December 8, 2015

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Tuesday, December 8, 2015        Edition: #5588


Deja Moo!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu says he’s been baffled by “hilarious” reports suggesting that actor Leonardo DiCaprio is raped by a bear in their new movie thriller “The Revenant”. The film (opening January 8th) features DiCaprio as a 19th century frontiersman who is left for dead by fellow hunters after a brutal bear attack. A much-repeated online rumor last week suggested that the film features a shocking rape scene. Fox Studios has issued a statement: “The bear in the film is a female who attacks [Leo’s character] because she feels he might be threatening her cubs. There is clearly no rape scene with a bear.” Good promo idea though!
– “Entertainment Weekly”
★ A plan to open a Woody Allen Museum in Barcelona, Spain housed in Pablo Picasso’s former art school has sparked protests. Spanish TV tycoon Jaume Roures has proposed that the building, which has stood empty since 2009, be turned into a museum dedicated to his friend Allen, who filmed the 2008 movie “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” in the city. Protesters claim the museum would be “geared towards tourists and not citizens”, and are demanding that Barcelona’s mayor follow through on a promise to open a new arts school on the site.
– Guardian.co.uk
★ And actress Carrie Fisher is ready to open up about filming “Star Wars” as a young actress in a new book. She says she came up with the idea after recently coming across diaries she kept while shooting the 1977 movie. Carrie is reprising her role as ‘Princess Leia’ in the hotly anticipated “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens” (opening December 18th), but admits her return to the franchise hasn’t been without a lot of effort. She claims she was ordered to lose 35lbs (15.9 kg) to return to the role. Quote: “They don’t want to hire all of me … only about three-quarters.”
– Canoe.ca

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Conan” (TBS/CTV) – Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets (“Quality Holiday Revue Live”).
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/CTV2) – Chris Young (“I’m Comin’ Over”).
• “Good Morning America” (ABC) – Babyface (“Return Of the Tender Lover”).
• “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV) – Elle King (“Love Stuff”).
• “Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global) – Joanna Newsom (“Divers”).
• “Marilyn Denis Show” (CTV/CTV2) – Johnny Reid (“What Love Is All About”).
• “The Talk” (CBS) – Trisha Yearwood (“PrizeFighter: Hit After Hit”).
• “Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show” (CBS) – The 20-year-old runway extravaganza by the lingerie retailer returns to NYC (last year it was in London). The ‘Angel’ lineup includes Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Behati Prinsloo, Candice Swanepoel, Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner,
and Lily Aldridge. Performers include Ellie Goulding, Selena Gomez, The Weeknd.
• “The View” (ABC/CTV) – Babyface again.
• “The Voice” (NBC/CTV2) – The singers face elimination; the top 4 are revealed; Dolly Parton; Cassadee Pope perform.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Adele – “25” remains atop the new ‘Billboard 200’ all-genre album chart. It has sold 4.49 million copies after just 2 weeks. That total will likely get another big boost after her TV special “Adele Live in New York City” airs on December 14th.
• Carrie Underwood – She’s #1 on today’s new ‘Billboard Top Country Albums’ listing with her latest album “Storyteller”.
• Fetty Wap – He’s had to return to hospital for further treatment after breaking his leg in 3 places in a traffic accident on September 26th in his hometown of Paterson NJ.
• Fifth Harmony – Dinah Jane Hansen tells Madrid, Spain’s Europa FM their time as a group may not last much longer as they intend to pursue individual career goals in the future. The “Worth It” singers were formed as a girl group on the US version of “The X Factor” in 2012.
• Jason Derulo – He’s said to be dating Little Mix singer Jade Thirlwall. Jade’s bandmate Jesy Nelson let the news slip to Britain’s “The Sun” newspaper. The pair reportedly began dating after he collaborated with the girl group on their upcoming single “Secret Love Song”.
• Mariah Carey – Tonight she begins a 5-show Christmas-themed residency at NYC’s Beacon Theatre. She’s also performing tomorrow night, plus December 14th, 15th, and 17.
• Rod Stewart – With the new album “Another Country” now out, a concert special airing later this month on ET Canada, Las Vegas dates booked for March, and a European tour lined up for next Summer, the 70-year-old says he’s having “too much fun” to retire.
• Rolling Stones – Guitarist Ronnie Wood says he’s “thrilled” at the prospect of becoming a father to twins at the age of 68. His wife of 3 years, 37-year-old theater producer Sally Humphreys, has revealed she is pregnant with the couple’s first children.
• Taylor Swift – She’s a frontrunner in nominations for the 2016 Grammy Awards so far, landing nods for ‘Record Of the Year’ and ‘Song Of the Year’ for “Blank Space”; and ‘Album Of the Year’ for “1989”. Also looking to clean up: The Weeknd, with 7 Grammy noms in total.
• The Who – 71-year-old frontman Roger Daltrey pulled out of a charity gig and postponed the band’s 50th anniversary tour after he was struck down with viral meningitis. He spent 4 weeks in hospital and now says he was convinced he was going to die. He is, just not now.

THIS WEEK’S VIDEO RELEASES:
Out today on DVD, Netflix, Google Play and/or other video providers …
• “Ant-Man” ( PG-13 Action Sci-Fi ) – Armed with a super-suit and the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man ‘Scott Lang’ (Paul Rudd, in his first superhero role) must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor plan and pull off a heist that will save the world. Co-stars Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly.
• “Minions” ( PG Animated Family Comedy ): In this spinoff from the “Despicable Me” franchise, ‘Stuart’, ‘Kevin’, and ‘Bob’ are recruited by ‘Scarlet Overkill’, a super-villain who, alongside her husband ‘Herb’, hatches a plot to take over the world. Voice cast includes Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Sandra Bullock, Steve Carell.
• “The Transporter Refueled” ( PG-13 Action Thriller ): In the south of France, a former special-ops mercenary enters into a game of lethal chess with a femme-fatale and her 3 sidekicks who are looking for revenge against a sinister Russian kingpin. Stars Ed Skrein (taking over the lead role from Jason Statham from 3 previous “Transporter” films 2002-08).
• Also released today: “CPO Sharkey: The Best of Season 1” (Vintage TV); “Family Guy: Season 13” (TV); “Hannibal: Season 3” (TV); and “The Unauthorized Full House Story” (TV Movie).

SEASONAL INTERFERENCE:
Christmas tree lights can slow your wi-fi warns UK media watchdog Ofcom as it releases a new app called ‘Ofcom Wi-Fi Checker’ that tests in-home broadband. The app samples wireless signals to see if data is flowing uninterrupted from routers to phones and tablets. The app is released alongside research which suggests wi-fi in 6 million British homes and offices is not running as fast as it could. The app also provides tips to help people spot what might be slowing down their wi-fi speed. Interference could come from other electronic devices such as baby monitors, microwaves, or – at this time of the year – Christmas lights. (You can bet the ‘twinkling’ ones are really annoying. Got wi-fi? Yes … no … yes … no.)
– BBC Technology

WORLD’S BEST STORE WINDOW DISPLAYS FOR THE HOLIDAYS 2015:
5. Galeries Lafayette, Paris: Includes an iconic 25-m (82- ft) Christmas tree.
4. Bergdorf Goodman, NYC: Each of its 5 Fifth Avenue windows is dedicated to a different art form.
3. Macy’s, NYC: It first debuted an animated Christmas window in the early 1870s.
2. Selfridges, London: Its displays give a contemporary, luxurious twist to typical holiday decor.
1. Bloomingdale’s, NYC: This year it takes things to a new level with interactive displays.
– CheapFlights.ca

WE ARE ONE:
If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, no one told the organ that matters most. There is no sharp division between male and female brains, according to Tel-Aviv University researchers who’ve found that we are all a mixture instead. Scientists have analyzed brain scans of over 1,400 men and women and found that, while some features are more common in one gender than the other, each person’s brain has a unique mosaic of these features as well as others seen commonly in both. The study concludes that there are multiple ways to be male and female, not just one way, and most of these ways are completely overlapping. (Rather than one or the other, is gender a spectrum?)
– “The Guardian”

WORST THINGS ABOUT HAVING A BIRTHDAY IN DECEMBER:
• People forget your birthday because they have a million other things to think about.
• People asking you what presents you want for Christmas and your birthday … though you always get combined presents anyway.
• And getting combined birthday and Christmas cards is the worst.
• Even if you get 2 presents, your birthday gift is still wrapped in Christmas paper.
• Everyone is always busy with end-of-year stuff, so trying to find a weekend where all your friends are free is impossible.
• Then there are the relatives who only bother to call you on Christmas and tack a birthday greeting on at the end.
• People constantly reminding you: “Oh, it must really suck to have a December birthday!”
• You have to spend your ‘special day’ surrounded by Christmas decorations.
• You’re always getting upstaged by that other December baby.
– BuzzFeed.com

THE MANSKY ON THE MOONSKY:
Russia’s space agency is looking to build a manned base on the Moon, the official state news agency Tass reports. Plans are being finalized to launch a lunar probe in 2024 to scout possible locations. Construction of the ‘Luna 25’ lander has already begun. Base modules will then be sent into space on 6 separate rockets. Once the components are in place, assembly of the Moon base will continue over 10 years. The schedule calls for landing a man on the Moon by 2030. Moscow has previously said that it envisages the base being permanent. (They already have plans for a cheese factory.)
– Yahoo! News

BS AMAZING FACT:
A picture of Kendall Jenner’s hair was the most popular Instagram photo of 2015.
– HuffingtonPost.com

BS CHRONOMETER 12.08.15


TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1964 [51] Teri Hatcher, Sunnyvale CA, TV actress (“Desperate Housewives” 2004-12)/movie actress (“Tomorrow Never Dies”).

1966 [49] Sinead O’Connor, Glenageary, Ireland, troubled singer-songwriter (“Band Aid 30-“Do They Know It’s Christmas?”, “Nothing Compares 2 U”)

1974 [41] Nick Zinner, Sharon MA, indie rock guitarist (Yeah Yeah Yeahs-“Heads Will Roll”, “Gold Lion”)

1976 [39] Dominic Monaghan, Berlin, Germany, TV actor (“Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan” since 2012, “Lost” 2004-10)/movie actor (“Wolverine”, “Lord Of the Rings” trilogy)

1978 [37] Ian Somerhalder, Covington LA, TV actor (‘Damon Salvatore’ on “The Vampire Diaries” since 2009, “Lost” 2004-10)

1979 [36] Ingrid Michaelson, NYC, indie singer-songwriter (“Girls Chase Boys”, “Maybe”)

1981 [34] Philip Rivers, Decatur AL, NFL QB (San Diego Chargers since 2004)

1982 [33] Nicki Minaj, Saint James, Trinidad & Tobago, hip hop artist (“Anaconda”, w/Jessie J & Ariana Grande-“Bang Bang”)

1984 [31] Sam Hunt, Cedartown GA, country singer (“Break Up In a Small Town”, “House Party”).

1991 [24] Wallis Currie-Wood, Austin TX, TV actress (‘Stevie McCord’ on “Madam Secretary” since 2014)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Bodhi Day”, the Buddhist holiday commemorating ‘Buddha’s Enlightenment’.

• “Brownie Day”, celebrating the chewy chocolate in a pan that you just can’t quit eating.

• “Pretend to Be a Time Traveller Day”,  an annual event created in 2007 by the Koala Wallop online community that combines performance art, humor, and plain old fun. The basic premise is to pretend to be someone from the past or future who’s somehow ended up in the present.

• “Take It In the Ear Day”, a day to learn how to accept criticism graciously.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1959 [56] For the first time, a movie features ‘Aromarama’, in which smells are piped in through ceiling vents to accompany the onscreen action of “Behind the Great Wall”
2015 MOVIES YOU WOULDN’T WANT TO EXPERIENCE IN AROMARAMA:
– “Jurassic World”
– “Monkey Kingdom”
– “Fifty Shades of Grey”

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
1980 [35] John Lennon is shot and killed by Mark David Chapman on the sidewalk outside his NYC home at 11:23 pm

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2010 [05] SpaceX becomes the 1st private company to successfully launch, orbit, and recover a spacecraft

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1990 [25] ‘World’s Largest Pizza’ measures 122 feet, 8 inches in diameter, a total of 11,816 square feet (Hypermarket in Norwood, South Africa).

COMING UP . . .
[Wed] AACTA Awards (Sydney, Australia)
[Wed] International Anti-Corruption Day
[Thurs] “Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors” (NBC)
[Thurs] Rihanna’s Diamond Ball (Santa Monica CA)
[Thurs] Nobel Prize Day
This Week Is … Computer Science Education Week
This Month Is … Worldwide Food Service Safety Month

BULL’S BITS


SOME OF THE SADDEST-NAMED PLACES ON EARTH:
✗ Cape Disappointment, WA USA
✗ Mount Despair, MT USA
✗ Unfortunate Cove, NL Canada
✗ Misery, France
✗ Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, AB Canada
✗ End Of the World, CA USA
✗ Melancholy Waterhole, SA Australia
✗ Alone, Italy
✗ Little Hope, TX USA
✗ Gloomy Lake, ON Canada
– BrilliantMaps.com

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ What did you really want for Christmas when you were a kid but never got?

BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
Who was reportedly the first to ever light up a Christmas tree?
a. Martin Luther [CORRECT. He’s said to have placed candles on his tannenbaum to represent the stars above Bethlehem.]
b. Thomas Edison
c. Charles Dickins

BS RANDOM JOKE:
I wish you looked at me the way you look at your phone.

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: 40% of people who do THIS do it on Mondays.
Answer: Start a diet.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am.

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