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In just 9 seconds, Amy Poehler perfectly describes why each generation sees money differently

These four generations' experiences gave them a totally different perspective. But who's right?

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An older man enjoys a fancy cigar. A younger man smokes a cigarette.

Comedian and writer Amy Poehler is the gift that keeps on giving. On her popular podcast Good Hang with Amy Poehler, she welcomes guests and has brilliantly funny and often insightful conversations. (Don't sleep on the episode when she had her dear friend Paul Rudd on. It's magical.)

On a recent show with Parks and Recreation creator Mike Schur, there's a clip of her breaking down how each generation relates to money. Straight to the point, she says, "The Boomers are all about money. Gen X is like IS it all about money? Millennials are like where IS the money? And Gen-Z is like what is money?" (She adds, "That's my bad stand-up about it.")

  This is Impact YouTube page, Amy Poehler  www.youtube.com  

Hacky comedy or not, she's not wrong. Just under this short YouTube clip, there are over 3,000 comments, mostly from people who back up the claim. One notes, "Gen Z is paying more money for a car now than Boomers paid for their home."

One commenter jokingly (but also maybe accurately) adds, "Gen Alpha: WHY is money?"

On his TikTok page, Freddie Smith (@fmsmith319) references the clip and after acknowledging that Amy "totally nails it," he breaks it down even further in terms of how each generation's economy helped shape them. He states, "This is a true representation about how money has been declining over the past 40 or 50 years. The Boomers had such a big economic boom, so it was easier for them to accumulate money. 80 trillion dollars, the Boomer generation has–so of course, it's all about the money."

@fmsmith319

Boomers, Millennials and Gen Z take on money | @Good Hang with Amy Poehler


He moves on to the millennials. When you think about them, he says, "Of course, where is the money? It's because we were handed a road map at like 13 years old of exactly the steps we needed to take and someone pointed and said 'see that treasure chest? It's gonna be full of gold! Just follow the plan.' Well we followed the plan and here we are twenty years later. We open up the treasure chest and there's two f-ing coins in it."

"And then Gen Z-ers? What is money? They're going to work and they're getting paid direct deposit on Fridays and as soon as that money hits the account, it just goes automatically to their bills. They don't actually 'touch' money." He goes on to explain it would be no different for an employer to just pay in housing and/or food, because they don't actually see the money. "This is such a true representation of what we're all screaming about right now. What is going ON?"

(I'd just like to point out, as a Gen X-er, that he totally skipped over us—but we're used to it.)

 Tom Cruise, Jerry Maguire, money, movies, gif Tom Cruise asks that you show him the money.   Giphy Show Me the Money GIF 

The comments here intensely agree. One notes, ""I mean millennials also lived in the world of UNPAID internships!! Boomers made us work for free… and we paid colleges for this experience."

Over on Reddit, many people joined up to discuss this take, with which nearly all agree. Though, again, we get a Gen Alpha joke, much needed in lightening the mood, "Gen Alpha is like 'Rawarr! Me no read! Must smash'."

Someone also ingeniously links to an old SNL sketch with, you guessed it, Amy Poehler, alongside Steve Martin and Chris Parnell. The gist of it? DON'T BUY STUFF.

  Amy Poehler, Steve Martin, Chris Parnell  www.youtube.com, NBC Universal  

A commenter here writes, "I show this in my financial literacy 30 class every semester when I introduce credit. It's such a simple concept, yet so hard for many to grasp. Teach them young and hopefully they'll make great financial choices when credit becomes available to them."

Another points out, "It's sad how many people need to hear this."

To be fair, it would seem some generations don't even have the option to buy or not to buy because all their money goes to rent.

 

On Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017, more than 2 million people all over the world marched for gender equality rights. Many celebrities were right there with them.

After all, female celebrities — no matter how famous they are — will not escape the gender injustices that are likely to arise in our new administration. So they took their place in the crowds alongside fellow activists, loudly echoing their sentiments every step of the way, as per the Women's March mission:

"We stand together in solidarity with our partners and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families - recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country."

Some also used their celebrity status to push the message out even further by giving bold, impassioned speeches in front of the masses.

Scarlett Johansson at the Women's March on Washington. Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images.


But whether they were in front of a microphone, holding a sign, or sporting a pink pussy hat, their presence among the masses was inspiring. So much of the march was about inclusivity and sharing that purpose with like-minded celebrities reminded people that no one is above that concept.

Here are 27 activist celebrities who marched for the cause.

1. Ashley Judd gave a heart-stopping rendition of Nina Donovan's "Nasty Woman" poem.

2. Elizabeth Gilbert brought an appropriately revised copy of her book, "Eat, Pray, Love."

3. Ariana Grande marched with her female role model — her grandmother.

 
 
 

 everything #womensmarch #myrock #queeeent

 

A video posted by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on

4. Connie Britton rocked a Planned Parenthood poster in Park City, Utah.

5. Katy Perry made a new feminist friend at the Los Angeles march.

 
 
 

 Today a feminist got her wings. Thank you @gloriasteinem ❤👼🏼

 

A photo posted by KATY PERRY (@katyperry) on

6. Jessica Chastain casually handed out love buttons at the march in Washington, D.C. NBD.

Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images.

7. Drew Barrymore's daughter Frankie's sign was honest and on point.

 
 
 

 Proud of my daughter and her dad.

 

A photo posted by Drew Barrymore (@drewbarrymore) on

8. If anyone messes with Melissa Benoist (aka Supergirl) and her vagina, they'll be very, very sorry.

9. I'd say Brie Larson's fans appreciated her presence among them.

10. America Ferrera's speech at the March on Washington kicked off the day. Watch it here.

Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images.

11. Ian McKellen marched in London with a poster of Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard. Needless to say, people couldn't get enough of him.

12. Scarlett Johansson's speech on how Planned Parenthood helped during her teen years brought the house down.

13. Gillian Anderson sported a "We the People" poster designed by Shepard Fairey.

14. Mandy Moore paired up with the inimitable Jane Fonda.

15. "Hidden Figures" actress Janelle Monae's speech says it all.

16. Maggie Gyllenhaal and her brother Jake did the Women's March on Washington sibling-style.

17. Amber Tamblyn and Amy Schumer mutually supported women's rights (and NASA).

18. Sometimes there's an actor who was in a movie your protest poster is quoted from, and everything's suddenly right with the world.

19. A highlight from one epic speech by Gloria Steinem.

20. Chelsea Handler, together with Charlize Theron and Mary McCormack, were "loud and proud" at Sundance in Park City, Utah.

21. Nick Offerman wore a pussy hat with pride (as well as some snow).

22. "Orange Is the New Black's" Jackie Cruz showed off major sign skills.

 
 
 

 The rise of the Woman= The rise of the Nation 🇺🇸 @womensmarch #womensmarchonwashington

 

A photo posted by Jackie Cruz (@msjackiecruz) on

23. And Amy Poehler would not be Amy Poehler without creating a hilariously awkward situation.

24. Comedian Jenny Slate carried a sign for someone who couldn't make it to the march.

25. Alicia Keys took sisterhood selfies.

26. Zendaya was just one more in the over 500,000 person crowd in Washington, D.C.

27. And, finally, the feminist who started #HeForShe did her part for gender equality while hanging with her mom, taking photos of kids, and laughing with strangers who are now friends.

Seeing the icons we look up to marching for what's right is one heck of a reminder that we're far from alone in this fight.

Their presence at these protests makes a difference on many levels, but perhaps the most significant is showing we are all unified under one purpose. And we are going to keep defending each other and every group  marginalized under Trump's administration.

Over the next four years, we will be up against a government that may try to strip us of our human rights at every turn. The more powerful, publicly known voices who stand with us and amplify our frustrations, the harder it will be for them to be ignored.

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How Amy Poehler's Smart Girls is empowering teens through gaming.

A glimpse into Amy Poehler's Smart Girls' empowering new series.

Have you heard of Amy Poehler's Smart Girls? Because if you haven't, you really should.

Poehler is a lot of things — an improviser, a Red Sox fan, a mom, a Hillary Clinton impersonator. But she's also a trailblazer. And there's no better proof of that than Amy Poehler's Smart Girls, a group committed to empowering girls to be ... well, whatever the heck they want to be (and to feel great being it).

Rock climber? Astronaut? CEO? Poehler says go for it, girl.


Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for TNT LA.

Smart Girls has done a lot of neat things and started many important conversations since it originally launched as a web series, Smart Girls at the Party, back in 2008. But one of its latest endeavors, Smart Girls Build, is particularly notable as being freakin' sweet, as it's using a video game rooted in the virtual world to inspire actual girls living in the real one.

In the Smart Girls Build series, Poehler's Smart Girls teamed up with The Sims to let girls create their virtual selves.

Take, for instance, 13-year-old Californian Celeste Javier, who is the focus of the series' first episode. Among her many interests are dancing and playing with her (adorable) corgi pup.

All GIFs via Amy Poehler's Smart Girls/YouTube.

Javier got to visit the hub where the video game is created by publisher Electronic Arts (EA). In The Sims, users can create virtual versions of themselves and live out their dreams and aspirations (digitally, of course). And that's exactly what Javier got to do.

Yes, creating your digital self is fun. But to Smart Girls, the new series gets at a bigger issue: inspiring girls to live out their creative pursuits, and finding the role models to help.

The Sims might only be a virtual reality to gamers, but the positive effects of playing it can seep into the girls' real lives, according to Maggie Lyons, director of development at Smart Girls.

“Our motto is ‘Change the world by being yourself,'" Lyons explained to Upworthy. "These girls really do that in The Sims, and hopefully are inspired to do the same in their real lives.”

Just 26% of jobs in computing fields are held by women.

The series focuses on opening doors for girls who might be interested in merging their passions with technology, as well.

In another episode, 17-year-old guitarist Tcarla collaborated with a producer to create music in the game. Every EA producer in the series is a woman, and while that may seem inconsequential, it certainly isn't.

"We also wanted to highlight female gamers and game producers," Lyons said. "If girls see more women creating and participating in fields like gaming, they’re more likely to say to themselves, 'Oh, cool! I can do that too!'”

Javier created a Sim that not only looked like her, but had the same qualities and passions as well.

Javier made sure her virtual self, or Sim, had the same traits and talents as she does. In her Sim's world, there was a dance studio, which was perfect for Javier; she's been dancing for nine years and is now in a competitive hip-hop dance group.


Letting girls know they do have a place in tech is vital, and we've got a (very) long way to go.

According to a study released last year by the American Association of University Women, a mere 26% of jobs in computing fields are held by women. When you look at engineering jobs, it's an even more cringeworthy 12%. (And by the way, these figures get more dismal when you consider how women of color, specifically, are represented.)

Looking at the gender makeup at top tech companies confirms this sad reality, as The Huffington Post reported in March 2015.

"At Google, women make up 30% of the company's overall workforce, but hold only 17% of the company’s tech jobs. At Facebook, 15% of tech roles are staffed by women. At Twitter, it’s a laughable 10%. For non-technical jobs at Twitter (think marketing, HR, sales), the gender split is 50-50."

Yes, The Sims is just one video game, and it won't solve this problem overnight. But it's one smart step forward.

"People really seem to be responding to the positive message, how inspiring these incredibly bright girls are, and our encouragement of female gamers," Lyons said of feedback from the Build series. "One girl even told us that Tcarla inspired her to start playing the guitar, which is awesome!"

Amy Poehler. She's the greatest, right?

RIGHT?

 


RIGHT?!

 RIGHT.

So let's remember the show (more than "SNL"!) that introduced America to how truly awesome Amy was, is, and will be forever. And ever.

She's got a way of making you laugh but also making you wonder ... Am I a better person now? And also, how am I still laughing?

Here's how it's done.

Dear "Parks and Rec," thank you for the invite to Wisdomtown ... capital city, Amy-is-the-best-ville.

Let's take a field trip!

1. You shamelessly discuss same-sex relationships ...

 

All images via "Parks and Recreation."

2. You made men's rights activists seem appropriately ridiculous:

 

Are you for real, dude?

 

And thank you.

3. You took stereotypes about women and men — and kapow. You helped us realize that they are silly.

Women deserve opportunities in careers that aren't typically "female" — like sanitation jobs!

 

4. "Parks and Rec" made playing with pronouns cool. He/she/boy/girl/him/her/you, what? All of us!

 

 Ben could be Michelle!

 

 Leslie could be a real stand up guy!

 

 

 Andy could be a lady!

 

 

 

 Boys can be goddesses!

We all know Chris Pratt makes a beautiful goddess. No contest.

5. "Parks and Rec" proved that, despite stereotypes to the contrary, women can hold leadership roles...

 

...and men can hold kitchen roles!

 

 Don't keep Ben out of the calzone zone. Don't keep Leslie out of the boardroom. You do you, Leslie. You do you, Ben!

6. Leslie shamelessly hearts lady parts.

 

She's a poet. And she knows it.

7. And don't forget the open and honest sex talks!

 

Teaching old folks how to put condoms on a banana. Classic.

 "Condoms! Safe sex for everyone! Let's party."

Amy keeps it real. #blessed

8. "Parks and Rec" showed that representation is important for gender equality.

 

9. You showed that it's totally OK (and even adorable) when dudes cry...

 

...and it's totes fine when they're depressed or anxious, too!

 

 

Masculinity is no prison in Pawnee!!!

10. You showed the power of second chances, friendship, and the dignity of work.

 

 

 

 

Oh, Amy. This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship, and I hope it never ends.

Amy for president!