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It's About Time Someone Made This 'The Nanny'-Inspired Instagram

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“The Nanny” taught viewers that “flashy girls from Flushing” can land a job in childcare even if they have no experience, and then live happily ever after with their handsome, Broadway-producer boss.




Just kidding, kind of. What the show really provided was a lot of laughs, some great comebacks (namely between Niles and C.C. Babcock), amazing guest appearances, a “will they won’t they” love story for the ages and of course, a whole lot of epic style.




That epic style has finally been given the 21st century social media treatment it deserves, thanks to the “What Fran Wore” Instagram account. The page, which boasts over 18,000 followers, recounts all of her best outfits and even provides the real life inspiration for some.




Commenters have IDed the coat as Marc Jacobs and the dress as Helmut Lang, 1994 . Fran Fine was basically a 90s Supermodel

A photo posted by Fran Fine Fashion (@whatfranwore) on




 


It’s about time us “Nanny” enthusiasts had a place to share our love for Fran’s wardrobe. After all, while viewers tuned in to see what kind of antics she would get herself into next, everyone knows it was her sartorial savvy that stood at the epicenter of the show.




Need further proof? Here are 11 style lessons we all learned from “The Nanny.”


1. Always make an entrance.









2. Turtlenecks are a girl’s best friend.









3. When it comes to hair, bigger is always better.









4. Changing it up every once in a while is crucial (and so much fun).


 









5. Great style is ageless.









6. The only opinion that matters when it comes to what you’re wearing is your own.









7. Animal print is a neutral.









8. A little glamour never hurt anyone.









9. Having your hair done at all times is key.


 









10. Always wear shoes you can run in.









 


11. And most importantly, fashion should be fun.








You rule, Fran Fine!

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Lisa Frank's Clothing Line Is Real, And It's Magical

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We already wear our love of Lisa Frank on our sleeves, so why not wear it on our actual sleeves?


The oh-so-perfectly ‘90s purveyor of folders, coloring books and dreams come true recently launched its latest venture: a colorful clothing line complete with all your favorite Lisa Frank characters and of course, plenty of neon.


Reasonably priced from $24.99 for T-shirts to $59.99 for the coolest dress of all time, the line has something for everyone (who is willing to step out in public wearing Lisa Frank clothing).


You were looking for a dress to wear to that bachelorette party, right? 


 



Or perhaps a unicorn-emblazoned crop top to take your workout to the next, magical level?



Cold? This sweatshirt will warm you up and make you look cool:



Whatever Frank fits your fancy, you’re sure to be the coolest kitten on the playground at the party in these duds. Head to Rage On to let your imagination (and your wallet) run wild.


h/t Mashable

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‘The Goldfinch’ Movie Looks Like It’ll Be As Dreamy As The Book Itself

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At over 800 pages, Donna Tartt’s Pulitzer-winning, bestselling novel The Goldfinch is too long and wending to be categorized.


It’s a story about loss, loneliness and self-identity, as narrator Theo loses his only caretaker ― his mother ― to an explosion at The Met. It’s a story about the healing bonds of youthful friendship, as Theo connects with the nerdy, wealthy Andy Barbour and the devil-may-care Boris, a pair of boys whose only similarity is their impact on the book’s troubled hero. It’s also, somehow, a love story, a coming of age story, a globe-trotting heist story, and a story about the wonders and power of art. 


The only thing The Goldfinch isn’t is a straightforward narrative, one that can be easily condensed into two hours’ worth of action. But, it was a very popular book, so, naturally, its onscreen debut is on its way, IndieWire reports


All hope’s not lost for the adaptation, though; John Crowley, the director of last year’s Academy Award nominee “Brooklyn,” will be directing it, which bodes well for a thoughtful, entertaining adaptation.


Like “Brooklyn,” The Goldfinch is about a young person who suffers the death of a family member, an event that catalyzes a series of new, promising connections. Both stories blend action with meandering character studies, so it seems that Tartt’s book is in good hands.


If only it were possible to cast a “Sixth Sense”-era Haley Joel Osment as Theo. If only.


Read More:


Why You Absolutely Should Read ‘The Goldfinch’

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18 Female Artists Give Advice To Women Starting Out In The Art World

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This article originally appeared on artnet News.



It’s no secret that the extraordinarily competitive contemporary art world can be an especially tough place for female artists to navigate.


The gap in gender equality ranges from the not-so-subtle dominance of male artists at gallery and museum shows to the outright misogyny of an artist like Georg Baselitz, who has openly stated, “it’s a fact that very few of them succeed,” when referring to female artists. Amid much-hyped headlines about works that have broken the $100-million mark at auction—10 artworks to date—not a single one is by a female artist.


“Unfortunately, there is no gender equity anywhere right now—and the art world is no exception,” said Janice Sands, executive director of Pen and Brush, a nonprofit space started in 1893 that offers female writers and artists a space to create and show their work. “Many young women artists who are going out there and really trying to make a living at this may not be thinking about gender at all,” said Sands. “They are thinking about whether they can find a gallery to show their art, get representation, sell their work.”


With this often discouraging contemporary art world backdrop in mind, we sought the advice—and inspiration—of a group of established female artists to see what crucial wisdom and tips they would impart to the next generation.


Sands says: “This is the reality that exists, but we hope that we can do something about it.”



1. Sarah Morris
In Howard Hawk’s Scarface, Tony Montana points to a sign that says “The World is Yours.” You have to change the name on the door.



2. Ebony G. Patterson
Being an artist is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Give yourself time; be patient. Maintain commitment and critical engagement in your practice. Work hard and work even harder when you are not satisfied. In those moments of displeasure you must allow the love of making to propel you forward.



3. Dana Hoey
Take nothing personally (even when its personal).  Learn to take and use criticism.  Protect your work. Make your work.



4. Shinique Smith
To my fellow female artists coming up in the art world: Be clear and sincere about your work, and believe in your value, because if you don’t, it makes it difficult for others to believe. Always offer support and encouragement to your peers, the women who came before you and those who will come after you.



5. Marilyn Minter
Find your strengths and develop them! Don’t waste your time trying to do things that don’t come easy to you.


Go with your gut, even if it goes against all rational thinking.



6. Nyeema Morgan
My first thought is what would I tell myself if I had to start from the beginning of my career. There is so much to be said, so many caveats. I think in this cultural moment one of the greatest detriments to a young artist’s creative practice is conformity. The desire to be desired, to be ‘liked’, for every utterance to be acknowledged and lauded.


It would be too easy and expected to accept the rewards of self-exploitation. Resist. Contrary to popular belief it is not an enriching practice of feminist empowerment. Instead, cultivate a critical mind. Always ask questions of yourself, your work and the world around you. Learn to embrace challenge and avoid settling into a way of working that is too comfortable. This doesn’t mean your should live in a place of agony.


Do not torture yourself, but find the joy in what you are making, dismantling, and discovering.



7. Patricia Cronin
March to your own drummer, don’t follow the crowd, focus on making art history, don’t focus on the market (they’re only interested in boys anyway) and be the best advocate for your work. Eyes on the Prize.



8. Deborah Kass
Always go towards the love.


Find a community.


Get rid of negative friends.


Don’t be a dick.


Stick to your guns.



9. Mariko Mori
Never compare your career with other artists. Concentrate on developing your work and believe in yourself. The necessary path to grow as an artist is all different and unique. Trust in your path as every moment is a gift to strengthen your creativity.



10. Adrian Piper
First, you should be clear about what you are aiming for: (1) public approval, (2) commercial success, or (3) art-historical significance. These three are not necessarily mutually exclusive, and there is nothing wrong with any of them. But my remarks address only (3).


The best means to art-historical significance is financial independence. Don’t even think about trying to earn a living from your artwork, or else you’ll start producing the artwork that will earn you a living. A trust fund will divert your energies in a different way. The best means to financial independence is a day job in a different field. Waiting tables, driving a cab, office work, and teaching are traditional alternatives for artists, but the digital revolution opens up many others. All of them will free you to make the work you are most deeply driven to make, regardless of whether or not anyone else likes it or buys it. That’s the work that’s most interesting and important to you. You won’t have time to waste on producing work that doesn’t obsess you.


Your day job will also free you to be selective about what you do in order to promote your artwork, and with whom. It will protect your pursuit of quality. That’s one reliable path to art-historical significance (although of course not the only one).



11. Laurie Simmons
If there is an idea burning a hole in your brain…Get it out, don’t hoard it. If it embarrasses you, even better.


Become the responsible, dedicated custodian of your own work early on, even when you feel like you have no “career”. Some of the most critical work you will do might come at a time when you feel like no one is watching. Don’t focus on the gatekeepers of galleries and institutions for your sense of self worth. No one will do a better job than you of caring for your own work. Have a broad circle of artist friends and look to them for support and approbation. These relationships are powerful and reciprocal.



12. Lucia Koch
Focus on your work and what you feel you need to do, rather than on what people expect you to do. It’s not about pleasing others. Stand for your work and rest assured that it will have the space, lighting, and the context it needs.


Work hard, think hard, do not get satisfied easily, no matter if you’re a woman or not (a woman artist can give advice to men, too).


Avoid participating in “women artists” shows. They are made to keep us constrained in a category, as if we are not just artists, like men are. Have you seen shows of only male artists? A lot, of course, but it’s not written in the title or part of the curatorial statement.



13. Pat Steir
For 20 years no one looked at or liked my work. Accept feedback, but don’t make changes based on that. Be friends with other women artists your own age, whose work you like and maybe even love.



14. Emma Sulkowicz
Don’t get competitive with other women artists!


Those who feel the most insecure tend to get competitive with other artists that they identify with or feel similar to. Competitiveness born from insecurity holds so many people back. I truly believe in collaboration with other artists, especially the ones that intimidate you the most. We need artists of all genders to work together!



15. Betty Tompkins
The best course of action is to stay true to your self/vision/ideas. Don’t do work to please other people. Don’t try to do what’s trendy. Figure out a way to support yourself independent of sales of your work.


Perseverance is a great quality. Don’t try to get shows or representation until you have already done the work,  and when you do get opportunities to show, be positive and prepared.



16. Wendy White
I could say the same old stuff about working your ass off and not giving up, but the truth is the art world will never be a meritocracy anyway.


I think as women, rather than looking at art history as the gold standard, we have to always look forward. Burn it down. Be ruthlessly yourself, find your own heroes, prop up and support the women around you. Also, the thing that bothers people about your work is usually the most original aspect of it, so you should probably do it more.



17. Lisa Yuskavage
Make art that you want to see that doesn’t already exist. Stand by it regardless of the response. Try to get past the desire to have everyone like you.


All positive feedback is not a good sign. It means you are feeding the views that they already like and not going to change how the world sees.



18. Mary Heilmann
Just keep the faith. Don’t give up. Keep on pushin. Love, Mary H.

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The Musical Homage To 1980s Dance Is Just The Thing To Get You Moving

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Welsh-born singer-songwriter Rod Thomas, who goes by the stage name Bright Light Bright Light, teamed up with Elton John for his new song, “Symmetry of Two Hearts,” and The Huffington Post has an exclusive first look at the video.


The clip, which can be viewed above, is a nod to the 1987 cult classic, “Mannequin,” with Thomas and his crew of dancers striking slick, robotic poses in a bare, nondescript room. John contributed backing vocals on the fizzy, electro-pop tune, which is a cut from Bright Light Bright Light’s latest album, “Choreography.”


The 33-year-old Thomas, who is based in New York, told HuffPost that “Choreography” was heavily inspired by dance sequences in films like “Mannequin,” “Gremlins” and “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion.” To bring that to life on video, he recruited award-winning theater choreographer Steven Hoggett, who also created the moves for Broadway’s “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time.” 


“My favorite thing in the world is to watch a dance sequence in a movie. For three or four minutes, everything’s fabulous, and you just escape everything – nothing really compares to that,” Thomas, who named Kate Bush, Grace Jones and Erasure as musical influences, said. “I wanted to make an album that captured that joy.”



Released July 15, “Choreography” features collaborations with Alan Cumming and Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters in addition to John, who also sang on the album’s first single, “All in the Name.”


“I’ve been really fortunate and I’ve met some really wonderful people over the past few years,” Thomas said. He previously teamed up with the Rocket Man for 2014’s “I Wish We Were Leaving,” a cut from Bright Light Bright Light’s second album, “Life is Easy,” and opened for him on his tour that same year.


“Never in a thousand years did I expect to meet anybody of that kind of level of fame, let alone befriend him and have him sing on a song I wrote in my bedroom,” he quipped. “It’s just wild.”


Much like his bold-named collaborators, Thomas has been open about his sexuality in his music and his live performances. Though he hesitates to call himself a “spokesperson” for the LGBT community, he nonetheless feels that “it’s important to be aware of any implication your words might have for the community” as an openly gay artist. 


“When I was growing up, I didn’t really have a gay role model that I felt that I could relate to. I felt like everyone was too cool or too fabulous. I felt so normal,” he said. Pointing to the likes of Sam Smith, he added, “It’s really nice, these days, that there are people who don’t look like otherworldly beings who are also out and proud.”


As to what he hopes listeners take away from his music, Thomas said, “I just want people to have fun. I think that there’s a lot of sh*t happening in the world that’s really, really terrible. I think that music is a really fantastic way to remember that life can be full of joy and that despite everything that’s happening, there’s a lot of good in the world.”


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Need A Sexist Profile About A Female Celebrity? Use This Generator!

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In 2016, there’s no shortage of men writing about women in borderline deplorable ways.


Just look at the Vanity Fair profile of Margot Robbie.


This happens because a lot of magazines, not just Vanity Fair, have decided that it’s totally kosher to assign men who are over the age of 50 with the job of writing about the young, hot female celebrities of the moment. 


New York Magazine’s The Cut took this abominable form profiling and turned it cheeky by making a sexist profile generator, Mad Libs style. 


We made one of our own with the generator, using Mila Kunis, Emma Stone and Channing Tatum:




Legend has it that when trappers first came upon the mountain range we know now as the Grand Tetons, they believed them to resemble a particular part of the female anatomy, so they named them the Great Boobs Mountains. Many a man has tried to capture the majesty of Great Boobs Mountains in words, and much like attempts to describe the defiant beauty of Emma Stone, most fail. Noble man that I am, I present my attempt at doing both.


Like a mountain pushing through a passing cloud, Emma Stone walked into the secluded restaurant on the Malibu coast that I was sitting in, looking like a banana cream pie. She was soft, Parisian, and award-winning, and though she is 32, she doesn’t look a day over 21. Her signature stems were practically glistening in the morning air, and as she glanced toward me, I remembered the first time I saw the Grand Tetons and tried in my head to compare them to Emma Stone. They are, I mused, nothing compared to her. She grinned at me blissfully, and I felt a part of my steely heart melt into brown goo.


Emma Stone isn’t all about sex appeal. The first thing she said as she entered the booth across from me at this secluded Malibu coastside restaurant is — well, I don’t remember, because I wasn’t listening. But I did notice as she ordered a Manhattan, she ordered it like a man: straight up and ballsy. She was wearing a brassiere and the getup fit her like a glove. I could tell that she was about to woo me with her soft conversation. I braced myself for contact. Is this woman the new Mila Kunis?


“Loud, unintelligible noise,” she said, and she smiled because she thought I’d heard her. Isn’t that sweet? What I was really thinking about was why my mother didn’t love me and Derek Jeter’s wedding and of course, touching her pins, but aren’t we all? She exists to be consumed: She’s the new Mila Kunis. I saw Emma Stone in her latest film, a film for which she surely deserves several Emmys. Emma Stone acts her little heart out: She’s like if my sister were hot and I could bonk her. In fact, she’s like America’s little sister. She’s the sister that we all wished we had — and we are all dying to bonk her.


The thing that most people don’t realize about Emma Stone is that she wasn’t born and bred in Los Angeles like some sort of magical sexy robot for our viewing pleasure. No, no. Not the case, sir. She is from a place, and that place is Northport. Her mom was a tollbooth operator and her dad was a bank teller and she was the third of six siblings. She’s a Cancer but what do you care about that? It’s not important. She made it out of there and onto the silver screen. Here, I will take a short break to describe, in length, a boxing match I once saw in a hearty town full of culture, like Rome or Savannah.


Anyway. Back to this woman, if we can even call her that, because she is more like a Pallas’ cat. She made it out of Northport before she graduated high school, knowing that the Hollywood life was for her. “Whirring, buzzing, droning sound,” she told me about her childhood dreams and struggles to make it in the acting business over her second drink. “Screeching! Impossible screeching!” I get her. I really do. Like this Parisian actress, I had dreams at that age. And now I just write sloppy magazine profiles to pay for my VR porn habit. But hey, here we were, at this little restaurant off the coast of Malibu, talking mano a mano. I realized that we’re level with each other, and I’m feeling confident, so I ordered a whiskey Coke. I told her, in great detail and length, the story I told you about the boxing match in Savannah or Rome. She was rapt. I began to consider this encounter withEmma Stone a date. I ceremoniously smirked, and swirled my Bud in the center of my palm.


Which reminds me: Many people have speculated that Emma Stone has been cavorting with Channing Tatum. When I prodded her on this subject multiple times, she simply laughed it off: “No, I’m not seeing anyone right now,” she told me. It is the only thing I heard her say all night. And I heard it clear as day, as clear as sands leaking through an hourglass, which coincidentally, Emma Stone’s body is the same shape as. I’m talking about her Grand Tetons, if you catch my meaning.


As we parted ways at this gorgeous unnamed and nondescript restaurant off the Malibu coast, she turned around to flash me her winning dimples that some might argue made her career. I would argue that, too but she’s built of tougher stuff now. She mouthed something — what was it? It sounded like, “Yadda yadda yadda,” in her breathy growl — and she smiled. Emma Stone isn’t just the award-winning new Hollywood actress. She’s the greatest one, too. And I gotta say, I like the way she looks in a bathing suit.




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These Trans Women Just Epically Remade Beyonce's 'Lemonade'

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We are gagging over this!


A group of transgender-identifying individuals recently came together to recreate iconic scenes from Beyoncé’s most recent studio album “Lemonade” ― and the results are spectacular.


Glass Wing Group, fronted by Beyoncé impersonator Miss Shalae, posted the video on Facebook, calling the project “Lemonade served Bitter Sweet” and informing readers that it was shot over the course of 16 hours.


“I hope the video will show that we as trans-women are here and talented,” Shalae told Bullett. “I hope to inspire other trans-women and people to follow their hearts and dreams no matter who is against them. Instead of judging expect us as human beings because that’s what we are first regardless of gender or sex.” 


Check out the 10 minute short film for yourself above.

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How This Immigrant Shop Owner Is Helping Make Cleveland A 'Cultural Hub'

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A little cafe near the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio is embracing the city’s vibrant multiculturalism in the best of ways.


The Algebra Tea House is a cafe and art gallery located in the city’s Little Italy district that was opened by owner Ayman Alkayali to showcase his artwork and as a “hangout for artists and intellectuals.” He opened it just two weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. He said the idea of sharing cultures and religions in one space wasn’t initially embraced. 


“Now we are hip, but before that we were strange and different,” Alkayali said. ”People were not used to Asians, blacks, Arabs, Jews, Muslims hanging out together and talking about communism and socialism and Obama and Hillary Clinton. And we should be discussing that. That’s our life.”


Alkayali was born to Palestinian refugee parents in Libya and came to the U.S. in 1988 to attend college. He initially studied biomedical engineering, but was quickly pulled toward the arts, specifically ceramics and wood working.


“I figured the best way to sustain myself [was] by opening a cafe [and] a gallery,” he said. 


The cafe’s embrace of multiculturalism creates an interesting dichotomy with its close proximity to the RNC. Presidential GOP nominee Donald Trump has consistently touted anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant rhetoric throughout his campaign. In December, he called for a “total and complete shutdown” of Muslims entering the U.S. In a recent interview with “60 Minutes,” he advocated for “extreme vetting” of anyone entering the U.S. from “territories” such as Syria. 


Alkayali has felt the weight of discrimination from the GOP this election season. “It’s really sad that a person that’s running for the presidency bases his campaign on hatred and anti-immigrant [sentiments],” he said. But he spoke of the value of having immigrants in the U.S.  


“Immigrants add a lot of energy,” he said. “We are looking to work hard. We are looking to figure out a way to survive. So basically you have this extra very powerful workforce that you could use to your advantage to elevate your city and elevate your neighborhood.”


Despite any prejudice brought into Cleveland by the convention, the area has remained a cultural hub fueled by respect, Alkayali said.


“The best way to deal with my neighbors is respect me as a human being, I respect you as a human being,” he said.  


This video was produced by Becca Halperin and Annie Thomas.

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The GOP Convention Logo Looks A Lot Like The One From Woodstock

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WASHINGTON ― The 2016 Republican National Convention logo is strikingly similar to the world-famous Woodstock image of a white dove perched on the neck of a guitar.


The RNC’s red, white and blue logo features an elephant posed on a guitar neck. 


Woodstock Ventures, the group that produced the historic peace, love and rock ‘n’ roll-promoting music festival and owns all its intellectual property, called the RNC logo “strikingly reminiscent” of the 1969 Woodstock logo, but plans no legal action.  


“This isn’t a legal issue. This is much more as what we regard as an opportunity for civilization,” Joel Rosenman, co-founder of Woodstock Ventures and a co-producer of the festival, told The Huffington Post. “What’s underneath ― the principles and values ― are far more important than who’s doing what with whose logo.” He suggested Republicans adopt some “Woodstock values” into the party platform. 


The Woodstock Festival drew nearly a half-million people to a dairy farm in Bethel, New York, featuring renowned artists such as Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Santana and Janis Joplin. The festival was a celebration of counter-culture at a time of high tensions surrounding civil rights and the Vietnam War. 



Rosenman first noticed similarities in the logos after receiving an email with the question: “Is Woodstock part of the RNC?”


It is not.


He attributed the similarities to the GOP’s attempt to adopt a hipper and more approachable image to attract young people and music-lovers. Just take a look at nominee Donald Trump’s often unauthorized use of popular songs in his campaign and his list of celebrity endorsements.


A spokesman for the RNC couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.


The Woodstock logo, designed by Arnold Skulnick and his daughter in 1969, represents values the festival was trying to promote: community, equality, environmental responsibility, activism and music, according to a press release published Tuesday on Woodstock’s website.


“Any of these would be things that we’d support and we’d happy to lend our enthusiastic approval to,” Rosenman said. 



The GOP’s 2016 platform isn’t very consistent with Woodstock’s values. Division, prejudice and partiality appear to be its cornerstones.


Despite the clash, Rosenman ― reminiscent of Woodstock’s peaceful and one-love attitude ― said there’s no copyright issue with the RNC logo.


“This is not our point. This is not an issue,“ Rosenman said. The RNC logo isn’t identical to Woodstock’s, just similar, he noted.


The point, he said, is to inspire individuals to take action on issues, “whether they’re societal or climate change issues.”


“If that’s what the RNC is evoking by evoking our logos, then we say great, rather than just putting an elephant on a guitar,” Rosenman said. “And anyway,” he added, “we know elephants play the bass.”


Editor’s note: Donald Trump regularly incites political violence and is a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist and birther who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims ― 1.6 billion members of an entire religion ― from entering the U.S.

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The Fashion At The RNC Was Almost As Over The Top As The Speeches

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It’s wasn’t all about the politics. Amid the whirlwind that was the 2016 Republican National Convention, some delegates showed their true passion for fashion.


Donning outrageously over-the-top costumes and GOP-themed paraphernalia, the delegates’ quirky attire provided a much-needed distraction from the often fear-mongering, and sometimes plagiarized, rhetoric being spouted from the stage.


Check out some of their most weird and wonderful styles below:


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15 Unbelievable Photos Of A 60-Year-Old Dominatrix With Her Client (NSFW)

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Warning: This post contains erotic imagery and may not be suitable for work environments.


Sandra LaMorgese was a holistic practitioner for many years before she lost her wellness clinic in the wake of the Great Recession in 2011. The now 60-year-old has worked as a dominatrix ever since.


“If you had told me 10 years ago that I would kick a man straight in the balls wearing six-inch heels, blood-red lipstick, black eye shadow, and false eyelashes, I would have kicked you out of my house,” she said.


But as a 55-year-old with no prospects and no savings, she had little choice but to be resourceful.


 



“I somehow understood that this line of work would set me free from my own judgmental perceptions ― formed through social standards ― of how a woman should behave and follow the ‘rules’,” LaMorgese said. “I also hoped it might get me back on my feet financially.”




After weeks of persuasion, she finally convinced a New York City BDSM dungeon to grant her an in-person interview. She started dominatrix training three days later and, just like that, became a professional.


To find out more about the work of a dominatrix, The Huffington Post was allowed to witness an hour-long session between LaMorgese and one of her clients, Joseph, 28.





In her rented-out room of submission and domination in midtown Manhattan, a throne is set against the back wall, which is painted red. There’s a bondage table, a metal cage, whips, paddles, a stockade of sorts, and various other instruments of the trade. From the outset, it was clear that sex was never part of the equation. The hour was all about asserting control over someone who enjoys surrendering their power. LaMorgese was authoritative ― but also calm and collected ― and she required her client to address her as “Mistress.”


“What am I going to do with you?” she asks hims. 


“Whatever you want, Mistress,” he responds.


“That’s music to my ears,” she says, just before smacking his ass hard with a paddle.


Before long, his buttocks are fiery red.


For an inside peek at the session, scroll through the images and quotes below.



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Viggo Mortensen Doesn't Need Fame Or Riches, He's 'Captain Fantastic'

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It can seem like Viggo Mortensen went off the grid after donning his Aragorn crown. Mortensen’s highest-grossing movie since “Lord of the Rings” is the one he made directly following the trilogy’s end in 2003: the western “Hidalgo,” which topped out at a decent $108 million worldwide. In the years since, Mortensen, now 57, has mostly shied away from big-budget studio projects. Instead, he collected an Oscar nomination (for 2007’s “Eastern Promises”), a Golden Globe nod (for 2011’s “A Dangerous Method”) and a starring role in a Cormac McCarthy adaptation (2009’s “The Road”). Chump change, right?


Mortensen has indeed been on the grid, at least sporadically ― unlike the character he portrays in the new movie “Captain Fantastic,” his finest role in years. Expanding nationwide throughout July, the film casts Mortensen as Ben Cash, a beatnik father of six raising his kids in a secluded enclave in the Pacific Northwest. Ben disavows capitalism and organized religion, substitutes Christmas with Noam Chomsky Day, and trains his clan in acute survival skills. But when the family must return to town, they are forced to reacclimate with civilization. 


As he tells it, Mortensen has never cared much about acclimating with Hollywood. He’s appeared in certifiable hits (”Crimson Tide,” “A Perfect Murder”), but outside of “Lord of the Rings,” he hasn’t starred in a single franchise, including the “Hobbit” series. Now that the marketplace for original adult dramas has waned, the name “Captain Fantastic” adopts a dual meaning. Mortensen and director Matt Ross, who is best known for playing Alby Grant on “Big Love” and Gavin Belson on “Silicon Valley,” see the title as a commentary on Hollywood’s obsession with superhero fare. 



They hope the film will prompt audiences to ponder whether Ben is a flawed, plainclothes superhero of his own, rejecting the conformist structures that society normalizes. No parent is perfect, but is his dedication to raising kids against the grain noble or dangerous? Either way, can Hollywood just tell some fresh stories that aren’t linked to existing franchises with brand-name marketability?


Barely: Ross said the movie’s producers recommended he change the title so as to prevent possible confusion. He pushed back. “It’s intentional, but I didn’t see it as a problem,” Ross told The Huffington Post during a recent joint interview with Mortensen. “I didn’t think anyone would go into the movie theater thinking they’re going to see some superhero they’ve never heard of. I thought it would be pretty clear that it’s about a father who’s trying to be a hero of humanity.”


Mortensen, who has grown accustomed to making smaller-scale movies with unpredictable shelf lives, knows that it appears he’s turned his back on the Hollywood machine. He insists it’s not intentional. Mortensen has been offered comic-book roles since making “Lord of the Rings,” though he wouldn’t reveal which ones. “If I think I can do something with that within that genre, why not?” he said.


The timing of those offers have conflicted with projects like “Captain Fantastic” ― films that are “outside the box and challenging and more original.” Some actors subscribe to the “one for me, one for them” mentality, meaning they’ll take a studio project (read: hopeful cash cow) followed by an indie darling (read: something of supposedly elevated artistic merit). Mortensen doesn’t adopt that creed, and he’s been vocal about Hollywood’s glossy expectations in the past ― the sort of capitalism that Ben Cash would rebuff. In 2014, for example, Mortensen voiced disfavor for Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” follow-ups, “King Kong” and “The Lovely Bones,” both of which he said relied too heavily on special effects. Now, he says he’s not concerned with making money or maintaining fame ― an admittedly luxurious stance, given he can probably live off his Middle-earth paychecks for the rest of eternity. 



“I just sign on for movies that I would go see,” Mortensen said. “Let’s say we hadn’t found six genius kids to play the parts in this movie, and the movie had turned out just OK. Obviously it’s a great idea and a great script, and I’d still watch it 10 or 15 years from now and say, ‘That was well worth it. It’s not perfect, but it’s a good idea and we tried.’ I wouldn’t be ashamed. I wouldn’t say, ‘Well I wish I’d done that [big-budget movie] so I could buy three more racing cars. You have to be patient and hang in there and, once you give your word, stay with the project, or it falls apart, in some cases. And then shooting it is arduous and selling it even more so. We’re lucky with the reaction to this movie.”


To wit, “Captain Fantastic” has netted largely glowing reviews since its ebullient standing ovation at the Sundance Film Festival in January. It helps that Ross’ script, which feels like a bohemian testimonial at the start, becomes a fairly bipartisan affair, both idealizing and condemning Ben’s lifestyle choices. It’s more about the systematized maturation of American children than it is a screed against the norms of society as a whole. 


As evidence, consider a scene where a police officer stops Ben and his kids as they travel into town on a green school bus they’ve named Steve. The cop assumes they are unclean hippies and asks why the children aren’t in school. When one begins aggressively evangelizing about Jesus, he backs away. Religious fundamentalists get a pass.


“We live in a country where no one can be elected president of the United States without talking about their deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ, and yet we are supposed to have a separation of church and state,” Ross said. “You take a country like France ― that’s a very Catholic country, or at least it was traditionally; it’s changing demographically, like every other country in the world. But you don’t ever hear politicians talking about their personal religious faith. For me, it was an example of the children’s ability to parse our culture and think on their feet. It’s not an attack. I mean, maybe it’s attacking zealotry and intolerance.”


It’s Ben’s teachings that rescue the family from that legal run-in. Like Mortensen’s approach to his career, it’s all about being crafty. 


“It’s an ordinary person making an extraordinary effort to be a perfect father,” he said. “But obviously he’s not perfect.”


For more from Mortensen and Ross, check out this Huffington Post interview below.





 


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Call This Number To Confess Your Sins To A Total Stranger

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”Hi,” a woman’s voice murmurs softly on the other line. She laughs nervously. “This is crazy!” She pauses, takes a deep breath. “Okay, so,” she begins, and makes a confession. “I wish you could give me some advice!” she says at one point. Muted on the other line, I can do nothing but wait until she’s finished speaking and hang up silently. 


Confession” is a project by Brooklyn-based Gideon Jacobs and Gregor Hochmuth that invites you to confess your sins, desires, or whatever else to an anonymous stranger on the other line. Simply call the listed phone number, and press 1 to confess, or 2 to listen. Part Catholic confessional, part Miranda July experiment, the social artwork explores the power of anonymity to initiate a strange intimacy. 


“Greg and I concluded that there were basically two key ingredients to a good confession,” Jacobs wrote in an email to The Huffington Post. “Firstly, a feeling of relative anonymity, and also, the knowledge that someone is listening... The idea here was for confessors to feel safe from judgement, but also feel that there is still something at stake.”


Since Jacobs and Hochmuth launched the project in early July, they’ve received thousands of admissions from all over the country. “It’s kind of amazing ― almost all these calls go the same way,” Jacobs continued. “The confessor sort of tests the waters, making themselves a little bit vulnerable or dropping hints of their true confession, and then, once they hear no judgement but also know that the listener has not abandoned them, they are suddenly empowered to truly unburden themselves.”



All confessions are anonymously recorded and saved. Although he’s yet to determine what exactly will become of this archive of divulgences, Jacobs explained that if the calls are ever made public, he’d distort callers’ voices beforehand to protect the anonymity of the callers. 


The admissions themselves range from weighty to delightfully banal, from unexpected pregnancies to unhealthy crushes. “We’ve gotten a lot of very interesting confessions ― i.e. being aroused by bestiality, or cheating on a spouse,” Jacobs said. “One of my favorites was from a young woman who was desperately trying to articulate the fact that she felt absolutely no connection to her parents.” 


Whether you wish to play the role of guilty conscience or divine listener, “Confession” offers the chance to communicate your deepest, darkest parts one on one, without consequence.


The uncanny experience operates in the strange terrain where technology and religion intersect. For Jacobs, both represent human attempts to grasp the unknowable and better ourselves. “This might sound a bit overwrought, or possibly like some thesis of a stoned liberal arts undergrad, but I think technology and religion are both manifestations of our collective attempt to cope with the human condition,” he said. “We turn to them for help, relief and answers. Google and the Vatican have more in common than you’d think!”


Intrigued? Guilty? Lonely? Bored? Call (917)809-7319 and cleanse your naughty soul in the most artsy way possible. 






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Artsy Condoms Will Transform Your Boring Penis Into A Work Of Art

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Dudes of the world: listen up. Your penis is a blank canvas, a tabula rasa, if you will. Just because it spends most of the day zipped up under layers of clothing doesn’t mean it can’t express itself every now and then. 


Let me paint a little picture for you. You take a date home ― a creative type, someone you really want to dazzle with your refined tastes and creative prowess. Y’all are feeling mighty sexy, and you know what that means. Sex.


You want to use protection, but, more important, you want to express yourself. Your passions, your fears, your most secret desires, your favorite color. You want to penetrate your lover with some serious pizzazz. You want a condom that says, “Hey, baby, this is me.” 



If any of this sounds at all appealing, you should most definitely donate to Made In Love’s Kickstarter to make artsy condoms a reality. The French startup describes their graphic latex condoms as “erotic tattoos” of sorts, decorative accessories designed to make condoms less of a chore and more of a creative outlet.


The brand recruited artists including Maëlle De La Forge, Alex & Marine, Anna Borowski and Lilyloca to make eye-popping graphics into which you can slip your junk. Combining art and eroticism in a way I don’t think anyone saw coming, Made in Love hopes to remove the stigma associated with condoms, encouraging safe sex while providing the public with affordable artworks, albeit very phallic ones.  


We’ve had our eye on Made In Love’s mission for a while now, since they were crowdfunding on French platform Kiss Kiss Bank Bank. Now they’re hoping to raise $55,000 by July 31, 2016, and they have a ways to go. 


If you’ve ever dreamed of adorning your penis in its very own artistic masterpiece, come on now. Pay up. Unleash the creative inside ... your pants. 


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Prince George Melts Hearts In Adorable New Birthday Photographs

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Don’t they grow up so fast! It seems like yesterday when the world was cooing over the newborn British royal Prince George.


But on Friday, he celebrates his third birthday — and Kensington Palace has released a series of adorable new photographs to mark the occasion.


One of the cute staged pictures shows George feeding the family’s dog, Lupo.



Other images show the third-in-line to the throne sitting and standing on a wooden swing, engraved with his parents’ names, and walking through a field.


“The Duke and Duchess hope that people will enjoy seeing these new photographs,” the Palace said via a statement on Friday. “They would like to thank everyone for all the lovely messages they have received as Prince George celebrates his third birthday.”



Prince George’s mother Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, has previously taken and released photographs of both her son and his little sister, Princess Charlotte. 


This time, however, the honor of snapping the royal birthday boy fell to photographer Matt Porteous



I really enjoyed the opportunity to take these photographs. It was a very relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere,” said Porteous, who took the pictures at Anmer Hall ― the family’s 10-bedroom country house on Queen Elizabeth II’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, eastern England ― in mid-July.


“I’m honored that Prince George’s parents have decided to share these images with the public to mark his third birthday,” he added.


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Unseen Kate Bush Photos Will Make You Want To Grow Your Hair And Escape To A 17th Century Farmhouse

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Kate Bush was only 16 years old when she wrote “Wuthering Heights,” the woozy, romantic pop experiment that soon became the first song written by a woman to hit number one on the U.K. charts.


In the now-iconic music video, Bush dons a flowing red dress and flowers in her hair, resembling a pre-Raphaelite muse going through a punk phase. She interpretive-dances her way through the forest as if possessed by a wild spirit, her body language the very definition of drama. 


In 1982, four years after the release of “Wuthering Heights” and while promoting her album “The Dreaming,” Bush first met Italian music photographer Guido Harari. He was documenting the tour of iconic mime and dancer Lindsay Kemp, who worked with Bush as well as David Bowie. Harari was a huge fan of Bush’s music, and enthralled by her ethereal presence. Bush was, in turn, impressed by Harari’s photos of Kemp and eager to see more.



In 1985, Bush invited Harari to her studio and home in Kent to take the official promotional photos for her album “Hounds of Love.” Harari readily agreed. “I love to work with Guido,” Bush said in a statement. “He makes you feel special without even saying anything.” 


Harari served as Bush’s official photographer until 1993, scoring what has to be one of the single best gigs of all time. Along with “The Dreaming” and “Hounds of Love,” Harari captured Kate Bush as she created “The Sensual World” and “The Red Shoes.” The two clearly vibe, with Harari perfectly capturing Bush’s otherworldly presence, ninja warrior fierceness and goofy mischievousness. 


The limited edition book The Kate Inside, Kate Bush photographed by Guido Harari 1982-1993, available Sept. 1,  features over 300 photos of Bush throughout her career, around 200 of which have never before been seen by the public. The book will also feature outtakes, contact sheets and personal notes from the Queen Bush herself. An exhibition accompanying the book will be on view Art Bermonsdey Project Space in London from Sept. 13 to Sept. 30, 2016. 


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Flowers Get A Geometric Makeover In Mind-Bending Photos

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Flowers tend to evoke certain adjectives in our minds. Soft. Romantic. Ruffly. Wild. Fragrant. Delicate. Straight-edged.


Wait ― straight-edged?


In a photo project by Japanese independent illustrator and artist Baku Maeda, soft and ruffly flowers really do get a straight-sided makeover. He calls the series “Bitflower,” and explained in an email to The Huffington Post that he created it with the idea of incorporating “an element of human being ... artificial ‘straight lines’ to natural curvature.” 



 At times, Maeda wrote, “a straight line creates an order, efficiency, as well as organization.” But this artificial, man-made straightness can also lead to “division, violence, and separation,” he pointed out. By turning natural, soft-petaled flowers into objects with sharp corners and neat lines, “Bitflower” juxtaposes the laws of nature with the laws of man in striking visual fashion.


Maeda told HuffPost he hoped his photos would prompt viewers to reconceptualize the definition of beauty. We’re taught to view flowers as inherently lovely, and, he wrote, “we tend to perceive that way without any logic. Then, what is beauty itself and ugliness? What constitutes them?” 


Is a flower with ruler-straight lines edging its petals no longer beautiful? Or does the intrusion of human order jolt us to pay closer attention to the vibrant color of the petals, the delicate textures, and the intricate curves of the naturally formed flowers? 


Judge for yourself ― check out some more of Maeda’s photos below, then on his Instagram or Tumblr.







#蓮 #睡蓮 #lotus #bitflower #bitleaf #1bit #plantart #bakumaeda #flowerart #flower #bit #flowerphoto

A photo posted by 前田麦 (@bakumae) on





#bitflower #bitleaf #1bit #plantart #bakumaeda #flowerart #flower #bit #flowerphoto

A photo posted by 前田麦 (@bakumae) on



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Craig Robinson Is The Woke Dad Of The Year In This 'Morris From America' Clip

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Craig Robinson has come a long way since breakdancing to the Backstreet Boys in heaven. Robinson’s new movie, “Morris from America,” features his best work to date ― not that he wasn’t aces in “This Is the End,” of course. 


Robinson plays a widowed soccer coach raising his titular 13-year-old son, Morris ― an aspiring rapper with a penchant for lyrics about “fuckin’ all the bitches, two at a time” ― in Germany. Morris, played by talented newcomer Markees Christmas, is struggling to fit in, until he catches the eye of an alluring female classmate. The thick father-son bond is splintered, because, c’mon, he’s 13 and all of a sudden there’s a girl in the picture. 


The Huffington Post has an exclusive clip that demonstrates Robinson and Christmas’ effortless chemistry, which becomes the film’s hallmark. “Morris from America,” which scored the screenwriting prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, is currently available on DirecTV and will open in select theaters on Aug. 19. 




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29 Indian Wedding Photos That Are As Joyful As They Are Colorful

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Move over tuxes and white gowns ― Indian wedding attire far outshines its Western counterpart in terms of color and variety of style.


Popular outfits include saris or lehenga cholis paired with odnis for the bride, and grooms often opt for a dhoti, lungi, sherwani or a jodhpuri suit. The attire is traditionally selected based on where the couple hails from in India.


Check out 29 vibrant photos from Indian weddings below.


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Frances Bean Cobain's Art Is For Sale And It's Delightfully Weird

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Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love’s daughter, Frances Bean, was pretty much destined to be creatively talented.


The 23-year-old Los Angeles native shared her father’s penchant for art and has been a visual artist for quite some time. She’s now selling her artwork on the online marketplace Depop.



Selling my art via depop.com/space_witch666

A photo posted by Frances Bean Cobain (@space_witch666) on




At 17, Frances Bean had her first exhibition ― lovingly called “Scumfuck” ― at the La Luz De Jesus Gallery in Los Angeles. She held the show under the pseudonym “Tom Fiddle.”


That exhibition featured the originals of some of the prints currently for purchase in her Depop store. The several prints available all range in price ― from $200 to $400 ― and color ― some are black and white while others are in full color.



Her pieces can be best described as abstract impressionism à la Tim Burton.



There’s definitely a nightmarish quality to all the pieces, particular her twisted take on chocolate purveyor Max Brenner’s mascot and tagline.



If you want more Cobain art, a touring exhibition of Kurt Cobain’s artwork is planned for later this year. 

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