Who Drove Taxis And Worked Odd Jobs For His Family

“After arriving in the United States trained as an engineer, he took a number of odd jobs to provide for our family ― [he] drove taxis, was a security guard in a casino, and also worked a booth at a flea market. The sweetest and most meaningful things aren’t always the ones that make for a pretty picture.” ― Juhi T.

The Dad Who Didn’t Have Birthdays Growing Up, And Used His Lunch Break To Plan His Daughter’s 

“My dad has always made a big production out of me and my sister’s birthdays, stringing up the entire house with streamers and balloons. We used to go to bed early the night before our birthday, unable to sleep but giddy about the idea that our dad was on the other side of the door, transforming the house into something magical and just for us.

But when I turned 16, my dad had moved to an office nearly an hour away and didn’t have time to decorate.

So I went home after school, expecting nothing. But when I opened my bedroom door, I was welcomed by a freaking RAINBOW of decor. Even the windows were covered with paint markers. My dad had driven the distance during his lunch break, decorated my room (wicked fast probably), and then drove all the way back to work.

Yes, my dad grew up in the typical poor, strict household in then-undeveloped Korea where birthdays came and went without notice. I guess when he moved to the States and had my sister and I, he wanted to do things differently, and he did.”  ― Sarah J.

The Poet Dad

“He was a poet and he was always so proud that I liked to write as well, so he would ask me to look over his poems. It made lil’ ol’ me feel pretty important.” ― Christine K.

The Dad Who Drove For Hours To Pick Up His Homesick Daughter 

“It was a Friday of my freshman year in college and I was both car-less, friendless and homesick. I called my dad, crying that I had made no friends at school and I wished I could come home. So to my surprise, my dad drove 3.5 hours up to get me and 3.5 hours down to take me home. I forgot to mention he had worked a 10 hour shift and opened that morning.
And after the weekend was over, he did the same thing without letting me, or anyone else in my family, help him drive. I love you dad!” ― Megan-Joy D.

The Cheerleader Dad

“I was the ‘dumbest’ out of four siblings, because the rest were freaking child prodigies. But my dad, gosh, he knew I would face a lifetime of feeling inferior, so he always had my back. He ALWAYS built me up. Some of his last words to me were ‘not only are you the smartest out of all of them, you’re the most beautiful.’ Only the last bit was true.” ― Nama W.

A Father Who Left A Celebration To Comfort His Crying Daughter Over The Phone

“My parents are in a traditional arranged marriage, and never told me (nor my three other siblings) ‘I love you’ until I said it first at age 18. My dad never had to say it for me to know.

The sweetest thing my papa has ever done is just one moment out of millions. I was newlywed, living across the country from my family/friends, and my husband had just been deployed overseas. I called him sobbing, and apparently he walked out of some celebration/party he was at just to listen to me cry. He would tell me it’s okay, that he’s still with me, and listened for 30 minutes until he finally told me ‘now tell me about everything beautiful in your life.’ He’s always there to pick me up during my darkest days and to celebrate my grandest achievements. I’m beyond blessed to call him my papa and my friend.” ― Jennifer B. 

A Dad And Stepdad Who Both Ensured Their Son Would Feel Valued

“Both of my dads―birth dad and stepdad ― are very sweet. When I was younger, my birth dad will always say ‘I love you’ in the morning, when I woke up in the a.m., with a smile. After my birth dad passed away, my stepdad became my father figure. When I was 23 years old, he gave me an encouraging talk when I came out during the holidays. That was when I got comfortable calling him dad.” ― Wendell S.

The Dad Who Planned A Museum And Pie Date To Spend Time With His Family

“My dad decided one weekend to take to the Corning Museum of Glass, which was a good three or so hours away. His plan was to take us to the museum and to a diner that ‘had the most delicious pies.’ I was young and a brat, so I sulked the whole time about it being far and I didn’t see the point in a museum of full of “stupid” glass stuff. My dad’s been gone for 25 years now, and I think back to those times and wish I had appreciated them - and him - more.” ― Vincent C. 

And The Dad ― Who Is Many Of Our Dads ― Who Curled His Daughter’s Bangs Before School 

“He used a curling iron to curl my bangs under before I headed off to elementary school. I recall thinking to myself ‘wow! I don’t think he has ever used one of these things before today. Does he know what to do? Will he burn my forehead?!’” ― Angelique L.

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Bruce Springsteen will reportedly swap stadiums for Broadway theaters this fall.

The Boss will bring a “pared-down version” of his energetic and massive concerts to New York City for eight weeks, likely starting in November, according to The New York Post. The 67-year-old rocker is expected to set up shop five nights per week at the Walter Kerr Theatre, which seats less 1,000 people. The theater recently housed “Amélie,” which shut down in May.

Sources tell the paper that Springsteen might use the residency as a means to stage a bigger Broadway production ― like turning his 2016 memoir, Born to Run, into a musical about his life. 

Now that’s something we’d like to see.

Until then, we’ll be clamoring for what will undoubtedly be a hard-to-get ticket ― one that will likely give “Hamilton” a run for its money.

HuffPost has reached to Springsteen’s rep and will update this post accordingly.

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The Women’s March on Washington was littered with references to Hermione Granger.

“When Voldemort is president, we need a nation of Hermiones!” read one sign, which was posted on Twitter on Jan. 22, 2017, the day after more than 3.5 million people around the nation marched in solidarity with women’s rights.

“Without Hermione, Harry would’ve died in book 1,” read another.

In 1997, readers were first introduced to the brilliant and bookish character in Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone ― a young witch born to Muggle (non-magical) parents, with lots of “bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth.” In 2017, Hermione’s face is on protest signs around the world. She’s been reimagined as the center of the Harry Potter series, tasked with battling the patriarchy. You can even purchase posters, T-shirts and embroidered crafts on Etsy that ask “What Would Hermione Do?” 

Over two decades, the young British witch from J.K. Rowling’s eponymous Harry Potter series has grown from a literary smart girl into a powerful feminist symbol.

To understand the enduring appeal of Hermione, take a look back at what made the character connect to readers in the first place. Before Emma Watson portrayed the literary character on the big screen, forever entwining her own image with that of Hermione, Hermione Granger was a description on a page ― one that millions of children (and adults) felt drawn to. 

The first thing that makes Hermione so special is that the role she plays in the Harry Potter series defies certain literary tropes; tropes that articulate the role girls should play in boys’ lives, both on and off the page. 

“Usually when there are two boys and a girl, the girl is kind of the sidekick, and as they get older the boys fight over her attention,” Dr. Cecilia Konchar Farr, a professor of English and Women’s Studies at Saint Catherine University told HuffPost. “And what was very powerful was that Hermione was always so much a part of the trio. Hermione’s not just a sidekick, she’s a central character.” 

When The Smart Girl Gets To Save The Day

Instead of centering Hermione’s beauty or male-approved desirability, J.K. Rowling always centered Hermione’s brains, compassion and morality. There aren’t very many references to Hermione’s looks in the books, but readers of the Harry Potter series are constantly reminded that Hermione works harder and performs magic better than nearly everyone around her. This means that, not only is she consistently at the top of her class, but she is also an invaluable part of both the resistance against Voldemort and a key (and equal) member of the Harry-Ron-Hermione trio. After all, on more than one... or two... or three occasions, Hermione saves both Harry and Ron’s lives.

Her contributions and equal standing with the two male protagonists provide readers ― both boys and girls ― with a way to understand and relate to feminism. And Hermione’s “mudblood” status provides an avenue through which to explore deeper issues of racism and oppression.

“[Hermione ] displays a kind of feminism that is accessible to people for whom the term feminism has been sort of systematically demonized,” said Dr. Christopher Bell, a professor of Communication at the University of Colorado and editor of Hermione Granger Saves the World: Essays on the Feminist Heroine of Hogwarts.

Hermione’s appeal was always rooted in her ability to be a stand-in for smart, hard-working girls ― girls who yearned to see those qualities rewarded and valued in a world that still largely determines the worth of women and girls by their looks. As a girl who grew up being infinitely more confident in my academic and oratory abilities than my physical skills or looks, reading about Hermione was a form of wish fulfillment. What a world it would be if the smart girl got to save the day standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her male peers, and be celebrated for her accomplishments. 

Rowling has been vocal about the real-life inspiration for Hermione, calling the witch a caricature of her younger self. (“I wasn’t that clever. But I was that annoying on occasion,” Rowling told TIME in October 2000.) 

She has also said that putting her female protagonist’s abilities and cleverness front and center was intentional. 

“I know that Hermione is incredibly recognizable to a lot of readers and yet you don’t see a lot of Hermiones in film or on TV except to be laughed at,” Rowling told Wonderland Magazine in 2014. “I mean that the intense, clever, in some ways not terribly self-aware, girl is rarely the heroine and I really wanted her to be the heroine.”

So the heroine she is. Hermione uses logic to solve Snape’s riddle at the end of the first book, deploying skills that most wizards quite simply don’t have. (”This isn’t magic — it’s logic — a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven’t got an ounce of logic, they’d be stuck in here forever,” she tells Harry and Ron.) She successfully uses a time-turner. She organizes a movement to free Hogwarts’ enslaved labor force of house elves. She starts Dumbledore’s Army. Without hesitation, she agrees to leave school to help Harry hunt down horcruxes. She does all of these things while maintaining her values and integrity. 

The longevity of Hermione’s appeal has dovetailed with the mainstreaming of feminism. In 2007, when Emma Watson told Scholastic she was “a bit of a feminist” during an interview ahead of the release of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” most celebrities were still scared to even associate with the term. Today, celebrities are shamed if they reject the label. 

So, What Would Hermione Do?

Perhaps the greatest lesson that Hermione teaches us is how valuable it can be to take risks. After all, saving or changing the world often requires some form of sacrifice, danger and facing down the forces of evil. 

“What would Hermione Granger do? A lot,” wrote HuffPost’s Chloe Angyal, a week after the presidential election. “She’d take real risks, lots of them, and endure a great deal of uncertainty, fear and suffering. We’re going to have to do the same.”

When our own world begins to feel darker and in need of saving ― from terrorism, bigotry, or even the leaders of our own government ― it’s only natural to turn to pop culture for inspiration. And who better to emulate than Hermione Granger, the clever, idealistic young woman who uses her brains rather than brawn to create lasting, widespread change? (The fact that Emma Watson has become an outspoken feminist, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and HeForShe spokesperson since finishing the Harry Potter franchise makes the political associations we have today with Hermione even more potent.) 

The 2016 presidential election created the perfect storm for Hermione Granger symbolism. Here was a smart, hyper-competent, over-achieving woman facing down a cartoonishly unqualified man who spewed hatred at women, Muslims, immigrants, refugees, and disabled people. She would surely triumph, right? That’s how this story is supposed to end. 

But we live in America, not the magical underbelly of England. 

“When the woman who was so strong, who worked so hard, who colored inside the lines and did everything you were supposed to do, when she was defeated ― not by a really competent, wonderful man, but by a man that every feminist would object to and [many] who wouldn’t even call themselves feminists ― that was really hard,” said Dr. Farr. “So we go back to Hermione, because it’s the fantasy world where the smart girl triumphs, where the smart girl wins.”

In the wake of President Donald Trump’s election and inauguration, women and men were activated, ready to make that fantasy world a reality. The first major action of what we now know as “the resistance” was the Women’s March.  

Dr. Bell recalls seeing a variety of female heroes being used to convey a message of political solidarity during the marches ― Princess Leia, Wonder Woman, Kamala Khan a.k.a. Miss Marvel, and Hermione Granger. But he believes that there’s one thing that sets Hermione apart from the others. 

“Kamala Khan, Wonder Woman, and even Princess Leia for the most part, are physical heroes,” Dr. Bell told HuffPost. “Hermione is not a physical hero. Hermione wins because she’s smart. And Hermione doesn’t just win because she’s smart, she wins because she works harder than everybody else... We sort of discount her labor and praise her innate qualities, which is what we do to girls and women all the time. I think all of those things combine to make Hermione sort of a perfect symbol for young American feminism.”

Women don’t need Hermione Granger to teach them to persist in the face of great challenges, but it’s nice to have her around when we need some inspiration. After all, when times get tough, smart girls know there’s only one thing to do: get to work. 

From June 1 to 30, HuffPost is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the very first “Harry Potter” book by reminiscing about all things Hogwarts. Accio childhood memories.

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The bond between fathers and their children can be a stunning expression of unconditional love, joy and hope for the future.

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Unless you’ve been living in a pineapple under the sea since 1999, you know who SpongeBob SquarePants is.

And you know the beloved cartoon sponge looks like this:

You may also be aware that SpongeBob has a friend, a starfish named Patrick, who looks like this:

You may not know, however, who Miguel Vasquez is.

He is a 21-year-old 3D artist from Ontario, California, who decided to take it upon himself to digitally sculpt what SpongeBob and Patrick would look like if they were real-life humans.

Let’s just say that his rendering is quite a bit to take in.

Vasquez told HuffPost that he’s always had an obsession “with popular fictional characters turned into somewhat realistic alternative versions.”

He said he would find himself Google image-searching things like “real life Homer Simpson” or “SpongeBob human form” and would stumble upon a few portrayals, but they never pleased what he describes as his “erratic taste.”

So, in April he decided to take it upon himself to create his own interpretations using 3D sculpting software.

Vasquez uploaded his creepy creations to ArtStation, an online showcase platform for artists, just last week. Thanks to a Twitter user named Max Goof, the photos made their way on to the popular social media platform on Wednesday and, needless to say, some people were taken aback.

Others pointed out a relevant flaw in Vasquez’s designs.

But Vasquez doesn’t seem to mind these kinds of reactions. He told HuffPost that the project was done purely for fun and freaking people out was the “plan all along.”

He does have one regret, however.

“My first initial take was to give SpongeBob pimples instead of holes on his face, since he is portrayed human here,” he said. “But I went with the holes instead.”

Oh, thank Squidward he didn’t!

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Because they embody characters will all sorts of talents and experiences, actors get to learn a lot of nifty skills. Naomi Watts, for example, picked up the ukulele and video games ― sort of ― for her new movie, “The Book of Henry,” which opens this weekend.

Watts plays a single mother named Susan who cedes most adult responsibility ― you know, paying bills and cleaning and managing the family’s stock trading ― to her precocious 11-year-old Henry (Jaeden Lieberher). If she’s not scurrying to her waitressing job or schlepping her kids around in a beat-up station wagon, Sarah is probably playing violent video games or imbibing with her lush co-worker (Sarah Silverman). Not that she doesn’t adore her sons (she also has Henry, an 8-year-old played by Jacob Tremblay); she just plays a little fast and loose with the whole parenting thing. 

One night, while tucking Henry and Peter into bed, Susan pulls out a ukulele and serenades them with a rosy sleepy-time song. That required a double whammy for Watts, who doesn’t play the ukulele and feels “very, very uncomfortable” singing.

“As an actor, you get to learn little bits of things through these characters,” she told HuffPost last month at the movie’s New York junket. “I remember one time I had to learn to ride a unicycle. Another time I hard to learn to play an Erik Satie piece on piano. And this time, the ukulele. But I don’t even know if I can still play it.”

Watts shot “The Book of Henry” in late 2015. Opening this weekend, the film is the latest addition to the actress’ busy 2017 slate, which started with festival holdovers “Chuck” and “Three Generations,” continued with a top-secret role in the “Twin Peaks” revival, and revs up even more with the lead role on Netflix’s forthcoming “Gypsy” and as the eccentric mother in the adaptation of Jeannette Walls’ best-selling memoir The Glass Castle. 

Watts is well aware that not all of these projects will find an instant shelf life. “Chuck” and “Three Generations” have already failed to crack $1 million at the box office. “Twin Peaks” may not be a ratings bonanza, but it’s a conversation-starter online thanks to its rabid fan base. And “The Book of Henry,” for all its tone-shifting madness, has the added credential of being the latest project from Colin Trevorrow, the director of “Safety Not Guaranteed,” “Jurassic World” and next year’s “Star Wars: Episode IX.” 

“You just never know if people are going to be willing to receive it at that particular time,” Watts said. “It’s always a risk and it’s very painful when things don’t work out in the way that you’d hoped because you put so much into it, you really do. I never take on a project where I just sort of phone it in — I have to bleed for it.”

At least she can cross “ukulele” off her bucket list. 

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Commotion erupted briefly Friday night in New York City’s Central Park as a protester stormed an outdoor stage during the assassination scene of Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar,” while another shouted from the audience, calling the crowd watching the provocative play “Nazis.”

The New York Public Theater’s presentation of the 400-year-old play features actors in modern-day garb and attempts to explore issues of politics, idealism, plots and dictators in Shakespeare’s examination of Caesar’s life and death. The actor playing Caesar sports a navy blue suit, a red tie and reddish blonde hair, and grabs at his wife’s crotch in a characterization that evokes President Donald Trump.

The wild scene at Friday’s performance was captured in videos posted to Twitter, including one by the protester in the audience ― Jack Posobiec, a Trump fan and “Pizzagate” conspiracy theorist.

Just as the assassination scene was beginning Friday night, Laura Loomer, a right-wing activist, barged onstage. “Stop the normalization of political violence against the right,” she shouted. “This is not acceptable.” A voice on the loudspeaker then announced: “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re going to pause. We’re going to pause. Security. Security.”

As security came to corral Loomer, the audience booed her, then applauded as she was escorted away.

That’s when Posobiec jumped up, shouting to the rest of the crowd, “You are all Nazis like Joseph Goebbels” ― a reference to Adolf Hitler’s minister of propaganda. “This is all Goebbels. You are inciting terrorists. Goebbels would be proud. You are Nazis.”

Again, the audience loudly booed Posobiec as he was taken away by security. The play resumed after he and Loomer were removed.

Loomer ― a reporter with The Rebel Media, a far-right Canadian outlet that started a “Free Laura” campaign Friday evening ― and Posobiec held a Twitter press conference after they were taken to the Central Park Precinct. Loomer said she’d been charged with disorderly conduct and trespassing, which she called “kinda weird because it’s a public park.” She said she has set up a website for contributions to her “legal defense fund.”

The play has drawn controversy for its assassination scene, where Caesar is killed by the Roman Senate. Delta Air Lines and Bank of America yanked their sponsorship of the production this week.

Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, retweeted a complaint about the play after a gunman opened fire Wednesday on a GOP congressional baseball practice, critically wounding House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and injuring three others.

The theater has defended the work, which can be interpreted as a cautionary tale that warns against violence. In the play, the republic falls apart shortly after Caesar’s assassination.

“Our production of ‘Julius Caesar’ in no way advocates violence towards anyone,” the theater said in a statement. “Shakespeare’s play, and our production, make the opposite point: those who attempt to defend democracy by undemocratic means pay a terrible price and destroy the very thing they are fighting to save.”

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Wonder Woman knows that a sword tucked carefully down the back of a dress can come in handy. Now apparently lots of other women are imagining what that honed steel could do.

Women and girls are popping up for photos on social media with some facsimile of Diana Prince’s handy-dandy sword — known as the “God killer” — slipped down the back of their dresses. They’re mostly posing in gowns a bit like the dress Wonder Woman wore in the scene when she attends a party with the sword where she can grab it quickly.

Photos are being posted at #WWGotYourBack, making the point that a good weapon can help a clever girl — and that women can have each other’s backs.

Lots of posers on social media get close to the Diana Prince vibe. Others aren’t quite so relaxed around sharpened edges that could slice skin, so they’ve gone the safety route — with wooden or plastic swords, light sabers, even pool noodles, or just a tattoo.

 Some wags made fun of the utter ridiculousness of actually wearing a sword a la Wonder Woman — so they stuck even larger things down their back — like a bow, giant sabers, and ...

Take that.

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