The New Yorker held nothing back in its depiction of the latest scandal engulfing Washington, D.C. The May 22 cover drawing, titled “Ejected,” shows former FBI Director James Comey being dragged off a United Airlines flight by none other than Attorney General Jeff Sessions, depicted as a police officer. President Donald Trump, dressed as a pilot, looms behind him.

Trump fired Comey on Tuesday. He had been leading an FBI investigation into whether the Trump campaign had colluded with Russia, thereby influencing the outcome of the 2016 election.

Sessions had recused himself from the Russia investigation in March after it was revealed that he’d been in contact with Russian officials during the campaign ― information he didn’t disclose during his confirmation hearings. Yet he still “made a recommendation” to the president about Comey’s firing, Trump said in an interview with NBC News that aired Thursday.

“It’s probably a bit of a leap,” illustrator Barry Blitt said. “James Comey is six feet eight — he probably would have been happy to give up his seat in a cramped cabin.”

The illustration is a powerful nexus of two major news stories. It’s also a nod to the recent United Airlines controversy in which passenger David Dao was violently dragged off a plane. Disturbing video of the incident went viral, creating a public relations nightmare for the airline. Dao and United eventually settled for an undisclosed amount. Dao said he suffered a concussion, two broken teeth and a broken nose. 

The cover inspired mixed emotions immediately after it went live:

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It’s been a chaotic week for American politics. And an even busier week for President Donald Trump’s Twitter presence.

It might seem like the leader of the free world has a full plate ― what with people questioning the future of health care, the former FBI Director James Comey’s firing and the general state of infrastructure in the U.S., to name just a few concerns ― but no.

Somehow, he still has time to tweet about public enemy No. 1 Rosie O’Donnell AND flex his seemingly obscure idiom skills in yet another reference to his defeat of Hillary Clinton.

“Russia must be laughing up their sleeves,” he wrote, “watching as the U.S. tears itself apart over a Democrat EXCUSE for losing the election.”

”Laughing up their what?” the American people collectively asked.

The particular assortment of word salad is actually a real phrase, though. According to Merriam-Webster, universal guardian of language, it means “to be secretly happy about or amused by something (such as someone else’s trouble).”

Oxford Dictionaries concurs, defining it as being “secretly or inwardly amused.”

It sounds like a perfect idiom for Trump’s America, to be honest. Who, these days, isn’t laughing up their sleeves about one thing or another? Take, for example, Merriam-Webster’s use of the phrase in a sentence: “The mayor’s critics were laughing up their sleeves when news of the scandal was first reported.” 

Tweaked slightly it becomes: “Hillary Clinton was laughing up her sleeve when Donald Trump first won the GOP nomination.” 

So, while you might have become accustomed to guffawing at the 140-character declarations slung by our commander-in-chief, this one’s real.

The dictionary-in-chief has spoken.

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Whatever happens at President Donald Trump’s first meeting with Pope Francis later this month, it probably won’t include the passionate embrace one artist recently conjured up.

A life-size mural depicting the pontiff ardently kissing the U.S. president appeared on a wall near the Vatican on Thursday, Reuters reported. The pope is illustrated with a saintly halo and a crucifix around his neck. Trump appears with a gold watch, a pistol and devil horns sprouting out of his head.

The two men are locked in a steamy, mouth-to-mouth kiss.

A caption written on the sash of the pope’s cassock reads “The Good Forgives the Evil.” The piece is signed “TVBoy,” believed to be Italian street artist Salvatore Benintende, who has done a number of kiss-related murals in the past.

Francis and Trump are scheduled to meet at the Vatican on May 24 while the president is on a tour of Saudi Arabia, Israel, Italy and Belgium. It will be the first time the men meet in person after trading insults on social media and in interviews over the last year.

TVBoy imagined the meeting going something like: “Angel Francis forgives the Devil Trump in Rome just before the G7,” the artist wrote on Instagram, referring to the summit of world powers the president will attend in Italy.

Perhaps, TVBoy. Perhaps.

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On Friday, England’s West Midlands Police tweeted a callout to Harry Potter fans: Should they see a notecard covered front-to-back in handwritten Hogwartsian lore, they should alert authorities.

The paper is a valuable Harry Potter prequel written and auctioned off by J.K. Rowling that was stolen from its owner during a burglary in Birmingham, England, three weeks ago.

Rowling retweeted the alert, writing, “PLEASE DON’T BUY THIS IF YOU’RE OFFERED IT. Originally auctioned for [English PEN], the owner supported writers’ freedoms by bidding for it.” 

English PEN is a British charity that promotes literature and free expression around the world.

According to The New York Times, the stolen prequel is set before the birth of Harry Potter and focuses on his father and Sirius Black’s run-in with police. The manuscript was part of a 2008 auction to raise money for literacy causes, selling to an unnamed person for £25,000 (approximately $32,100). 

Fans of Rowling know the author jotted down her initial idea for the series on a napkin, and that she wrote the first installment, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, on a typewriter. In 2007, the author hand-wrote seven copies of her story-within-a-story, The Tales of Beedle and Bard, and one sold for $3 million at Sotheby’s.

Her penchant for tactile modes of writing has since receded; most her many contributions to the ever-growing Harry Potter universe have been released on her fan site, Pottermore.

That makes this handwritten addition to the canon a rare one.

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Debra Winger has a reputation. Read almost any profile from her 41-year career, and you’re likely to find the word “difficult” mentioned a time or two. Winger’s squabbles with Shirley MacLaine during “Terms of Endearment” are the stuff of Hollywood lore. Protesting the misogyny she’d experienced on-set, Winger refused to participate in publicity for “An Officer and a Gentleman” (more on that later). In 1986, when asked about working with her on “Legal Eagles,” Ivan Reitman said, “Talk to her other directors. Debra works out of a nervous tension, and she thrives on that tension.” Nonetheless, Winger remained a sought-after actress, earning three Oscar nominations along the way.

In 1996, disappointed with the quality of the scripts she was offered and the experiences she’d endured, Winger left Hollywood for six years. She’s emerged several times since, including a standout turn in “Rachel Getting Married,” a guest arc on “In Treatment” and, now, a headlining role opposite Tracy Letts in “The Lovers.” Winger and Letts play a long-married couple embroiled in extramarital affairs who discover a spark that threatens to reinvigorate their relationship. It’s a romantic comedy that twists most romantic-comedy conventions. 

Winger has given many interviews to promote the movie over the past few weeks, and most descriptions of the 61-year-old actress praise her warmth and candor ― the opposite of someone often branded “difficult.” As of Wednesday morning, I can confirm that sentiment. Letts arrived at A24’s offices for our interview at the same time I did, and as we sat down with Winger, she twinkled at the sight of her co-star, who is best known as the Pulitzer-winning writer of “August: Osage County.” (He’s also Carrie Coon’s husband, which is a sterling credential by itself.) Winger had a book in her hand when I greeted her, and our discussion remained lively and humorous, even while implicating her so-called reputation. 

What are you reading?

Debra Winger: Oh, Brecht. You sort of have to balance the publicity tour with Brecht.

You guys have been —

DW: Ubiquitous?

Yes. You’ve been all over the place over the last couple of weeks.

DW: I’m sick of myself. How about you?

Tracy Letts: I was sick of myself before this started.

DW: I figure in my case — not his — I’m just going to stick my head up from the ground every seven years and see quite a big shadow, and now I’ll just go away for a long time, I promise.

Every time you resurface, it feels like an event. “Debra Winger is back!”

DW: Yeah, but is it worth it? Isn’t this film worth it?

Absolutely.

DW: OK, so I rest my case. It was a short one.

Is it that you’re not getting many offers in between, or do you just not feel like working much?

DW: That’s really none of your business [laughs]. No, I’m kidding. I choose what I choose. I did it when I was younger, too. The most I did was one film a year in those days. I haven’t changed.

Even if you were only doing a movie a year, profiles from the ‘80s and early ‘90s consistently brand you as the “it girl.”

DW: Yeah, the “it.” That’s exactly it — they make you into a thing. I just think it’s so refreshing when you get to talk to somebody where you’re having a conversation, not this weird language of celebrity. I was just watching “Fargo” to see [Carrie Coon’s] work, and it’s so refreshing when you see an actor coming and you know they’re going to do what’s right for them. The machine isn’t going to eat them up. I guess I was just that person. I think maybe I came up in a time when nobody fought the machine. But right now, it’s a little easier to fight it because there’s so many people.

And celebrities’ actions reverberate more intensely because of the proliferation of media.

DW: You get out of a car without any underwear and you’re on the cover of a magazine. But I’m just saying that I think what I talk about is worthy of talking about, so that’s why I do this.

Carrie Coon is a good example of an actress who is thriving in her wheelhouse and avoiding the bullshit.

DW: Right. I really am just so rooting for her. Now Tracy really gets to just be quiet and listen. He’s not really awake yet.

Because of your characters’ parallel storylines, so much of “The Lovers” is dependent on how the movie came together in the edit. The violin score is delicate and surprising. I’m sure you’ve both had experiences where the finished product does not reflect the movie you first imagined. What were your reactions upon first seeing this one?

TL: I was delighted to see how closely it resembled what I thought it was going to be when I read the script. It looks the way I thought it was going to look, which is great. The music was the wild card. I didn’t foresee that, and it’s such a great additional element. It’s sort of an additional character.

DW: Right. What [director Azazel Jacobs] is referencing, from enthusiasm and love, are movies of the ‘30s and ‘40s. Inside his head, that music was always happening. But because it originally wasn’t put in the budget, I think he was surprised that A24 just said, “Yeah, go for it, man.” 

The movie works because it’s sympathetic to both of these characters. The audience never forms an exclusive loyalty to either. We constantly shift back and forth as the storylines unfold.

DW: Yeah, I loved that. That was probably my biggest surprise seeing the film. It challenges your preconceived notions of “Well, he is lying to her” and “She is lying to him.” It really shifts allegiances, and I think that’s so lifelike.

Do you feel like it’s a romantic comedy? Is that an apt label?

DW: I feel like it was running headlong toward romantic comedy, and then the safety pin in Azazel Jacobs’ ear got caught on something and pulled us into mystery. I think it’s a mystery. Every love story is a mystery.

TL: I don’t get some of the genre distinctions. I don’t know what necessarily makes a romantic comedy. I guess you know it when you see it, right?

DW: It has a bad connotation to me.

You were the it girl during the modern rom-com boom of the ‘80s and ‘90s.

DW: Yeah, I don’t know what rom-com means. Was “The Thin Man” a romantic comedy? Because it’s so much deeper than the words “romantic comedy.”

TL: Is “Annie Hall” a romantic comedy? I don’t know.

DW: Right. So I think “romantic comedy” means “bad movies.”

TL: Well, let me tell you, I think to myself, “That’s a movie that has a certain lightness of tone and a fantasy ending and a fantasy idea of what love is.”

DW: It’s a very manicured look. And everybody feels good, and you don’t have to work very hard, and you don’t have to bring yourself to the film, and it has a billboard where a guy has a look and the girl is standing there and his pants are down around his ankles.

TL: I haven’t seen that movie.

DW: I’m just making up the billboard. And there’s a dog.

TL: If that’s the cast, this is not a romantic comedy.

DW: Although your pants were around your ankles a lot.

TL: They were. More than once. Literally and figuratively.

I love that so much of what these characters go through is expressed through wordless exchanges. Tracy, you said something a few years ago that’s interesting ―

TL: Oh, God. I’ve said a few things.

You talked about acting being an extrovert’s pastime. In this movie, you play a lot of introverted beats. In one scene, Debra’s character offers to share a bottle of wine one night, which is abnormal for this couple, and you cycle through a whole history of emotions internally while deciding whether to accept.

TL: I think of it as listening. In the theater, where most of my experience is, we work so much with language. But it doesn’t matter if you’re in theater or you’re doing improv or a film or a sitcom. It always comes back to listening. For me, in that scene, I can’t worry about trying to communicate something to Debra through my eyes, as opposed to just hearing what Debra is saying to me wordlessly. That’s really the key for me as an actor, just trying to be present and available to my partner and listen to what she’s saying by not speaking.

DW: I like that. Listen to what I’m saying by not speaking. I say that to my husband all the time. He doesn’t always listen.

Once you started acting for a camera, was it hard to learn how to telegraph emotions in a less outsized way?

TL: Yeah, if your experience is onstage, you have to learn to modulate. It’s so hard to learn it as a craft if you just work as a day player, or a week here or a week there for a number of years, as I did. But I have to say it was the experience on “Homeland,” just the ability to go on a set regularly and start to learn people’s names and get comfortable, not feel like an interloper, but feel like I’m actually part of the thing. Your shoulders can start to drop and you can start to be comfortable with the fact that there’s a camera in the room and just start to tune your listening skills a little bit. Then the modulation just flows from there.

DW: But I have to say, with modulation, my favorite moment in the film is in that scene, his response to “Would you like a glass of wine?” I just say, “Show that clip for the movie. That’s it.” He’s shaking his head no, but he says yes. I just remember watching him going, “Holy fuck!” So I don’t know about modulating because that would have worked from the balcony.

Debra, you’ve been open in the past about experiences in your career —

DW, looking at Tracy: “I’ve been open in the past ... ”

Let’s say you’ve been outspoken about experiences where you didn’t get respect.

DW: Did I use “respect”? Are you sure I used the world “respect”?

Let’s see, I have a quote right here.

TW: Uh-oh.

“I do need respect, and I didn’t get it.” That was referring to “An Officer and a Gentlemen.”

DW: Oh. Well, that was human respect. That wasn’t, like, respect for my acting.

Right, that’s what I mean. You’ve said men on the set would hand you water pills to try to make you slim down.

DW: We’re talking a real low bar [laughs]. But most of those people are dead, so I can’t speak about them. And I hope that they’re resting in peace, but I doubt it. It wasn’t Richard Gere, which has always been misconstrued. It was the producer aspect of that. That was tough. And for a young actress, we’re often victimized by that. I think there’s a lot more talking about it today, so we’re less apt to fall for it, but really, I was thrown to the sharks.

Had you said what you did about “An Officer and a Gentleman” today, more people would have rallied behind you. Actresses are encouraged to talk about bad experiences like that now.

DW: Thank God I did it then. I didn’t need a rally. I probably needed a mom and dad who got me a little more ready, but God bless ‘em, they had no idea where I was headed, nor could they have imagined how I would be treated. I would often call my mother in the middle of the night saying, “I don’t want to do this.” She’d say, “So quit.” Which is great because you want to think of most parents going, “You have to be strong.” My mom would go, “Get out!” And that would make me stronger. I’d say, “No! I’m going to do it, but I’m going to get it right.”

TL: I’m not so sure you’re right about that, actually, that people would rally behind the person who says that.

DW: Yeah, they’re eager to eat you. 

So many actresses now speak of the pay gap in Hollywood and being mistreated by powerful men.

DW: But they’re talking about — let’s be honest. Oh, God, don’t say this, Debra. Don’t say this.

TL: You say whatever you want.

DW: No, I’m just saying, often, as women beautifully are, they’re opposing things. So they may be talking about those things, but they’re cutting their faces and they’re doing things to comply with a sense of beauty and celebrity that works against being honored for who they are. I have a problem with that. I have no judgment on what people do to make themselves feel better, but it’s hard. It’s like making $6 million on a film and then doing a telethon to raise money for whatever. I say we cut a few steps — we put a bucket out in front of the dermatologists’ offices and just put the $10,000 in the bucket for Haiti and don’t get the facelift. Oh no. I said it. Carrie will still be my friend. Sorry! I really honestly say and believe, “To each his own.” But I do see the hypocrisy in that, and women begging to be respected for who they are, but we can’t really see who they are anymore. We certainly can’t see who they are at a certain age. I’m not saying I look great — I’m saying it’s tough, let’s deal with it.

With the collection of experiences you’ve had —

DW: I’m so fucked. This will be on HuffPost. Oh, God [laughs].

But how do you know, in taking a project today, that you’ll get the respect you deserve? How do you decide an offer from, say, Jonathan Demme or Azazel Jacobs is worth accepting?

DW: It’s a crapshoot. But you have a feeling when you’re sitting with them, and it’s a collaborative thing, so you hope for the best. That’s the exciting part about making films: It’s a collaboration and you’re taking a chance. It’s a leap of faith.

Well, see you in seven years, Debra.

DW: I’m so fucked. People will rally around me, Tracy! Tracy, they’re going to rally around me!

TL: And they will.

DW: You’re so right that they would not.

“The Lovers” is now open in limited release. This interview has been edited and condensed. 

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If moms didn’t have their kids holding them back, they’d all be comedians. There’s no doubt.

Just in time for Mother’s Day, Jimmy Fallon made this week’s hashtag #MomQuotes to highlight all the hilarious things moms say. To all the moms who texted the poop emoji thinking it was a piece of chocolate, and those who wish they could sip wine that comes from a bottle for once, these are for you.

Happy Mother’s Day!

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The data is in! The Social Security Administration released its official list of the most popular baby names of 2016.

The names on the list aren’t particularly surprising. In fact, the top 10 list of names for girls contains all of the same names as last year’s list. However, Ava overtook Sophia for the number three spot, and Charlotte jumped up from number nine to number seven.

As for the boys, William rose two spots, replacing Mason as the third most popular name. James also jumped up to number five, and Ethan and Benjamin swapped their number six and number ten positions from last year. The only new name on the list is Elijah, which bumped Alexander from top 10 status.

The Social Security Administration compiles the baby names list is based on the names that parents in the U.S. chose for their babies born in 2016. 

Without further ado, here are the top 10 baby names of 2016. 

Girls

1. Emma


2. Olivia


3. Ava


4. Sophia


5. Isabella


6. Mia


7. Charlotte


8. Abigail


9. Emily


10. Harper 

Boys

1. Noah


2. Liam


3. William


4. Mason


5. James


6. Benjamin


7. Jacob


8. Michael


9. Elijah


10. Ethan

Visit the Social Security Administration website to see more of the data on baby names in the U.S.

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When LaWanda Flennoy organized a photo shoot to celebrate her daughters’ and granddaughter’s graduations this year, the girls insisted she be part of it.

Flennoy’s two older daughters graduated from college this month, her youngest finished high school and her granddaughter graduated from kindergarten. But the grandmother was also celebrating a big accomplishment this spring ― her own college graduation. 

Photographer Darryl Hammond captured the three generations of graduates together at his Chicago studio. 

“The photo makes me feel proud, for a couple of reasons,” Flennoy told HuffPost. “First, that I have been a role model for these ladies and second, that they have set out and accomplished their goals. Graduating was not an easy task for any of us, as we’ve all had setbacks and feelings of uncertainty. But this year, we’ve conquered them all.”

All of the ladies’ hard work has paid off. Flennoy’s daughter Amari graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in industrial engineering and has accepted a position with Ford Motor Company. Her daughter Paris graduated from Chicago State University with a degree in public relations and will go on to work for Apple. 

After high school graduation, her daughter Jade will attend Illinois State University to study criminal justice, and her granddaughter Brooklyn is a proud kindergarten graduate. 

Flennoy said Paris was the original mastermind behind the graduation photo shoot and insisted she take part in some photos. The grandmother is set to graduate from South Suburban College with a degree in psychology later this month. 

She said looking at the group picture makes her feel great. “These ladies are awesome, and I’m so proud of them!” Flennoy said.

The photo appeared on the Facebook page Because of Them We Can, where it received over 7,000 likes.

“I have always taught my girls that they can be whatever they want to be. A solid education and unwavering belief in themselves are great foundations for success,” Flennoy told HuffPost. “I hope people realize that with determination, focus and a good support system, anyone can meet their potential.”

The photographer told HuffPost the photo shoot was a blast. “Everyone had on their cream colored outfits and brought nothing but smiles,” said Hammond, adding that the oldest daughters also paid tribute to their sororities ― Delta Sigma Theta and Alpha Kappa Alpha.

Though the shoot lasted about two hours in total, the photographer said it was so much fun, it could have easily gone on for another two. 

Hammond said he hopes people are inspired by the group photo.

“It’s a huge accomplishment for one person to graduate, let alone five total AND three generations,” he explained. “I want parents to encourage their kids to stay in school, continue their education and never give up WHILE doing the same thing.  Everyone loved this photo; I want everyone to see this photo and say, ‘This photo is an inspiration; this is a beautiful family.’”

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Laverne Cox has always been one to share empowering messages on self-love ― and when it comes to her relationship with her hair, her approach is no different. 

On Thursday, the award-winning actress posted a picture to Instagram showing her posing in a dazzling beaded dress and flaunting her flawless natural hair. The picture, which was taken from a photo shoot in January, shows her beautiful curls styled for a look that she says she was “most excited about” that day. 

“I haven’t relaxed my hair since 2011,” she wrote in the caption. “My natural hair journey continues and I want to celebrate that as much as the other looks we rock.” 

Cox said that she usually chooses to wear wigs and other protective hairstyles because it’s easier for her to manage, but she still fully embraces her natural hair and also wants “to celebrate my natural hair sisters,” she wrote. “I love you!”

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Twenty-six years after “Miss Saigon” made her a Broadway icon, Lea Salonga is eager to push boundaries once more. That’s most apparent when you hear her perform a stripped-down version of “Blurred Lines,” which also happens to be the title track of her new live album, released May 5. 

If the thought of the woman who provided the singing voices of two Disney princesses (Jasmine and Mulan) crooning Robin Thicke’s controversial 2013 hit is surprising, that’s perfectly fine by her.

“It’s all about intent. I think it’s different when a woman sings that song,” Salonga told HuffPost. Once her musical director, Larry Yurman, had worked out a suitable arrangement, the song “didn’t seem predatory or misogynistic,” she said. “It became something interesting, and I enjoyed singing it. It’s always a fun time, especially when people start getting a little tipsy.”

The Tony-winning singer-actress explores a number of different musical genres on “Blurred Lines,” which was recorded live at New York’s Feinstein’s/54 Below last year. The album features vestiges of Salonga’s Broadway triumphs, but its real highlights are her versions of songs by Tracy Chapman, John Legend and One Direction. She includes much of the set in her Feinstein’s/54 Below residency, which opened May 9 and will include 15 performances.

Salonga’s return to the New York concert stage follows a starring turn as Alison Bechdel’s mother, Helen, in an acclaimed production of “Fun Home” in her native Manila. Based on Bechdel’s graphic memoir, “Fun Home” made history in 2015 as Broadway’s first musical to feature a lesbian protagonist. Bringing the show to the Philippines ― where legal recognition and protection of LGBTQ people at the national level is minimal ― posed its own set of challenges.

Good art makes you think. It does not have to necessarily change your opinion ... but it should have the power to make you think.”

“We had no idea what audiences were going to think, given what the subject matter was and who had written the book,” Salonga said of the show, which follows Bechdel’s coming out story as well as the darker journey of her closeted gay father, who commits suicide after a string of secret affairs with men. “But I think we were doing our jobs as far as putting out art that challenged how people were thinking and that challenged us, too. I think audiences kept coming because they could actually see themselves in those characters without expecting to.”

Broadway has made strides toward diversity lately, with the revival of “The Color Purple” and “Hamilton” taking top honors at the 2016 Tony Awards. Noticeably absent from many recent seasons, however, are stories that focus on Asian narratives. Salonga’s 2015 Broadway stint opposite George Takei in “Allegiance” seemed poised to change that by featuring a nearly all-Asian cast.

The musical, which opened in New York after a successful San Diego run, was loosely based on Takei’s experiences in a Japanese-American internment camp during World War II. Still, the show struggled to find an audience and, facing stiff competition from “Hamilton,” closed after just 111 performances.

“We thought, for sure, ‘Allegiance’ would strike a chord, given the times in which it was staged,” Salonga said of the experience. “I don’t know if people thought it was an un-American show — it was a very American show. But we were shining a light on things that had been done that weren’t complementary to the U.S. government.”

Still, she added, “For George Takei to put his passion project up on the stage and inspiring all of us to be a part of it, too … whatever the result, however people would respond, we had to be a part of it. All of us who did the show are extremely proud to have done it.”

One thing Salonga doesn’t have time for are critics who feel that artists should steer clear of addressing politics, whether on or off stage.

“That’s kind of shallow, if all you want is to be entertained,” she said. “The thing about artists ― it doesn’t matter if you sing, you dance, you act, you paint or your take pictures ― you hold a mirror up to society. [My] job is to empathize, and to step into the shoes of another human being and see what it’s like to live as that person, even if only for a couple of hours. Good art makes you think. It does not have to necessarily change your opinion ― some art just won’t ― but it should have the power to make you think.”

Despite the brief run of “Allegiance,” Salonga remains optimistic the show will inspire more Asian plays and musicals down the line. She said she looks forward to the day that Asians “are not seen as ‘the other,’ ‘the exotics,’ ‘the Orientals,’ the people who are not from here” in commercial theater. 

“It’s something I think about,” she said. “I’m hoping there will be more Asian playwrights who will be brave enough to tell the stories they have.” 

Lea Salonga performs at Feinstein’s/54 Below in New York through May 22. 

Welcome to Battleground, where art and activism meet.

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Moms generally have a powerful influence on their children, so it makes sense that they play a role in how daughters come to view beauty and makeup. 

Sometimes the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, but sometimes it rolls all the way down the hill.

Take for example, the Kardashian sisters. Kris Jenner, the family’s matriarch, ascribes to a highly glamorous beauty philosophy. And all five of her daughters ― Kourtney, Kim, Khloe, Kylie and Kendall ― do the same. Several of the sisters even have an eponymous beauty enterprise built to sell a highly glamorous ideal of beauty. Which, one could argue, originated by Kris’s example.

But other daughters swing in another direction: Their beauty philosophy is the polar opposite of their mother’s look.

This Mother’s Day, we wanted to get to the bottom of why that might be.  

Each generation adopts certain beauty ideals

“Styles change,” Deborah Tannen, professor of linguistics at Georgetown University and author of You’re The Only One I Can Tell: Inside The Language Of Women’s Friendships told HuffPost. “So what would have been the accepted and expected style in one generation is going to be different in the next generation.” 

For example, the beauty philosophy of the 1930s and 1940s expected women to be more dolled up. Film stars like Ava Gardner, Judy Garland and Marilyn Monroe exhibited a very classic, Old Hollywood glamour. But then the Baby Boomer generation came, and a stripped-down beauty routine gained popularity.

“It was a back-to-the-land look with minimal makeup,” Christiane Northrup, author of Goddesses Never Age, told HuffPost. “Because every generation kind of rebels against what they see as the restrictions of their parents’ generation.” 

So today, when a daughter adopts a different beauty philosophy than her mother, it could be as simple as embracing what’s popular among her generation. 

Women communicate with makeup, but methods differ

SuEllen Hamkins, psychiatrist and co-founder of the Mother-Daughter Project, told HuffPost that the idea of “to each her own” is very important when it comes to beauty. The manner in which daughters wear their makeup is tied to the larger psychological step of creating one’s own identity.

We see this all the time: Applying makeup makes some women feel empowered. But so does wearing no make up at all.

“I don’t want to cover up anymore,” singer Alicia Keys wrote in a powerful essay in Lenny about her decision to go makeup free. “Not my face, not my mind, not my soul, not my thoughts, not my dreams, not my struggles, not my emotional growth. Nothing.”

While most women won’t write an essay claiming or defending their stance on beauty, every woman will grapple with how to approach it. 

“It’s the face you’re presenting to the world,” Hamkins said. “I think different women have to come to different strategies about how to negotiate this complex task, and mothers and daughters could have different strategies.” 

And sometimes that can cause friction 

Plenty of mothers remark on their daughter’s appearance, especially if the daughter embraces a beauty philosophy different from her own. 

Tannen poses an interesting question in her research about mothers, daughters and appearance: How often do you look at another woman and think, “She would look better if her hair were longer, shorter, curlier, straighter, pulled back, pushed forward? If her dresses were longer, shorter? If she were wearing flats, more makeup, less make up, different make up?”

It’s therefore not surprising that mothers and daughters react the same way to each other.

“The difference is that we say it,” Tannen said. “From the point of view of the mother, you want everything to go as well as possible for [your daughter], so you feel that it’s your job to tell her.” The task for daughters then, is to try to hear the care in her mother’s remark, rather than criticism. 

But surprisingly, sometimes a different beauty philosophy can mean a better relationship

So you and your mom have different ideas about what “ready” means before you head to a concert, huh? That’s totally fine.

“Mothers and daughters who can really respect their personal choices, who can also be really different, can actually connect really closely,” Hamkins said. In fact, becoming your unique self ― mascara wand, lipstick, blush, or none at all ― actually takes place in the context of supportive relationships, Hamkins explained.

So, the more a mother allows her daughter to do her thing with makeup, and vice versa, the closer this pair may actually become. 

“Healthy relationships have connection and also autonomy,” Hamkins said. “All of our best relationships have both qualities.” 

Now that’s a truth that needs no cover-up.  

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The Social Security Administration released the official list of popular baby names of 2016 on Friday, and although the top 10 names weren’t particularly surprising, there were some interesting trends in broader data. 

Between 2015 and 2016, the name Donald fell 45 places, from the 443rd most popular baby name for boys to number 488.

The current U.S. president’s name has been declining in popularity for some time now, though it showed a slightly larger decrease between the past two years. While there were 690 Donalds born in 2015, there were only 621 in 2016. 

The name Donald peaked at the sixth most popular name for boys in 1934. 

Interestingly, the names of many of President Trump’s family members rose in popularity. While there were only 37 Ivankas born in 2015, that number jumped up significantly to 111 in 2016. The name Melania was given to 90 baby girls in 2015 but then 131 in 2016. And the number of babies named Barron rose from 74 to 94 between 2015 and 2016. 

This upswing didn’t hold true for all the Trump kids, however. The name Tiffany fell in the 1,000 most popular names list, from number 494 in 2015 (646 babies) to number 558 in 2016 (555 babies). Eric also fell from number 138 (3,035 babies) to number 142 (2,909 babies). And Trump’s son-in-law Jared’s name dropped, as well ― with 1,007 Jareds born in 2015 and just 829 born in 2016. 

Meanwhile, the name Hillary showed a slight rise. Though the name hasn’t appeared on the top 1000 names list since 2008, 137 baby girls were named Hillary in 2015. That number jumped up to 171 baby Hillarys in 2016. 

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Which is your favorite of Bob Ross’ bizarrely calming “Joy of Painting” tutorial videos?

Is it the one in which a fuzzy-headed Ross uses his inside voice to gently guide you through painting a wood cabin and a snowy expanse? How about the one with a fuzzy-headed Ross using his inside voice to gently guide you through painting a wood cabin amidst a snowy expanse, with pine trees?

Now you will never, ever have to make that kind of painful choice again. Because RandomBobRoss.com is a thing that exists, offering every Bob Ross video, at your fingertips, at random, forever. 

RandomBobRoss.com is a holy place, where you can browse 31 glorious and not at all repetitive seasons of Bob Ross videos with the click of a button. You will see Bob painting trees, Bob painting clouds, Bob painting misty skies, Bob painting erotic fan art of Rihanna and Drake hooking up, Bob painting majestic mountains. 

If the world has got you down and the nihilistic memes floating around Twitter just aren’t doing it for you, please check out RandomBobRoss.com to restore your faith in this strange and beautiful ride we call life. Because every day is a good day when you paint, and every day is a great day when you watch Bob Ross videos until you pass out. 

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Warning: This article contains nudity and may not be appropriate for work. 

“Most films made by women aren’t that good,” Dick (played by Kevin Bacon) says in the pilot episode of the Amazon series “I Love Dick.” Dick makes this unprompted assertion to bonafide woman filmmaker Chris Kraus (Kathryn Hahn) while out to dinner with her and her husband. Kraus, quite understandably, is wildly frustrated, and somehow quite aroused. 

“See,” Dick continues, “I think it’s really pretty rare for a woman to make a good film because they have to work from behind their oppression, which makes for some bummer movies.”

In response, Kraus begins rattling off the names of her cinematic heroines ― Sally Potter, Jane Campion, Chantal Akerman ― as clips of the filmmakers’ work flash briefly onscreen. The dizzying whoosh of images offers a brief glimpse at the pioneering women who have informed Kraus’ artistic point of view. 

“I Love Dick” is a series based off Chris Kraus’ pioneering 1995 book of the same name, created by “Transparent” showrunner Jill Soloway and written by an all-women writer’s room. Like its source material, the show is a manifesto for female desire and creativity. Over the course of the show, Kraus finds her voice as an artist and a woman, her newfound, unabashed power of expression igniting the other creative women in her midst. “I Love Dick” acts as a sort of flame, sparking the viewers ― and, potentially, a next generation of artists ― into action.

The show does so by paying tribute to the women who paved the way first ― who did so without permission or even recognition, whose achievements made a character like Chris Kraus, with her hopes and dreams and vision, possible. Writer and director Logan Kibens served as a consulting producer on set, curating the homages that appear in brief and tantalizing clips throughout the show, offering a truncated survey of feminist film history.

“It starts as a response to Kevin Bacon’s statement in the pilot that women can’t work from outside their oppression,” Kibens told HuffPost. “He challenges Chris and says women can’t be good artists. That moment felt to me like a calling of the ancestors. We’re ready to go into battle and address this question.”

The film clips that appear are thematically linked to what’s happening in the show at the times they emerge, highlighting the real-life artists whose work came before.

“I was responding to the scripts as they were coming in,” Kibens said. “It was like a really hard crossword puzzle. Every piece had to relate to one of the main characters and what she was going through while keeping in mind the theme of the show. Taken together, the clips offer a short history of women in film.”

Taken from films that date between 1964 and 2012, the clips are culled from film, dance, pornography, and video and performance art. They feature iconic feminist artists like Marina Abramovic and Carolee Schneemann and contemporary luminaries like Petra Cortright. The clips loudly reject Dick’s hypothesis that women don’t make good films, showing that women have long been making work that is provocative, sensual and rigorous, even if men have chosen to look the other way. 

In an interview with HuffPost, Jill Soloway explained her desire to remix the recipe of a television show, departing from the tired blueprint of storytelling from a male perspective. “We can do anything with TV we want to,” Soloway said, “including using it as a crucible to show off the work of all these women who have never been known or seen.”

Incorporating a loosely connected network of female voices, Soloway and Kibens disrupt the tradition of the singular male storyteller. Instead of even relying on Kraus’ lone voice to tell the story, Soloway invites the spirits of her collaborators and influences into the fold, creating a collaborative collage that refuses to converge at a single point. 

“I’m trying to experiment with what we can do with TV,” Soloway said, “using sampling, almost like hip-hop, to bring these other voices in to tell this story.” 

Watching the show, it’s easy to be hypnotized by these brief forays into the history of feminist art. It’s also almost inescapable to want to learn more. So we’ve compiled a guide to the clips featured in “I Love Dick,” arranged by episode, so you can begin your feminist film education. See the clips listed in order below, with commentary provided by Kibens. 

Episode 1:

“Orlando,” Sally Potter (1992): A British film, based on Virginia Woolf’s novel Orlando, starring Tilda Swinton. Watch it here.

“The Piano,” Jane Campion (1993): A New Zealand film about a mute piano player and her daughter, starring Holly Hunter. Watch it here.

“Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce 1080 Bruxelles,” Chantal Akerman (1975): An arthouse film about a single mother, who is also a sex worker, that’s been dubbed the “first masterpiece of the feminine in the history of the cinema.” Watch it here.

Kibens: “Chantal Akerman was someone I initially thought of. She was deeply important to me. I admire how much she pushed against her critical response. She would get negative pushback because her work was difficult to understand, but she really stayed true to her voice. That struggle and stubbornness and purity of vision was an interesting parallel to Chris’ journey. Chris is this woman who was really beaten up by outside perspective, who needs to find herself from the inside. She’s trying to get past the noise.”

Episode 2: 

“Je, Tu, Il, Elle,” Chantal Akerman (1974): A French-Belgian film whose plot might be best summarized by the Criterion Collection as centering on “an aimless young woman who leaves self-imposed isolation to embark on a road trip that leads to lonely love affairs with a male truck driver and a former girlfriend.” Watch it here.

Episode 3: 

“Head,” Cheryl Donegan (1993): A short video that’s been described as “an exemplary piece of post-MTV neo-porn.” Watch it here.

”Fuses,” Carolee Schneemann (1964–66): A self-shot erotic film that, according to The Guardian, “succeeds perhaps more than any other film in objectifying the sexual streamings of the body’s mind.” Watch it here.

Kibens: “Carolee is somebody who is cited in the book, who was there during the time of the real events that inspired Chris Kraus when she was writing. ‘Fuses’ is exactly what we wanted to do with ‘I Love Dick,’ shifting the gaze. That film is so intimate and sexual and tactile and so much about the female perspective of a sexual relationship. The way Carolee turns her camera onto her and her actual partner at the time, using these tools that often feel reserved for a male gaze. There is only a brief moment of it in the show, so I hope people are able to watch more on their own.”

Episode 4: 

“Trick or Drink,” Vanalyne Green (1984): The film “offers an intimate and provocative look at the different forms addiction takes on as it’s passed among generations of family members.” Watch it here.

Episode 5:

“Removed,” Naomi Uman (1999): A short film that “brilliantly intervenes in the scopophilic pleasure of visually consuming women’s bodies on screen by literally erasing only the women’s naked bodies from the frame.” Watch it here.

Kibens: ”Naomi went to CalArts for her MFA, and ‘Removed’ emerged from a piece of film stock she found in a projection booth there. She did this procedure on it where she took nail polish remover and removed every female figure. It’s this image that is immediately really clear and evocative. It’s playing with 1970s porn, which a very heavy, aggressive, male gaze. Naomi subverts that. What do you do when you just have the gaze and you no longer have the body? This kind of porn was already basically erasing the female figure, so what happens when you actually erase the female figure?”

“Leche,” Naomi Uman (1998): The short documentary film focuses on the lives of a rural Mexican family.

“Chronicles of a Lying Spirit,” Cauleen Smith (1992): The 13-minute film has been described as “less a depiction of ‘reality’ than an exploration of the implications of the mediation of Black history by film, television, magazines, and newspapers.”

Kibens (discussing Smith’s piece in relation to the “I Love Dick” character Paula, played by Lily Mojekwu): “I know Cauleen as a filmmaker; she was involved in Season 3 of ‘Transparent.’ I see Paula as a black woman waiting to see representations of herself. At first, she’s almost waiting for permission from the patriarchy to see herself represented, but eventually she realizes if this is something she wants to see, she needs to take control and make these images and do it for her community. Paula is a curator and Cauleen’s piece layering images from a variety of perspectives, textures, cultures and ideas. I think that’s fascinating.” 

“EnchantedForestStrippersNoPoloEasy2Girls[1],” Petra Cortright (2012): You can easily follow Cortright’s contemporary work on Instagram.

Episode 6: 

“Freeing the Body,” Marina Abramovic (1976): A six-hour performance that originally took place at the Mike Steiner gallery in Berlin. Watch it here. 

“Post-Porn Modernist,” Annie Sprinkle (1989): The film is “the story of Annie Sprinkle’s sexual evolution told, and explored, through a series of burlesque-like autobiographical multi-media vignettes.”

“The Matter of Origins,” Liz Lerman (2010): The artist says that the hourlong multimedia dance work “is about the origin of matter. But it’s also about how we perceive beginnings, discover them, think about them.”

“Up To And Including Her Limits,” Carolee Schneemann (1973–76): The Museum of Modern Art explains the piece with the following description: “Video monitors show a recording of the artist suspended naked above the canvas using her body to paint on it.”

Episode 7: 

“Mouth to Mouth,” Stephanie Smith and Edward Stewart (1995): According to the Tate museum in London, it “is a short, black-and-white video depicting a repeated action enacted by the artists,” during which Smith and Stewart share the same breath.

Kibens: “This is a perfect way to visualize the tentative intimacy between a married couple. It’s probably the longest clip featured in the show. It also doesn’t have music. The artist didn’t want us to use any score. With this piece I feel like we were really asking: can we push it this far?”

“Nowhere,” Dimitris Papaioannou (2009): The unconventional dance film is meant to position the stage as a “a spatial mechanism continually transformed and redefined by the human presence to denote any place, and yet designed to be a non-place.” Watch it here.

Episode 8: 

“At Land,” Maya Deren (1946): A 15-minute silent experimental film is reportedly “about the struggle to maintain one’s personal identity.” Watch it here.

Kibens: “I’ve always been aggressively anti-Maya Deren, since early on in my filmmaking career. Her film ‘Meshes of the Afternoon’ I find really grating, overbearing and pretentious. But then I watched more of her stuff dealing with choreography and montage and she really brings you into this surreal world, where there is no linearity of time and place. When I was watching ‘At Land,’ I realized I had to think of Deren’s work in the context of when she was making it, not the context of today. To be a woman directing the work, putting your body in the work and working in surrealism, which was an aggressively male-dominated genre. Today some of her ideas might seem very cliche and overused, but they were very new at the time.”

“I Love Dick” is available to stream now on Amazon.

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Anyone with a feminist for a mom knows she’s given you some of the best life advice you’ll ever get. 

She’s a strong woman who makes her opinion known and doesn’t take shit from anyone. Whether she’s been working a 9 to 5 her entire life or has stayed at home to raise you ― she’s a role model in every way. 

To celebrate Mother’s Day, HuffPost Women asked our readers to share one lesson they’ve learned from their feminist mothers growing up. The responses, paraphrased below, were heart-wrenching, honest and full of love. 

So, for my feminist mom — and every other mother — this is for you. Here are 28 things anyone with a feminist mother knows to be true. Happy Mother’s Day! 

1. Always trust your intuition. You did get it from your mama. 

2. Get a good education so you can support yourself if need be.  

3. Don’t ever accept anything less than equal treatment. 

4. Exercise your hard-won right to vote.

5. Actions really do speak louder than words.

6. You can be delicate and strong at the same damn time.  

7. Self-care is everything. 

8. Being a strong woman means lifting up other women around you. 

9. Relationships shouldn’t complete your life, they should complement it. 

10. You don’t need to smile for anyone.

11. Don’t water yourself down to be “likable,” especially for a partner. 

12. Gender roles are bullshit. 

13. Value your intelligence, even when those around you don’t. 

14. Life is about balance; don’t ever lose sight of your needs and wants. 

15. Value diversity and acceptance. 

16. A sense of humor goes a long way when you’re in a society built by and for men.   

17. Respect and learn from the women who came before you. 

18. Always maintain an avenue for financial independence. 

19. Housework is a shared chore. 

20. You can be a strong independent woman and still live happily ever after. 

21. Speak your mind. 

22. No one can validate your self worth except you. 

23. Compassion is key. 

24. Do what makes you happy. 

25. Being a woman does not dictate what you can and cannot do. 

26. Always negotiate your salary. 

27. Don’t let anyone view you as a body instead of a mind. 

28. You are always enough.

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Supporters of an imprisoned Christian politician in Indonesia gathered together in the country’s capital on Wednesday to protest his controversial jail sentence in a remarkable way ― by bursting out in song. 

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, known locally by his nickname Ahok, was sentenced to two years in jail Tuesday for blasphemy against the Quran. The Christian politician is appealing the verdict, which international human rights groups have roundly condemned. 

Purnama’s supporters voiced their dismay at the harsh verdict against the former Jakarta governor on Wednesday, when they crowded outside of Jakarta’s City Hall on Wednesday for a musical rally. 

Dressed in the national colors of red and white, the supporters sang Indonesia’s national anthem, and other patriotic songs. Video filmed of the event showed hundreds of protestors, including some wearing bright red hijabs, waving their arms in unison as they sang. 

The renowned conductor, Addie MS, led the performance. 

Speaking with the Jakarta Globe, Addie said that he and members of his Twilite Orchestra spread news of the planned protest through the phone application WhatsApp. 

While the rally was organized to show support for the imprisoned politician, Addie said that it was also about promoting unity in Indonesia. 

“The focus has shifted. It is not only about Ahok, but also the recent issues that created divisive tensions among us. My concern is how to preserve the essence of Pancasila [the founding principles of the Indonesia state] and our Bhinneka Tungga Ika [unity in diversity],” Addie told the Jakarta Globe.

“Hopefully, these songs will revive our spirit and unite Indonesia through music,” Addie told the Globe. 

Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country. It is also home to significant numbers of Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, and people of indigenous beliefs. In recent years, minorities have expressed fear that the influence of Islamist hardliners in the country is undermining the moderate form of Islam practiced by most Indonesians.  

Purnama was placed on trial last year for allegedly insulting the Quran. He reportedly claimed that his political rivals were misusing a verse in the holy book to convince people that Muslims should only be led by other Muslims. 

News of that criticism angered some hardliners, who organized mass street protests demanding the former governor’s arrest. Purnama lost his bid for re-election in April to a Muslim candidate, after a race tinged with religious tensions. 

Protests against Purnama’s sentence continued throughout the week, after he was moved to a detention center in West Java. The Jakarta Post reports that the protestors have been making speeches and holding candlelight vigils.

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Labor and delivery nurses are some of the most hardworking and supportive figures during childbirth.

From their medical care to their encouraging words to their comforting presence during difficult moments, nurses play a powerful role in the delivery room.

As we honor the last day of Nurse Appreciation Week, we’ve put together a collection of beautiful birth photos that celebrate labor and delivery nurses.

Captions have been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president who oversaw the organization during two consecutive #OscarsSoWhite controversies and pushed for more diversity among its membership, is stepping down from the Board of Governors, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

HuffPost reached out to an Oscars publicist about the news but did not immediately receive a response. Boone Isaacs’ role as president was already coming to an end, as officers cannot serve more than four consecutive years. She was eligible to return as a regular member of the Board of Governors, but she is reportedly seeking time away from Academy leadership after a strenuous stint at its helm. 

Each Academy board member represents one of the various branches that vote for the Oscars; together they supervise the organization’s finances and set its goals and strategies. The president becomes the face of the Academy, and Boone Isaacs was a very public one. She was also the first black leader in the organization’s 90-year history. Following two years of only white acting nominees, Boone Isaacs amplified the percentage of women and people of color invited to join. She also oversaw the decision to keep PricewaterhouseCoopers as the Academy’s voting accounting firm despite this year’s infamous envelope snafu. 

Elections for the Academy’s new Board of Governors will occur in June. Notable names who’ve submitted themselves for the ballot reportedly include Whoopi Goldeberg, Geena Davis, Queen Latifah, Rita Wilson, Jacki Weaver, Netflix chief Ted Sarandos, Disney president Ed Catmull, producer Jason Blum, director Brett Ratner, documentarian Morgan Spurlock, screenwriter John Ridley and cinematographer Mandy Walker.

Those seeking a Board of Governors position can also become president. The Hollywood Reporter has the full list of candidates. 

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Last month, we applauded Reese Witherspoon for helping to rejuvenate the atrophied romantic-comedy genre with “Home Again,” the directorial debut of Nancy Meyers’ daughter. Now, the movie’s first trailer is here, fulfilling every rom-com expectation one can dream of. 

Witherspoon plays a newly divorced mother who invites three aspiring filmmakers (Pico Alexander, Nat Wolff and Jon Rudnitsky) to crash in her guest house. Naturally, a tangled web of romance blossoms, and then her ex-husband (Michael Sheen) re-enters the picture. So many young hot men, what’s a newly 40-year-old woman to do?

“Home Again,” written and directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer, opens in September.

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Kelly Richman has been photographing births for three years. In that time, a certain milestone has always stood out to her: the first moment between a baby and mother. 

“As a mom myself, I know these are moments that you can never get back ― these little miracles are only born once,” Richman told HuffPost. “Being able to capture the first breath, the first cry and the first time they were laid on your chest is is unparalleled to anything else in your life.”

In honor of Mother’s Day, the Texas photographer put together a collection of her favorite “first moments” from the 15 births she’s documented. 

“I would like to show people the beauty of motherhood, and I hope it will inspire them to celebrate a special mother in their lives,” said Richman.

Keep scrolling for 13 gorgeous photos of mothers’ first moments with their babies.

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