Singer-songwriter Jake Mcelfresh, better known as Front Porch Step, is facing allegations of online misconduct with underage fans, according to the New York Times.

The 23-year-old Ohio-based musician, known for his confessional acoustic songs, is accused of inappropriate relations with underage fans on social media and via text. It’s also alleged that “sexually explicit pictures” were exchanged, the Times reports. 

Many of the women claim interactions with Mcelfresh began with direct messages on Twitter, before he moved to text and phone calls. The Times also obtained texts to two women involved, which included sexually explicit content, including photos of himself. The two women said they met Mcelfresh at his shows, but that was the extent of their real-life interaction.

In the last few weeks, Tumblr has become a discussion board for many of the women alleging Mcelfresh was inappropriate, as well as fans defending him. According to the Times:

Some of the young women shared their stories on their personal Tumblr accounts using their names. Others have done so anonymously. Reached by phone, two of the young women provided additional information that they said corroborated their interactions with Mr. Mcelfresh, including photos and screenshots.

Accusations against several high-profile YouTube musicians and celebrities came to light in 2014. Many alleged victims in those cases also started speaking out on Tumblr.

Mcelfresh, who has not yet been charged with any crime, recently suspended his spring headlining tour in the wake of the allegations. He was scheduled to play this summer’s Warped Tour, but Kevin Lyman, the tour’s founder, told the Times in an email, “He has suspended all touring operations for the foreseeable future and that would include Warped.” A Change.org petition from December asking Warped Tour to take Front Porch Step off the lineup has seen more than 12,000 signatures.

In a Facebook post from Jan. 4, Mcelfresh addressed his fans, but did not go into detail about the allegations:

As I posted 3 days ago, I am taking the appropriate time to assess these very serious allegations against me and I am not taking them lightly. Until I can do that in a complete manner with all the information I have at my disposal, I will not be continuing with any current touring activities for the time being.

On Dec. 31, Mcelfresh acknowledged the situation on Twitter.

Update Jan. 10, 5:11pm: Via email, a representative from the Working Group Artist Management told the Daily Dot, "I cannot comment on the matter any further than to say the allegations are very serious and he's taking the necessary time to look into it all which includes canceling his spring tour." 

H/T New York Times | Photo via Pedro Rodrigues de Farias/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

If you watched Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson’s hilarious Broad City last year on Comedy Central, you likely developed an instant addiction to the irreverent twosome. The series unabashedly examines the not-so-glamorous side of young life in New York City, and gleefully exalts the rewards of female friendship. 

Season 1 took us on a delightfully wild ride and the second season already looks like it’s going to be a hoot. But waiting for our beloved duo to return can be downright painful. For fans of the show, Jan. 14 can’t get here fast enough. How to fill the void? 

Comedy Central has released "Hack Into Broad City," a series of mini webisodes, and you can also stream season 1 on Hulu and Amazon Prime. But you’re going to want more.

We recommend diving into the deep cuts. Before Broad City came to Comedy Central, it was a lovingly crafted webseries on YouTube. Seasons 1 and 2 can be found on Broad City’s YouTube page. 

Not sure where to start? We've got you covered. 

"Subway on a Sunday" 

Ilana and Abbi stumble upon an old acquaintance on the subway platform, and a cringe-inducing catch-up follows. Shaun Diston is hilarious as the pushy acquaintance who sandwiches himself into the girls’ subway ride.

"Yoga"

Yoga class in Park Slope makes the girls feel very welcome, until they realize their classmates have them pegged for lovers, and mothers. Comedian Sara Schaefer guest stars as a Brooklyn mom who can’t believe the two aren’t a couple.

"Date Night" 

The girls embark on two very different date nights. Abbi is coy and timid while Ilana is at her brazen, booty-shaking best. The scene where Ilana seduces Hannibal Buress (familiar to fans of the Comedy Central series as Lincoln) with a private dance, while he looks on and politely comments, “I really appreciate this,” is one of the funniest in Broad City history.

"Drummer Girls"  

Ilana and Abbi put on a variety show in Washington Square Park, and it's everything we love about them. Watch until the end for Abbi’s moving rendition of  the '90s R&B hit “Don’t Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)” by Monica.

"Valentine’s Day" 

The twosome spend Valentine’s Day exploring NYC, and what better way to spend the day when you’re single than with your best gal pal? Everything feels pitch perfect, until Ilana leans in for a kiss. The episode is an adorable homage to friendship, with an appropriate sprinkling of the raunchy humor Broad City is famous for.

"Dream" 

Ilana insists on spending the night in Abbi’s bed and some very trippy dreams ensue. Nightmare gives way to nightmare and the peek into Abbi’s subconscious is terrifyingly funny. The episode is bursting with the personalities and neuroses that make the show such a riot.

"The Commute" 

Morning routines reveal just how different the two are: Abbi does some gentle stretching, while Ilana reaches for her vibrator. The best part of this episode is the alternating soundtrack. Ilana’s morning is set to Missy Elliott’s “Pass That Dutch," while Abbi’s is set to Fleetwood Mac’s “Gypsy." The mashup that ensues when the two meet up is incredibly infectious fun.

"I Heart New York" 

A super-sized episode following Ilana and Abbi on a mysterious race through the streets of NYC. Along the way, they encounter a handful of hilarious cameos by Kristen Schaal, Amy Poehler, and John Gemberling (better known to fans of the Comedy Central series as Abbi’s unbearable roommate, Bevers).

Season 2 of Broad City premieres Wednesday, Jan. 14, at 9:30pm.

Screengrab via Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson/YouTube

The promo campaign for AMC's forthcoming Breaking Bad spinoff, Better Call Saul, was one of the biggestteases of 2014, but this is how the Hollywood industrial trailer complex works now. 

Alas, another trailer for the show has surfaced, and this one is the longest yet. Extended, even! 

The new two-minute clip shows us a little more of the courtroom style of Jimmy McGill (his pre-Saul persona), and we get a glimpse of Breaking Bad's beloved Mike. Walt and Jesse are missing, however. 

Screengrab via amc/YouTube 

While the Golden Globes is Hollywood's most notoriously boozy awards show, we feel like you should match that revelry at home in your PJs as you yell at the television when Matt Bomer doesn't win. (Seriously, he's been shut out for The Normal Heart way too many times.) 

To help, we've crafted yet another fool-proof drinking game that will have you tipsy before they get to the In Memoriam segment.

The rules: Whenever the below happens, you drink as much as we say. (Or, heck, as much as you want. It's your night.)

What you need: A television with cable, Slingbox, or a hookup to your parents' cable, plus alcohol and (hopefully) friends. 

Do a shot

When a guy finally wears something that's not a boring black tux. Double shots for anyone in a kilt.

Take the smallest sip

For every celebrity who can't remember who designed his or her outfit.

When someone says they picked out their outfit just a few minutes before they got in the limo. They are a liar.

When anyone utters the phrase, "It's an honor just to be nominated."

Reluctantly take a drink

Whenever they make a Boyhood joke. There will be so many Boyhood jokes.

When Tina Fey or Amy Poehler note the fact that Parks and Recreation got no nomination, and that sucks.

Take a medium sip

When you pretend you've seen all the foreign language films and have an opinion on who should win. "Ida was clearly superior to Tangerines..."

Take a giant gulp

At the inevitable Into the Woods musical moment.

Finish your glass

Every time someone mispronounces Quvenzhané.

Drink and then lay facedown in shame

When someone makes a racist or sexist faux pas.

Shotgun a beer

If a group of nominees do a planned bit while their category is being read by the presenters.

Cheers your champagne

When someone who really deserves it wins big.

Do a beer-and-liquor-bomb of your choice

If someone gets caught shit-talking on camera, or whispering things like, "Who's that?"

Put a straw in your glass and just keep it coming

When the boring categories (screenplay, composing) start.

Take a big swig

When Meryl Streep is on screen. You do this to honor her genius.

Illustration by Max Fleishman

On Sunday, the superstar released a new Instagram photo showing her at the beach, buried in sand, with a rather large stomach. Now, that could be some creative sand artistry, or Queen Bey could be trying to tell us something.

There's no caption on this most recent photo, leaving fans' imaginations running wild. Bey is no stranger to a dramatic reveal of impending offspring. When she was pregnant with Blue Ivy, she iconically unbuttoned her blazer at the conclusion of her 2011 VMA performance to lovingly stroke her belly. The move created more buzz than the award show itself.

If Bey-by No. 2 is truly on the way, we expect no less from Beyoncé than a cryptic beach shot to let the world know.

H/T MTV | Image via Beyoncé/Instagram

Murdoch used Twitter to call "Moslems" to task over the incident collectively, saying that they should be held responsible for the actions of the terrorists. 

Score one for Rowling.

H/T The Guardian | Photo via Wikimedia

The clip's only 20 seconds, but it's enough to get you excited. The film, originally titled The Nest, was directed by Pitch Perfect's Jason Moore and written by SNL's Paula Pell. It focuses on two sisters (Poehler and Fey) who return to their childhood home for one last crazy weekend. 

Sadly, we have to wait 11 more months to see it. 

H/T Vanity Fair | Screengrab via Universal Pictures/YouTube 

"People, like, threaten my life and tell me what a cow I am," she said.

She called her haters "deranged neocons telling you you should be buried under a pile of rocks." (This is what she's referencing.)

Lena Dunham still has an active Twitter presence. Maybe she was kidding, or maybe she just got a team of social media assistants (yes, that's a real thing) to publish promo for Girls season 4 every now and then. 

Update: She took to Twitter to clarify her comments.

Ryan Seacrest responded to her Twitter quip by saying, "You should see what they say about me." It likely wouldn't faze her.

While actress Gina Rodriguez might have been nominated for the laughs she delivered as star of CW’s Jane the Virgin, the first-time Golden Globe nominee decided to exchange the jokes for tears with a touching acceptance speech. 

Once the winner for Best Actress in a TV Comedy or Musical finally made it to the podium after a long walk from the back of the room, the 30-year-old actress caused the crowd to well up.  

After thanking a slew of executives, producers, and directors, Rodriguez took the time to get personal, thanking her parents for encouraging her "to never stop dreaming." To be sure, she also got her fair share of flak on Twitter for starting with "Thank you, God, for making me an artist."

And her closing line had us all a little choked up. Best part of all? She totally called it.

Congratulations.

Though there was only one award handed out at Sunday night’s Golden Globes in the category of Best TV Comedy, there were multiple winners.

In honoring Amazon’s Transparentwith a Globe, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association gave creator/director Jill Soloway a chance to honor the trans community that inspired her brilliant comedy with a touching speech. 

Later in the evening, Jeffrey Tambor, who plays Transparent's Maura Pfefferman, won for Best Actor in a TV Comedy. The first-time Golden Globe nominee and winner also used his acceptance speech as a moment to honor the trans community with a powerful thank-you. 

If I may, I would like to dedicate my performance and this award to the transgender community. Thank you for your courage; thank you for your inspiration; thank you for your patience; and thank you for letting us be part of the change.

Screengrab via HollywoodStreams/YouTube

It's a fairly quick montage of scenes from the upcoming third season, but Claire definitely sees a dead body, and Frank has definitely replaced his blood with ice water. It also looks like season 2' s "hacker," Gavin Orsay, is in a different uniform now.  

Screengrab via Netflix/YouTube 

1) Je suis Charlie

Now one of the most popular hashtags in Twitter history, #jesuischarlie showed no signs of slowing during Sunday night's ceremony.

Several stars were wearing pins in support of the thousands marching for free speech in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo attacks, including Dame Helen Mirren.

2) Margaret Cho

Much of the evening was spent poking fun at North Korea, from Amy Poehler and Tina Fey's opening monologue bit about The Interview to Margaret Cho's signoff and threat (promise?) to host next year's ceremony.

3) Benedict Cumberbatch photobomb

As part of the running North Korea gags, Meryl Streep posed with Cho (in character) for a photo, which, of course, photobombing championBenedict Cumberbatch couldn't resist getting in on.

4) Women

The women of the evening weren't without their wry jabs at underrepresentation in Hollywood, however:

5) Jeremy Renner being a child

After making a this-is-why-we-have-tape-delay joke about Jennifer Lopez's breasts, Jeremy Renner became the target of countless tweets questioning his maturity, literacy, and sexuality.

6) The GIF/JIF debate

The evening's announcer encouraged readers to check out NBC's GIF booth, but he pronounced it with a soft G, reigniting a debate we really thought had been settled ages ago. (It's not pronounced the Jolden Jlobes, is it?)

7) Louis C.K.

Speaking of GIFs, this one, which sums up the comedian's reaction to being nominated for Best Actor in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy—alongside Jeffrey Tambor, Don Cheadle, Ricky Gervais, and William H. Macy—is perfect.

8) Touching acceptance speeches

We've already mentioned Jeffrey Tambor's and Jill Soloway's tributes to the trans community, as well as Gina Rodriguez's tear-jerking moment on the stage, but it was perhaps Common, accepting for Best Original Song in Selma, whose speech hit home the hardest.

9) Tina Fey and Amy Poehler

They've said this year would be their third and final round hosting the Globes, but damnit if we won't miss these two.

Photo via Golden Globes | Remix by Jason Reed

This article contains sexually explicit material.

Are we truly in the midst of a booty-eating renaissance? Sunday night gave us all the evidence we need. While you were busy watching the Golden Globes and livetweeting about Giuliana Rancic’s incurable thirst for George Clooney, you were missing out on the serious anilingus happening on Girls. The HBO hit chose to give Lena Dunham’s nipples the night off and opened its fourth season with a butt-eating bang. Within the first couple minutes, we found Allison Williams bent over a kitchen counter clapping her cheeks around her musician beau’s face.

Gawker's got the embedded video. Here’s a GIF, though.

Ready for some butt stuff?

Here you go:

I had a couple of days talking to wardrobe and makeup to get ready to rig the thing that I wore for the ass motorboating. It was an engineering achievement! I would manufacture it if more than one person a year needed it. [Laughs] It was so elaborate—it involved Spanx that we cut away and glued down and involved menstrual pads and two of those weird thongs. I've had to do scenes like this twice now.

So now we know exactly what makes the Peter Pan star’s cock crow.

H/T Gawker | Photo via kapkap/Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Sometimes the best moments of an awards show are the ones you don’t see on TV.

While we’ll be watching and rewatching the moments that made us laugh, gasp, and cry online for the next week, we as a viewing audience are often curious about what happens after the winner finishes his or her acceptance speech. We know about the giant press conference that happens, but what do celebrities do while they’re waiting to step out in front of the cameras or hop in a limo to the afterparty?

If anyone wants a decent photo at the Oscars, get as far as away from Benedict Cumberbatch as possible. 

This year, the Golden Globes had its own Instagram booth for the presenters and winners to pose in front of a shimmering gold display. For a moment or two in the night, Hollywood’s elite get a chance to slow things down and relax.

It’s planned and contrived, but if nothing else it’s a lot less awkward than E!’s GlamCam360 or Today’s fashion Vines. No questions or objectifications. Just smiles. And sometimes—as in the case of Jeremy Renner and an absent Jennifer Lopez—an indication of how much your dumb “globes” joke bombed.

Photos via Golden Globes/Instagram | Remix by Jason Reed

"The most amazing thing about thermite is it's made of very common materials," Barlow says in the video. Where was this guy and his sack of lab tested, 99.5% pure aluminum powder when Walter White was emptying a pile of Etch-A-Sketches to get the stuff? 

It's actually a bit terrifying that thermite is this simple to create. It's also terrifying that nobody's wearing tinted eye-wear in the video, because watching thermite ignite can permanently damage your retinas. And since this is a self-oxidizing reaction, that fire extinguisher won't actually stop it from burning. The closed-toe shoes are a good idea, though. 

Finger shaking aside, Barlow makes for a great host, and the production value here is top-notch. Lucky for us, this is only the first episode of his new web series, The Boom Show, which means there should be plenty more fiery circumstances on the way. But please, Barlow: Take care to not blow yourself up for our entertainment. We want The Boom Show's final episode to be a planned event. 

Screengrab via Tyler Barlow/YouTube

Can fans of popular podcast Serial harness the power of the Internet and sway Maryland courts to re-open Adnan Syed’s post-conviction proceeding?

Rabia Chaudry, Syed’s advocate, recently launched a petition on Change.org hoping to accomplish just that. Chaudry argues that new information revealed by media since the airing of Serial raises significant doubts about the information presented in Syed’s trial nearly 15 years ago.

Serial told the story of the mysterious murder of Hae Min Lee and the subsequent trial and conviction of Syed, her former boyfriend. No DNA evidence was presented in the case, but prosecutors were able to corroborate statements from key witness Jay Wilds using Syed’s phone records.

Syed spoke at length with host Sarah Koenig about the details of the case and staunchly professed his innocence, while Wilds declined to be featured on the podcast. Since the finale aired with murky conclusions in mid-December, the Intercept has released a series of interviews with Wilds and state prosecutor Kevin Urick. Chaudry cites information offered in Wilds’ interview as inconsistent with statements he made while on the witness stand.

Specifically, Wilds changed the location at which he claims he first saw Lee’s deceased body, the time at which Syed contacted him, and the time at which the murder occurred. By offering a story contradicting the one he gave while under oath, Chaudry explains, Wilds implicitly admits to perjury and undercuts his credibility as a witness.

Chaudry also stresses evidence of religious and ethnic bias used against Syed used to sway the jury over the course of the trial. According to Chaudry, “Nearly 300 references to [Syed]'s religion and ethnicity were made in his trial.”

The petition has more than 17,000 signatures and is aiming to reach 25,000. A subreddit dedicated to the podcast has over 40,000 subscribers, though whether a majority of fans are certain enough of Syed’s innocence to support the petition is unclear.

At the close of the final episode of Serial, Koenig asserted, “As a juror, I vote to acquit Adnan Syed. I have to acquit. Even if in my heart of hearts I think Adnan killed Hae, I still have to acquit. That’s what the law requires of jurors.”

Image via Change.org 

The smackdowns of conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch just keep coming.

First J.K. Rowlingeviscerated the News Corp CEO after he blamed “Moslems” for the attacks on the French magazine Charlie Hebdo. Then actor and comedian Aziz Ansari ripped him a new one during the Golden Globes as he tried to backtrack.

Although he didn’t respond to any of Rowling’s criticism earlier Sunday, Murdoch attempted to change his tune by Sunday afternoon, asking his followers to remember Ahmed Merabet, the Muslim police officer who was gunned down during the attack on Charlie Hebdo. Given Murdoch's last tweet about Muslims, the request seemed disingenuous to some.

Ansari had nothing against Christians or Muslims, he said, only ignorant people like Murdoch. His replies were fittingly merciless.

Sasha Frere-Jones, the New Yorker’s music critic of more than a decade, has apparently heard the siren call of the startup. He’s left the publication to work for lyric annotation website Genius, formerly Rap Genius.

Genius hasn’t had the best track record. Last May, the site’s cofounder Mahbod Moghadam annotated UCSB shooter Elliot Rodger’s 140-page manifesto, and was called out for crossing the line from interpretative to misogynistic. He resigned shortly after. The site has also been accused of gaming Google for song lyric search rankings.

But the site is trying to rebrand. It changed its name last summer, and has expanded its focus from song lyrics to other cultural texts. It also received $40 million in funding last year, according to the New York Times, and $56.8 million since launching in 2009. Frere-Jones’s title will be executive editor, and his area of expertise will be music lyrics. He’ll also be bringing on a team of three to four people to help grow the music portion of the site.

This move, while a tad perplexing, is certainly promising. Genius’s annotations are often a mess and, as Nitasha Tiku pointed out at the Verge, they could certainly use a cleanup effort. 

Frere-Jones isn’t the first print journalist to make a lateral move into the startup zone. As the Times explains, “Genius’s expansion marks the latest merger of the tech and media worlds, and helps to fulfill a prediction made by one of the company’s funders, Marc Andreessen of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, that the definition of journalism might broaden to include jobs outside of traditional writing and editing.”

They’ve also brought on writer Christopher Glazek to help with annotations. Hopefully, Genius can "broaden" music journalism by not hiring all white men. Then, maybe it can actually be called the “future of the Internet.”

H/T New York Times | Photo via TechCrunch/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Season 4 of Girls premiered last night, and while the Internet might lead you to believe the TL;DR was a NSFW scene featuring Marnie’s (Allison Williams) behind and her songwriter lover’s face, the full episode proved to be more about growing up, owning your choices, and having the courage to be the person you want to be.

The opening scene finds Hannah (Lena Dunham) back in a familiar place: out to dinner with her parents. The show's pilot opened with a scene in which her parents delivered the devastating news that they would no longer be giving her money. But here, the dinner is celebratory. Hannah is embarking on a journey to grad school, and her father (Peter Scolari) lovingly but awkwardly toasts, “Slow to bloom but oh, how beautiful the blossom.”

It’s a bit of sentimental dad humor, but it also hints at a larger theme. Whereas seasons 2 and 3 both opened on Hannah asleep, spooning different loved ones, here we find her wide-eyed and fully awake.

She thanks her parents for their generosity and support, ships her belongings to grad school in advance, and, in the moving final scene, she quietly contemplates what’s next while her parents bicker in the car that will take her to her future life. 

Hannah, who formerly stormed out of promising jobs and threw drug-addled tantrums on her parents' hotel room floor, is at her sentimental, aspirational best. She wants it all and wants to keep it all, but rather than fussing over the inherent contradictions in her longings, she embraces what she’s known, says her farewells, and moves forward with surprising grace.

The other characters are fighting their own battles towards adulthood, with varying degrees of success. Adam (Adam Driver), Hannah’s boyfriend, struggles with the self-effacing challenges of seeking work as an actor and resents the work he does find. When he appears in a comically heavy-handed ad for antidepressants, he wallows in regret. Hannah is the voice of reason. “People have to work,” she tells him. “You took a job. It’s fine!”

Meanwhile, Marnie is still engrossed in an affair with her songwriting partner. During the already infamous anilingus scene, he tells her, “I love that.” Marnie misguidedly replies, “I love you, too.” She is incapable of handling minor heckling from a child at a “jazz brunch,” exits her performance in tears, and Elijah (Andrew Rannells) wisely urges her to channel Judy Garland or Lady Gaga and “stop giving a fuck” when she’s on stage, in spite of his own inability to stop caring about an irksome acquaintance he encounters at the brunch.

Aggressively free-spirited Jessa (Jemima Kirke) is knocked down to earth when she encounters her employer Bibi’s daughter Ricky (Natasha Lyonne). Ricky gives Jessa a hilariously self-righteous tongue-lashing for aiding Bibi in a failed assisted suicide attempt in last season’s finale: “Every time I meet someone five or more years younger than me they’re a complete asshole.”

Tender-hearted Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet) faces the void after graduating college. Her parents are obliviously unaware of her preferences and needs. Shoshanna, however, is bravely aware of her own choices and past errors. She seeks out Ray at the jazz brunch and gives him a heartfelt apology for any emotional manipulation he endured on her account in the previous season. The two embrace and the forgiveness feels transcendent.

The most entertaining bit of the episode might be Marnie’s mom (Rita Wilson), who greets Elijah with a “She bangs, she bangs!” and totes a brass knuckle iPhone case. Amidst a gaggle of girls aspiring to be women, she shines as a lady who just wants to have fun. Her attempts to be on trend comically straddle the line between laughable and laudable.

Of all the seasons of Girls so far, season 4's premiere seems the most clear-eyed and truthful. In past seasons, the girls, though likable, were easy to pity and easier to critique. They were often selfish and petty and wore blinders to their flaws. Here, they feel like people we might actually want to root for.

Before Hannah leaves with her parents, Marnie arrives with coffees. Hannah is surprised to see her but Marnie wouldn’t have it otherwise. “You didn’t think I was going to let you leave without saying goodbye, did you?” The two sit as they struggle to shut a suitcase and fall into an embrace. It’s a tender moment and it captures a feeling that pervades the episode. 

As they struggle towards the lives they want, they seem a little more human, a little more honest, and a little more grown. But they still need to be held. And they are, happily, so easy to embrace.

Screengrab via HBO

Among its many roles, a powerful feature film can get people thinking. And talking. And taking action.

In the case of Selma, the movie that tells the story of Dr. Martin Luther King and the Alabama civil rights march 40 years ago, a number of prominent leaders want to ensure that no audience is left out by sponsoring free tickets to students across the United States. The program, which began in the New York-area (now sold out), has now spread to Boston, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Nashville, Sarasota, New Jersey, and Westchester, N.Y. Other cities, such as Milwaukee, Wis., are hopping on the bandwagon in real time, using Twitter as a means to gain sponsors to underwrite the costs.

Charles Phillips, CEO of Infor and a director on Viacom’s board, started the ball rolling for this unprecedented project over New Year’s weekend, reaching out to prominent African-American leaders in the New York area. Phillips sought the financial and promotional support of folks such as Tamara Harris Robinson, CEO of Haramat Advisory Services, who told the website Black Gives Back that 27 community leaders each donated $10,000 to allow New York City students in seventh, eighth, and ninth grades to see the film free of charge. Regal Theaters have opened their doors with free tickets to students in participating areas.

As the virality of the socially driven effort grows to educate and inform students about this important chapter in U.S. history, a number of celebrities such as John Legend and NFL star Justin Tuck have lent their encouragement via social media using the hashtag #selmaforstudents.

The social media push to drive student awareness is clearly not a marketing ploy disguised as an act of kindness. In its opening weekend, Selma did $11 million in box office revenue, placing second to Taken 3 despite playing in 1,400 fewer theaters.

Screengrab via Movieclips Trailers/YouTube