No reader of Patricia Lockwood’s irreverent verse would be surprised to discover that her upbringing was a perfect storm of oddities.

Her father, a naval veteran who spends most of his time clad solely in boxer shorts, calls his daughter “Bit” and drinks Irish cream liqueur. He’s also a Roman Catholic priest ― an achievement that, given the Church’s rather strict rules regarding celibacy in the priesthood, required a circuitous path through the Lutheran priesthood and a dispensation from the pope. Her mother, a colorful Irish Catholic matriarch with five children, frequently spouts bon mots grounded in paranoia. For example: “Did you know rats in big cities are getting aggressive from eating too many cigarette butts?”

Lockwood spent her childhood moving from rectory to rectory ― the Catholic Church prefers frequent geographical shakeups over allowing priests to cultivate deep roots in specific communities ― and, increasingly, imagining ways out. When her father bluntly informs her that there’s no money for her to attend the colleges she got into, she finds another way to escape: Falling in love with Jason, a boy she met online who shares her passion for poetry. She runs away with him. They get married young. Several years later, after he needs eye surgeries that force him to leave his job as a newspaper editor, he and Lockwood move in with her parents.

This is where the real action of the memoir begins. As a grown-up, married, extremely lapsed Catholic, living in the home of a traditional (in terms of gender roles) yet unconventional (in terms of clothing choices) Catholic priest and his deeply maternal wife, Lockwood experiences a maelstrom of conflicting feelings. She adores her parents and seems to have a particular closeness to her mother, but frequently finds them ludicrous. Home is familiar, but also alien; comforting, but also claustrophobic. Living in a rectory with Lockwood’s parents, a young seminarian, and copious crucifix-based art stifles them. After they move in, she and Jason “look at each other and realize, with sad certainty, that we will never have sex in this place.”

Instead, as they save up to move out again, Lockwood sits and reads with the young seminarian, periodically offering him educational tidbits about cuckolding and other sexual fetishes. In return, he lets her know that Satanism is “on the rise” in Italy. (“Understand,” she adds, “that hardcore Catholics get their news from different places than the rest of us.”) Her poem “Rape Joke” is published on The Awl and rapidly goes viral. She gets a book deal. She remembers her dad teaching her to swim and how her parents reacted when she first told them about her sexual assault. She goes on a road trip with her mom, who is slightly fastidious about a hotel bed that appears to have semen on it. “I guess a ‘fun mother’ wouldn’t care about all the cum?” she quips.

Her parents’ habits and catchphrases, her oddly religious yet profane upbringing, and her own mischievous attitude toward her childhood religion are the stuff of pure comedy, and Lockwood doesn’t waste a drop of it. Her parents’ and siblings’ over-the-top, slapstick wit seems so unlikely that she goes out of her way to note that she and Jason are constantly scribbling down her family’s riffs verbatim. Her family life needs no punching up. As a memoirist, she can milk all the humor out of human absurdity in one passage (“[M]y mother,” she writes, “is best described in terms of her Danger Face, which is organized around the information that somewhere in America, a house is on fire”). As a poet, she excels at painting familiar and unfamiliar scenes alike in startlingly unexpected terms, terms that force you to reevaluate your own mental pictures. Savannah, where she and Jason lived for some time, “looked like an enlightened underwater city with all the water gone, and seaweed still hanging in the middle of the air. Great mermaids flowed through the streets: southerners. The sun shone down because it was a blonde.”

The book, with its slightly off-color-seeming title, isn’t a lighthearted ode to her youth. She struggles with her father’s ingrained, prescriptive misogyny, which he evinces with the confidence of a man who assumes that his audience agrees, and with his fierce determination to have things all his own way.

And, as the daughter of a Catholic priest, she’s looking back on a childhood and young adulthood that took place in the eye of a brewing storm: the Church’s sexual assault problem and its long, long coverup. The book isn’t about sexual abuse by priests, and there’s no indication that Lockwood herself was ever a victim ― it’s just that the problem was so pervasive, and the coverup implicated so many in the Church hierarchy, that of course she was touched by it. An oily, ingratiating priest who taught at her school later turned out to have been a molester; the bishop she meets at a church dinner reportedly moved predatory priests from parish to parish to hide their crimes. Being deeply embedded in the Catholic community means knowing men of God who did unspeakable things.

It’s a testament to Lockwood’s way with words that glimpses of such grotesque wrongdoing, painfully candid reflection on her youth and her family, and countless sidesplitting anecdotes about her boxer-clad father and her safety-obsessed mother can not only coexist in this book, but weave together seamlessly, constructing a memoir that’s propulsively readable and brimming with humor and insight.

The Bottom Line:

Lockwood’s venture into memoir proves just as hilarious, textured and evocative as could have been hoped.

What other reviewers think:

Kirkus: “Funny, tender, and profane, Lockwood’s complex story moves with lyrical ease between comedy and tragedy as it explores issues of identity, religion, belonging, and love.”

The Atlantic: “Lockwood’s book is really a rather deliciously old-school, big-R Romantic endeavor: a chronicle of the growth of a mind, the evolution of an imagination.”

Who wrote it?

Patricia Lockwood is a poet and the author of two collections, Balloon Pop Outlaw Black and Motherland Fatherland Homelandsexuals. One of her poems, “Rape Joke,” went viral in 2013 after being published on The Awl.

Who will read it?

Poetry buffs, former Catholic school kids and anyone who loves a well-executed memoir.

Opening lines:

“‘Before they allowed your father to be a priest,’ my mother tells me, ‘they made me take the Psychopath Test. You know, a priest can’t have a psychopath wife, it would bring disgrace.’

“She sets a brimming teacup in front of me and yells, ‘HOT!’ She sets a second one in front of my husband, Jason, and yells, ‘Don’t touch it!’ She situates herself in he chair at the head of the table and gazes at the two of us with total maternal happiness, ready to tell the story of the time someone dared to question her mental health.”

Notable passage:

“I submit that every man of God has two religions: one that belongs to heaven and one that belongs to the world. My father’s second religion is Nudity, or Underwear, to be more precise. There are some men who must strip straight down to the personality as soon as they would through the door of their castle, and my father is one of them. I have almost no memories of him wearing pants, and I have a lot of memories of his sitting me down for serious talks while leaning forward on his bare haunches. He just never wore pants on principle. We saw him in his collar and we saw him in his underwear, and nothing ever in between. It was like he couldn’t think unless his terrier could see his belly button. In the afternoons, he reclined nudely on leather couches and talked to Arnold Schwarzenegger while he shot up the jungle, and every time Arnold made a pun about murder, he laughed with gratification. As far as I could tell, he thought movies were real. He watched them in a state of alarming physical receptiveness, with his legs so completely open toward the television that it seemed possible he was trying to watch it with his butt. His default position was a kind of explicit lounge, with one leg up and the other leg extended, like the worst kind of Jazzercise stretch you could possibly imagine.” 

Priestdaddy

By Patricia Lockwood
Riverhead, $27.00
Publishes May 2, 2017

The Bottom Line is a weekly review combining plot description and analysis with fun tidbits about the book.

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At the White House Correspondents’ Dinner this weekend, comedian Hasan Minhaj joked that the real presidency has become so stressful that he’s taken to watching “House of Cards” “just to relax.”

Judging by the new trailer for Season 5 of the Netflix series starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright, which was released on Monday, Minhaj might need to amend that statement.

In the clip, the Underwoods smile, strangle and sneer their way to seizing power in the capital, all while expressing their general disgust for the American public. Essentially, nothing has changed. 

“The American people don’t know what’s best for them. I do,” Spacey’s character, Frank Underwood, says. “They’re like little children, Claire. We have to hold their sticky fingers and wipe their filthy mouths, teach them right from wrong, tell them what to think and how to feel and what to want. They even need help writing their wildest dreams, crafting their worst fears. Lucky for them, they have me.”

Er, tell us how you really feel, Frank. 

Watch the full trailer above. 

“House of Cards” Season 5 premieres May 30 on Netflix. 

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Perhaps Emperor Nero didn’t actually play a fiddle while Rome burned, but we’re now living in a time when a country’s “shadow president” may spend today watching a video of his old rap musical being performed while the government around him starts yet another week in various scandals.

Before becoming a high-profile political strategist and adviser to President Donald Trump, Steve Bannon attempted and failed to achieve a career in Hollywood. Along with writing partner Julia Jones, Bannon wrote various scripts that never ended up becoming movies, including at least a couple adaptations of William Shakespeare plays for the modern era.

In one of these adaptations, a take on Shakepeare’s “Coriolanus,” Bannon set the story during the Los Angeles riots of 1992. He also transformed the play into a hip-hop musical.

According to Jones when she spoke to The Daily Beast, the main concept was Bannon’s idea and then Jones wrote most of the rap lyrics, with help from the son of Bannon’s assistant. Bannon then “added stuff,” according to Jones, explaining, “all the ‘dudes’ are him.”

Bannon once set up a live reading of the musical, but the script hadn’t been publicly performed in many years. Parts of the script have been released by publications such as The New York Times, but until Monday, you’d be hard-pressed to take in the whole thing. 

Thankfully, NowThis News just produced a live-reading of the script with various professional actors such as Rob Corddry, who said in a press release, “It’s pretty eye-opening to imagine Steve Bannon writing this. People need to see it to believe it.”

From that same announcement, NowThis highlighted a few quotes:

Quotes from The Thing I Am:

Marcius:

“They say! Fuck they! They hang out shooting pool and think they know what’s going down – who’s up, who’s out, who bounds, and if there’s crack enough. If I had my way, I’d make a quarry of these slaves.”

Marcius:

“Whoever deserves greatness, wants their hate. Peep game, boy. To count on them for favors is to swim with fins of lead.”

[He turns back to the mob.]

“So fuck you! Trust you? Ha! With each passing minute, you change your common mind. You call him noble that was once your enemy, then dis your king. You cry against the “other” – crackers, Blood, Crip, popo, Pol, the rich – it don’t matter, niggas; awe keeps you feeding each another.”

Watch the video above.

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In order for Aneesh Sheth to find her voice as an actress, she had to walk away from show business first.  

Sheth, who is transgender, can currently be seen in William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” which is being performed at various venues in all five New York City boroughs as part of the Public Theater’s Mobile Unit. In the beloved comedy of mistaken identity, the 35-year-old plays Maria, servant to the wealthy countess, Olivia (Ceci Fernandez), who falls in love with Viola (Danaya Esperanza), disguised as a man. She says the production, which opened April 27, is everything she’s “hoped and dreamed for,” particularly since she’s getting the chance to inhabit a role traditionally played by cisgender women.

“When the opportunity came up to do this, I was absolutely terrified. I’ve never done Shakespeare before,” Sheth told HuffPost. Now that performances are underway, however, she said she feels “very, very blessed to be able to do this show for so many people and see the way that different people and communities react to it.”

“Twelfth Night” marks Sheth’s second Public Theater stint. In 2016, she starred in the acclaimed bluegrass musical, “Southern Comfort,” about a group of transgender friends who gather to support a dying trans man (played by Annette O’Toole). Between “Twelfth Night” and “Southern Comfort,” Sheth is now finding steadier work as an actress. When she began her transition in 2008, however, it was a much different story.

“Back then, ‘Transparent’ and ‘Orange is the New Black’ – these big shows that are trans-inclusive – did not exist,” Sheth said. Convinced she wouldn’t get cast as a trans actress, the Pune, India native relocated from New York to California and began pursing a career in social work instead. “I felt like there was no space for me,” she said.

Sheth’s thespian dreams wouldn’t be cast aside for too long, however. In 2011, a friend connected her with the producers of NBC’s “Outsourced,” who offered her a guest spot. Though the role of Kami Sutra lasted only two episodes, it turned out to be turning point for Sheth. “I thought, ‘Well, if I’m able to land a spot on an NBC sitcom, then I should not limit myself because of who I am,’” she recalled. “Having that opportunity pop up proved me wrong. I was able to go back to where I was meant to be.”

Though Sheth is generally pleased with how her career has progressed, she admitted there have been setbacks. The recent push to cast transgender actors in trans roles on stage and screen has helped land her auditions, she said. Still, a number of casting agents have told Sheth that she “doesn’t look transgender enough,” a comment she calls “ridiculous.” Then there’s the roles themselves, many of which promote “ancient, stigmatized and fetishized views” of both Asian Americans and the trans community, she said.

“My gender identity, as well as my race, has been a hindrance sometimes,” she said. “It’s been easier to get my foot in the door, but there’s still this misconception that we all look a certain way, or that we’re all one way.”

After “Twelfth Night” wraps May 14, Sheth would like to turn her attention back to the musical stage, possibly in a role that has yet to be written. Though she cites Broadway icons Patti LuPone and Audra McDonald as influences, she’d ultimately like to “forge her own path” as an artist.

Given that openly trans performers are still an anomaly, Sheth said she does feel a responsibility to portray her community in a positive light. She won’t shy away from addressing politics in her work, either. “Like everybody else, we are human, and have our own thoughts and feelings about the things that are happening in the world,” she told HuffPost. “I feel lucky that, as an artist, there are ways for me to express what I’m feeling about the world through my art.”

Sheth doesn’t see her recent successes as much as a reflection of increased trans visibility as much as a testament to her perseverance as a performer. “If you keep reaching for what it is that you want, eventually you’re going to get there,” she said. “Eventually you’re going to show people that you deserve to be there as much as anyone else, regardless of what your gender identity is.”

The New York Public Theater’s production of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” runs through May 14. Head here for details. 

For the latest in LGBTQ entertainment, check out the Queer Voices newsletter. 

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Every new movie season seems to bring with it a few character names that jump out for their distinctive baby name potential, and these past few months were no exception. We saw new names that are right on trend — vintage nicknames, gender switches, literary characters, and surname names. Here are 12 of the best — some of which might even catch on!

Antonina

“The Zookeeper’s Wife,” a true story set in 1939 Poland, features Jessica Chastain as heroic Antonina Zabinski. Heard in Russia, Italy, and Poland, Antonina is a daintier diminutive of Antonia that becomes a lovely possibility.

Laird

James Franco plays an over-the-top, extravagantly tattooed Silicon Valley millionaire character named Laird Mayhew in the comedy, “Why Him?”. The name Laird, is a Scottish title for the landed gentry and may have been given facetiously to this comic character. Most famous bearer is surfer Laird Hamilton; Sharon Stone picked it for her son in 2005.

Dorothea

Annette Bening gives a striking performance as the bohemian 1970s mother in “20th Century Women.” Despite the revivals of Dorothy and Thea, the lovely Dorothea has been left behind, just waiting for a nudge into the Top 1000. It’s already number 838 on Nameberry.

Gardner

Rising young actor Asa Butterfield plays an imaginative boy in “The Space Between Us,” a romantic sci-fi film. Not quite the occupational name Gardener, surname Gardner still evokes greenery and flowers — and glamorous actress Ava.

Mason

The mighty Kong has risen again in “Kong: Skull Island,” and this time around, the leading lady of the film, played by Oscar-winning Brie Larson, is named Mason Weaver. Though Mason currently ranks at number three for boys, it has been used for girls before — Kelsey Grammar has a daughter named Mason Olivia, born in 2001.

Hutton

The thriller “Nocturnal Animals,” starring Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal also features Armie Hammer as Adams’s husband, Hutton Morrow. With its decidedly upscale surname feel (E.F. Hutton, anyone?), it could easily join Holden and Hunter — and was indeed a recent celeb choice.

Cassian

There are not one but two Cassians in recent films. In “Rogue One,” Cassian Andor, played by Mexican actor Diego Luna, is an intelligence officer in the Rebel Alliance. There’s also a Cassian in “John Wick: Chapter 2.” This Latin saints’ name has, along with the related Cassius, a lot of potential. Also from “Rogue One”: Galen, Orson, Bodhi, Baze and Jyn.

Tennyson

In this Vin Diesel franchise, “Return of Xander Cage,” Rory McCann plays getaway driver Tennyson the Torch. The poet name Tennyson was used by Russell Crowe in 2006 for his second son and would make a cool choice for literary parents. Other characters in the movie: Augustus, Darius, Lazarus, Ainsley, Talon and Hawk.

Modesty

Modesty and Chastity Barebone are two young sisters (brother is Credence) in “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” the latest installment in the Harry Potter franchise and evidence of J. K. Rowling’s naming chops. Modesty and Chastity might not be as usable today as other virtue names like Amity and Verity. Also in this film: Newton/Newt, Queenie, Credence and Seraphina.

Caliban

In “Logan,” the latest Wolverine film, set in a dystopian 2029, comic actor Stephen Merchant plays the mutant Caliban, a veteran of comics and an earlier “X-Men” film. Best known as a not so appealing Shakespearean character in The Tempest, Caliban is, nonetheless, a name with an accessible feel, rhythmic sound and friendly nickname Cal. The “X-Men” movies have already done a lot for the name Logan. 

Mary

What, you may ask, is Mary doing on a list of cool new names? It’s precisely because it seems such a surprising choice for a little girl character in “Gifted,” a 2017 film. The top girls’ name for centuries, the saintly Mary still ranks at number 124.

Letty

In the latest Vin Diesel giant blockbuster, “The Fate of the Furious,” the female lead, played by Michelle Rodriguez, has the sweet vintage nickname, Letty. Originally a pet form of Letitia, it peaked at the beginning of the 20th century but has a good chance for a comeback a la Hattie and Maisie.

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Last year, Michael Moore surprised fans when he announced he’d been making a “secret film” about then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, which he released shortly before the November election.

“Michael Moore in TrumpLand,” however, has been described more as a “love letter” to Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton than an excoriating profile of her GOP opponent. Maybe Moore’s upcoming Broadway show will give Trump critics the incendiary takedown they’ve been waiting for.

Moore will indeed make his Broadway debut this summer, in a limited-run production titled “The Terms of My Surrender.” And he’s teasing the show as sufficiently Trump-critical: “Can a Broadway show take down a sitting President?” a poster reads.

A slightly longer description of the “theatrical work” provides a little more color:

In a time like no other in American history, and with a sense of urgency like never-before, Michael Moore comes to Broadway for the first time in an exhilarating, subversive one-man show guaranteed to take audiences on a ride through the United States of Insanity, explaining once and for all how the f*** we got here, and where best to dine before crossing with the Von Trapp family over the Canadian border.

Moore will act out the “The Terms of My Surrender” ― a flexibly scripted one-man show, with the potential for guests, that’s not quite stand-up comedy or a play ― eight times a week for 12 weeks, beginning with previews in July. The performances will take place, as a press release makes clear, “blocks from Trump Tower” at the Belasco Theatre. 

“It’s a humorous play about a country that’s just elected a madman,” Moore, who predicted Trump’s win, told The New York Times. “I mean, there’s really no other way to put it.” 

Like “TrumpLand,” Moore has indicated that “My Surrender” will be about more than just our current president. (Though he stands by the question on the poster, quipping to the NYT: “Can something like this unravel an unhinged man? I think that discombobulation might be our most effective path to undoing his presidency.”) 

“I think what the world needs right now is Michael Moore standing on a Broadway stage, sharing his hilarious stories and incendiary political perspective” the show’s director, Tony Award-winner Michael Mayer, noted in the show’s release, “creating the kind of dialogue that can only happen in the theater.”

Since Trump’s election, Moore has outlined his own blueprints for resisting a man he refers to as our “so-called” president, who’s already, according to the documentarian, declared “war against the actual planet.”

If you’re itching to see how Moore will continue the resistance on Broadway, you can checkout tickets for the show ― which officially opens on Aug.10 ― here.

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If you’ve wondered what an Ikea shopping tote would look like as an item of clothing, you’re in luck: There’s now an Ikea-inspired bag hat.

LA brands Pleasures and Chinatown Market have collaborated to take the famous blue FRAKTA bag to new heights with the FRAKA hat ― which is presumably misspelled because Ikea wasn’t involved in this venture.

Ikea confirmed to HuffPost that the company wasn’t involved in the project, but is “always flattered that the sustainable IKEA blue bag is an inspiration for many uses.” (Pleasures and Chinatown Market didn’t respond to HuffPost’s requests for comment.)

According to HighSnobiety, the tote-hat will cost $38 ― though the original Ikea tote only costs 99 cents ― because ... that’s the price of fashion?

The hats roll out this spring/summer and will be available at Pleasures and Chinatown Market’s online stores in the coming weeks.

In the interim, if you need chic Ikea vibes in your life, you can check out Balenciaga’s own take on the 99-cent tote.

It’s $2,145 and made of glazed leather.

We’re not going to say it’s not worth the money, but you should know that it’s not filled with a lifetime supply of Ikea’s Swedish meatballs. That would truly be the dream.

This piece has been updated with comment from Ikea.

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In most situations, glimpsing a 15-foot tall jet-black skeleton figure with hunched shoulders and holes for eyes would be cause for serious panic.

For Chicago residents taking a casual stroll, however, such an encounter is simply an opportunity for art appreciation, thanks to artist Thomas Houseago.

Houseago’s sculpture, titled “Striding Figure,” was installed near Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood Lakefront Trail on April 25, bringing to life a haunting vision many only experience in lucid nightmares. 

The work, which measures over 15 feet tall and six feet wide, looks like what might happen if the Babadook and Wicker Man ever reproduced. Houseago created the work in 2014, combining elements of mythology, African tribal art, cartoon imagery, Italian Mannerism, science fiction and robot culture to yield his 21st-century golem.

So far, the reactions to Houseago’s newly installed work have been mixed, but not very surprising. Amateur critics have described it as “spooky” and “creepy,” with one concerned party wondering whether the giant dark figure would “scare some kids.”

Seems like a definite possibility. After all, the hulking mass incorporates aspects of sculpture, painting and drawing to create a “transhistorical, transcultural” figure that’s meant to allude to past traumas and present anxieties. 

Here’s to hoping the citizens of Chicago respond kindly to their new neighbor, regardless of whether or not he resembles an undead zombie.

And in case you were wondering: There’s no word yet on whether budding sculptor and Houseago apprentice Brad Pitt was involved in the work any way.

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For University of North Texas graduate Mark Phillips, traditional graduation pictures were lacking in a little musical appreciation. 

So he decided to put together a series of photos that would recreate some of his favorite hip-hop album covers, including Kendrick Lamar’s “DAMN,” J. Cole’s “4 Your Eyez Only,” Chance the Rapper’s “Coloring Book” and, of course, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”

He posted the below photos to his Instagram page on Saturday. 

Phillips told Complex that the artists’ music helped him to remain motivated throughout college.

“Their music really has kept me inspired to keep pushing towards my goals,” he told Complex. 

In April, Eastern Michigan University graduate DeAnn also got the internet’s attention when she made a black feminist statement with her graduation cap design. 

While Phillips may have been more interested in the hip-hop theme for his graduation pictures, he also made sure to keep mama happy by getting regular photos taken as well. 

“I didn’t tell my mom about these pictures at first,” he said. “I knew she’d be happy, but secretly she would want some regular ones to send to my family. So I took some regular ones for my family and these for my creative side/for the artists.”

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Is she president? Knope.

Following the “Parks and Recreation” finale in 2015, the popular thought on everyone’s mind was that Leslie Knope (played by Amy Poehler) became president. 

It seemed like a perfect ending. Leslie said her goal was to become president of the United States. Then, in the series finale we see a brief scene with Leslie, her husband Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott) and some people who appear to be their Secret Service agents. 

It’s never explicitly stated, but it seemed like Leslie achieved her goal. That is, until we chatted with Ron Swanson about it.

Nick Offerman spoke recently with HuffPost about his movie “The Founder,” and we asked if he thought Leslie became president on “Parks and Rec.”

His response to a possible President Knope? Nope.

“I would be dubious. I feel like it takes a very special personality to actually want to become president of the United States. In show business ... to me, the president is more like an A-list movie star and there is a lot about that lifestyle that is not attractive to most people, and I think Leslie would be one of those people,” said Offerman. “I feel like she might become governor at most.”

Governor? You mean like Rick Perry from “Dancing with the Stars?” 

Oh, please no ... (Li’l Sebastian is rolling in his grave.)

With the show hinting so heavily that Leslie would be president, what gives?

In our opinion, Donald Trump is what gives.

Offerman is very vocal in his opposition of the new president, and his “Parks and Rec” character is, too. On Swanson’s position, Offerman told HuffPost:

I reject out of hand the notion that we have thrown up our hands and succumbed to racism, xenophobia, misogyny, and crypto-fascism. I do not accept that. I reject that. I fight that. Today, and tomorrow, and every day until the next election, I reject and fight that story.

She apologized to young girls on behalf of the “grown-ups of America” who screwed up the election, and encouraged them not to be disheartened:

He is the present, sadly, but he is not the future. You are the future. Your strength is a million times his. Your power is a billion times his. We will acknowledge this result, but we will not accept it. We will overcome it, and we will defeat it.

Whether Trump has soured Leslie’s chances as president for Offerman, or if she would really just voluntarily stop at governor, Knope still has our vote.

Correction: An earlier version stated Knope’s letter was written by Amy Poehler, but it wasn’t specified which writer or writers worked on the note.

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Brooklyn baker Kat Thek is the brainchild behind Troll Cakes, a new bakery/detective agency that specializes in turning trolls’ mean internet comments into delicious cakes.

But it’s Thek’s “Tiny Hands Special” ― meant for President Trump ― that’s got our attention. This “bigly satisfying” deal means that for only $30, you can get one of Trump’s tweets or comments printed on a cake and sent straight to the White House. 

Below is an example of some of Trump’s comments paraphrased from an Associated Press interview on a Troll Cake: 

“It would be a tremendous, terrific mistake to deprive our nation’s noisiest troll of his incredibly deserved Troll Cakes,” Thek told HuffPost via email last week. “Our ‘Tiny Hands Special’ has been well received but it’s also gotten us asked if we’re skirting the line of terrorism. Here’s where we land on that: if putting the president’s exact words into icing on a cake is considered an act of terror, the problem is not the cake.” 

She added, “However, if the White House no longer wishes to receive Troll Cakes, we’re ready to reroute shipments to Mar-a-Lago. We are hopeful that the State Department will include Troll Cakes as a dining option in their next Mar-a-Lago ad.” 

“We’d also like to note that Trump’s decision to incorporate a cake description into his account of the recent Syrian missile strike (it was chocolate and ‘the most beautiful’) was not a sponsored Troll Cakes promotion,” Thek said jokingly. 

If you’d like to just take on a regular troll, there’s a $35 option in which the company will bake chocolate chip brownie cake, decorate it with frosting, sprinkles and the comment and then ship it to the troll’s home or work address. If you don’t know where the troll lives, the price goes up to $60. 

That means someone’s hateful comment like “Crash in a plane” would be turned into a yummy masterpiece like this. Eat it and weep, trolls: 

Thek also told HuffPost about coming up with the concept of Troll Cakes and revealed the cake she recently made for one of Amy Schumer’s trolls. 

When did you start Troll Cakes? How did you come up with the concept? 

The troll that really sparked the whole enterprise was on Dolly Parton’s Facebook page. There was something simultaneously infuriating and hilarious about seeing somebody try to bully Dolly Parton. I mean, who would do that? And is the goal to hurt Dolly’s feelings? She’s a 71-year-old millionaire who grew up in a one-room cabin and now wears sequined jumpsuits — a poorly spelled Facebook post isn’t going to take the spring out of her step one bit.

Trolling anyone, especially Dolly Parton, is like aggressively giving the finger to a sunset or a panda or bag of craisins. You’re just letting everybody around you know that you’re a grumpy idiot. It’s fun to maintain that idiocy but then flip the grumpy into something obnoxiously cheerful, like a surprise cake in the mail. 

What do you like most about Troll Cakes? 

Troll Cakes combines our deep interest in cake, catty comments, the mail, being nosy, and having a reason to speak like Julia Child. Putting all of those things together saves a lot of time. 

Why do you call yourselves a detective agency as well? 

We’re a full service operation ― if you don’t know your troll’s home or work address, we’ll track ‘em down.  

What else should we know about Troll Cakes? 

We love sending Troll Cakes between friends ― some of our favorite deliveries have been one friend trolling another for oversharing on Facebook. 

We made the attached “You Donkey Witch” Troll Cake from a comment on Amy Schumer’s instagram and then made a Twitter account to holler at Amy to see if she’d like us to send. No news yet: 

We’re going to start taking Thek’s message to heart ― if you see something, cake something: 

This interview has been edited and condensed for space. 

The HuffPost Lifestyle newsletter will make you happier and healthier, one email at a time. Sign up here.

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I think we ALL know about the Victoria Justice/Ariana Grande meme, but just in case you don’t, here’s a refresher.

Last week, an intrepid Twitter user unearthed an old video of Victoria Justice and Ariana Grande from their time on the Nickelodeon show “Victorious.” In the clip, actress Elizabeth Gillies heaps praise upon Grande for her “beautiful” singing voice, at which point Justice adds, “I think we ALL sing.” 

The video became an instant sensation, sparking a viral meme in honor of Justice’s comment. 

You may have thought the meme was just a bit of lighthearted fun, but Justice feels differently. The actress addressed the hubbub on Twitter Friday, saying the meme was “dredging up” old rumors.

“I think we ALL have better things 2 do than dredging up 7 yr old non-existent drama,” Justice wrote. “That said, I’m kind of excited to finally be a meme.”

We’re glad to see Justice has a sense of humor about the whole thing, especially since her response seems to have only added fuel to the fire. Fans replied to her tweet with their own hilarious versions of the meme:

No word yet from Grande about the controversy, but we can wager a guess as to how she’s feeling about all this.

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At this point, Aziz Ansari is basically a sage on modern love. He wrote a research-heavy book on the subject in 2015, and his character on “Master of None,” Dev, is almost studious in his search for true, lasting love.

Given all that, we’re not surprised the guy knows some pretty decent pickup lines, one of which he shared with Vogue in a recent “73 Questions” interview.

His best Tinder pickup line? “Dev’s is: ‘Going to Whole Foods. Want me to pick you up anything?’” Ansari says, referencing his character on the popular Netflix show.

Really, who wouldn’t be won over by that? 

Watch the clip above for Ansari’s advice on making a woman laugh, getting roles in Hollywood as an Asian American, and his favorite friendship moment with Kanye West.

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Amy Krouse Rosenthal was a beloved author, wife and mother of three, who died on March 31 of this year from ovarian cancer.

About a month before her death, she published a heartbreaking essay for the Modern Love series in The New York Times titled “You May Want to Marry My Husband,” expressing hope that her partner would begin a new love story after she passed away. Thousands of people commented on and shared the piece, prompting it to go viral.

Rosenthal had started another project before she died called “Project 1,2,3,” for which she would post a list of new ideas, observations, or random ideas ― that could be expressed in a group of three ― every day at 1:23 p.m. The goal was to continue the endeavor for 123 days, yet she was forced to stop at Day 61. 

Rosenthal bid an early farewell to the project, recognizing there were other things and people she’d prefer to focus on given her limited time. 

“I have loved this project so much,” Rosenthal wrote in her final list, shared on Feb. 1. “For nearly two months now, I’ve woken up each morning excited about what I would/could create ... But in the last few days, this cancer — oh, did I mention I have cancer? ― has increasingly (and rudely) robbed me of my normal energy and focus.”

Following Amy’s death, however, her daughter Paris Rosenthal took to Instagram and announced her plan to pick up where Amy left off, finishing the remaining 62 days of “Project 1,2,3” as a tribute to her mom.

“Many of you know that my Mom had an Instagram project called ‘Project 1,2,3’ where she posted a new 1,2,3 list daily at 1:23pm,” Paris began in a photo caption.

“Her goal was 123 days. She made it to day 61. For the next 62 days, to complete the 123 days, I will take my own variation on this project of hers. Everyday at 1:23pm, I will post a photo that represents something about Amy Krouse Rosenthal. I will acknowledge AKR in some way everyday for the rest of my life, and this is the first step of my journey in doing so.”

In an essay featured on Today, Paris recalled the two months she spent with her mother while she was in hospice care, while “Project 1,2,3” was still taking shape. As Rosenthal’s health declined, Paris took on more responsibilities, formulating the writing, photos and ideas. 

Now “Project 1,2,3” offers Paris a way to connect with her mother’s ideas while honoring her legacy of creativity and love.

On Day 63, Paris shared a photo of her mother’s black clog alongside her childhood black clog, both accentuated with a matching silver buckle. On Day 92, she shared a photo of her mom saying “I love you” in sign language. On Day 104, she shared a screenshot of an old text from Amy, featuring her signature good morning greeting: “Welcome to the day.”

“My project is about sharing our relationship with the world,” Paris wrote. “It’s about letting everyone know how I feel about her. It’s about representing all that encompasses the Rosenthal family. And it’s about tangibly acknowledging my mom in some way everyday. It’s the only way I know how to get through this.”

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The 2017 Tony Award nominations are here!

On Tuesday morning, original “Hamilton” cast member Christopher Jackson announced the nominations along with Tony-winner and “30 Rock” alumna Jane Krakowski.

The nominees include the sold-out musical “Dear Evan Hansen”, the musical revival “Hello, Dolly!” featuring Bette Midler, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Sweat.”

You’ll have to wait until June 11 to watch the 71st Tony Awards ceremony ― which will be hosted by Kevin Spacey, of “House of Cards” and Bobby Darin-impersonating fame. Until then, you can relive the best moments of last year’s festivities here.

Best Play:

“Sweat”
”Indecent”
”A Doll’s House, Part 2”
”Oslo”

Best Musical:

“Dear Evan Hansen” 
“Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812”
“Come From Away” 
“Groundhog Day”

Best Revival of a Play:

“Jitney” 
“Six Degrees of Separation”
“The Little Foxes” 
“Present Laughter”

Best Revival of a Musical:

“Hello, Dolly!” 
“Falsettos” 
“Miss Saigon”  

Best Actor in a Play:

Denis Arndt, “Heisenberg”  
Chris Cooper, “A Doll’s House Part 2”
Cory Hawkins, “Six Degrees of Separation”
Kevin Kline, “Present Laughter”
Jefferson Mays, “Oslo” 

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Malcolm-Jamal Warner wants to keep folks “woke” in a new short film titled, “You Can’t Hear Me.”

Starring and written by Malcolm-Jamal Warner, spoken word artist-producer David Bianchi, and spoken word artist Chris Wood, the five-minute short film displays the trio citing spoken word poetry that highlights some of America’s civil and social ills including systematic oppression, deportation and mass incarceration.

Warner tells HuffPost that he wants the socially-conscious film to serve as an symbol of solidarity at a time we need it most. 

“Our differences ― in race, sexual preference, economic ― have always been used as distractions to keep us divided,” he said. “We get so wrapped up in our own stories that we can’t hear each other. I want the take away to be that we are all in the same boat.”

“To ignore injustices such as the few we address in the film simply because they may not seem to affect you directly right now, is to leave yourself unprepared when their effects show up at your front door,” he added. “That’s the awareness we want to continue to bring to light as we stand in solidarity with activists and the politicians who really are doing their work for the people.”

The film is part of a spoken word series called “Spinema.” As the creator behind “Spinema,” Bianchi ― who has also partnered with the digital storyteller platform Outspeak ― decided to highlight some of America’s criminal justice issues using visual metaphors. 

“We decided that having our hands tied and blindfolded was the metaphor for living blind justice, but having a jet-black figure of Lady Justice that wasn’t blindfolded was the juxtaposition,” Bianchi told HuffPost.

Director Chris Folkens added that the short film is his “creative answer to a lot of questions posed in our world today.”

“So many of the struggles and damage we are seeing reflected in our community are symptoms of deeper issues like racism, bigotry, greed, police brutality, etc,” Folkens said. “This piece showcases the struggle that many people are experiencing and also the fractured nature of each person’s struggle.”

For Warner, spoken word has always been a vehicle to raise awareness around important issues in society. He tells HuffPost poets and spoken word artists are vital.

“Since the beginning of establishment, poets and spoken word artists have always been both vocal supporters and critics of government,” he said. “And in this age of Trump as President, alternative facts, falsehoods becoming truth at the send of a tweet, it’s vital that spoken word poetry does its job helping to keep folks ‘woke’ and not numb or shut down.” 

Check out Malcolm Jamal Warner in “You Can’t Hear Me” in the clip above.

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WASHINGTON ― Arts organizations won a major victory this week with increases for arts funding in the congressional budget agreement ― a rebuke of President Donald Trump’s proposal to gut federal support.

The bill to keep the government operating until September, expected to pass both chambers of Congress later this week, allocates $150 million each to the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities ― $2 million more than the previous year. It preserves the current level of funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

The Trump administration in March proposed gutting funding for the three entities, prompting arts groups around the country to lobby lawmakers and hold rallies. Congress’ budget agreement also increased funding for science research, another area where Trump proposed deep cuts.

Many of Trump’s proposals, including funding for a border wall, his signature campaign issue, were not included in the bill, reflecting limited bargaining power on Capitol Hill that contradicts his assertion that he “makes the best deals.”

Republican lawmakers likely would have faced consequences going along with Trump’s arts cuts because federal funds provide significant financial support in small towns and rural areas — places that tend to vote for the GOP.

The NEA budget, for example, funds grants that pay for arts organizations, cultural groups and projects in every single congressional district. As arts groups told HuffPost in March, those grants are often among the only sources of financing for the arts in rural parts of the country because there are fewer private sources of arts funding than in large, metropolitan communities.

Similarly, television and radio stations in rural areas would be hit hardest by cuts to public broadcasting funding.

Patrick Butler, president and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations, said in a statement Monday that the budget deal shows “powerful evidence of the growing bipartisan support for our work in education, public safety and civic leadership.” He added: “We are particularly appreciative of the leadership of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees for being such stalwart champions of public broadcasting.”

But arts organizations warned on Monday that their victory could be short lived. Republicans frequently target arts funding in budget negotiations, arguing that initiatives like the NEA are wasteful. The NEA, NEH and CPB made up a combined 0.02 percent of the federal budget last year.

“When you start looking at places that we reduce spending, one of the questions we asked was can we really continue to ask a coal miner in West Virginia or a single mom in Detroit to pay for these programs? The answer was no,” White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said in March. “We can ask them to pay for defense, and we will, but we can’t ask them to continue to pay for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.”

Actors’ Equity, the union that represents stage actors and managers around the country, advocated against Trump’s cuts by focusing on the role that community and regional theater plays in providing jobs and economic development in smaller cities and towns.

“We won an important battle this week, but the war is far from over,” the union’s executive director, Mary McColl, said in a statement. “Next year could look very different. When Congress starts work on the next budget, Equity’s talented members and elected leaders will be there to remind Congress that any cuts to the NEA would undermine middle class arts jobs in every congressional district in the country.”  

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This week brings us both the Tony award nominations and “Star Wars” Day, May 4. 

So we figured, for this week’s HuffPost Comedy hashtag game, why not combine the two?

Here are some of the absolute best #StarWarsMusicals!

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Allow himself to reintroduce himself. It’s been 20 years since the world fell in love Austin “Danger” Powers despite his bad teeth, ability to turn just about anything into sexual innuendo and highly questionable espionage abilities. Or perhaps these were things that endeared us to the International Man of Mystery, brought to life by Mike Myers, who also took on the role of his pinky-tipping nemesis, Dr. Evil. 

“Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” hit theaters in 1997 and Myers went on to appear in “The Spy Who Shagged Me” (1999) and somehow convinced pre-deity Beyoncé to star alongside him in ”Goldmember” (2002). He’s even gone on record saying he’d “love to do another,” teasing the possibility of a fourth entry, if the right story comes along. 

The quality of the films were put into greater question as the franchise went on, but the original flick still retains a certain creative punch that enshrined Myers and Powers in a special place in pop culture history. 

Some moments in the film have aged better than others (the less said about Will Ferrell playing a prototypical Arab villain the better), but there’s an undeniable wit, charm and, dare we say it, heart to “Austin Powers” that still makes it infinitely watchable 20 years later. 

1. Mike Myers ‘Parent Trap”-ing like the rent is due. 

Say what you want about Mike Myers’ brand of comedy (puerile, offensive, should be jailed for thinking the “Love Guru” was ever funny), but the way he creates two distinct characters out of Austin Powers and the arch-villain Dr. Evil is pure comedic genius.

The two characters rarely appear on screen together ― everybody play spot the body double when they do ― but thanks to a bald cap, prosthetics and a mean scar, you completely forget that Myers is playing both hero and villain and making us laugh till it hurts all the while.

2. The opening musical number was better than 90 percent of “Glee.”

As soon as the jet black boots and striped blue suit showed up on screen, we knew we were in for something special. To open the film, an always game Myers twisted and shouted with the best of them in an all-out musical extravaganza set to the signature “Austin Powers” theme. 

The scene not only immediately communicated to the audience what kind of movie they were watching, but it also established Myers as a nimble performer who’d do just about anything to get a laugh. Note to all future filmmakers out there: starting a film with your hero leading a marching band through the streets of London isn’t a bad way to go. 

3. Fembots are the greatest invention since the wheel. 

Sexual politics aside (we know, that’s a big aside) fembots are an undeniable part of the “Austin Powers” legacy. With their “Valley of the Dolls” hair styling and an iconic entrance to Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made For Walking,” the fembots were the perfect hypersexualized match for the International Man of Mystery.

To make things more interesting, these bionic women aren’t taken down by fists or bullets. No, they’re simply overwhelmed by Powers’ raw sexuality when he strips down for dance in his British flag-patterned undies. And, for what it’s worth, they count Britney Spears as one of their own. 

4. The catchphrases, C’MON.

What’s the last line from a movie you’re able to recite off the top of your head? Whether you chalk it up to the influence of foreign markets or lazy writing, gone are the days of memorable movie quotes.

But “Austin Powers” had it’s own ’60s-inspired lexicon, not to mention the stream of hilarious one-liners that came out of Dr. Evil’s mouth. Phrases like “Yeah, baby,” “Do I make you horny” and “Oh behave” have become part of the cultural zeitgeist for better or worse.

5. Name a more iconic Hollywood animal than Mr. Bigglesworth.

You can’t. 

6. “But dad, we just had a breakthrough in group.” 

Seth Green is the unsung hero of the “Austin Powers” franchise if only for playing his scenes as Dr. Evil’s son, Scott, completely straight in a movie that rarely has a sincere moment in its one hour and 34 minute running time. 

“All of my thoughts in respect to this character were to play it deeply sincere,” Seth Green recently told The Hollywood Reporter. “I thought that would be funniest next to Mike’s broad character. If you look at me in the movie, I am in a drama.”

7. You forgot Carrie Fisher was in this, didn’t you? 

Carrie Fisher popped up in a handful of bit parts throughout the ‘90s, but none more memorable than the therapist for a group for troubled fathers and sons. Her scene only lasts minutes but Fisher was a riot, interpreting Dr. Evil and son Scott’s grandiose issues as metaphors for everyday struggles. 

Myers and Fisher were apparently friends at the time. He personally requested her for the part and sent the script over to her house. Of course, she was down. Myers described Fisher as incredibly supportive of his vision on set, saying she loved “how weird the choices are.”

8. Elizabeth Hurley’s head-to-toe iconic looks.

The leather catsuit. The futuristic metallic number Judy Jetson wishes she had in her closet. The lacey nighty. The cutoff white turtleneck. Honestly, even the yellow dress in a plastic bag marked yellow dress. Before “Austin Powers” hit theaters, Elizabeth Hurley was already well-known for her bold fashion choices (she made safety pins a thing long before they were a political statement, OK?) and everything she wore in the movie was pure heaven. 

9. No one does sight gags like “Austin Powers” anymore. 

This is a safe space, so let’s all admit that one time or another we tried to impress someone with the “I’ll take the stairs” bit behind your living room couch.

Myers has always been a gifted physical comedian and his talents are put to use here. Be it the expert staging of his nude scenes as Hurley treats herself to some breakfast, the three-point turn gone awry, or his post-cryogenic chamber urination, sometimes scenes with little dialogue were still the most memorable. 

10. Literally anything Frau Farbissina says.

”SEND IN THE GUAAAAAARDSSSS!”

Hit Backspace for a regular dose of pop culture nostalgia.

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Multiple women have accused the creators of the new documentary series “Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On” of outing them as sex workers. 

Three sex workers have come forward alleging that directors Rashida Jones, Jill Bauer and Ronna Gradus used footage of them without their consent or knowledge in the new Netflix series. The series is the second installment of the feature documentary “Hot Girls Wanted,” released in April of 2015, that explored the amateur porn industry in Florida. 

Two of the sex workers are featured for a few seconds in the last episode of the series in footage taken on the app Periscope.

The third sex worker says she initially agreed to appear in the series and signed a participant release form. After filming began, she told the directors she was uncomfortable with how many personal questions she was asked, and requested that she not appear in the series. According to a report from Vocativ, the woman still appears in multiple scenes in the series. (Head over to Vocativ to read her full story.) 

In an interview with Variety published on Sunday, Gradus and Bauer refuted the allegations and pointed to fair use laws. “Fair use” is a legal term that allows the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works in specific circumstances.  

The footage of the two sex workers on Periscope, which is featured in a montage of other Periscope clips, can be used under the fair use umbrella as a way to side-step reaching out to the women for permission. One way the directors can do this is by using a very short clip of the women’s larger Periscope feed.

“If the use includes a large portion of the copyrighted work, fair use is less likely to be found,” the U.S. Copyright Office website explains. “If the use employs only a small amount of copyrighted material, fair use is more likely.” What constitutes fair use is also determined by the medium through which it was shared, in this case, Periscope. 

Since “Hot Girls Wanted: Turned on” only includes a 10-second clip of the two women’s Periscope footage, the docu-series can legally claim fair use terms. Periscope’s fair use language also allow clips filmed on its platform to be included in documentaries. 

Gradus insisted to Variety that they didn’t put anyone included in the series in danger: “The narrative has kind of become hijacked, that we exposed sex workers and that we put them in danger by telling the world that they were sex workers, when in fact we never ever did that.” 

The six-episode series, which was released on Netflix this month, focuses on the intersections of intimacy, technology and porn. The docu-series explores different aspects of the porn industry including camming (women who perform sexual acts on a live camera from a remote area) and the struggles of being a female producer in a male-dominated industry. 

Both “Hot Girls Wanted” and “Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On” received some critical praise. Other reviews focused on a troubling trend: It seemed as though the very people exploring sex work didn’t have much respect for sex workers and the industry as a whole. 

“The producers seem to be working through their own confusion about the differences between virtual dating, sex work, race and exploitation. They can not seem to understand that porn is work, and like every job on the planet has ups and downs,” one Netflix review reads. “In the process of stumbling upon their own assumptions and gaze they end up exploiting and divulging personal information on several of their subjects.”

And that’s the most troubling part of these allegations. The very people who are documenting sex work don’t realize how damaging it can be to out a sex worker. 

The producers seem to be working through their own confusion about the differences between virtual dating, sex work, race and exploitation.
Netflix Review

The first two sex workers to come forward are two “cam girls” who go by Autumn Kayy and Effy Elizabeth. Last week, both Kayy and Elizabeth tweeted that a short clip of them on Periscope was included in the series’ sixth episode titled “Don’t Stop Filming” without their consent or knowledge.

“We were not aware at all that ‘Hot Girls Wanted’ was going to use it,” Kayy told HuffPost. “We found out from fellow models and members.”

The episode itself is about 18-year-old Marina Lonina who made headlines last year after she filmed her friend on Periscope while she was being raped. The episode explores how Lonina and many other teens use Periscope as a way to feel connected to their peers. 

Elizabeth confirmed to HuffPost that the docu-series also used footage of her without asking. “I was put into ‘Hot Girls Wanted’ without my consent and zero knowledge of it until it had already been posted,” Elizabeth said.

Kayy told HuffPost she reached out to “Hot Girls Wanted” on Twitter and they responded that someone would be in contact with her to explain “fair use.” When HuffPost asked Elizabeth if she reached out to the series, she responded she hadn’t because “they’ve made it pretty clear they’ll exploit us no matter what.”

Below are screenshots of the conversation Kayy provided to HuffPost.

Bauer and Gradus told Variety that any footage recorded on Periscope is allowed to be used in a documentary under the app’s fair use terms of service. The two directors also pointed out that neither Kayy nor Elizabeth are identified by name anywhere in the documentary.  

“They saw themselves, and then on Twitter, as themselves, using their own handles, tweeted out, ‘Oh my God, we’re on Netflix. Oh my God nobody told us. Oh my God, we’re sex workers and they’ve just shown us on Netflix,’” Gradus said. “So the great irony here is that they identified themselves as sex workers. And really that is a key piece of information that has been lost in this story. We didn’t know who they were. We never would have known, the viewers never would have known, unless they themselves identified themselves.”  

For two people making a documentary about sex workers, both seemed rather flippant about the emotions and privacy concerns of sex workers. 

I was put into ‘Hot Girls Wanted’ without my consent and zero knowledge of it until it had already been posted.
Effy Elizabeth, Webcam Performer

Bauer’s and Gradus’ response to these allegations highlights two main issues. The first is that many sex workers use Twitter as a way to promote their work and often use pseudonyms to conceal their real identity, as both Elizabeth and Kayy do. Identifying someone as a sex worker on Twitter is very different from identifying them on one of the largest entertainment platforms in the world. 

The second issue is the context in which “Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On” used the short clip of Kayy and Elizabeth. The episode in question focuses on people’s use of Periscope, particularly young teens like Lonina. There are multiple sections that include different clips of people using Periscope in the episode. While the viewer watches these short montages, 18-year-old Lonina explains how she feels connected to her friends using the app.

Kayy is 26 and Elizabeth is 21. It feels like an oversight that the directors included a clip of two adult professional sex workers in an episode about teenagers and Periscope. 

On April 28, Free Speech Coalition ― the national trade association to the adult entertainment industry ― published an open letter to Netflix and the directors and producers of “Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On.” 

“Yes, the use of a [publicly] available live web show may technically fall within legal guidelines of ‘fair use,’” the letter reads. “But it is unethical and dangerous for producers who claim to be on the side of the performers to then take those images, and use them to ‘out’ vulnerable workers.”

The letter continues:

It is ironic ― and disturbing ― that a mainstream series which purports to address workplace ethics among adult film performers and focus on issues of empowerment appears to exploit them for its own gain. If the allegations against this project are substantiated, the producers may be perpetuating unfair labor practices against adult performers on their own production.

Privacy is a huge issue for performers, and in direct correlation to their personal and physical safety. Many performers face daily threats of harassment and violence from over-zealous fans and stalkers, and many are stigmatized for the work they do by families and communities. Paradoxically, this series may have made the lives of the workers featured in it substantially less safe by increasing the visibility and accessibility of their private information, such as birth names, and by broadcasting images without consent, and without regard to how that might affect these performers. The dismissal of such concerns with a reference to “fair use” speaks volumes, as do Jill Bauer and Ronna Gradus’ remarks discrediting and dismissing the claims and experiences of the workers affected by the series. 

Head here to read the full letter.  

Gradus chalked up the backlash to a “defensive” porn industry that often doesn’t like how it’s portrayed in mainstream media.

“The industry is very defensive about people coming in and shining a light on the industry and doing stories about it,” Gradus told Variety. “The allegations that have come out are probably the result of pressure they are feeling to stand in solidarity with the industry.” 

While everything the “Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On” directors did seems to be legal under fair use terms, the whole ordeal leaves viewers with a bad taste in their mouth.

One Netflix reviewer summed up the issue well, writing: “So let me get this straight: You make a series allegedly trying to shed light on the experiences of women in the sex industry ― and you do so by exposing them and not caring *in the slightest* about their concerns?! Legal or not, it’s unethical.”

The Huffington Post reached out to the directors of “Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On” and Netflix but did not hear back before the time of publication. 

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